Moving House Checklist 2026: Who to Tell and What to Do

1 November 2026 • Viewit UK Team • Reading Time: 7 minutes

Quick answer: Start about 8 weeks before moving day: book removals, give notice on your tenancy if you rent, and begin decluttering. Two weeks before, tell your council tax office, energy and water suppliers, broadband provider, bank, employer, GP and insurers, and set up post redirection. On moving day take meter readings and photos. Within the first week, update your address with DVLA (it is free, and you can be fined up to £1,000 for not doing it), register to vote and check that council tax and utilities are in your name.

A couple unpacking cardboard boxes in their new home — Photo: Ketut Subiyanto / Pexels

8 weeks before you move

Get at least three quotes from removal firms, or book a van. Popular dates (Fridays, month ends, school holidays) go first.
Renting? Check how much notice you must give. Under the Renters’ Rights Act, tenants in England can leave a rolling tenancy with two months’ notice, ending on a rent day. See our Renters’ Rights Act guide.
Buying? Keep in touch with your conveyancer. Exchange of contracts fixes the completion (moving) date; do not book non-refundable removals before exchange.
Start decluttering: sell, donate or recycle what you will not take.
If you have children, apply for school places and register with a GP and dentist near your new home.

4 weeks before

Order boxes, tape and labels. Pack rarely used rooms first and label each box with the room and contents.
Check your contents insurance covers the move, and arrange buildings insurance from exchange if you are buying.
Book broadband for the new address now; installs can take two weeks or more.
Arrange parking for the removal van if your street needs a permit or suspended bay.
Collect anything you have lent out and return anything you have borrowed.

2 weeks before: who to tell when you move house

Who	What to do
Council tax (old and new council)	Give your moving date so the old bill stops and the new one starts. See what it will cost in our council tax guide.
Energy and water suppliers	Tell them your moving date; you will give final meter readings on the day.
Broadband, TV and phone	Move or cancel your contract; check for early exit fees.
TV Licensing	Update your address online.
Bank, credit cards, pensions, investments	Update your address to avoid post going astray.
Employer and HMRC	Your employer updates payroll; tell HMRC if you are self-employed.
GP, dentist, optician	Register with new practices if you are moving out of the area.
Insurers	Home, contents, car, pet and life insurance.
Royal Mail	Set up post redirection (a paid service) so nothing is missed.
Subscriptions and online shops	Change the delivery address.

Useful next read: council tax bands 2026/27 and the London borough table.

Cardboard moving boxes stacked in an empty room — Photo: SHVETS production / Pexels

The week before

Confirm times with the removal firm and your estate agent or landlord (where and when to collect keys).
Defrost the freezer and use up food.
Pack an “open first” box: kettle, mugs, phone chargers, toilet roll, bedding, basic tools, medicines and documents.
Renters: clean thoroughly, book any repairs and find your check-in inventory so you can compare at check-out.

Moving day

Take meter readings (gas, electricity, water) at both homes, with dated photos.
Photograph the condition of the property you are leaving, and the new one before you unpack.
Leave keys, alarm codes and manuals as agreed.
Check where the stopcock, fuse box and meters are in your new home.

First week in your new home

DVLA: change the address on your driving licence and vehicle log book (V5C). It is free, and you can be fined up to £1,000 if you do not tell DVLA.
Electoral register: register to vote at your new address. It also helps your credit score.
Make sure council tax, energy and water accounts are in your name.
Change the locks if you have bought, and test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.

Extra steps for buyers

Your conveyancer files the stamp duty return and pays any tax; in England and Northern Ireland this must be done within 14 days of completion. Work out the amount early with our stamp duty calculator.
Set up buildings insurance from exchange, not completion.
Keep your completion statement and title documents safe.

Extra steps for renters

Your new landlord must protect your deposit in a government-approved scheme within 30 days and give you the scheme details.
Check the inventory carefully, add photos and return it signed within the deadline.
Ask for the gas safety certificate, electrical safety report (EICR) and EPC if you have not received them.
Use our rent affordability calculator to budget for rent, council tax and bills together.

Frequently asked questions

Who do I need to tell when I move house?

Your old and new council (council tax), energy and water suppliers, broadband and TV providers, TV Licensing, your bank and card providers, employer, GP and dentist, insurers, DVLA and the electoral register. Set up Royal Mail post redirection to catch anything you miss.

How early should I start planning a house move?

About 8 weeks before moving day. That gives time to book removals, give notice on a tenancy and arrange broadband at the new address.

Do I have to tell DVLA when I move?

Yes. Updating the address on your driving licence and V5C log book is free, and you can be fined up to £1,000 if you do not tell DVLA.

How much notice does a tenant need to give in England?

Under the Renters’ Rights Act, tenants on a rolling (periodic) tenancy can leave with two months’ notice, ending on a rent day.

When is stamp duty paid after buying a house?

In England and Northern Ireland the stamp duty return must be filed and the tax paid within 14 days of completion. Your conveyancer normally does this for you.