Moving Home Checklist

Published: 1 November 2024

Are you moving to a new home soon and want to get organised? We know there’ll be a million and one things on your mind when relocating. So, here’s our moving house checklist to help it go smoothly.

Download our Moving Home checklist

Things to consider in the build up to moving day

There are plenty of ways you can prepare for moving home, but sometimes simple things slip your mind from the excitement (and organisation) involved.

These are the key things to plan…

Work towards getting an official moving date

When moving house, it can be a good idea to work towards a moving date with your conveyancer/solicitor. While deciding a definite moving date might be tricky, asking them for a rough timeline could help with planning your move.

Set aside essentials

Packing up your things is one thing, but you’ll need to set aside your essential items for moving day so you can approach this exciting day with everything you need to hand!

When you’re moving to a new home, put these items to one side:

Water bottles and food containers – to pre-prepare lunch and fill water bottles up when moving out
Cleaning products – so they’re available if you need them when packing everything up
Vacuum – for last minute tidying on moving day
Electrical chargers – for phones, laptops, tablets and headphones you’ll use before the big day
Sets of pyjamas – for every member of the household for the night before the move
Toilet roll – you won’t want to be without this on the big day!

Getting ready to move home

When moving house, you’ll need to keep some extra things in mind, like removal costs and home surveys, but how do you do that and what are the costs involved?

House removal costs

As part of your to-do list, you’ll need to organise a professional home removals company to help you collect (and move) your belongings. You could find one yourself by browsing the web, or go with word-of-mouth recommendations by asking friends or family who’ve recently moved.

How much does a house removal cost?

You should plan for potential hidden costs and additional services which can affect these costs.

That’s why it’s so important to do your research on removal companies, to find the best one for what you need. After all, one removal company might charge you extra for the cost of packing materials, for example, but others might include this in their service fees. So, it’s worth shopping around!

Consider the three house surveys

Although getting a house survey isn’t a legal requirement, they can save you money (and ease your stress levels) later on if there are structural issues with your property.

When you’re moving, there are three types of home surveys available:

Home Survey Level 1 = Condition report – this is a basic valuation to report obvious and urgent issues, usually for new builds or standard homes that are less than 50 years old.
Home Survey Level 2 = A HomeBuyer report – a midweight survey that provides a more detailed report on a property than a Level 1 Survey.
Home Survey Level 3 = Building survey – a full review of a home that’s 50+ years old or in poor condition, to ensure nothing obvious is wrong.

Consider a Homebuyer’s survey

Thinking about paying for a survey to get a more in depth report on your property? A Home Survey Level 2 is often most suitable for properties that are in reasonable condition, and gives you more detailed information.

So, what does this involve? Well, a surveyor checks the house for any hidden problems, like leaks, cracks, or structural issues. This helps you avoid unexpected repair costs after you buy the house.

Knowing about any issues beforehand can also help you decide if the house is worth the price, or if you should ask the seller to fix the problems first. Overall, it gives you peace of mind and helps plan for any repairs needed.

What is a home buyer’s survey?

A home buyer's survey is the inspection of a property that you pay for, carried out by a professional who’ll check its condition before you buy it.

This survey can give you peace of mind that the home you’re buying is in good shape. Plus, if there are problems, you can decide if you still want to buy the house or ask the seller to fix them first.

The inspector will look for any problems or repairs needed both inside and outside of the property. For example:

Inside the property:

Assess the roof
Check the ceilings
Study the walls
Inspect partitions
Examine staircases
Inspect bathroom fittings
Look at uncovered floors
Check the fireplace(s)
Inspect chimney breasts (and vents)
Assess woodwork across the property

Outside the property:

Inspect the windows
Check the roof
Examine the guttering
Assess the chimney
Inspect the main walls
Review the joinery
Check the doors and door fittings in each room
Inspect other contributing finishes/features

How much is a home survey?

The cost of a home survey will vary, as it’s based on the size, complexity and location of the house, alongside the type of survey you choose. Generally, it can range from a few hundred to over a thousand pounds.

The Level 1 survey can be cheaper when moving to a new home, whereas more detailed inspections can typically cost more. So, it's a good idea to check prices from different surveyors to find the best deal for you.

Update your home insurance

When moving to a new home, you’ll need to let your home insurance provider know your new address and moving date. If you have a mortgage on your new property, having buildings insurance will be one of the conditions of your mortgage, from the date you exchange contracts.

When you’re ready for the big move, contents in transit are only usually covered if they are professionally packed, carried and moved to your new home. So, you’ll want to be sure you’re covered if something happens to your items during transit, or delivery!

Already have contents insurance? Check your policy for Household Removals or Contents in Professional Transit, for what is and isn’t covered. Most providers include cover for:

Loss or damage while contents are being transported within the UK between the addresses
The contents being loaded or unloaded

Make sure you check how much the excess is too, just in case you need to make a claim against the removal company. For instance, if a lamp was broken or your furniture is damaged during the move. It’s worth noting, you may have to pay the first part of a claim (the excess).

Read our guide on what home insurance covers.

This article is intended as a summary only. Please don’t use this guide as advice, you’ll need to make your own decisions. If you have any further questions or queries, we recommend seeking legal and/or financial advice