Moving house

Here's our quick guide to moving house, which will get you ready to move and have you relaxing in your new home in no time.

Perform general checks

Before going through our checklist, make sure you have been to visit your new area and investigated nearby facilities and amenities. If you have children, look for extra curricular activities and sports clubs that your kids can join to top up their academic studies. Get the whole family registered with a new GP and dental surgery as soon as you can too. If you're a family of socialites, it's also worth exploring local eateries and wine bars to get a good feel for the area.

Pack your belongings

Begin by packing early. A large family house will take approximately two months to pack away. To start the process, purge your home by getting rid of all those unwanted items. Approach the task one room at a time, starting with the ones you least need. Doing this will help you keep your belongings well organised, so that it is easy to direct the correct boxes to the right rooms at your new place. Your removal company may provide you with boxes for you to pack your goods in, but remember not to exceed the weight limit, and ensure that any voids in boxes are filled with protective packaging to reduce breakages in transit.

Find a removal company

When moving house, invest wisely and find yourself a reliable removal company. Filling your car to the brim and transporting your worldly possessions yourself is unnecessary in if you've packed properly. Quotes will vary from between firms, so find one that includes sufficient insurance for your commodities. Draw up an inventory of your wares so you know exactly what’s being transported when it comes to moving day.

Change your address

There is a wide range of people, companies and organisations to inform about your new address. The Post Office offers a redirection service that will prevent you missing any important correspondence; it’s advisable to use it for six to twelve months after moving house. But you will still need to inform your insurance companies, your bank, so that you continue to receive your regular statements, and the DVLA – you could be fined £1,000 if you don’t update your details.

Update your utility companies

Gas, electric, water and telephone services will all need to be transferred to your new home when you move house. A lot of providers will do the hard work for you, but it’s really important to confirm that things have been finalised. It can take a couple of weeks for some services to be transferred so make sure you give companies enough notice. The last thing you want is to be cut off when you move in. And don’t forget to take meter readings on arrival.

For more hints and tips on moving home, visit our website and blog at Engel & Völkers.