The Ultimate Moving Home Checklist

Moving house comes with a long to-do list , a lot of organisation and admin, whether you’re buying or renting 👋📦🚚 

Download these ready-made UK home-moving checklists to make it easier:

• Download a free print-friendly PDF home-moving checklist 
• Download a free home-moving checklist you can easily copy and paste into your phone

Keep scrolling for a complete guide to moving  👇

This guide covers home moving for tenants and home buyers, and covers variants in the law around the UK, too. 

Sort your move: Essential 8-Week countdown timeline
(Downloadable checklists below)

This guide is spaced out over eight weeks, but adjust to suit your moving timeline.

The downloadable plan takes a lot of research and planning off your list, so you can get on with your move.

Click here to get handy copy/paste lists for your notes app, and a downloadable, printer-friendly PDF

Jump to a section:

• 6-8 weeks to go
  
  • Set a budget, find a moving company, and start decluttering. 
• 4 weeks to go
  • Start packing and sorting the crucial admin.
• 2 weeks to go
  • Start sorting bills, changing your addresses and redirect your mail.
• 1 week to go
  • Finish packing, create a moving day essentials box and finish sorting logistics. 
• 2 days to go
  • Last minute checks, meter readings and keeping essentials safe during your move.
• Moving day action plan
  • Dealing with your moving company, last minute checks and how to set up for a successful move.
• Moving house around the UK
  • Important legal differences for buying and renting homes in Scotland and around the UK.

6-8 weeks ‘til your move: Find a moving company, set your budget and sort your tenancy or conveyancing  

• Sort your moving company or van hire (optional) 🚚

• Get at least three quotes for moving companies to make sure you get the best deal.
  • Get recommendations from family, friends and workmates if possible. 
• Do the same for van hire if you’d prefer to handle things yourself. 

• Set a budget 🧮

• Costs can quickly add up so get clear on what you can afford.
• Removal companies, mail redirection, cleaning services and packing materials need to be considered for both home buyers and tenants.

Organise parking suspensions for moving day 🚙

Your local council can temporarily lift any parking restrictions to make moving day easier, whether at your old home or your new one. This can be handy if you plan to have a moving van parked outside for a long time.

Start decluttering 🧹 

Moving is easier if you have less stuff to pack.

Start sorting items into categories:

• Keep
• Donate/recycle
• Sell/Throw away

Declutter room by room to avoid overwhelm, and to make it easier to track progress.

Tenants: 

• Check your notice period and move-out requirements so you give the right amount to your letting agent or landlord.

Potential extra costs:

• Deposit for your new home
• It can take a few weeks to get the deposit back from any previous tenancies, so account for that in your budget. 

Home buyers:

• Find a conveyancer to do a property survey on your new home.
  • Online comparisons and reviews can be helpful to find one. 
  • Recommendations from friends, family, and your estate agent will be helpful. 

Potential extra costs

Property purchase taxes - click here to see variants around the UK 📍

4 Weeks To Go: Declutter, digitise documents and start packing

It’s time to start getting organised. Moving day will be here before you know it.

Declutter room by room

• The list you started making a little while back needs to get into full force now with a deep dive and declutter of each room.

Start packing non-essential items

• Get a head start and start boxing up items that you know you won’t use between now and moving day.
  • Use different boxes for each room, and label them clearly with contents and room.
  • Big writing or brightly coloured labels will make life easier on moving day. 

Take photographs of your furniture

• Some furniture can be taken apart for easier moving.
  • A good reference photo makes reassembly a lot easier 🔧

Digitise and protect your important documents.

• Take pictures of your important documents and upload them to a digital folder - like Dropbox, Google Drive or One Drive
• This keeps important information on hand even during moving chaos.

Documents to scan/photograph:

• Passport
• Warranties for appliances, laptops, etc.
• Important paperwork
  • I.e. Mortgage or tenancy agreement
  • Insurance policies

Tenants: Check your move-in inventory 

• Your letting agent or landlord should have provided an inventory with the condition of each room, furniture and appliances when your tenancy started.
  • Your property needs to be in the same state to get your deposit back, excepting 'wear and tear'.
  • Any damage will be deducted from your deposit, and make a big impact on your budget.
  • Deep cleaning and small repairs can be cheaper in the long run. 
    
    

2 Weeks To Go: Change your address and switch your bills for your new house

It’s time to let important services know that you’re moving house.

Important tasks like setting up utilities in your new house are key, but others are just as important

Important address changes for your house move:

• Energy supplier
  • Set a reminder on your phone to take final readings on moving day so you only pay for the energy you’ve used.
• Water supplier
• Broadband
  • Setting up broadband at your new place can take a few weeks if you need an engineer appointment, so it’s important to get going.
• DVLA
  • Change the address on your driving license and VSC log book.
• Banks and credit cards
  • It’s recommended to tell the bank at least 14 days before your move.
  • Important correspondence going to the wrong address after a move could waste time at best, or lead to identity theft at worst! 
• Insurance providers
  • If you’ve set up building and contents insurance with a new provider, make sure to end the policy with your previous provider, and update your address for any future correspondence.
• Local council
  • Let your local authority know that you’ve moved, both at your new address and the home you’re moving out of.
  • Find the local council of your new address if you’re not sure.
• HMRC
  • If you’re self employed or receive certain benefits, let HMRC know about the change of circumstances.
• Voter registration
  • Make sure you’ve registered to vote at your new address so you don’t miss the chance, especially if an election is coming up.

