Ultimate Moving House Checklist 2023

Moving House

Whether you’re moving into a new house for the first time or the tenth time, picking up your whole life and moving it to somewhere new is an exciting but stressful time. However, don’t forget to think about the home security aspect of moving house. A survey revealed that first-time buyers are twice as likely to be burgled. Although burglaries are decreasing in general, it’s essential to be proactive rather than reactive.

Read through our handy moving house checklist to see how you can help prevent a break-in from happening. Why not download our Moving House Checklist PDF to help your move go smoothly and get moving house advice?

 

Moving into a New Home Checklist

Follow our steps for moving into a new house checklist that will cover the whole process from searching for a new home, moving in and after you have moved in to ensure your safety in your new home, giving you some great moving home advice.

couple moving into new home with dog

 

What Do I Do Before Moving House?

Research your Move

Research the Local Area

Investigating the Local Area’s Crime Stats for where you’ll be moving to is vital. This is quick and easy to do by entering the postcode on the Police or UK Crime Stats website. These sites will give you a general picture of how much crime has taken place in the neighbourhood.

Have a look at our Local Area Guides to find out the answers to the most asked questions about where you’re moving to in the UK.

 

Visit The Area During Different Times of The Day

Doing so will give you an indication of the atmosphere of the neighbourhood. Look out for things such as adequate street lighting, loiterers and whether there is a Neighbourhood Watch scheme in place.

 

Book People / Businesses to Help with the Move

Find a Trustworthy House Removal Company

You must have a trustworthy and reliable house removal company to move your valuables from one home to another. The worry of untrustworthy removal companies is a big one, as you are trusting them with all your valuables. You want to make sure all your possessions get to your new house in the condition they left, and nothing is taken from your belongings.

Whether you are hiring a moving house van or finding a local removal company, make sure they have good reviews and are a dependable company. Maybe ask some friends and family to see whom others have used beforehand and use whom they suggest. Or have a look at the British Association of Removers to give you peace of mind about whom you’ve chosen.

Need a Locksmith?

Call our Security Specialists

 

Ask For Help from Friends and Family

It is always a busy and stressful day, whether you’re moving house by yourself or with the help of a removal company. Asking your friends and family to help you with your move will make a more enjoyable day and less stressful, as there are more hands to help with packing boxes and unpacking everything.

 

Get a Second Viewing of Your New House

Look at the Entry Points

Look to see if the entry points have any markings or signs of an attempted break-in. This can show that the house has been broken into before or has been marked as an easy target by criminals. If you see these signs then make sure you are burglar-proof once you’ve moved in.

 

Is There a Pre-Existing Security System?

Will the current owners/occupiers be leaving a pre-existing security alarm or system in place? If so, you will need to arrange for them to leave the details, the manufacturer, passwords, date of installation etc.

It’s best to get the details of what kind of security system it is, whether it’s wired, wireless or part of a smart home system. And whether it includes locks, doorbells, cameras, alarms, or anything else within the system.

 

woman happily holding new house keys

 

What To Do When Moving House?

Moving Day Grab Bags

Make sure you’ve packed up everything that needs to come with you. Prepare your belongings ready for the removal company and throw away anything you won’t be bringing with you. Pack an overnight bag with the essentials to bring with you that are easy to find. This includes spare clothes, toiletries, a phone charger, bedding and towels and a First Aid Kit.

It’s also important to pack a food bag to bring and have ready. These are just essentials to keep you going once you’ve first moved in, such as food the next few days and drinks like tea and coffee, with milk and sugar. Don’t forget the kettle!

When you move in you might want to clean your new house and do some DIY before setting up your furniture. These items will be good to keep out and be easy to find: rubber gloves, anti-bacterial spray/wipes, bin liners,  various tools, extension lead, paper towels and toilet roll.

 

Get Insurance

If you’re buying a property you cannot exchange contracts without home insurance cover. Renting? Invest in contents insurance to ensure your belongings are covered should they be stolen or if an incident such as a flood occurred. Always read these policies in detail so you know you will be covered if you need it and the level of cover you have, for example, if it covers other personal possessions such as mobile phones.

