moving in

Following a long search process, with all the browsing, viewings and paperwork, you’ve finally done it – you have a new home in London! Not only can you finally relax and settle into your new place, there’s a whole new neighbourhood (and city!) ready for you to explore, and if you’re moving in with new flatmates, some new friends to get to know. The hardest part is over, and now all there is left to do is move in. By taking the right steps, you can avoid costly mistakes and also save yourself some hassle along the way. To help, we’ve compiled some tips to make this process as smooth as possible.

If you’ve used SearchSmartly to find your home, congratulations! You have now unlocked our free move-in concierge service delivered by our partners JustMoveIn. They will help you with many of the tasks on our checklist below (address changes, switching you over to the most suitable utility provider, and much more) – saving you up to 8 hours of admin time. Just let us know when you’ve signed your contract at hello@searchsmartly.co to unlock this offer.

Moving your belongings

It’s advisable to organise moving your belongings from your old place into your new property around 1-2 months in advance. Consider which option would be most suitable for you: a move-in company, using the help of family and friends, or if you don’t have too many items, moving items yourself by car or public transport.
Order materials that you need to pack also around 1-2 months in advance, such as moving boxes and tape.
Don’t forget to book some days off work for the move if you need several days for it!

Changing Address

A few weeks before your move, you can begin to change your address with various organisations, which could include: the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, HM Revenue & Customs, the electoral register, your bank and credit card providers, and your employer.
You should also change your address with any subscription services you may have in order to avoid items being sent to your old address, such as newspapers and food deliveries.
After moving in, you can also register with the local doctor (GP) and dentist.

Utilities

Let your utilities provider in your current home know that you are moving so that you can cancel your contracts (unless the landlord is responsible for your bills).
If bills are not included in your new tenancy, you can either stick to the same provider or choose a new one. It’s always worth shopping around to see if you can get a cheaper deal, don’t feel obliged to stick to the current company. Our move-in concierge partners, JustMoveIn, can help with this.
Take note of utility readings in both your current home when leaving and your new home when arriving. Take a picture so you have a record.

Other costs

Wifi: you can search online to find who provides wifi in your area, as well as to compare the best deals available to you.
TV Licence: if you are planning to watch nationally broadcasted TV channels, including online via their streaming services (such as BBC iPlayer) you will need to pay for a TV licence. If you were already paying for a licence at your old home, notify the licensing agency of your move so that they can change your address.
Insurance: taking out contents insurance for your new home will cover your possessions in the event of theft, loss or damage.
Council Tax: if you are required to pay council tax, contact your new local council in order to set up payment. They will register you, send you your bill and advise you on how to pay. To save hundreds of pounds, check for exemptions! Not everyone is required to pay council tax, for example, if you are in full-time education. You can check online to see whether you are exempt.

The condition of the property

As soon as you arrive, take pictures of the property and compare them with your check-in inventory. It is especially important to check for any damages and/or signs of wear and tear, and to make sure these are documented in your inventory. If not, you should email these to the agent or landlord. Without these photos, you may be at risk of being charged for damages that you did not cause at the end of your tenancy.
Beyond visible damages, it’s also worth checking if everything is working, such as light switches, taps, locks, smoke alarms and windows.
If renting a furnished property or one with white goods, check the inventory to see if all the items on the list are also in the property. If there is anything missing, notify the landlord. Even if you are not given an inventory, you can request one.
The landlord has a responsibility to ensure that the property is clean when you arrive, although minor signs of wear and tear are permitted. Remember that you’ll be expected to leave the property in a similar condition to how it was given to you, so if it hasn’t been professionally cleaned before your move-in, you shouldn’t be expected to professionally clean it when you move out.
Before you move anything around in the property or put up decorations, ask your landlord if you are permitted to do so. Landlords differ in their leniency when it comes to decorations and furniture rearrangement, and if you leave marks on the wall from blu tack for example, you are likely to lose money from your deposit.

Documents and safety

When moving in, the landlord should be able to provide you with the following documents. If you do not receive any of these, you can ask your landlord to provide them
- gas safety certificate
- electrical safety certificate
- energy safety certificate
- deposit receipt and documentation
Emergency contact details: ask the landlord who to contact in the event of an emergency. Legally, the landlord is required to provide you with their name, address and telephone number.

With this checklist out of your way, it’s time to crack open a celebratory drink – you’ve officially come to the end of your property search journey! If you are just getting ready to embark on your own hunt for a property to rent in London, why not try SearchSmartly? In addition to our smart property search tools which can help you discover hidden gems that we know you’ll love, our friendly team will support you right from the early stages to the day you’ve moved in and had everything set up.

Looking for more advice on other steps in your property search journey? Why not explore other parts of our How to Rent Guide and find out how to search for a property, make a viewing and prepare the right documentation.