Moving house checklist: Answers to 7 common questions

1. Should I have a clear-out before moving?

When you are moving house it can sometimes be a good idea to have a clear-out before you move into your new place. This will also mean that you are not moving items unnecessarily, which can cost time and money.

2. Should I book a removal company in advance?

Removal costs can be expensive, so it is always good to make sure you contact a few removal businesses in your area. It is always best to try and shop around for quotes in advance of getting your move date. Although if you don’t have a lot of items to move, it could be worthwhile asking friends and family to help with the move or hiring a van for the day.

3. Do you have to agree a move date before exchange?

If your mortgage has been accepted and you’ve exchanged contracts you are nearly there! The next step would be confirming a moving date with the estate agents. Knowing the moving date in plenty of time will allow you to sort out removals and utility companies that may need to be notified. In most cases, a move date is agreed once the exchange of contracts has been completed.

 4. How do I redirect my post when moving house?

This is something that people who move house forget to do. Having your post redirected is important, especially if you have not told your bill provider that you have changed address. To set this up all you need to do is visit the Royal Mail redirection homepage.

5. Who should I inform when moving house?

It is important once you have moved to your new home that you notify people of your change of address. Some of the main organisations you should contact are:

• HMRC
• Your local council authority
• DVLA
• Post office
• TV licencing
• Your employer
• Your bank
• Election register
• Insurance, pension and credit card companies

6. When should you take final meter readings?

When you have a moving date organised you will need to let your utility providers know that you are moving address. On your moving day you should take your final meter readings and submit these to your utility companies and confirm that you will no longer live at the address.  This will stop any other payments coming to you that the new owners of the house would have accrued.

7. How do I register with a local doctor, dentist or vet?

If you have moved to a new area, you may want to find a doctor’s surgery that is closer to where you live. All you will need to do is look up where your nearest practice is located and give them a call. They will normally talk to you over the phone and will give you guidance on how to register to be a patient at that practice.  

Moving house can take a lot of planning and organisation, but we hope this checklist will help your house move run more smoothly. Good luck with the move!