Top tips for moving house

When you’re going through the conveyancing process and preparing to move into your new home, there are a number of things that need to be on your to-do list. To help get you started, we’ve put together a list of our top 5 moving house tips: 

1. Get organised

Your move might be weeks away, but you’ll be surprised how quickly time flies. Get yourself a diary or calendar, and use it to remind yourself of key dates, and list what you want to achieve by when. Any paperwork that’s sent by your solicitor to be checked and/or signed, needs seeing to promptly and returning, or it could stall your move. If friends and family are offering to help on moving in day, whether it’s helping transport boxes, unpacking, or minding any little ones, make sure you put plans in place now. A few handy to-do lists for use on the day can help prevent hold ups, so try and draft these sooner rather than later.

2. Book your removals company and start packing

You should pick your removals company as soon as you can, to ensure that they’ll available on your completion day, and start getting packing materials and boxes together. Packing up your current home can seem a mammoth task, but if you give yourself plenty of time, you shouldn’t find it too overwhelming. It’s a good idea to pack a room at a time, beginning with the rooms that you rarely use, such as guest bedrooms or a dining room. 

3. Declutter

Moving home is a great opportunity to declutter and get rid of the belongings you don’t really want or need. Ideally, you should aim to recycle, donate, sell or bin as much as possible; so that you’re not paying to transport unnecessary items to your new home. If there’s a good chance it’ll just end up sitting in a garage, loft or shed for years at a time – and it has little sentimental value – get rid now.

4. Inform everyone

You don’t want any post arriving at your old address once you’ve moved, so make sure people and relevant businesses know the date you’re moving and your new address. You’ll need to take final readings for your utility suppliers, arrange for your phone, broadband and TV suppliers to transfer their services, as well as notifying your doctors, dentists, workplaces, friends, family members and others of your impending move. To ensure that any post that is accidentally sent to your old address is forwarded, and to reduce the risk of identity fraud, you can set up a Royal Mail redirection.

5. Make sure you're insured

If you’ll be buying your new property with the help of a mortgage, your mortgage provider may well insist that you have buildings insurance before your policy can commence. Often, your mortgage company or mortgage advisor will offer to quote for home insurance, but you’re under no obligation to take out the policy they offer and you may find cheaper cover elsewhere.

Even if you’re a cash buyer, having both buildings and contents cover is strongly recommended as it will ensure you’re properly protected from floods, fires, storms, subsidence, escape of water, burglaries and vandalism depending on your cover.

If you already have home insurance and want to transfer it to your new home, you need to check with your current insurer to see if this is possible. They’ll have to recalculate your premium, and you may be required to pay extra to keep your cover.

For more information about home insurance, and to get a quote for RIAS cover, please click here >