The change of address checklist before moving into a new flat

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There can be a lot to remember when moving into a new flat. Whether you’re signing a lease or closing on a purchase, there are some important things you need to do before moving home.

Moving into a new flat comes with a great deal of responsibilities, and it’s essential that you have everything properly planned out before the big day. But there’s no need to worry.

This change of address checklist outlines each step to help you prepare for moving into a new flat.

Reach out to your current landlord

The very first thing you should do before moving into a new flat is to notify your current landlord that you’re moving out. You need to let your landlord know that you won’t be renewing your lease as soon as you’ve decided to move. Citizens advice provides more information on how to end your tenancy.

In response, the landlord will probably want to complete a move-out checklist with you. In this, they will specify when and how you should return your keys, and outline the situation with regards to any deposits.

Contact your new landlord

Next, you’ll need to let your new landlord know what day you plan on moving into your new flat. There are also a number of essential questions you should ask, including:

When will you receive your keys?
Where should you park on moving day?
Are there service elevators for moving large furniture?
How should you pay the first month’s rent?
Will you need to complete a move-in checklist before moving in?

To make moving day as stress-free as possible, it’s important to have answers to all these questions. Realising that you don’t have the information you need on the actual day is a hassle you can definitely do without.

Make sure you have renters insurance

Once you’ve informed both landlords, you need to make sure that you’ve got up-to-date renters insurance.

It’s always a wise idea to have renters insurance when moving into rented accommodation. In fact, your landlord may insist on it in your rental lease. Renters insurance protects your belongings in case of theft, fire, water damage, and other unexpected problems that might arise.

If you already have renters insurance for your current flat, you simply need to call your insurance provider. They will walk you through how to update your plan for the new address, and let you know if there will be a price change.

Set up your utilities

This is an important thing to add to your change of address checklist. Before you move into your new flat you should sort out which utility providers you’re going to use. This includes gas, electricity and broadband.

Your rental lease should outline which utilities are your responsibility, and which are the landlord’s. It’s quite common for landlords to cover water, but typically you’ll need to set up the others.

Change your address

Regardless of whether you’re renting or buying, when moving house or flat you need to update your address with all the essential providers and companies. These include:

Your bank / building society
NHS
Subscriptions
TV Licence
Insurance providers

As well as changing your address with all your relevant accounts and providers, it’s also a good idea to redirect your mail. This way, Royal Mail will automatically send any post to your new address, so you don’t miss any and avoid information getting into the wrong hands.

Research your new neighbourhood

Next on your checklist for moving home is checking out your new neighbourhood. If your new flat is in a different neighbourhood, make sure you take some time to get acquainted with the area. You may want to get a few things sorted there before you move, such as:

Finding your local food shop
Registering with a doctor and dentist
Setting up a gym membership
Checking out your local bus route and times
Finding your nearest pharmacy
Registering with the local library

This is a great way to feel more at home as soon as you move in. Moving to a new flat can be stressful, but having everything set up for when you get there can help make the process run smoothly.

Clean your current flat

If you already live in a flat, you’ll need to make sure it is left in an acceptable state before moving out.

Typically, landlords will get a professional cleaning service to clean the flat from top to bottom once you’ve left. But it’s still helpful for you to have a quick clean beforehand.

Making sure that everything is in tip-top shape before handing the keys back to your landlord will help minimise the risk of you not getting your full security deposit back.

Pack your belongings

Finally on your moving checklist it’s packing up all your stuff.

The key to making your flat move as smooth as possible is to start packing early.

You should start with non-essential items that you don’t use on a day-to-day basis, such as decorations, books, wall art, sentimental belongings etc. You can also pack any clothes or kitchenware that you know you won’t need in the short term.

As for the last-minute things, it’s a good idea to get these organised, so you can swiftly pack them closer to moving day.

As you pack your boxes, make sure you label each one so you can easily identify what is in it and where it needs to go in your new flat. Labelling your boxes on more than one side will also mean that you can read the labels when boxes are stacked on top of each other.

Moving day

You’ve made it to moving day – congratulations! The hardest part is over; you just need to collect your keys and you’re in, right? Not quite.

Before you relax and start settling into your new home, it’s important that you double check everything’s in order.

Identify any damage or issues you may need to raise with the landlord, and take photos if necessary.

Hopefully this guide helps to make moving into a new flat as straightforward and easy as possible. Do share your tips for moving home in the comments.