Who to inform when moving house – a checklist

If you don’t know who to inform when you’re moving house, things can get messy, and it may take months for some companies to catch up to you. If you plan well ahead of time, there’ll be fewer unpleasant surprises and you’ll feel in control. One of the big things to prepare for is making sure all the various companies and people that hold your address have your correct details.

Who to tell when you move home

Our checklist is a complete rundown of who to notify when moving house and ensures you don’t miss anyone important. It includes (with handy links to make your life easier):

• Local authorities
• Car-related organisations
• Household and utility companies
• Your employer
• Financial associations
• Miscellaneous services

Forgetting to tell an organisation or individual could result in lost post, expense and a fair amount of stress!

Authorities

Council Tax

Visit gov.uk to find your local council to update your address and make sure that you’re paying the correct amount of council tax to the right council. 

The Electoral Commission

When you move and change address, you’ll need to re-register on the Electoral Roll so that you can vote in local and general elections. 

Department of Work and Pensions (DWP)

If you’re receiving money from the government, such as benefits or a state pension, you’ll need to update the DWP to avoid missed payments.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)

You need to wait until you’ve moved to notify HMRC about your change of address. HMRC is an important organisation to tell as they deal with your income tax, national insurance, state pension, tax credits and child benefits.

Car-related organisations

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA)

Remember, having the wrong address on your licence is an offence and the DVLA can fine you up to £1,000 for it. Thankfully, it doesn’t cost anything to change the address on your driver’s licence and it’s easy to do. The sooner you do this the better and don’t fret, you can still drive while you’re waiting for your new license to arrive.

V5C Vehicle Log Book and Car Tax

Although the DVLA is responsible for both amendments to your licence and your logbook, you need to inform them separately about each matter to make sure that both documents are updated with your new contact details. You’ll also need to change your direct debit if this is how you pay your car tax.

Car insurance provider

There are a number of reasons why you need to inform your car insurance provider about your move. Your insurance premium depends, at least in part, on where you live, so you must update the insurance company to make sure that you’re paying the correct amount. Failure to update your details could also affect the company’s willingness to pay out if you make a claim. They also need your current contact details so that they can reach you if you’re involved in an accident and if they need to send you important policy documents. 

Breakdown cover

If you have a separate car breakdown provider from your car insurance, you’ll also need to update them. This is particularly important if you have any kind of home-start service as part of your membership.

Household

Utility companies

It’s important to let the utility companies know that you’re moving so that you don’t get lumbered with a bill for services you haven’t used. Some providers will allow you to move your current deal to a new property which can minimise disruption and avoid any loss of service. The main companies to contact are those providing electricity, gas and water.

Household services

Make a list of all the household services you pay for. This might include:

• Internet providers (TIP: you may get a better deal if you cancel and take out a new subscription at your new address)
• Satellite television
• Phone providers – landline and mobile
• Do you have any physical services like a window cleaner or a gardener?
• You’ll also need to update your details on the TV Licensing website
• Any subscription services, whether that’s a food delivery service, magazine subscription or otherwise. You don’t want whoever moves into your old house to get your HelloFresh delivery! 

Royal Mail

To help make your move easier, and to reduce the stress of missing post or deliveries, you can redirect your post via the Royal Mail website for a small fee.

Work

Your employer

Let your employer know when your address is going to change so that they can update your contact details on the system and make sure that your information is correct for payroll.

If you hold any other employment or if you volunteer, you’ll need to make sure they have your new address too.

Financial

Your bank

Most banks or building societies allow you to update your contact details via their website or by popping into a branch with proof of your new address. Data security has never been more important, and unfortunately, if you forget to change your address with your bank, you could make yourself vulnerable to identity theft or experience trouble accessing your account, so it’s important to do it promptly.

Credit card providers

If you hold credit cards from a lender other than your bank, you’ll need to notify them about your change of address. They may issue you with a new card.

Loan companies

Any company that you have a loan with outside of your bank needs to have your correct address; you should contact them ahead of the move so they have time to update their system. You wouldn’t want to miss any payment reminders.

Store cards

As with loan cards, you need to update any companies you hold store cards with, so they can contact you where necessary.

Other providers

Insurance providers

As well as updating your property details on your home insurance (a new home will most likely change the amount you pay for your home insurance), you’ll also need to update other insurance providers who may cover you, this could be for health, life, travel or pets. 

Healthcare providers

You may need to switch to a new doctor, dentist or optician if you are moving more than a few streets away. Contact them to find out if you can stay (assuming you want to) and update your details or register with service providers near your new home. This also applies to vets!

Education providers

If you or your children attend school, college or university, let them know about your move to make sure that you don’t miss out on important information and that they can contact you if there’s an emergency.

Any other services

Your home setup and financial commitments won’t be the same as everybody else’s. While most of the above will apply to anyone who’s moving house, there may be additional services you pay for that are unique to you such as:

• Do you have a gym membership? 
• Are you a member of any local clubs or societies? 
• Do you have any premium bonds?

Once you’ve run through the organisations above, list out any other people or companies you need to contact and check them off as you work through them. A good thing to do is run through your bank statements and emails (or other correspondence) to see if there are any other organisations you need to give your new address details to.

FAQs

Is there anything else I need to do before moving house?

If you’re thinking of moving house, it can feel like a daunting process and it’s not always easy to know where to start. Don’t fret – we’re here to help! Here is our guide to some things to consider before selling, packing up and moving home.

How do I re-register to vote after moving house?

It’s simple to update your address details by re-registering at gov.uk/register-to-vote.

When should I notify HM Revenue and Customs about my change of address?

You need to wait until after you’ve moved before telling HMRC that you have a new address. Once you’ve moved, let them know as soon as you can.

Why is it important to inform utility companies about my move?

It’s important to let utility companies know about your change of address for a number of reasons. Firstly, it lets them know that you are no longer responsible for the bills at your old house as of your moving date and lets them know when to start charging you at your new home. This means you’ll only pay for what you use, not what anybody else has used. Secondly, it ensures any supplies are turned on or off where necessary.

Can I redirect my mail to my new address? How much does it cost?

You can set up a redirect service with Royal Mail to redirect your mail, this will give you a grace period and some peace of mind in case you forgot to tell anybody of your new address.

You can redirect your post via the Royal Mail website for 3, 6 or 12 months from just £39.50. Costs are higher if you want to redirect your mail to an overseas address and there’s an extra fee for additional people.

Are there any other services I need to inform about my move besides the ones listed?

While the list above will cover the majority of who you’ll need to advise about your change of address, it may not cover everybody that every homeowner may need to alert. To get a more comprehensive plan of who to tell, start listing out people and companies months before you’re due to move.

As well as making a note of the important mail that you receive, look through your bank statements to see who you make regular payments to and through your emails to see who else you interact with. Ask the other people in your home to do the same and you should have a very comprehensive list of people to notify.

Selling your home quickly

If you’re looking for ways to make your move as simple and hassle-free as possible, why not speak to us about selling your house fast for cash? We can buy your home in as little as 7 days. There’s no need for viewings and you’ll avoid all estate agents and legal fees.

Chris

Chris

Chris has worked in property all his career, first as a successful estate agent before spotting a gap in the market for buying property directly from people looking for a simple, quick sale.

He has a passion for property and as an experienced valuer, has looked at well over 50,000 properties so far at HBB. He has extensive experience in property buying and regularly comments in the press on property matters, trends and promotes ways to simplify and speed up the selling process.

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