Finally, after all the searching, viewings and admin, you’ve got a new home! You probably want to shout about it from your new rooftop. But before that, there are a number of people you still need to inform, and I don’t just mean your estranged second-cousin Sarah.
There are many organisations that need to know your address in order to keep providing you with the service you expect them to. In some cases, there might be very negative consequences for failing to notify you about your house move. I don’t just mean the inconvenience of missing post! For example, an insurance company that does not have your most recent address when you make a claim might use this as a reason not to payout.
Work through our “moving home checklist”, ordered by importance.
High Priority
Royal Mail
Do you want your letters delivered to a stranger in your old home? Probably not. But you don’t have to rely on the sender to get your new address right. Royal mail actually provides a mail redirection service that will temporarily reroute all letters addressed to you at your old address to your new home, giving you plenty of time to update your address with everyone else in the world. Smashing!
Take advantage of Royal Mail’s redirection service here: Moving home: Redirection
Utility providers
You want your new home to have gas and electricity, right? You also don’t want to continue paying the bills for your old property. Avoid any misunderstandings about who is paying the bill for what home and tell your utility company where you are living now.
Utility providers includes:
- Electricity provider
- Gas provider
- Water provider
- Telephone service provider
- Internet service provider (if different from above)
Utility providers should accept your change of details if you log into your account online, or if you give them a call.
Insurance Companies
Your address will be part of what determines the prices you are paying for your house, car and life insurance. If you fail to inform your insurance companies of your current address, it will likely cause delays if you need to make a claim. If they think you have been using a different address to get a better deal on insurance they might even use it as a reason not to pay you.
Insurance companies should take your change of details if you log into your account online, or if you give them a call.
Work and School
You’re there for half of your life, it’s best that they know where you are for the other half. If you get payslips delivered, they’re going to end up in somebody else’s hands if you don’t notify your HR department. Not to mention, if anything happens to you during the day, it’s important that somebody at work or school knows where you live. For safety and convenience reasons, this one is a high priority.
Phone your HR department or payroll department at work, or talk to your school’s administration team.
HMRC
You don’t want to get on the wrong side of the taxman. If you don’t notify them when you move house, who are they going to send the cheque for the refund of the tax you overpaid all last year!
You can change your address with HMRC here: Tell HMRC when you change your address.
DWP
If you are paid benefits or a pension, DWP needs to know where you are. If they lose track of you, they might even stop your payments.
DWP accepts changes of details through their online portal: DWP Change of Address.
Others
- Your Bank
- Council Tax department
Medium Priority
DVLA
There are two places relating to your car that your address needs to be updated: your driver’s licence and your V5C vehicle log book. Both of these are updated through the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). These can take a bit of time and you’ll want them updated especially if you are updating your insurance or selling your car in the near future, which is why we put this a medium priority.
You can see the full process on the DVLA website: Tell DVLA you’ve changed address: step by step.
Dentist and GP Surgery
Visits to the dentist are more regular for most people, and you don’t want to miss your reminders or important updates from them. GP Surgery
This goes for other medical providers also, if applicable: your optician, your paediatrician, and so on.
Give your medical providers a ring and their receptionist will take your new address details.
Others
- The Electoral Roll
- Credit Card Providers
Everyone Else
Family and Friends
Well, let’s assume some of them already know. But who knows how many birthday cards (with birthday money!) could go astray if you’re not thorough! Tell everyone in your family (immediate and extended) as well as all your friends. Might as well tell your friends’ families too, just in case Billy’s Mum is feeling generous this year.
Others
- Subscription Services
- TV Licence
- Solicitor
Did you find this information helpful? Feel free to share it on social media. And if you are looking for experts to help you move house, talk to us today. BlueSky are the house moving professionals you can trust.
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