Preparing for completion - What are our next steps?

cactushead1982

We've just exchanged on a house and completion is at the end of March. What do we need to do in terms of utilities, internet, etc to get ready? We have already got house insurance. 

Any suggestions is appreciated!

Brie

re utilities - just be sure that you take meter readings (time stamp photos suggested) as soon as it's your property.  Then you can look at whether you are with a company you like and on a tariff that suits you and switch if not.  Make sure you do the same when your current place is no longer yours (which may not be the same as when you move out)

Notify your council re council tax for old and new places.

Hopefully you've decluttered as much junk as possible as there's no point in taking stuff with you that isn't needed.  Charity shops, freegle, facebook market preferably rather than just taking to the tip but maybe that will need to be an option too.  

Start packing.  Get those big banana boxes from Alid, Lidl as they are good and sturdy and you can easily stack and carry them.  Packing take about 50x more than you would expect.   Ensure everything is marked with the room name so you know where to put things when you get there.  

Closer to the day - pack your day 1 boxes.  Mugs, tea bags, toilet roll, local pizza menu, a small amount of cutlery, UHT milk perhaps, tetra juice boxes.  And a travel bag, wash bag, change of knickers and tshirt.  Linens - whatever is needed to make the beds and a towel for the bathroom.  

Redirect your mail and update DVLA with the address change for driver licences as well as the car reg.

youth_leader

I will always regret not arranging a viewing before completion.   I do recommend the second viewing list on Phil Spencer's website, moveiq.

After exchange the seller telephoned me and had dropped a 'hint' that she had 'overwatered a plant' -- and damaged the carpet.  I didn't ask the questions I should have done, and I didn't view before completion to see this carpet damage.  Six months in I had a curtain rail fitter refusing to work in the bay window because the floor was rotten - every floor was rotten.

Sapindus

Make a list of everything you need to do changing addresses etc, and tick things off as you have done them.  Then when you have small panics that you've forgotten something it's there in black and white.

our_des

I noticed on our pre-completion check that the meter box key wasn't there anymore so I bought a 4 way one (had a radiator key on too) for £3-4. 

We were FTB buying an ex rental that had been empty for 6 months and the vendors were leaving the blinds, we didn't move in straight away but I was glad that the place wasn't on full view to any passersby. Maybe consider how to keep the place private on the 1st night if theres no blinds/curtains left, could opt for the classic newspaper on the windows. 

Get the locks changed too, you could ask around for quotes now and ask to be pencilled in. Just before Christmas a parcel was delivered for a former tenant, she had a unique name and I found her on the estates Facebook group to let her know. When she came to pick it up she brought a set of spare keys to give me that she still had! Changing the locks was one of the 1st things we sorted.