Moving Home Checklist

Moving to a new home will involve a lot of planning, and a huge number of things to remember. You must always plan everything out properly to avoid any unnecessary issues, but even then there is a chance something will go wrong or get forgotten. As a result, it can be helpful to prepare a ‘moving home checklist’, to make sure everything is in place and you don’t forget anything. While you may want to add your own items to the list, here’s our suggestion for a checklist with a few common items to get you started:

Redirect Post

Whenever moving house there’s bound to be a few people or companies you forget to tell your new address to, so it’s always worth setting up a temporary redirection service with Royal Mail. Once this is set up, any mail addressed to you at your old address will automatically be forwarded to your new address, for whatever period you specify. However, it’s worth bearing in mind that it takes at least 5 working days to get this set up, so make sure you give plenty of notice (you can create it up to six months in advance) so you don’t miss anything.

Create List of Questions

It’s a great idea to prepare a list of questions to ask the seller when you move in, and you can save time and stress by asking a few simple questions, like the location of the thermostat, stopcock (to shut off the water supply) and the gas/electricity meters. It’s also worth finding out details of any electrical items or fixed furniture they are leaving behind, such as where they were originally purchased from and whether there is any warranty or guarantee still in place. Once you have your list, you can save yourself time by preparing answers to all your questions to pass on to your buyer – they will likely be very grateful.

Register to Vote

Once you have moved house you will need to register to vote again. While it’s a simple enough process (you can do it online here), it’s easily forgotten in the chaos of the move, and once you’re settled in it’s easy for it to slip off your agenda. Make it a point on your checklist so you don’t forget it!

Arrange Utilities

Your current utility suppliers will want to give you a final bill, so notify them in advance wherever possible, and provide details of your new address so they know where to send the bill. Always take meter readings on the day you leave – rather than writing it down on a slip of paper that could get lost, take photos on your smartphone. In addition, take photos of the meters in your new home as soon as you can once you have arrived, and ask the seller who supplies them. Once you have these details, contact the relevant companies and let them know that you’ve moved in so that they can update their details accordingly.

There’s likely to be a few of your own items, so add these to the list, and then pin it to the wall to keep it safe – and don’t forget to take it with you when you leave!