We're aware that some users are experiencing technical issues which the team are working to resolve. See the Community Noticeboard for more info. Thank you for your patience.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Do I need to occupy my new house immediately?

Options
Hey everyone,

After completing on a mortgage, how long can you wait before moving in? Ideally, I'd like to put off moving in until I've decorated and moved all my stuff in from various different locations. Does anyone know of any problems with that? The mortgage agreement says I have to use the property as my main residence but delaying moving in wouldn't compromise that would it? I'd be at the property a lot - I just wouldn't be sleeping there for a while.

Thanks,
Tom
«1

Comments

  • No you don't need to move in immediately, your mortgage provider will not care. Your should, however, check the conditions of your home insurance - most have a clause about how long a property can be left unoccupied.

    I would suggest that you also check with the council if you can receive a discount or exemption on the council tax while the property is empty and unoccupied (note that this usually requires that the property have no furniture). Many councils will not apply such a discount retrospectively, so you should arrange this when you take possession, not 3 months down the line.
  • For insurance you want to occupy it straight away, but they allow you a few weeks for holidays etc. Check the wording. This will only matter should anything bad happen, but I am sure you can set up a bed, drawers with clothes in and make it look like your living there.

    You will want to move in as soon as possible though as you will be paying a mortgage and rent at the same time.
  • Just speak to your insurers and tell t hem you need a month or so to get the place decorated etc before you move in. You'll also need to think about leaving the central heating on low overnight so you don't have any frozen pipes as the weathers getting colder.


    If your insurer is a bit awkward about permissions re delaying actually moving in there are other policies that can cover it, go back to your broker and ask about them.


    MM
    I am a Mortgage Adviser

    You should note that this site doesn't check my status as a mortgage adviser, so you need to take my word for it. This signature is here as I follow MSE's Mortgage Adviser Code of Conduct. Any posts on here are for information and discussion purposes only and shouldn't be seen as financial advice.
  • Thanks for those three quick replies - much appreciated. Looks like I'll be fine, and I'll follow up on some of the other tips you've kindly shared.

    Thanks!
    Tom
  • SavingSteve
    SavingSteve Posts: 483 Forumite
    edited 29 September 2016 at 1:00PM
    foxy-stoat wrote: »
    For insurance you want to occupy it straight away, but they allow you a few weeks for holidays etc. Check the wording. This will only matter should anything bad happen, but I am sure you can set up a bed, drawers with clothes in and make it look like your living there..
    Aaaah, good old insurance fraud. Can't believe people think this is acceptable.

    Listen to MortgageMamma, a far more sensible suggestion

    Edited to correctly state I am chastising the suggestion to partake in Insurance not Mortgage fraud
  • davemorton
    davemorton Posts: 29,084 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Car Insurance Carver!
    Aaaah, good old mortgage fraud. Can't believe people think this is acceptable.

    Listen to MortgageMamma, a far more sensible suggestion

    How is this mortgage fraud? Insurance fraud possibly, but I cant see how it is mortgage fraud.
    “Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?”
    Juvenal, The Sixteen Satires
  • csgohan4
    csgohan4 Posts: 10,600 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Aaaah, good old mortgage fraud. Can't believe people think this is acceptable.

    Listen to MortgageMamma, a far more sensible suggestion



    Please read OP's original post, at no point did they say they were renting it out. It is common to renovate before moving in.


    As long as it doesn't exceed the days on their insurers, unoccupied clause then that is fine.


    Other than that your just embarrassing yourself
    "It is prudent when shopping for something important, not to limit yourself to Pound land/Estate Agents"

    G_M/ Bowlhead99 RIP
  • Thanks everyone. I'll be making it clear to my insurers that I won't be in the house for a little while - I've seen in other threads that this needn't be a problem. In a way, the question is whether I also need to tell my mortgage provider, and it looks like I don't. They require me to be the occupant and not rent it out to anyone else but (unlike the insurance provider) it seems they don't require me to actually be living in the house immediately.
  • davemorton wrote: »
    How is this mortgage fraud? Insurance fraud possibly, but I cant see how it is mortgage fraud.
    Sorry, that is what I meant, Insurance fraud
    csgohan4 wrote: »
    Please read OP's original post, at no point did they say they were renting it out. It is common to renovate before moving in.

    As long as it doesn't exceed the days on their insurers, unoccupied clause then that is fine.

    Other than that your just embarrassing yourself

    You're a laugh a minute aren't you? If you'd bothered reading my post you'll see my message was in response to a poster recommending Insurance fraud (yes, I said mortgage fraud by accident, but my point still stands).
  • csgohan4
    csgohan4 Posts: 10,600 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Sorry, that is what I meant, Insurance fraud



    You're a laugh a minute aren't you? If you'd bothered reading my post you'll see my message was in response to a poster recommending Insurance fraud (yes, I said mortgage fraud by accident, but my point still stands).


    Yes I 'bothered' to read your post and if you 'bothered' to write the correct term I wouldn't have need to responded would I?

    Mortgage fraud and Insurance fraud are very different things.


    it's like OP wanting a residential mortgage but actually wanting a BTL, two separate things and of which are spelt different.
    "It is prudent when shopping for something important, not to limit yourself to Pound land/Estate Agents"

    G_M/ Bowlhead99 RIP
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 350.9K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.5K Spending & Discounts
  • 243.9K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 598.7K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 176.9K Life & Family
  • 257.2K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.