Moving Home

Moving house is both exciting and daunting. We have put together this simple guide of things to do before moving to make sure it is as stress-free as possible.

This checklist provides a detailed list of who you need to tell you are moving.

Important things to remember are:

• check out the area you are moving to, such as schools, local doctors and dentists.
• make a thorough plan of your new house, and decide which of your possessions go where, and what you need to buy for your new home.
• book your removals as soon as possible, and be aware that closer to the time and at peak times removals companies are usually more expensive. If you are moving without the help of a removals company, you’ll need materials for moving. These include sturdy cardboard boxes, bubble wrap, and packing materials.
• de-register with your optician, dentist and doctor and re-register with the new ones.
• inform all the relevant financial authorities of your new address. This includes banks, building societies, store cards, insurance companies and Paypal.
• register your change of address to enable you to vote.
• if you drive, inform the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) of your new address.
• let the local council know you have moved in, for Council tax purposes.
• inform any remaining authorities such as TV licensing of your change of address.
• don’t forget to contact any mobile phone, internet or satellite TV providers you have contracts with.
• contact the Post Office to have your mail forwarded to your new address.
• shut down all old utilities accounts, and settle any outstanding accounts in local area. Take final meter readings for gas, water and electricity on the day of your move.

There are also a number of things you can do online to make your move into the borough less stressful! Visit our Welcome to the Royal Borough page for information on Council Tax, parking permits, online registration and lots more.