Moving in Bristol
You’ve found your dream home, you’ve exchanged contracts. The rest is plain sailing, right?
Well, not quite!
There are a lot of things to plan for when moving home in Bristol. To help you cover your bases, we have put together a moving-in Bristol guide, with 10 points to consider.
From finding the gas meter in your new home to letting your electricity supplier know you’re moving.
To ensure that moving home in Bristol goes as smoothly as possible, read our checklist for the big move.
Firstly, you’ll need to get your moving date officially confirmed by your solicitors and the house sellers.
If you’re renting, it may be possible to spread the moving process over several days.
This way, you can get into your new home and get any work done. Such as cleaning and painting, while removing the time constraint of moving home.
If you are buying, ask about your place in the chain, and plan accordingly in case things take longer than expected.
This is the perfect time to go through your old things and decide what is and isn’t worth keeping. Before you start boxing everything up, go through your old clothes, electronics, and furniture.
Decide what’s actually worth keeping and what can be dropped off at the local charity shop. It’ll save you a lot of time, effort, and a backache if you cut down on the number of things you need to move to your new home.
Let all of your utility suppliers know that you’re planning to move out – electricity, gas, phone, and broadband suppliers will all need to know when you’re leaving the property.
Chances are, you’ll be moving your phone and broadband across to your new property. Give your supplier as much notice as possible, as the moving service could take several weeks.
If you find yourself without internet when you move in, try turning your phone into a mobile hotspot.
Finally, take a final meter reading at your property and pass them on to the right suppliers.
When moving home in Bristol, it all depends on what’s practical for your budget and the size of your property.
If you’re moving into a small property, or if cost is a large factor, it’ll probably be cheaper to use a man and van service. Additionally, for larger properties a full removal service is advisable.
Regardless of what service you pick, make absolutely sure you’ve got all your valuables and personal documents in a safe place; keep them on your person, if you can.
If you’re renting, you’ll need to advise your landlord of the exact date you’re moving out.
Hopefully, this will coincide with the end of your lease, to avoid paying for both rent and your new mortgage simultaneously.
You will also want to request a property inspection to ensure you get your deposit back. That is assuming there is no damage to the property you have been renting.
Most people wait until there’s water gushing from the bathroom ceiling before working out how to switch the water off – this is easily avoided.
Ask the sellers of your new property exactly where the following things are:
Stopcock (valve for controlling the main water supply)
Instructions for appliances
Gas and electricity meters
Thermostat
Fuse box
If you’re selling, make a list of where all the important things are in your home, and leave it for the people moving in.
They’ll really appreciate you going the extra mile, and it may come in handy if you need to ask them for a favour (like posting those shoes you bought online sent to your old address).
Hopefully, by now, you’ve had a clear-out, so this should be a bit easier. When you’re packing everything up, label all the boxes properly for each room.
This will make things a whole lot easier for the removal company.
Make a checklist of what’s in each box, so you don’t have to root around whenever you’re trying to find something.
Settle up all the bills and council tax still owed on your current property; you don’t want any bills coming back to haunt you when you’re all settled in your new place.
Contact the following people to let them know you’re changing your address:
Your employer
Your bank, insurance, pension, and credit card companies
The local council, electoral roll
Doctor and dentist
DVLA
DSS offices
Post redirection services (this requires at least 5 days notice)
Tip – Don’t forget to delete your old address from all online retailers. There’s nothing worse than realising your package has been delivered to an old address.
When that’s done, send out one big email to friends and family to let them know your new address and the exact date you move in. They might not need it right away, but when Christmas card season comes around they’ll be grateful you planned ahead.
You’ll need the essentials for the first night in your new place, so it’s best to make a box or two with the following things to hand:
Kettle, mugs, tea, milk, coffee, sugar
Cleaning products, plus vacuum cleaner and bin bags
Phone and laptop chargers
Toilet roll, kitchen roll
Bedding and duvet for the first night
Temporary furniture – camping chairs etc.
And make sure you keep all your important documents, like your passport and mortgage paperwork, where you can easily find them.
Once all the boxes and furniture are unloaded, do a deep clean of the property, that’s if previous owners haven’t done so already. This is certainly the easiest time to scrub tiles and clean carpets.
Unpack your items room by room, starting with the kitchen. Check the utility services are all up and running, make sure you have keys to every door and window, find out which day your bins are emptied.
Finally, it’s time to put your feet up, after all, you have earned a good rest by now! Order a takeaway, there’s always tomorrow to start opening the packed boxes.
For further information on moving in or to Bristol, feel free to call us on 01172 510 400
Call: 01172 510 400
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