Other address changes to remember when you move:

These changes can be a big hassle if you forget them:

• Shopping apps 🛍

• • Update your address on apps like Amazon and Vinted so you don’t send things to your old address after your move.

• Food delivery apps 🛒

• • A takeaway or grocery delivery on moving day can make things easier, but not if it goes to the wrong place 😬

• Map and transport apps 🗺

• Update your “home” address on map apps, ride share apps and your car’s GPS.
• Nothing worse than jumping in an Uber to the wrong place after a long day or a night out.

Sign up for the Royal Mail Redirect Service 💌

• This handy mail redirect service sends any mail in your name to your new address.
• It’s quick to apply and get a quote for your address
• This reduces your chances of missing anything important and your chances of identity theft. 

Childcare or pet care 🐶

• If it’s in your budget, it can be easier and less stressful if small children or pets are left with relatives or alternative care arrangements for the day. 

Tenants:

• Confirm the check-out inspection time and procedure with your landlord/agent. 
• Check your obligations regarding cleaning and getting the property back to its original state.

1 Week To Go: Finish packing and make final preparations for an easy move 🧳

Get serious about packing and plan for a smooth move-in day. 

Moving-day essentials box 📦

Pack a box with the things you’ll need for a successful move.

• Kettle
• Tea bags/coffee
• Mugs
• Drinks
• Snacks
• Basic tools
• Phone charger
• Essential medication
• Important documents 
• Handover details
• Keys
• Cleaning supplies

Pack a suitcase 🧳

• Pack a suitcase with everything you need for this week so you can pack up everything else in your home.

Pack up everything, including essentials

• Put everything else in your home into moving boxes, using highly visible labels for your boxes. Now is a good time to start positioning the boxes in a handy position for movers.

Defrost and clean the fridge and freezer ❄️

• Even if you're taking it with you, your fridge freezer needs to be cleaned and defrosted.
• This is best done about 48 hours before you leave. 
• Tenants: If this appliance belongs to the property, this is key to getting your deposit back.

Dismantle bigger furniture for an easier move 🛠

Bigger furniture like tables and cabinets can often be dismantled with simple tools to make transport easier. 

• If you’re not sure, leave it or ask your moving service if they offer this service.
• Put screws, brackets etc. into a labelled bag, tub or a jar.
• Tape them to the furniture with strong tape.
• Take photos as you go so you have all the information you need to reassemble.

For Tenants: End of Tenancy Clean 🧼

• Do a deep clean, room by room, to get your home back to the state listed on the tenancy inventory.
• You might need specialist cleaning products for:
  • Oven
  • Carpets
  • Windows
• Spend extra (if you can) on a  carpet cleaning machine or end-of-tenancy service
  • Keep receipts in case there’s a dispute about cleanliness later.

Make moving-day logistics easier 😌

Easy access to your new home will speed things along on moving day. Important things to consider are:

• Parking spaces
  • If you need on-street parking, and spaces aren’t assigned, contact your local authority(ies) before moving day to guarantee space and avoid fines.
• Lift access
  • Make sure any lifts will be working and accessible when you need them. 

2 days to go: last-minute checks 🔎

The countdown is on! Everything should be almost sorted by now. Here are the last crucial steps.

Charge electronics for the move🔋

• Stay organised with a fully charged with your phone, tablet or laptop.
• Charge a power bank or two for backup.

Final meter readings🔦

• Take photos of your water, electric and gas meters just before you leave.
• Submit to your suppliers on their website or app.
• Keep the photos in case there’s a billing dispute later. 
  • Email these to yourself or store them somewhere safe.

Keep cleaning supplies handy🧽

• Have basic supplies on hand to get straight into cleaning mode when you arrive.
• For tenants, this also makes last-minute touch ups before inspection much easier. 

Keep your valuables safe🔐

Keep valuable items and important documents in a bag that stays with you during your move for peace of mind.

Some things to keep safe on moving day:

• Medications
• Passport
• Driving licence
• Mortgage documentation 
• Tenancy agreement 

Tenants: Final check ✅

Once the property is empty and cleaned, check against the inventory to get your deposit back.

Take clear, detailed photos of:

• Carpets
• Walls
• Appliances
• Pre-existing wear and tear noted on inventory

These will be useful if there's a dispute with your letting agent or landlord. 

