Whoop, Whoop we've exchanged - now what?

MrsEm

Hoorah - exchanged contracts on our first house today finally!

Have called buildings insurance to set that up from today...but what else do we need to do before we complete in a fortnight's time?

Anyone moved recently & can pass on some tips?

Am thinking that I need to make a list of everyone to tell that we're moving...not sure what else though? Other than packing of course:eek:

MrsEm x

Imelda

Congrats! We also exchanged today.... :j

Have you arranged your removal company yet? I was surprised at the amount of to-ing and fro-ing I had to do to get quotes and then actually pin them down to times etc

Also, boxes- I was shocked at the price of them! We asked around friends and family to limit the number we had to buy. Also try freecycle

Mail redirection, if you do it in person at the post office you need 5 working days notice

As this is your first house are you moving from rented/ parents/ somewhere else? Might need to get a TV licence

Book a supermarket delivery for the day you move in/ day after. If you're like us you have probably been running down your cupboards for the past few weeks. We have booked a delivery and keep adding things to the list as and when we think of them- will save us having to go shopping when we will just want to walk round the new house stroking the walls

ummm, I will keep thinking, I have lists of lists going on at the moment......:o

**curlywurly**

See here for some useful checklists, including what info the removal team will need and who to notify http://www.bbc.co.uk/homes/property/moving_movinghouse.shtml

Good luck !

MrsEm

Thanks both & congrats to you too Imelda! Love your comment about stroking walls but still haven't learnt how to quote yet!

Think we will move ourselves with hired van - couple of guys at work have suggested a place that does a transit for ~£40 a day...as for boxes, have already got the guys in the warehouse at work collecting them for me...but have been thinking about getting some bin bags - not sure where is cheapest will have to look about.

Not sure about postal redirection - has anyone here done it before? Was thinking we could just pop round to check with new tenants every few months (so long as we are careful to try & tell everyone we can think of that we're moving first so should only be junk mail we hope)...

Thanks for other tips from both of you - off to start some lists of stuff to do now!

MrsEm

Imelda

MrsEm wrote: »

Not sure about postal redirection - has anyone here done it before? Was thinking we could just pop round to check with new tenants every few months (so long as we are careful to try & tell everyone we can think of that we're moving first so should only be junk mail we hope)...

MrsEm

I would suggest doing it, just in case things slip through the net- have to be careful about ID fraud :cool: It costs something like £8 for a month up to about £37 for a year but note it's per surname. We have moved a few times over the years and there is always something..... some post still goes to my parents' house, 10yrs after I left!

Have you notified the council regarding council tax in your current property? Should get a little bit of money back if you pay over 10 months.

I will keep thinking.....

MobileSaver

Imelda wrote: »

I would suggest doing it, just in case things slip through the net- have to be careful about ID fraud ... some post still goes to my parents' house, 10yrs after I left!

I agree. The new tenants may be the nicest most honest people ever and happily save your mail for you or they may be the opposite, open all your post and deny they've ever received anything. It's a small price to pay that could save you a massive headache.

I still get post for the previous owners of my house and I've also been here for 10 years!

Mayflower10cat

I'd definately recommend postal redirection - do it for a year if you can. It's one way of discovering all the companies/charities etc that you need to notify you've moved and it buys you a bit more time letting them know. (For instance there's a few charities that only contact me once or twice a year and I'd forgotten about them.) Also our Bank was very slow to update their records - we had cheque books still being posted to our old address for about four months! The other important ones that popped into my head; The DVLA and your Tax Office. Also, get in touch with your car insurance company, you might lower your premium if you have a garage or a different postcode.

Catbells

Also turn off your freezer and empty in plenty of time. I had a small problem with the dishwasher being disconnected when we left as it was attached to the waste pipe in the kitchen and left a free flow into the kitchen which I had to warn the incomers about.

I made a list for the new people - what oil was used on the wooden floor, what the funny noise under the stairs was (pump) and so on. Only if you have time.

Put valuables - jewellery, passport and so on in your own packing box and seal it - you never know. Our packers were great but they had a wild card come into help them towards the end of the move and he was doing his own thing - had to complain about him. Good luck. I'm having to do it all over again in a few months as this is just a rental place we're in. At least no more packing required as its already packed.

Jowo_2

Here's a helpful list

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2621785

Tenants (or new owners for that matter) are not obligated to deal with the previous occupants mail and will not appreciate disturbance of their peace for such a trivial thing as mail collection. You could leave them pre-printed address labels for re-direction and hope for the best to catch stray mail or let them know that you set up Royal Mail redirection and ask them to put back into a mail box any items that the postie misses. Some landlords pay for protective registration with CIFAS which prevents dodgy tenants from assuming their ID and obtaining credit.

Catherine21_2

Hi we have just completed on our house, all happened within a week (exchange and complete).
I would suggest phoning the phone company as I am having a nightmare with BT and SKY. BT can stop the line but will take over a week to reconnect as the previous owners were not with BT!!! What a nightmare!!!

Leory

Imelda wrote: »

Book a supermarket delivery for the day you move in/ day after. If you're like us you have probably been running down your cupboards for the past few weeks.

What a great tip this is! I got some got tips off here when i moved in but i would have loved to have thought of this.....noted for next move!