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Moving? Things to do before you move out.
When moving everyone seems to come up with a check list of things to do to help with the move, indeed we at whatprice have put together a few handy hints for you,
both 'Top Tips for Moving House', and a 'What to look for when buying a new
home'. However it must not be forgotten that there are many things that you have to do before you move out of your old home. You may well have been settled in
your old places for quite a number of years, and there is a lot that needs to be taken care of to carry your life forward to the new home. Below is hopefully a comprehensive list of
all the things you must consider before you move:
Car You will need to renew your driving licence and vehicle registration document as failure to notify DVLA of a change in address is an offence. It might also be a good idea to get
your car services, or at least check the tyres, brakes and water before the long haul with a heavily loaded car. Remember that your tyres normally should be 'over inflated' when
driving fully loaded. Refer to your manual for the proper tyre pressure.
Parking If you have any parking restrictions at either your present or your new address, you will need to contact the local authorities to arrange for a suspension of the parking
restrictions outside your property on your moving day. Remember that a removal van can be very large, and in some cases as large as a bus and needs extra space for manoeuvring into
position.
You may wish to apply to a permanent parking permit at your new home, these could take several weeks to come through, so you should do it before you move out of your old
place.
Bank Notify all your banks/building societies of your change of address and maybe consider transferring your accounts to a branch nearer to your new home. Its probably best to
create a 'standard' "I am moving to this new address" letter at this stage
Credit/Store cards When you receive your statements, fill out the change of address form. This is usually on the reverse of the statement. Don't forget to notify any card protection
insurers that you may have.
Schools Let your child's school know when you intend them to be leaving, and advise the new school when you intend your children to start.
Meter Readings Record all utility meter readings (gas, electric, water) to compare to final bills.
Trash Get rid of anything you aren't bringing with you. Be ruthless!
Neighbours Collect all the items you may have loaned out to neighbors, and likewise return any items that you may have borrowed.
Inland Revenue When you notify your local tax office you will need to quote your reference number, this can be found on your pay slip/P60/code notification.
Insurances/Pensions Contact your broker or the individual companies for your Life, Motor, Medical, Pet and Contents and any other insurance. When contacting your house contents
insurers, check with them to see what cover you have regarding moving house, you may find that you are fully covered and have no need to take out extra cover with your removal
company.
Doctor, Dentist & Opticians If you are moving out of the local area you will have de-register with them and register with a new one in your new area. Leave plenty of time for
this as the beaurocratic wheels turn quite slowly in the NHS.
TV Licence/Rental Fill in the change of address part of your existing licence. Contact your rental company, if they are a large national firm you can normally take your items to
your new address and your records will be transferred to their nearest branch.
Hotels If you need hotel accommodation during your removal, book your hotel well in advance.
Council Tax Notify the relevant authorities in both your current area and the area you are moving to.
Pets If you are intending to book your pets into Kennels/cattery do so now. Arrange for the transfer of your pet's records to the new vet
Electricity, Gas, and Water Contact your existing and new electricity companies. Advise them of your new address and date of removal. Give plenty of notice, and always assume that
they haven't listened to you the first time, so phone them up a second time to confirm your address.
Telephones Contact providers and advise them of your change of address and the date that you wish your new number to operate from. Make sure that if your phone is to be disconnected
that you have a way to contact your solicitor and estate agent.
Library Return any books to the library, probably a good idea to do so even if they are overdue!
Mail You can have your mail re-directed by the Post Office. This can be arranged by post. Just pick up a form at the post office, they require seven days notice.
Subscriptions Notify all organisations,charities and magazines which you subscribe to, of your new address.
Newspapers/Milk Settle all outstanding accounts and cancel.
Borrowed or loaned items. Return any items that you have borrowed from friends and neighbours.
Freezer Use up your food stock in you freezer before moving. Defrost the freezer and air-dry the refrigerator to prevent mildew.
Important Documents Create a file or folder to store all important documents (insurance,will,deeds, investments etc) in a safe place.
Toxic Substances Find out where to dispose of household chemicals like old paint and oil.
This list is probably by no means exhaustive, but hopefully it will start you thinking about all those things that you need to sort out before you move out of your
house. Remember the earlier you start doing these things, the easier your life will be when you finally do move house.
If you can think of anything else that should be added to this list, please feel free to ContactUs
Moving? Things to do before you move out. By Alastair Taylor
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