The first 90 days: Change of address checklist

Buying a new property is strenuous and the chances are, you haven’t had time to sort out a lot of your admin, making the first 90 days of moving into a new house all the more difficult. It’s important to get it done quickly, however, because if an organisation has the wrong address for you, sensitive information could be sent to an old address, which could even cause legal or credit troubles. There are so many people to tell about your change of address that we have put together this handy checklist to make the process a breeze!

Utilities

We have previously written about what you need to know about utilities when moving into a new house, but if you already had a provider, you should also let them know your new address (preferably before you move) to see what kind of deal they can offer you to stay with them. If your utilities are paid via direct debit, they may even continue to charge you if you fail to inform them that you have left the property. Don’t forget to contact:

• Water
• Gas
• Electricity
• Telephone
• Internet

Finances

You are likely, understandably, protective of your financial information, so organisations that send sensitive information about you need to know to send it to your new residence. Be sure to inform:

• Banks/Building societies
• Credit cards
• Savings and premium bonds
• Insurance
• Pension Provider

Government

Failing to inform government agencies of your new home address is when consequences can start to have real, lasting ramifications. For instance, if you fail to register to vote, it can impact your credit score (as well as your ability to vote, of course). Other consequences could include not realising you’re still paying for something you don’t need to be.

• TV Licensing
• Electoral register
• HMRC
• Council tax department

Health

It’s easy to put off health-related admin when you’re healthy, but the minute you need medical care is not the moment you want to be registering at a new practice. For instance, if you inform your new local GP about your move and give them your previous doctor’s address, they will transfer your medical history. Wait until you actually need to see a doctor and not having your medical records can cause complications. If you live in the same catchment area, you should be able to keep the same clinic, but must still inform them of your new address.

• Doctor
• Dentist

Motoring

These points will, of course, be moot if you don’t own a car. If you do own a car, there are things like road tax and registration to consider. If you fail to notify DVLA when you have changed your address, you could be fined up to £1000.

• DVLA
• Car breakdown services
• Vehicle registration (including personalised number plates)

Others

Lastly, don’t forget these miscellaneous groups who need to know of your address change. They are less likely to cause financial or legal trouble but could leave you frustrated or in hot water with your peers!

• Friends and relatives
• Subscriptions
• Sports clubs
• Library
• Schools/colleges
• Employer

That’s our checklist for the people or organisations that you should inform about your change of address. It can be arduous to get them all done, but this list should help you keep track of how you’re doing and make the whole process less stressful. For more tips on the first 90 days, check out our House and Home blog section for our First 90 Days series!

Did we miss anything? Do you have any questions about the stressful first 90 days of moving into a new house? Feel free to get in touch via our contact us page, or drop us a message on our Twitter and Facebook pages!

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