Moving House: Your Change Of Address Checklist

There's lots to remember when you're moving home, and it's essential you let the relevant people know your new address. Here is what you need to do when you move

Change of address checklist

Moving house can be challenging at the best of timess. With so many jobs and checklists to run through, its often difficult to remember everything that needs to be done. One of the most inmportant things to do is notify everyone of your change of address.

This is why making checklists can be helpful in ensuring you don't miss anything.

Below is a simple guide to ensureing eveyone that needs to know you've moved does so in a timely manner.

Personal Checklist

Family members

Friends

Employer(s)

School(s)

University or College

Financial Checklist

Utilities Checklist

Medical Checklist

Online Retailer Checklist

There are a few reasons why changing your address with everyone you have dealings with is important.

#Reason 1: It will ensure that you receive any mail that you were not expecting and is also a safety net for anyone that you have forgotten.

#Reason 2: Redirecting your mail is an important safety precaution to prevent identity fraud (see further information at the bottom of this page).

#Reason 3: Your insurance company base their policy charges on the postcode you live at. If you fail to notify the car insurance company for example, of your change of address, you may find that your car insurance is invalid.

#Reason 4: You do not want to pay for services such as electricity for a property you no longer live at.

#Reason 5: You may miss out on vouchers from your local supermarket or loyalty card vouchers.

#Reason 6: Some companies may send you vouchers as a new home mover.

Finally as a 'Catch-all' we would advise setting up a Royal Mail redirect

As mentioned in #Reason 2#Reason 2 above, although it costs money to redirect your post, it is worthwhile because it helps protect your identity and stops important documents (like new bank cards) from falling into the wrong hands. This topic was also covered on our other Blog post 'Let get you moving'.

You also get the peace of mind of knowing that you aren't missing out on any vital correspondence. You can redirect your mail to any UK or overseas address for up to 3, 6 or 12 months from just £31.99 for each different last name in your family.

To set up a Redirection you will need:

• Names and dates of birth of everyone in the household that needs their mail redirected.

• Address and postcode of both your old and new addresses

• How long does a change of address take? Royal Mail requires at least 5 days’ notice to effect the change of address, but this can be done 3 months before you move and up to 6 months after you move home.

You can notify the Royal Mail of your change of address at the Post Office, and in certain circumstances, you have to use a form to do so.

You can find out how to set up a redirection and the cost by visiting the Royal Mail website.

Even if you are confident you have given your new address to everyone who will want to get in touch, it is still easy for one or two to slip through the net.

Change of Address Cards

Although we would recommend using electronic communication as much as possible, why not have some fun with the kids and create some home-made change of address announcement cards, especially for friends and family?

Of course, there are any number of new home and change of address card templates that can be downloaded off the internet but there is also clipart, or PowerPoint that you could use to create your own designs, which are free and will be more fun.

Why not make use of cardboard from an old packing box, or discarded packing materials to make cards from, a quick google search for homemade change of address cards will give you lots of inspiration.

Final Change of Address Tip: Check out the Royal Mail Postcode finder to ensure that you have the correct postcode for your new home. This is especially important if you have moved into a new build. The Royal Mail postcode database can be found here.

A Reminder to leave a Review for your Removal Company

Oh, I know we said that your change of address notifications were probably your last home moving task, but here is a reminder in case you forgot to leave a review for the home removal company you used (Hopefully this was C2C Movers). You can leave a review here on Trustpilot. This is an important part of the home moving process as it will help not only fellow movers but also the removal companies who always welcome a pat on the back, or constructive comments.