The Ultimate Guide To Moving House

Spread The Word About Your Move

While it’s easy to concentrate on the physical aspect of moving – i.e. getting the contents of your house from A to B – it’s so important that you take care of the admin side of the move. It’s tedious work, but the places you need to make aware of your move include, but aren’t limited to banks, pension providers, insurance and loan providers, council tax, your employers, schools, your cable provider and your doctor. You’ll also have to switch your phone line and internet, as well as your utilities, and ensure that you’ve sorted for them all to be reconnected at the other end of your move. You’ll need to register to vote in that area, too. Creating a comprehensive list of companies you need to contact is helpful – you can find a couple that might help you from IPlan2Move.co.uk. But if you’re a bit strapped for time – likely with a big house move – IAmMoving.com will let you change your address details and notified over 1500 organisations for you (otherwise, companies like moving companies like Abels will do it for you for a fee).

It’s also wise to get your post redirected. “You won’t miss important documents and you’ll prevent your personal details falling into the wrong hands, stopping you from becoming a victim of fraud,” says Royal Mail. To do this, all you’ll need is the names and dates of birth of everyone in the home that needs their mail redirected, and the address and postcode of your old and new home.

Do Your Research Before Hiring A Removal Service

When it comes to getting your stuff from your old house to your new one, if you don’t want the hassle of hiring a van and moving it all yourself then you’ll need to hire a removal service to give you a hand. According to removal quote comparison site GetAMover.co.uk, there’s no fixed fee when it comes to hiring a removal service: “It will come down to a number of factors, including the distance you are moving and the number of bedrooms you currently have. Most companies offer a packing service and will be able to price a job for you with just a few details, but it is worth telling them if there is anything special or oversized that may be tricky to move or dismantle.”

The experts at self-storage company Storage Vault recommend writing down your own list of requirements before getting several quotes: “Do you need someone to pack up your belongings for moving house, or for storage? Are you worried about fragile or electronic items? The more detail you put in, the more opportunity you’ll give the removals company to give you an accurate quote.” They also suggest getting a pre-move survey – this gives them company the chance to properly assess how long it’ll take to move your belongings and how many staff members are needed for the move.
Other things to think about include the types of insurance are included in the quote – look out for the level of insurance that mover is offering, their delays and complaints policies, and ensure that parking is included in their quote, say Storage Vault: “Make sure you know what your responsibility is here in order to minimise your stress levels on the day.”

The National Guild of Removers advise getting professional packers in to safely and properly pack your items – “Any items you pack yourself are not insurable by removal companies and therefore transported at your own risk,” they explain. Plus, packing is often the most time-consuming part of moving, and professional removers are specially trained to pack swiftly: “Professional removers train their packing crews. They work fast and use packing materials that really do protect your home while it’s in their care. That’s why if they pack, they are able to offer the level of Goods in Transit insurance that your belongings deserve.”

Pass On All The Important Information

Do a good deed before leaving your old property and give the new owners any instruction leaflets for any appliances you’re leaving behind. Remember how tricky it was to work the heating function when you first moved in? Yeah, it’s likely the new homeowner’s going to struggle with that too. Do them a favour and compile a binder with all the important facts in there. This can include details of local tradesmen, the nearest dentist and doctor’s surgery, who provides the energy and broadband, and what days the rubbish is collected. Point out where the gas and electricity meters are, where the main stopcock is (to shut off the water) – and if you really want to be helpful, you could even list the paint brands and colours used on the walls, in case they want to spruce up the rooms. If you’re not offered this in your new home, try to speak to the previous owner and ask them all these questions.

Use The Opportunity To Have A Big Clear-Out

We’re all big fans of the Marie Kondo effect right now, and if you haven’t yet had the chance to find out what items that you own spark joy, then there’s no better time than ahead of a big move. Ultimately, it’s a great money saver, as you won’t be paying movers to pack unwanted items and lugging them to your new pad. Lizzie Grant, founder of decluttering service Simplify Stuff, says it’s better to clean your place room by room, starting with items you have the least emotional attachment to in order to warm up your “decluttering muscles”. Get together the items that could be sold and take them to a charity shop or put them on eBay, and if you have any unwanted food you don’t want to take, use the Olio app to avoid wastage. But of course, if you’re finding it hard to part with your belongings, Lizzie will come in as a professional and help you. (Get more tips from Lizzie here.)

When The Big Day Comes, Preparation Is Key

First things first: find someone who’ll be willing to look after any children or pets for the day so you can concentrate on the move. Check there is somewhere for the removals van to park – as close to the property as possible – and label all boxes to ensure the removal men know what’s going in which room (you don’t want a bed in the kitchen, for example).

If you’re renting, go over the itinerary thoroughly and immediately raise any issues with the landlord, otherwise you could lose your deposit. According to tenant support site The Tenant’s Voice, you’ll need to check the integrity of the walls, ceilings and floors, surface damage, conditions of windows and furniture, the condition of carpets, water flow and gutters, among other things (see the full list here). Money Saving Expert advise taking metre readings as soon as possible, so you know if you’re being billed for the previous owner’s usage. And one last thing: make sure you’ve got light bulbs – you don’t want to spend your first night in your new house in the dark.

For a London removal company that will do all the hard work for you (we're talking parking suspension for vans or lorries, meticulous packing & unpacking, insurance against breakage) SheerLuxe rate Bmoved.
 
Visit BMoved.co.uk for more information.