Moving House: A Comprehensive Guide
November 2, 2018
No matter how many times we go through it, no matter how much we plan, one thing remains true about moving house: it is a HUGE hassle!
Firstly, you have to deal with the stress of finding an area you love, securing a mortgage and handling reams of paperwork just to secure a home to actually move in to. You think the hard bit’s over and then comes the moving day.
Many say that moving house is one of the most stressful experiences they’ve been through. By exercising careful planning and utilising the time that you have, you can avoid all of that hassle and enjoy the experience, rather than panicking through it.
This measured approach will have you avoiding financial penalties or being overworked, and moving into your new home with everything in order.
Before Moving Home
Having a stress-free move requires action before you’ve even found your new home. Whilst many plans do require the information of a moving-in date, there’s plenty to get started on beforehand.
Ask for Advice
Start by asking the people close to you for advice about moving house. There are no shortage of stressful moving tales and people are happy to share the lessons they’ve learned from such experiences. Some may even be willing to help you with vehicles or manpower on the day itself.
That being said, always balance advice with your own research. Old wives tales rarely offer solutions, just additional and unnecessary worry. So, take your findings with a pinch of salt and utilise what you find appropriate to help you in your journey.
After all, there’s no moving house calculator, and there’s yet to be a perfected moving house checklist. Instead, it’s about finding out what makes the move to your new address easiest for you.
Communication is Key
For those who have children, communication is key when moving. Avoid sudden shock and involve them in open discussions about the plans ahead.
If you’re moving with children to a new area, research ahead for clubs and activities that will see them make friends and acclimatise to the new space. Go to visit any potential new school prior to the move, if you can.
And, it goes without saying, ensure that you are all registered with a local doctor and dentist as soon as possible.
Preparing your Pets
Moving days aren’t just stressful for humans, but animals also. Keep in mind how the stress of a noisy moving day and an entirely new home environment will weigh on your furry friend.
Some pet owners opt for medicated relaxants, something that requires the insight of veterinary professionals, whilst others simply opt for temporary boarding. The last thing you're going to want if your pet making a run for your new front door which will be open for log periods of time on moving day and not know where they are!
Read more about moving with pets here.
Declutter before Moving House
Anything you don’t need, get rid of it. Old furniture , clothes, decorations or even kitchen appliances that you’ve fallen out of love with will just take up space in your cardboard moving boxes and vehicles, so why not get rid of them now?
Charity shops and free-cycling websites are the perfect places to get rid of these decluttered belongings.
And for those more expensive appliances, consider selling secondhand on the likes of Gumtree or Facebook Marketplace, to help offset the costs of your move.
Secure a Mortgage
If you are purchasing a new house, be sure to confirm your mortgage well in advance. You don’t want to find your dream home only to find out you had miscalculated your budget.
Utilise a mortgage broker or an online mortgage comparison tool to find the best mortgage policy possible.
In fact, talk to more than one mortgage broker if you have time to see if they are able to get different offers.
And if you really want to go through your usual bank, take the best quote you receive from other companies and see if they are willing to match it.
You’ve found a new home! Now what?
Congratulations, you’ve found a new home!
Are you excited? Good, because now it’s time to get started on your paperwork:
Pay your Deposit
Start off by paying your deposit as quickly as possible in order to secure your new property.
The last thing you want is to lose your dream house due to delaying the payment!
Mortgage, Again
Inform your mortgage advisor and get the ball rolling in terms of finances.
Be aware that most banks and mortgage providers are also typically closed on weekends. This can cause unexpected processing delays if you leave things until the last minute.
This can be a long process, so the sooner you get started, the better.
Hire a Conveyancer
At this point in time, you will also need to hire a competent conveyancer to process the transfer of ownership for your new home.
Your chosen estate agent may well provide this service, though the fee for doing so will often be higher than those offered by independent local conveyancers.
Bills, Bills, Bills
Getting in touch with your water, gas, energy and broadband providers is vital. Not only do they need to know about your relocation in order to finalise your contract, but it offers them an opportunity to offer you new deals and tariffs.
Now is the perfect time to shop around for a better rate. If you are quoted a better deal elsewhere, take it to a trusted provider and see if they will match it.
Always check regional coverage for things like broadband, as if you’re moving to an entirely new area, your average cost may increase or decrease. In this case, a new supplier may provide a better level of coverage.
Council Tax
Whilst technically a bill, council tax is something people so often overlook.
Ensure you adjust this as soon as possible, as if you fail to register for council tax with your new local authority, you will be expected to pay a large lump sum at a later date to make up for missed payments.
Time off Work
As soon as you get your moving date, inform your work. It may sound obvious, but you would be surprised how many people fail to book time off work far enough in advance of their big moving day.
Depending on your job, your boss may want weeks or even months of notice to make the necessary arrangements.
Now we move...
Finally! Let’s get moving.
When faced with the cost of moving house, it is not uncommon to want to avoid paying anything extra. You may even view the cost of hiring a professional moving company as an unnecessary expense, especially if you have friends willing to help with lifting and transport.
But when factoring in hiring a sizeable moving vehicle, paying for its insurance and covering the costs of packaging materials etc, your move is suddenly more expensive than simply hiring a professional remover.
Packing
The sooner you start packing, the better. Your essentials will need to stay out until the last moments, but ornaments, books and decorative furniture can all be packed up and ready to go, meaning that on the day, you have less to worry about.
Ask if your local supermarket or cafe are able to provide you with free boxes for moving to avoid that extra cost. If you need to, invest your money into accessing secure packaging, as well as packing tips and expertise from professional movers. Said additional payment may seem unnecessary but could avoid broken items, stress and back-pain on the day.
Utilise Professionals
Don’t simply rely on friends and family to transport your heavy boxes, utilise professional removers.
Not only does this make the process easier and stress-free, and avoids the inevitable injuries that come with untrained removers handling heavy objects, but it covers you for breakages. Because, unlike friends and family, hired professionals come with insurance. This means that your goods are covered by transit insurance and public liability insurance for the day itself.
Stress-Free Moving
Professionals come with a multitude of benefits, from aforementioned insurance to the correct sized vehicles and the tools. Plus the expertise to remove windows and doors to get furniture through if necessary. Because you don’t want to get that fabulous sofa to your new property only to find out that it doesn’t fit through your doorframe.
And if things don’t go exactly to plan, because when do they ever, you needn’t worry. The best removal companies know where to recommend in terms of storage if needed. They often offer extras such as late key waivers in case of delays in accessing your new property.
The right removal company to move house
Choosing the right moving company is invaluable when moving house. Their advice, such as the best day of the week to move, can save you time, money and stress. Find out what they offer in terms of insurance, and always inform them of any particularly valuable items. Ensure that any additional policies or specialists needed are organised prior to the move. Not all companies will offer the same level of service, so compare your candidates and select the right one for you.
If you are planning an international move, it will naturally be important to find a firm which has experience with taking goods overseas. For example, an experienced company will be able to let you know about special conditions for moving to France, Spain, Italy, Germany and so on. It may even be the case that shipping your goods will be cheaper than taking them via road.
Finally, make sure that you book your chosen moving company in plenty of time. Removers often have their schedules booked up weeks or even months in advance, especially during the summer, and early booking avoids you paying last-minute booking fees.
Are you ready to move home?
As you can see, there is a HUGE amount to consider when moving house! However, if you arrange everything well in advance, you can save yourself a great deal of money and stress, leaving you with more time to relax and get used to your new home.