You’ve done the trawling through Rightmove or Open Rent. You’ve visited the houses you like, trying to come up with some good questions to ask. You’ve made the offer, had it accepted and are ready to move in. But what now? Well whilst there’s the packing and unpacking to do, there are actually a number of other things you can do to make moving into your home a little easier. So grab a cuppa and let’s go through them.
Safety first: test your detectors.
The first thing you should do when moving into your new home is to check that the smoke detectors are working. If the property is already fitted with carbon monoxide detectors, you should check these too. If not, be sure to order some and follow the instructions supplied on where to place your detectors.
Going forward, it’s a good idea to test your detectors once a month to make sure they’re working as they should be too. If you’re moving into a rented property then you should ask your landlord for a Gas Safety Certificate and an EICR - Electrical Installation Condition Report. You can also ask for an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) too.
This will give you an idea of how energy efficient the property is and whether you might want to ask whether your landlord plans any energy efficiency upgrades to the property.
Have a walk through your home.
Before you start filling the place with furniture, do a walkthrough of your new home. You can use this time to make sure that everything you requested to be done has been done. It can also be useful to plan out any improvements or repairs you want to make to really get the most from your new place.
Here’s a quick checklist of things to keep an eye out for on your walkthrough:
Water, plumbing and boiler:
Taps: Turn on all taps to check water pressure and drainage. Take a look for any leaks under sinks too.
Toilets: Flush all toilets to ensure they work properly.
Showers: Test the shower water pressure and temperature. Check for leaks, whether the plugs drain smoothly, and whether the silicone sealing is intact and in good condition.
Boiler: If your property has a gas boiler, make sure you know where it’s located and where the manual is.
Radiators: Unless it’s the height of summer and you can’t face turning on the heating, check that all radiators heat up evenly. If they don’t, your system may need bleeding to allow your radiators to warm up fully.
Electricals and appliances:
Sockets, switches and outlets: Check that all your plugs and switches are working properly.
Appliances: Test all included appliances (oven, hob, washing machine, fridge etc.) to ensure they are in working order. Look for instruction manuals in your property pack if you’re moving into a property you’ve bought, or ask your landlord for them if you’re renting.
Window and doors: Check that all your windows and doors open and close smoothly and that there are no draughts. Keep an eye out for damage to frames and glass. Make sure that your windows and external doors lock properly and that you have the keys you need for each where applicable.
Overall structure and condition:
Walls and ceilings: Look for cracks and any signs of damp or mould. Pay close attention to areas around windows and pipes.
Floors: Look for any unevenness, loose floorboards, damaged carpets or flooring.
Kitchen and bathrooms: Review the condition of units, worktops, tiles, and sanitaryware and make a note of any damage or leaks.
Inventory (for rentals):
If you’re renting, you should be given a detailed inventory of the property's contents and their condition. Be sure to go through this carefully and note any discrepancies or existing damage before signing. Take photos, so you have evidence of the property’s condition on your move in date.
Find where your utilities go.
As part of your stroll through your home, it’s important to locate your:
Fuse box.
Water stop tap.
Electricity meter.
Gas meter.
These are normally located under stairs, near the boiler or in the garage. Knowing where these are means you can react quicker if your power goes out or a pipe springs a leak. Plus knowing where your meters are means you can give your first meter readings.
Get connected.
Given how much of modern life relies on a quick internet connection, it’s a good idea to get your broadband and phone connections set up as soon as you can. You may be able to stay with the current supplier to the property and just set up a new account, or you may want to check price comparison sites to look for the best offers available in your area.
Choose an energy supplier.
You’ll also need to choose an energy supplier. Don’t worry though, you won’t get cut off. The energy company that currently supplies your new home will keep supplying you, and you’ll pay them for the electricity and gas you use, until you let them know what you want to do.
The previous occupant of your property should have submitted final meter readings, and when you sign up with an energy company, you’ll likely have to provide meter readings too. This makes sure you’re only paying for what you use from your move-in date.
If you want to join us, then we can get you up and running for your electricity and gas in no time at all. If you’re moving into a property that’s never had an energy connection – perhaps a self-build or part of a small development, we can help you get connected. Of course, you can always check energy price comparison sites to see what’s on the market too.
If you've moved into a property where we already supply the electricity and/or gas, then get in touch online or with your dedicated customer service team so we can switch the account to you. If you already have a smart meter that’s great, but if you don’t, let us or your supplier know so you can get one installed. Some tariffs require a working smart meter, so to give yourself the biggest choice it’s wise to go smart.
Get cleaning.
Now I know cleaning isn’t everyone’s favourite activity to do, especially if you’ve just moved into a four bedroom house, however deep cleaning your new home from top to bottom can really be worth it. Plus it’s a lot easier to clean when you don’t have sofas and beds in the way. So, ideally try to do it before your removal company turns up with all your belongings!
Let the postman know where you are.
Whilst more and more of what we used to get posted out to us is going online, we do still get some mail from time to time. So you don’t miss out on anything important, like a new bank card, you can let the Post Office know your new address and set up a mail redirect for a certain amount of time.
You’ll then want to update your address everywhere, for example your driver’s licence with the DVLA, and your bank. This can take a bit of time, so make sure you set up your mail redirect for long enough to cover you as the addresses change.
Register with your local council for council tax.
You’ll also need to let your local council know you’ve moved in so they can calculate your council tax bill correctly. If you don’t know which council you’ve moved into, you can check here with just your postcode. Once you’ve found your local council, you can usually register on their website. You’ll need to give your details, potentially set up a direct debit and make sure you’ve provided your move-in date. This helps the council make sure that they’re only charging you what you’re liable for, preventing nasty bill surprises and more admin.
If there are any important local or national elections looming then make sure to register to vote on the electoral roll/register too so you can have your say.
Change the locks and consider insurance.
If you’ve bought your new home, then it’s a good idea to change the locks as you don’t know who the previous owner may have given keys to. It’s also an opportunity to check how secure your property is, and whether you want to make any improvements to keep you and your family safe. It’s also vital to make sure you have buildings insurance for your new home, and if you have lots of valuable possessions, then you might want to protect yourself with contents insurance too in case the worst should happen.
Sign up with your local GP and dentist.
To ensure you can access all the services a GP surgery can offer, like home visits in emergencies, it’s a good idea to register with one of your local GP surgeries rather than one close to your workplace. You can use the NHS Find a GP service to find surgeries near where you live. Once you’ve found a surgery that’s convenient and is accepting new patients, you can register with them. Depending on your preference, you could also register with a local dentist too.
Explore the neighbourhood.
Go for a stroll. Track down the nearest supermarket. Check out the local restaurants. Find the local sports clubs. If you’re new to the area then seeing what’s available in your neighbourhood and meeting people can be a great way to make it feel like home. You could even throw a housewarming party if you really want to get to know everyone. Many areas also have local community websites these days too, so have a look online to get an idea of local events, meetups or initiatives.
For a full run down of everything you need to prepare for moving day, check out our moving home checklist. If you're moving into a home supplied by us, or you want to see what we can offer, come check out our tariffs.
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