Moving house checklist from ASDA
How to move house
Moving home can be one of the most stressful things you do in your life – so it’s important to plan ahead to minimise the potential for problems.
A change of address needs to be carefully co-ordinated so your belongings can be moved safely, the milkman knows you’ve gone and your mail is redirected. So what do you need to know? Use our moving house checklist to help!
Heavy lifting? Call in the professionals
Unless you’ve only got a few items to move, it’s usually best to use a house removals service. You can arrange for packing, moving and unpacking to be done for you, or you can do the packing yourself but leave the shifting of boxes and furniture to the experts. When getting quotes for the job make sure firms include the same things so you can make an accurate comparison.
It’s essential to ensure your removals firm is insured, as even the most skilled staff can drop crockery, gouge walls or suffer theft. All British Association of Removers (BAR) members will have insurance. Any items you pack yourself may not be covered by the removal firm's insurance. If you are planning to transport precious items yourself, check they are covered when in transit by your home contents insurance.
While on the subject of insurance, you could use moving home as an opportunity to search for a great deal on your home insurance. Moving home is a great time to review all your household bills including your gas and electricity provider. The savings you make could help reduce the cost of moving house. You might also want to consider taking out income protection cover to provide a safety net should you lose your income.
Plan ahead It's a good idea to plan your move at least a month in advance. This means you can give away/dispose of any items you no longer want. Give your removals firm as much information about what you are taking with you as possible. Tell them about potential access difficulties at both addresses.
Before you move it’s best to draw up a plan of where your items will fit in your new home. Then you can colour code your packing boxes, so removal staff put items in the right place to ensure easier unpacking.
Planning ahead will also allow you to get services connected at your new property. For some the priorities might be satellite TV and broadband internet connection, but everyone will need to consider gas and electricity supply.
By arranging this in advance by using a comparison site such as Asda’s, you'll be able to secure the best deal at your new home from when you arrive, rather than paying over the odds for the default package which usually greets new homeowners.
Any day but Friday
Friday is the most common day to move if you are buying/selling a house. This is because Fridays are favoured by solicitors – however, there are good reasons for moving on another day. Your solicitor, estate agent, and bank will be quieter midweek. And removal firms sometimes offer discounts for moving Monday to Thursday.
I’ve moved, pass it on...
Don’t keep it a secret that you’ve moved home. Draw up a checklist of everyone you need to inform that you are moving house. As well as friends and family, it will include water and power firms, phone and broadband companies, and anyone who provides financial services, such as your bank, building society and credit card lender.
The council will be eager to send you a new council tax bill, and update their records for the electoral register. Car and home insurance providers will need to know of changes. Your TV licence will need updating, then there’s your driving licence, passport and any other service providers to consider. Telling your doctor and dentist will also be necessary.
The Post Office offers a mail redirection service, whereby you pay for mail addressed to your old home to be sent to your new one for a set period. Paying for this service will give you breathing space to inform everyone of your move – and ensures you receive correspondence from those you forget.
Another way of minimising your workload is to use an online change of address service. For a fee, these services will inform all organisations on your behalf.
* Home insurance is supplied subject to terms and conditions and monetary limits will apply. Refer to website to see what cover is available and see the full terms and conditions
