We don’t have to point you towards the countless articles that state that moving to a new house is one of the most stressful experiences in life (although, we will).
It’s nothing new and ultimately, when we are stressed, we start to forget things.
In truth, you never have to look hard to find a go-to checklist for moving house. There are plenty out there, and most of them do a fine job.
The purpose today is to instead explore some of the more trivial points that are forgotten about during a house move, whilst remembering some green tips to make your move in a more sustainable way. Some of the guides cover these, but by making them a focus through today’s post, we’ll hopefully ensure that they don’t slip under the radar.
1. A paperless change of address service
It sounds far too simple, but a surprising number of people neglect to do this.
Firstly, just after you move, make sure you update your address with all the relevant companies. This might be banks, hospitals and even friends and family. This can all be done online, and often via emailing PDFs and contracts where needed. You can even use technology online to generate your signature, all contributing to a green and paperless change of address.
Of course, there will be some that slip through the net. For this reason, consider a temporary postal redirection service, which can ensure your mail is delivered to you uninterrupted (and you can also update your records gradually).
2. The gas and electricity meter readings
Again, another paperless option, but it’s one that’s often ignored. On day one of moving out, make sure you take a reading and inform your supplier. Then, when you move into your next property, carry out the same process. Consider using a more eco-friendly energy provider in your new home.
The last thing you need is to be paying for someone else’s gas or electricity, which can most certainly happen if you don’t get organized in the initial days.
3. Organize your insurance
In truth, this should probably have been done prior to completing on your property. After all, most mortgage providers will only sign on the dotted line if adequate insurance is in place.
However, there’s a major caveat here. This insurance, for mortgages anyway, only generally applies to buildings. It means that theoretically speaking, your contents don’t ‘have’ to be insured.
Of course, we absolutely recommend they are insured. Without trying to scaremonger, people who have just moved into a new home are more likely to be subject to a burglary. As such, while you want to try everything you can to avoid such an eventuality, have backup solutions, like insurance, in place anyway. Once again, you can do this online, avoiding waste paper and postage efforts.
For the new-build homeowners
If you have purchased a new-build property, there’s an extra piece of advice thrown in there for you.
Unfortunately, as luxurious as these can be made to feel via the showroom, it’s not uncommon for new-build housing to be riddled with problems. On the flip side, this is unlikely to be anything for the long-term, but it’s worth being aware of as you make you move.
This is the reason why snagging is an essential part of the moving process and one that most certainly shouldn’t be forgotten about. Make sure every little defect is documented online and backed up, so you can return to your housing developer and not pay for something that is far from adequate.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
