prepare for moving day
Your Moving House Checklist
Moving involves rather more than packing boxes. This checklist covers everyone who may need to know your new address, so nothing gets forgotten in the rush.
Before you start
The admin nobody warns you about
Moving to a new house is a busy and stressful time — you pack your entire life into boxes and move it in a single day.
We can't help with the packing, but we can make the conveyancing side of it a good deal more straightforward. And once the move itself is done, there is the life admin that follows.
Below is a checklist of the people and organisations you may need to tell that you have moved. Not everything will apply to you — work through the categories that do, and ignore the rest.
Moving-day essentials
The handful of things worth doing on the day itself.
Take meter readings at the property you are leaving
Take meter readings at your new property
Photograph the readings, or write them down with the date
Check what your providers will charge at the new address
Keep documents, keys and contact numbers somewhere you can reach them
Change of address
Who needs to know you've moved
Nine categories to work through. Tick boxes are a printed guide, not a saved list — the page doesn't remember your progress.
Utilities and household
Water
Gas
Electricity
Council Tax
Your current energy or utility providers
Take meter readings at both houses on moving day — you don't want to pay for someone else's heating. It is also worth asking your current providers what they will charge at the new property, or comparing deals.
TV, phone and internet
Cable or television provider
TV Licence
Landline provider
Mobile phone provider
Internet provider
Banks and finances
Current account bank
Savings account bank
Store cards
Credit cards
Loan providers
Student Loans Company
Pension providers
Financial adviser or accountant
Insurance providers (home, life, travel)
HMRC
Cars and vehicles
DVLA
Driving licence
Vehicle registration (V5C)
Car insurance provider
Car finance provider
Worth doing promptly: an out-of-date address on your licence or vehicle record can carry a penalty, and some insurance policies rely on the registered address matching your own.
Healthcare and pets
Doctor or GP surgery
Dentist
Optician
Vet
Pet microchip database
Work, school and memberships
Employer
Schools or education providers
Gym
Clubs and memberships
Professional organisations
Government and official records
Electoral Register
HMRC
Local council
Any benefit or government accounts you hold
Requirements differ depending on which services you use, so check the current guidance on GOV.UK for each one.
Friends, family and contacts
Friends and family
Change-of-address cards or messages
Anyone else who sends you post regularly
Change-of-address cards are worth the effort — you don't want an invitation "getting lost in the post" because someone missed the news.
Post and deliveries
Royal Mail redirection
Postal subscriptions
Regular deliveries
Online shopping accounts
keep reading
Related conveyancing guidance
More guides to help you plan your move.
Top Tips for First-Time Buyers
What to sort out before you start looking, and what to expect once your offer is accepted.
Read the guide →
Conveyancing Costs Explained
What makes up your quote and what each cost covers, so there are no surprises later on.
Read the guide →
Glossary of Terms
Plain English definitions of the legal terms you will come across during your move.
Get started
Planning a move?
Get an instant conveyancing quote, or call and tell us about your move — we will take the legal side from there.