It’s important to note whether your insurance covers you when you’re moving house or any specialist areas of your house, such as whether you have a thatched roof. For example, your contents insurance policy might not include if you are moving items and they break on the road you may not be able to claim on your home insurance, so it’s best to check before moving.

 

Final Checks

Make sure when leaving your old house for the last time to do a final check around. Make sure you’ve grabbed every box, packed everything needed and you’ve taken everything you are meant to.

Leave all your sets of keys in the old house, make sure all switches and appliances are turned off and double-check that all windows and doors are locked. Say goodbye to your old home and hello to your new home.

 

Cleaning and DIY

Before you move all your belongings and furniture in, walk around your new home and see if any quick cleaning or DIY needs to be done. This can be as simple as wiping the surfaces and hoovering to building furniture or sorting out fixings. It can be a good time to do some DIY home security as well.

 

Record Meter Readings

Make sure the last thing you do in your old home and the first thing you do in your new home is to record the meter readings for your water, electricity, and gas. It’s essential to get these as soon as possible to avoid getting wrongly charged by your gas and electric company.

 

man holding secure lock symbol on wooden house

 

What Do I Need to Do Now I’ve Moved?

Change the Locks

The most important thing you can do on moving day is to change the locks. Keys are easily copied and lost, and they could end up in the wrong hands. Your insurance may be invalidated if you don’t change the locks, you will need to check your policy.

Make sure your new locks have been manufactured following British Standard guidelines. Most insurance companies require front and back doors to be British Standard to comply with their policies.

 

Start Unpacking!

When you move in, make sure the last thing in your van and the first thing in your home is your bed. Make your bed first so when you are ready to go to bed after a long day you can crash without having to worry about making it beforehand.

 

Check Your New Home

Check around the perimeter of your home. Are all the fences or shrubbery intact? Not only will you have more privacy, but your home will be harder to access if there aren’t any gaps. Make sure your garden is safe if you have any children or pets, so they don’t hurt themselves or escape if they go out.

Remember to check out how secure your garage is and the condition of your shed lock. If you will be storing valuable equipment in there it pays to ensure it’s secure from the offset. Keytek® Locksmiths carry a wide variety of locks on every call so if yours is not up to scratch they will advise and refit a new one for you, should you want it.

 

Keep Your Valuables Safe

It’s vital you always keep an eye on your boxes when loading and unloading the removal van. Try not to leave your belongings on the pavement; it would be too easy for a thief to pick up a box when no one is looking.

Lock the Doors

Make sure that once you are in your home after the move the front door is closed and locked, not left open for anyone to just walk in and take something. Only let people you know inside your new home, not letting in strangers to keep your things safe.

By locking the doors you’re ensuring the security of your home at nighttime or when you’re away from your home. It makes it harder for burglars to break in, which reduces the risk of your valuables being stolen. Did you know 1 in 7 burglars just walk right through an unlocked door, make sure your home isn’t one of them!

Important Documents

Make sure you keep your important documents in a safe place when moving, so they don’t get lost, stolen or misplaced. Keep them in a folder and keep them close to you. Or why not ask a close friend or family to keep it at their house until you’ve finished moving?

Give Yourself Privacy

One of the first things to do when moving into your new home is to put up blinds or curtains and keep your valuables out of sight. This will give you privacy and help to keep any burglars in the area away.

 

Install Outdoor Lights

We recommend you install outdoor security lights so that the most high-risk areas of your home are illuminated including, the shed, garage, and the front, back or gate door. Read our Ultimate Guide to Garden Security to get tips and advice on how to use your outdoor lights effectively.

 

Know the Safety of Your Home

Make note of where all the important safety features are in your new home including the stopcock, gas and electricity meters, the thermostat, fuse box and main water shutoff valve. If your pipes burst, you don’t want to be running around panicked not knowing how to turn the water off.

Reduce the likelihood of getting locked out by keeping a spare key with a close friend or family that you trust or installing a key safe outside of your home, getting locked out of house is the last thing anyone wants!

