10 moving must-dos for buyers and sellers

With people in Britain moving house every 23 years on average, and with life expectancy currently at 79 for men and 83 for women, someone from the UK can expect to move at least three times in their lifetime.

And this, unfortunately, can come at a cost. Swerving costs when moving home is not easy as experts are nearly always required to support a move, while the physical act of moving day itself is estimated to cost just over £1,100 on its own.

In addition to the cost, moving house is often described as more stressful than divorce or bereavement, which makes it absolutely vital that steps are taken to reduce the stress involved or perhaps even eliminate it altogether.

With some guidance from Boiler Plan, we outline the simple tricks and tips that can help to soften the stress of moving.

There’s also some key ‘life admin’ tasks that people often forget because of the all-consuming nature of a big move. But these are the things that could land you in hot water, leave you out of pocket or even see you breaking the law, so the tips below become doubly important.

Organise your moving day essentials

Moving house can be thirsty work and forgetting to leave your kettle and mugs unpacked could simply add to your stress levels, so ensure that tea and coffee-making facilities (i.e. milk, tea bags, a kettle) are easily accessible. Regular breaks are also crucial when it comes to a smooth house move and stopping for a cuppa is an excellent way of achieving that.

Keep the kids and pets away

With your stress levels already likely to be heightened, adding kids and pets to the mixture is only going to make things worse. Children can be excitable and hard to keep control of at the best of times, while pets may find the move overwhelming, so it’s wise to send them elsewhere on moving day.

If they’re being looked after away from the house, it means your sole focus can be on the main task of the day – moving home successfully.

It’s also sensible from a health and safety viewpoint, with lots of heavy boxes and open doors during the move a possible hazard. For all concerned, keeping pets and children at a safe distance will help to keep things organised and structured.

Read your meter one last time

Understandably, house movers are very excited to get into their new home, but this means that last minute admin tasks can slip through the net. Taking final meter readings is one of these – essential to make sure you don’t get landed with a surprise bill a few weeks down the line.

The meter reading taken at the last minute will be used by your provider for your final bill. As such, it’s vital that you take an accurate reading on your last day to avoid shelling out for energy that you haven’t been using.

Update your details on the electoral register

With the current uncertain political climate, which is making a general election in the next few months an inevitability rather than a possibility, it’s arguably more crucial than ever that you are registered to vote. You can register to vote on www.gov.uk and, importantly, you are required to re-register when you move to a new address. If you don’t, you may not be allowed to vote.

Pack in an efficient way

Packing might be something that you put off and off, for understandable reasons, but it’s vital that you prepare in advance to avoid a last-minute, panicked rush.

Doing things in an effective, efficient manner will not only help to keep stress to a minimum, it will also make the process of unpacking in your new home much less of a bind and far less stressful.

Label clearly, use bubble wrap for delicate items, and ensure all boxes are strong and sturdy enough for the goods they hold and the transition between your former home and your new one.

Another good tap to make unpacking an easier step is to label each box with the room it should be unpacked in. So, for example, kitchen utensils should be placed in the kitchen and bedroom items in the bedroom.

Make sure your mail is redirected

While this may not be top of your list of priorities, it’s still an important step that shouldn’t be neglected. If you don’t redirect your mail, you could miss important bills and information. Fortunately, the Post Office provides a reliable redirection service which redirects your mail for a small fee.

To save yourself time and hassle, it’s a good idea to inform all your friends, family and acquaintances – as well the suppliers providing your utilities – of your change of address at the same time.

Service your new boiler

As we enter autumn and winter, and the average temperature begins to dip dramatically, now is the time to make sure your new home’s boiler is serviced to ensure it is working as it should be.

To guarantee that your boiler is operating safely and efficiently, you should ensure that it is serviced once a year. What’s more, there are no guarantees that the former tenants or owners ever had their boiler serviced, which means it could have fallen into disrepair without their knowledge.

Sort your TV licence

When viewing live TV and certain catch-up services, it’s a legal requirement to have a valid TV licence – it is, in fact, classified as a criminal offence to watch live TV or BBC iPlayer without one.

You risk prosecution and could see yourself issued with a fine of up to £1,000 plus court costs – so it’s not worth taking the risk. Luckily, updating your TV licence only takes a few minutes and is a relatively affordable outlay of £154.40 a year (or £12.87 a month).

Give yourself an insurance policy

No matter if you’re renting or buying, house insurance is a must-have to make your possessions are protected against loss or damage. Remember, too, that items could get damaged in the move itself, so getting insured 30 days in advance and putting it into motion the day you pick up the keys is a very wise move.

Make an application for a parking permit

If you don’t have the luxury of a driveway or free residential/on-street parking, you’ll have to apply for a parking permit ahead of moving into your new home. To do this, you’ll need proof of residency to apply, so your tenancy agreement (if you’re a renter) or proof of ownership (if you’re an owner) will be required.

Typically, it’s a one-off yearly payment (which varies by location), and having one in place before you move will ensure you don’t get costly parking tickets at later date. Additionally, it could provide a useful place for your removal van to park.

If you’re looking to buy, sell, let or rent a property in Birmingham, Solihull, Warwickshire or Nottingham, here at Centrick we have the experience and expertise to help.

To find out more about how we can help you, or for any advice on the Midlands property market, get in touch with us today. You can also request a free, instant online valuation to see how much your property could be worth on the current market.