What do I need to do when I move house?

Moving is an admin problem more than a physical one. Almost everything that goes wrong afterwards — a bill dispute, a missed renewal, an invalidated insurance policy — traces back to something not being told the new address.

What you'll need

• A written checklist
• Camera or phone
• Mail redirection service (optional)

Step by step

1. Start a written list of everyone who has your address.Go through a year of bank statements and post. It is far more comprehensive than trying to remember, and it takes twenty minutes.
2. Set up mail redirection two weeks before the move.It catches everyone you forget, and you will forget several. Twelve months is worth the cost for the annual renewals.
3. Tell your utilities and take readings on the day.Gas, electricity, water. Photograph every meter at both properties on moving day. This is the single most common source of billing disputes.
4. Update insurance before you move, not after.Home, contents, car — car insurance is priced on where the vehicle is kept, and an out-of-date address can invalidate a claim.
5. Tell government and official bodies.Tax authority, vehicle registration, driving licence, electoral roll, benefits agencies. Some of these are legal obligations with penalties.
6. Tell your bank, employer and pension providers.Banks in particular, since address mismatches cause card and application problems that take a long time to unpick.
7. Arrange broadband well ahead.Installation frequently takes weeks, and it is the most common thing people find themselves without after a move.
8. Deal with the practical safety items on arrival.Locate the stopcock, consumer unit and gas valve, test the smoke alarms, and consider changing the locks.

Tips

• Photograph the condition of the property you are leaving and the one you are arriving at, on the day. It settles deposit and dilapidation questions instantly.
• Keep a box of essentials — kettle, mugs, tea, chargers, toilet roll, cleaning cloths, medication — that travels with you rather than in the van.
• Set a calendar reminder a month after the move to check for post arriving at the old address via redirection. That tells you who you still need to update.

Common mistakes

• Not taking meter readings on moving day — You get billed for someone else's usage on an estimate, and it is difficult to disprove afterwards without a photograph.
• Forgetting to update car insurance — Premiums depend on where the vehicle is kept overnight, and an incorrect address can invalidate a claim entirely.
• Leaving broadband until after the move — Installation commonly takes several weeks, and working from home without it is a genuine problem.

Questions people ask