Moving Day Action Plan 📝

Before Leaving Your Old Home:

If you hired a removal company:

• Make sure they have all the information they need:
  • Label fragile boxes/items
  • Label heavy boxes/items
  • Label boxes with the room they need to be in
• Tell them the order to load/unload different rooms to save time.

Double check you have everything in your moving-day essentials box

Final walkthrough 🚶

Check to make sure you’ve left nothing behind

• Cupboards
• Shelves
• Sheds
• Attic

Switch off utilities (if you’ve been specifically asked)

• If you haven’t already, take final meter readings, and take photos of the readings.

For Tenants:

• Anything you leave behind can mean a deduction from your deposit, so get it all.
• Attend the check-out inspection, if you can.
• Hand over your keys as agreed with the letting agent or landlord
  • Get written confirmation of this if possible.

When you get to your new home👋

Collect your keys

• Your agent, seller or landlord should agree details ahead of time.

Confirm furniture and box placement with your moving company (if using)

Take meter readings straight away, with time-stamped photos or videos

• Water meter 
• Gas meter
• Electric meter

Set up your ‘command centre’

• Set up an area in the kitchen where you can eat, take breaks and charge your phone. Your moving box should have everything you need!

Clean all surfaces, especially shelves

• This will be the easiest deep clean ever, there’s no furniture or stuff in the way!

Make the bed

• If you can, make your bed as soon as you can.
  • It’s the last thing you’ll want to do after a long day of moving.

Check out utility essentials

• Make sure the gas, electricity and water all work.
• Check the boiler/heating work. 
  • Any problems, alert your agent.
• Find the main water valve or stopcock and fuse box.
  • Knowing now is better than trying to find out during an emergency!
  • This information may be in documents you got from a previous owner, or your agent. 

Tenants: Check your move-in inventory 

• Go through each point and make sure it matches the inventory. 
• If anything's not right, report it in writing to your letting agent or landlord straight away.
  • Send an email so you have a timestamp and date for your report. 
• Take detailed photos and videos of the whole property before you unpack to use when you move out.

Your First Week: Settling in, security & essential connections 🏡

Change the locks if possible 🔑

• Tenants: You will probably need permission from your landlord. Check your tenancy agreement!

Test all smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors🚒

For tenants: 

Make sure you’re registered with a deposit protection scheme🚨

• You should get an email or other written confirmation.
• This has to be provided by your landlord/letting agent within 30 days, so follow up if you don’t have it.

Make sure any issues found during your move-in inspection are reported in writing ASAP, with your photos and videos. 📸

Moving in Scotland and around the UK: Key Legal, Tax & Tenancy Differences Explained 📍

The key differences in Scotland and elsewhere in the UK depend on whether you’re buying or letting property, but some apply to both buyers and tenants.

Council Tax

• The council tax registration process and refunds can differ in Scotland.
• If you’re moving to Scotland, find your local authority to see how the process will work. 

What’s different when buying a house in Scotland vs the rest of the UK?

There are some important legal differences in the different countries of the UK when it comes to buying a home.

Missives in Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

• Missives are a key difference between England and Wales vs. Scotland.
• They create a binding legal contract between buyer and seller much earlier in the process than elsewhere in the UK, so you’ll need to find a conveyancer much earlier too,

Property purchase taxes

Property purchase taxes are slightly different around the UK. These are taxes you need to pay when buying a home.

• In Scotland, Land and Building Transaction Tax (LBTT) applies when buying properties over a certain value.
• In England and Northern Ireland, Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) applies.
• In Wales, Land Transaction Tax (LTT) applies.

What’s different when renting a property in Scotland vs. the rest of the UK?🇬🇧

A few key legal differences apply when renting a home in Scotland and other areas of the UK.

Deposit protection schemes

• Deposit protection schemes are required by UK law, but the different countries of the UK may have their own deposit protection schemes.
• Safe Deposits Scotland, Letting Protection Service Scotland and my|deposits Scotland are the schemes that protect deposits for tenants in Scotland (if the names didn't give that away...)

Tenancy Type

• The standard tenancy type in Scotland is the Private Residential Tenancy (PRT), compared to the Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) elsewhere in the UK.
• The main difference is that PRTs are open ended, and a tenant can’t be asked to leave by the landlord because of the amount of time that’s passed.
• The difference in tenancy type means that your rights as a tenant in Scotland are slightly different too. 

Download your free moving checklist: Free print-friendly PDF and easy copy/paste checklists for your notes app

Whether you're buying or renting, however you get organised, there’s a handy list to keep your house move on track. 

• Download this  print-friendly PDF for an easy checklist, broken down week-by-week 
• Download these handy copy/paste checklists, broken down week by week, ready to transfer into your notes app of choice! 

You've got this! Happy moving 📦

Having a plan and a checklist makes moving easier to tackle. 

Whether you use our list or create your own using this guide, it helps to break a big task into lots of smaller ones.

And make sure you have the list in a format that works for you!

People move house every single day, and there’s advice and support out there for any problem you run into.