What do I do if my completion date slips after I have booked?

Call the removal company the day you hear. A date can usually be moved if there is a van free, and midweek slots are easier to rebook than a Friday. Councils charge to change or cancel a parking suspension, so apply for that once the date is firm rather than at the first guess.

Who do I need to tell when I move house?

The DVLA, your local council for council tax and the electoral roll, Royal Mail if you want post redirected, your GP and dentist, TV Licensing, HMRC, your bank and card providers, your energy, water and broadband suppliers, your insurers, and your employer. Your passport does not need changing.

When should I set up Royal Mail redirection?

Royal Mail asks for at least five working days before the redirection starts, and you can apply up to six months ahead. Royal Mail suggests about three weeks before the move, so nothing sent to the old address in the first weeks goes astray.

Is it free to change the address on my driving licence?

Yes. Changing the address on your photocard driving licence with the DVLA is free and takes a few minutes online at gov.uk. You must do it when you move, and you update your vehicle log book (V5C) separately, also free.

What should I do with the meters on moving day?

Photograph the gas, electricity and water meter readings at the old home before you leave and at the new one when you arrive, with the date visible. Send both sets to your suppliers so you only pay for what you actually used.

Do I need to register with a new GP after moving?

If your new home is outside your current surgery's catchment area, yes. Registering with a GP is free and most surgeries let you do it online through the NHS website. Register soon after moving so repeat prescriptions are not interrupted.

What should I pack in a first-night box?

Kettle, mugs, tea and snacks, phone chargers, toilet roll, toiletries, medication, a change of clothes, bedding for every bed, a torch, basic tools and your important documents. Travel with it yourself rather than putting it in the van.

Moving House Checklist, Week by Week

How far ahead should you start planning a move?

Eight weeks is the comfortable minimum for most house moves. It gives you time to compare removal quotes, book a parking suspension, clear out what you do not want to take, and give suppliers the notice they ask for. If your date depends on a completion, work backwards from the most likely date and firm up the bookings once exchange happens.

Two months before you move

Get two or three removal quotes and book as soon as your date is firm. Weekends, month ends and summer book up first.
Set a budget: removals, packing materials, parking fees, any storage, cleaning and overlap in rent or bills.
Check parking at both addresses. If either street is in a controlled parking zone, find out how far ahead your council needs a suspension request (see one month before).
Tenants: give notice in line with your tenancy and ask for the check-out inspection date.
Start a moving folder, paper or on your phone, for quotes, contracts, reference numbers and meter details.
Measure the big furniture and the doorways and stairs at the new home, so nothing is taken that will not fit.

Six weeks before

Declutter room by room: keep, sell, donate, recycle or bin. Our guide to decluttering before you move has a simple way to decide.
Book collections for anything large you are not taking. If there is a lot of it, a house clearance or a waste removal load is often cheaper than several trips to the tip. What happens to cleared items is worth knowing before you book.
Order boxes, tape and wrap, or arrange packing materials with your removals.
Tell schools and nurseries, and apply for places if you are changing area.
Order broadband for the new address now. Installs can take a couple of weeks and you will want it working in the first week.

One month before

Book a parking bay suspension if you need one. At the time of writing Barnet asks for at least 7 calendar days, Brent charges a late fee under 14 days and Harrow charges a higher admin fee under 10 working days, so earlier is cheaper.
Start packing the rooms and things you use least: lofts, garages, books, spare bedrooms, out of season clothes. Our room by room packing guide covers the order and how to label boxes.
Decide how the awkward pieces travel. Mirrors, glass, artwork and televisions each need their own approach, set out in our fragile and awkward items guide.
If there is a gap between moving out and moving in, arrange storage now.
Start telling people your new address (the full list is below).

Two weeks before

Confirm the date, arrival time, access and parking with your removal company, in writing.
Set up Royal Mail redirection if you want one. It needs at least five working days’ notice. See Royal Mail redirection when you move.
Arrange final meter readings and give your energy and water suppliers your moving date.
Use up food in the freezer and cupboards, and plan simple meals for the last few days.
Keep passports, birth certificates, contracts, keys and bank cards together in one bag that travels with you, not in the van.

One week before

Pack everything except daily essentials. Clothes and beds are the last big jobs: see how to pack clothes for a move and how to pack a bed for moving.
Take apart any furniture you are dismantling yourself and bag the screws, taped to the piece they came from.
Confirm key collection times with the estate agent, landlord or seller.
Pack a first-night box for each person, and one for the kitchen.

The day before

Defrost and dry the freezer, leaving the door open.
Disconnect the washing machine and cooker, or book someone qualified to do it.
Charge your phone and set aside cash for parking, tips or a takeaway.
If a suspension has been granted, check the council’s signs are up and the bay will be clear.

Moving day

Photograph every meter reading at the old home, with the date visible.
Walk the removal team round, pointing out fragile items and anything that is not going.
Keep the documents bag and first-night boxes with you.
Do a final walk through every room, cupboard, loft and shed before handing over keys.
At the new home, read and photograph the meters before anything is switched on.
Direct boxes to the right rooms, and put the beds together first.

The first week after you move

Unpack the kitchen, bathroom and bedrooms first, and leave the rest for the weekend.
Check that the heating, hot water, broadband and smoke alarms all work.
Register with a GP and dentist, and set up council tax.
Find out your bin collection days from the council website.
Work through anyone left on the list below before the redirection runs out.

Who do you need to tell when you move house?

Most changes of address are free and done online. These are the ones people miss, with the official page for each.

Who	How	When
DVLA (driving licence)	Free online at gov.uk/change-address-driving-licence	As soon as you move
DVLA (vehicle log book)	Free, separately, at gov.uk/change-address-v5c	As soon as you move
Electoral roll	Register at the new address at gov.uk/register-to-vote	After you move
Council tax	Tell both councils, found via gov.uk/find-local-council	Before you move
Royal Mail	Paid redirection at royalmail.com	5 working days or more before
GP and dentist	Register with a GP and find a dentist	First week after
TV Licensing	Update your licence at tvlicensing.co.uk	Up to 3 months before
HMRC	Update your address in your personal tax account at gov.uk/tell-hmrc-change-of-details	After you move
Banks and cards	Each bank’s app or website	Before the redirection ends
Energy and water	Readings to your old suppliers; find the new home’s supplier	Moving day
Insurers	Home, contents, car and life policies	Before you move

A few notes on the ones that catch people out:

Council tax is owed by whoever lives in the property, so tell the old council your leaving date and the new one your moving-in date. If both homes are in the same borough, one call covers it.
The electoral roll is separate from council tax. Lenders use it for credit checks, so register quickly if you are applying for a mortgage or a card.
TV Licensing does not move with you automatically, but you should not cancel it either. Update the address on your existing licence.
Banks, cards, pensions and investments each need telling individually. There is no single form that covers them all, which is why a redirection is worth having while you work through the list.
Your employer, mobile provider, subscriptions and delivery accounts are easy to forget and are where most misdirected post comes from.

Your passport does not show your address, so it does not need updating. Our page on passport address change when you move explains why, and what you do need to update instead.

Should you hire removals or do it yourself?

For a studio or a small flat, a man and van is often enough. For a family home, a full house removal with packing and furniture dismantling saves several days of work. Our house removals start from £249 for a studio and from £449 for a one-bed flat, priced individually after a free survey. For general advice on choosing a mover and avoiding the usual mistakes, see our moving house tips and advice. Moving a business rather than a home is a different job, covered in planning an office move.

Call 020 3475 0377 or get a free quote and we will fit your move into this plan.

Moving house checklist