The Ultimate Change of Address Checklist (in priority order !)

Moving house soon?  This is the ultimate change of address checklist to help you inform everyone you need to (in priority order) of your new address. 

 There will be many people you need to inform of your change of address when moving.

It’s always a good idea to try and inform as many people as you can before moving day, as this is when things are likely to be less hectic and you won’t be in the middle of a big move.

However, if you’re very tight on time, then it’s best to prioritise.  Some people will be more urgent to inform than others, which is why we’ve created a change of address checklist for you in priority order !  

Here is everyone you may need to inform:

Before you move in  
Immediately after you move in (within first few days)
After you move in (within 2 weeks)

You can also download our free printable change of address checklist on our Etsy store (coming soon!). This checklist is specifically for when you’re moving in the UK.

Before you move

Services (1 month before move)

If you use services that depend on other people coming to your house, you should definitely let them know before you move. Depending on your arrangements with them, you may be required to give 1 month's notice to avoid getting charged.

You also don’t want to waste other people’s time or have endless phone calls asking where you are if people keep showing up to your old house. Ideally, give them as much notice as possible so they have time to adjust their plans. 

Clubs and activities (1 month before move)

Similar to above, you may be required to give 1 month's notice to cancel any memberships you have. 

In general, if there are activities you do where other people are expecting you to show up, it is common courtesy to let them know that you will no longer be able to attend (if your new home is too far away). Otherwise, you may end up with lots of missed calls here too! 

Redirection of post (3 weeks before move)

You can do this online via Royal Mail’s re-direction service and chose the day in advance for when you would like your post to be redirected. To ensure all your mail arrives at your new address, you should set up a redirect of your mail at least 3 weeks before in case there are any delays. 

You can also select how long you’d like the redirection of mail to last (3 months, 6 months, 12 months) but the cost will be higher if you choose a longer time period. 

Utilities (3 weeks-48 hours before)

Call your existing utility suppliers for:

You should inform your existing utility providers of your moving date and change of address to avoid being overcharged. On moving day, you will also need to give meter readings to your current suppliers, so they can give you a final bill and close your account. 

Before you inform your utility suppliers….

Updating your address with your insurance companies is a must. Should an accident happen during your move or as soon as you move in, and the insurance companies don't have your correct address, they could say your insurance is invalid. This might make it very difficult to make a claim !

Remember, on completion day of the contract, you will become responsible for the property and everything in it.

Updating your address is relatively straightforward. You can just call the insurance companies in advance, give them your moving in date and they will automatically set the insurance to start on that date.

Urgent prescriptions (2 weeks before)

If there are certain medications or prescriptions you use regularly or urgently need, you should not delay informing them of your new address. Make sure you have enough in supply to get you through the moving period.

TV license (3 months-1 day before)

If you want to watch TV as soon as you move in, you must also update the address on your TV license. This can be done instantaneously on the TV licensing website here. 

You can update this as early as 3 months before you move so it’s up to you when exactly you do it, but it’s definitely worth getting it out of the way before moving day! It will be one less thing you have to do after you’ve moved in.

Social network

It is completely up to you if and when you tell your family, friends and neighbours that you’re moving.

If you’re on good terms, it can be helpful to tell them early. Some of them may be able to offer support and even help you move !  

Immediately After You Move In 
(within first few days)

Utilities (on moving day)

On moving day, you must remember to take pictures of the meter readings (gas, electric, water) in your:

(1) old house and submit to the utility suppliers of your previous home and…

(2) new house (which you submit to the utility supplies of the new house when you give them a call)

You do not have to stick with the existing suppliers in the new house. If you want to switch suppliers, you can inform them when submitting the meter reading.

Government bodies and taxes (ideally within 1st week of moving)

Employer

You should inform your employer so they can update your details on the payroll. Your new address should then be reflected on your next pay slip. 

Financial (banks/building societies)

Education

 After You Move In (no mad rush)

Nobody will be hunting you down if you don’t change the below details immediately, but you should aim to do them within a couple of weeks of moving for your own convenience.

Health

Services

Holiday Insurance

Unless you’re going away a couple days after moving in (we hope not!), informing your travel insurance company is not urgent.

Online shopping and subscriptions

You can always just update these when you make your next purchase. 

This post was all about who to inform of your change of address when moving house. 

If you found this helpful, you can view our upcoming content on our coming soon page to see what's next !