The new home checklist

A Moving Checklist: What to Do When Moving House

Avant Homes provides a handbook for all buyers of our properties, but this new home checklist will help you to tick off those final pieces in the jigsaw and make your move complete.In the middle of packing boxes and finalising the legal parts of your move, it's understandable that a few things might slip off your to-do list; even things that could prove important further down the line.

However, knowing exactly how to prepare for moving house, and what you need to do once you've moved in, is one of the best ways to minimise stress during the process.

To help, we've created a moving checklist, split into tasks to complete before your move and those to tackle once you've settled in, helping make the entire process a little smoother.

Pre-moving checklist: Things to do before moving house

Notify your landlord - If you’re currently renting, you’ll need to notify your landlord that you’re not renewing your lease and that you’ll be leaving the property. The amount of notice you need to provide tends to vary from one lease to the next, but your required notice period should be detailed in your tenancy agreement.

Set up removal vans – If you’ve been living in a furnished rental and don’t need to take many items with you when you move, then a car may suffice. But, if you’ve amassed a collection of furniture and household items, removal vans (or teams!) are vital for keeping moving day smooth and stress-free. Scour your area for highly rated removal companies and book in advance to make sure they’re free on your move-in day.

Get packing supplies and pack up your things – One thing that’s often left to the last minute is getting packing supplies. A month or so before your move, order cardboard boxes, tissue paper, packing peanuts, and anything else you’ll need for keeping your things protected. Then, you can start packing up your things in advance, knowing they’ll not only be safe while being transported, but also having a clear idea of what every box contains.

Check if you can take your utilities with you – Although prices may change, if you’re on a fixed tariff with your utilities, you might be able to stay on the same contract if you contact your provider. But if staying put isn’t possible or if you need to take out a new contract, it’s also a good time to shop around and see the best deals in the area you’re moving to. For example, faster broadband might be available in your new area.

Notify local services you’re moving – If you use local services like milk deliveries, farm shop produce drop offs, window cleaners, a newspaper delivery service, or more, you’ll need to either update your address if you’re staying in their catchment area, or you’ll need to cancel.  

Redirect your post - To make sure you don’t miss out on any important letters or deliveries, the next thing on our checklist for moving house is redirecting your post. Royal Mail’s Postal Redirection service ensures your post arrives at your new address, before you’ve had chance to update it with everyone. You can choose to redirect your post for 3, 6, or 12 months for a fee, and have peace of mind that your mail won’t be inconveniencing your current home’s new tenant.

Do an online food shop so you don’t have to do it on move-in day – Doing a food shop on the day you move into your new house likely isn’t at the top of your to-do list, but not being stocked up on the essentials isn’t ideal either. Instead, place an order online with a supermarket near your new address and have it delivered on the day you move in.

Post-moving checklist: Things to do after moving house

Take a meter read – One of the first things to do when moving into a new house is to take a meter read and inform your new energy provider. Without submitting the reading on day one in your home, you may end up paying for energy the previous tenant used; a nasty surprise to have in your first bill at your new house!

Register to vote - Many people think you’re automatically registered to vote after moving, but that’s not the case. You need to register to vote at your new address as soon as possible as not doing so means you have no say in who represents you in local government.

Make note of where key things are in your new home – One of the more important items on a new house checklist is making note of where key things are across your home, like your stopcock, gas and electric meters, fuse box, thermostat, and more. Doing so means if you need to access them at any point during the first few weeks, you won’t be left feeling stressed about where they are.

Update your details with key service providers - Banks, insurance providers, the DVLA, your employer, and any other companies with your current address will need to know your new one. In some cases, like with home insurance, you may need to alter your policy to reflect your new home too, but you’ll be able to discuss that with them when you call to update your details.

Update your council tax – If you’re moving to a new area that falls under a different local authority, you’ll need to notify your current authority and your new authority that your council tax needs updating. Moving to a new property may have an impact on your payments if the home falls under a different band, but you can check this online in advance of your move.

Register with new medical practitioners – Although this only applies when you’re moving to a different catchment area, you’ll need to register with new medical practitioners such as a doctors’ surgery, a dentist, and an optician. 

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