 

Need a Key Safe?

Call our Security Specialists

 

 

Moving into Rental Property

It can be confusing to understand what you, the tenant, are responsible for and what the landlord is responsible for when moving into a rental property. Our Moving House Checklist will have helped make your home secure, but it is important to know what landlords are required to do by law to ensure your safety whilst living in their rental property.

  • The three key areas your landlord must check on annually, within your rental property, are fire safety, gas safety and electrical safety to ensure everything is in working order. All electrical and gas items must be checked by registered electrical and Gas Safe technicians.
  • You should be provided with an ‘Energy Performance Certificate’ (EPC), this will give you knowledge on how energy efficient the property is and will give you a better understanding of how much your gas and electricity bills will be.
  • Provide working smoke alarms. They should be on at least every floor of the rental property.
  • It is a legal requirement to have a carbon monoxide alarm in every room that contains a coal or wood-burning stove. But it is recommended that landlords install carbon monoxide alarms in rooms that contain gas appliances also.
  • ‘Fire Safe’ furnishings and furniture. Check the label when you move in to ensure they comply with fire safety regulations.
  • HMOs or ‘House in Multiple Occupation’ need to be provided with a fire alarm and extinguisher if the home has at least three storeys or 5 or more tenants.

 

Changing Address Checklist

Once you have moved in, it’s essential you organise your bills and tell those who need to know about your address change. Here’s a helpful list of people you need to let know that you are the new occupier and remember to set up any direct debits for your monthly bills.

  1. Your local Council – the amount you pay for your council tax depends on the value of a property. The council will send you a letter to inform you of your council tax band ranging from ‘A’ being the cheapest to ‘H’ the most expensive.
  2. Water Supplier – you will receive two bills for water supply, one for fresh water and one for sewage.
  3. Electric and Gas Supplier – it’s worth comparing suppliers so you get the best deal.
  4. TV Licensing Company – you can choose to pay this monthly or annually. Don’t get caught without one as you could face a £1000 fine.
  5. HMRC – to update your tax and any benefits
  6. DVLA – to update your driving licence and tax
  7. Electoral Roll – updating your voting registration
  8. Royal Mail – redirect your mail to your new home
  9. Your insurance providers (including pets, car and travel insurance)
  10. Your employer
  11. Your GP & Dentist
  12. Your phone and internet providers
  13. Your bank
  14. Any subscription boxes or magazines

Need a Lock Specialist?

Call a professional Locksmith today

 

Changing the Locks when Moving House

One of the best things you can do to secure your new home is to change the locks straight away. Even though most insurance companies recommend it, a huge 59% of people do not get their locks changed when they move house.

The risk is that if an intruder enters your home using a key, your insurance company may not pay out. It’s a standard requirement for most insurance providers that there needs to be a clear sign of a break-in, for you to be able to make a successful claim.

Read our Lock Guide to find out what the different kinds of locks are and the wide range of door locks available, what the best lock types are and what the best lock for your door will be. Make sure you understand what your Locksmith is telling you by reading through our Terminology Buster.

 

British Standard

You’ll find that most insurers do require your new home to have British Standard locks installed. It could be that your insurance won’t pay out if your door is not fitted with one of these locks.

 

High-Security Locks

When changing your locks it’s worth spending a little extra on the high-security locks. Many people nowadays have a uPVC door with euro locks which are vulnerable to a common break-in technique called Lock Snapping. A good lock purchase will meet the TS007 3-star standard, such as an Ultion Lock or an ABS High-Security Cylinders.

 

two locksmiths standing outside their van

 

Call Keytek® Locksmiths as part of your Moving House Checklist

There is nothing that can make your house 100% secure, but by taking some simple measures you can deter thieves. Having the locks changed is one of the BEST things you can do to protect your new home. Hiring a professional Locksmith to fit these is the only way to be sure that your locks are insurance compliant.

Keytek® offer a free home security check with every job we do, so book us for the day you move and we can appraise your home and give you our best home security advice.