In all the chaos and excitement of moving home, there’s probably at least one important person or organisation you’re forgetting to tell that you’re moving. We’ve compiled a checklist to help you avoid being one of those people who forget about it until it’s become a problem.
Your Employer
You probably forget that your employer even has these details on file, but make sure you let them know about the change of address – you don’t want any sensitive letters going to your old home. If you’re leaving your job as part of the move, make sure you give enough notice – most employers require at least a two-week minimum notice period.
Insurance Providers
This one is a priority – most insurance is no longer valid once you move home and don’t update your details. Sorting your home and contents insurance should be top of the list. If you drive, your car insurer will also need notifying. Part of their premium is calculated based on the home address of the car so be prepared to potentially pay a fee for registering it at your new address.
Bank & Credit Card Companies
Your bank and credit card companies hold sensitive information about you, so make sure to notify them even if you use paperless billing. Whenever you use your card online you’re asked to input your current billing address, so updating your information with these companies will help keep your card working smoothly.
Subscriptions
Make sure to update any newspaper or magazine subscriptions. This can usually be done directly through the publication websites.
Electoral Register
We’ve all seen the advert so much we now ignore it – but don’t fall into the trap of forgetting to keep updated on the electoral register, otherwise, come election time you could find yourself unable to vote after thinking you could.
Utilities
Notify your electric/gas/water companies that you’re moving and take photos of your current meter readings – failure to do so can incur extra charges from the next owner, or cause confusion as to what bills are outstanding and what is paid for. Take this as an opportunity to shop around for a better deal with your utility companies too – you could find you haven’t been getting the best deal available.
TV / Phone / Internet Providers
Before letting your providers know of your move, shop around and see if you can get a better deal. When it comes to telling them, there’s a good chance they’ll be able to provide a good deal to renew your service. It’s best to get this organised in advance as it can often take a few weeks for the internet to be installed at a property.
The Post Office
Any mail going to your old address puts you at risk of ID Fraud. Even if you notify all of the above individuals and organisations, a letter could slip through the net and head to your old home. Royal Mail offers a redirection service to divert any letters to your new household. This is available for both personal mail and business mail. More information about this service can be found here.
Other people/organisations to notify
- Schools
- Doctors
- Inland Revenue
- Council tax department
- Pension companies
- Solicitor
- Dentist
- DVLA
- Friends & relatives
- Gym
- Library