Moving House Checklist UK: What to Do 8 Weeks to Moving Day

This moving house checklist works back from your moving day over eight weeks. The order matters more than the speed. Book the crew early, because everything else hangs off that date. Sort parking and lifts next, because London councils need notice. Pack from the least-used room towards the most-used. Tell suppliers in the final four weeks, and save a small group of government updates for after you have moved.

Most checklists miss that last point. They give you one long list to tick off, but some bodies do not want your new address yet. HMRC asks you to wait until you have moved before you report it. Which? warns against updating your DVLA details too early, because your licence may be needed as ID and for van hire. Getting the sequence right saves you repeating work.

Our recommendation: read the countdown once, put the moving date and the parking deadline in your calendar today, then work one week at a time. If you have less than eight weeks, keep the order and compress the gaps. The rest of this guide covers each job in detail, including what is different about moving in London. It is written for England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own tenancy rules, and some notices differ.

Renters should start before week 8. GOV.UK says tenants on rolling tenancies in England end them by giving 2 months' written notice, and rent carries on during that time. Buyers have the opposite problem: you may not have a firm date until exchange. If so, work through weeks 8 to 5 anyway and ask removal firms how they handle a date that moves.

The list below is your working plan. The chart under it shows why this feels busy: the jobs overlap from week 6 onwards.

Sort your list by when each body wants to hear from you. The table gives the timing we recommend and what the body itself says. Councils run their own systems, so check the page for your borough, especially for council tax. Lambeth's online form, for example, only opens when you are moving in less than two weeks, while Royal Greenwich accepts notice up to 21 days ahead.

Two more names belong on your list if they apply to you. Universal Credit claimants must report a new address through their online account, as GOV.UK lists moving among the changes you have to report. And update your other insurers as well as your home cover: Which? lists car, mobile, pet, life and health policies. Banks and card firms matter because, as Which? notes, they may use your address for identity checks.

Treat readings as evidence. Citizens Advice says to read your meters on moving-out day, send the numbers to your supplier, and keep a note of the readings and dates in case you dispute the final bill. A dated phone photo of each meter does all of that. Which? suggests doing the same at both homes.

Give your old supplier an address for the final bill. Citizens Advice says it should arrive within 6 weeks, that you then have 28 days to pay, and that any credit should be refunded within 10 working days of that bill. If you are on a fixed tariff, check for an exit fee, then ask whether you can take the tariff with you. Leave the smart meter's in-home display behind for the next occupants.

On arrival, take readings straight away and tell the supplier at the new home that you have moved in. You will be on what Citizens Advice calls a deemed contract, usually the default tariff, so compare prices once you have settled. You can switch from the day you become responsible for the property. If the new home has a prepayment meter, contact the supplier before you top up or use the key, and ask them to clear any debt left by the last occupants.

Water is simpler, but do not leave it to the end. Citizens Advice says that without at least 5 working days' notice on a metered home, you could be charged for water used after you leave. Thames Water says the easiest route is your online account. Not all of London is on Thames Water, so check who serves your new postcode on the Consumer Council for Water website. If you share a home and the account is in your name, the person staying needs to open a new account.

Check the new address before you decide. Citizens Advice says you should be able to take your services with you at a small cost, but it also warns that you will usually pay an exit fee if you leave a fixed contract early. So your first call is to your current provider, with three questions: can you supply this address, what speed will I get, and what would it cost me to leave?

Our recommendation is to move the contract if you are still tied in and the service is available at the new address. Switch if you are out of contract, if your provider cannot serve the building, or if another deal beats the exit cost. Also ask about keeping your landline number, because Citizens Advice notes you may lose it when moving house.

Call around week 6 to 4. A new line can need an engineer, and in a block of flats that visit may depend on access to shared areas, so ask the managing agent how the building is connected. If you work from home, keep mobile data ready for the first week in case the connection is late.

Your TV Licence does not sort itself out. GOV.UK says to update your address on the TV Licensing website, which is also where you can cancel. If you are moving into a shared home, check what the existing household has before you pay twice.

If you are wondering how to pack for moving without losing a week of your life, the rule is simple: work from the rooms you use least to the rooms you use most, and finish one room before you open the next. Which? advises labelling each box with its contents, the room it goes to in the new home and which way up it should stay. Write on the sides as well as the top, because lids disappear once boxes are stacked.

Number your boxes and keep a list on your phone. If box 27 goes missing, you know exactly what to look for. Colour-coded tape by room also helps crews move quickly at the other end. Pack heavy items low in small boxes, fill gaps with towels or paper, and tape every base twice.

Now is also the time to look before you pack. If you have had bites or seen signs of pests, deal with it first. Boxes and furniture are an easy way to carry bed bugs to a new home, so check bed frames and sofa seams. Ask for a pest inspection if you are unsure.

Most people underestimate. Use the table as a starting point, then adjust for what you own. Add 10 to 15 boxes if you have a large book collection or a lot of kitchenware, and take some off if you are leaving furniture behind or moving from a furnished let. Buying a few extra costs less than a late trip to the shop on the last evening.

Which? advises quality boxes and warns against overpacking, and suggests spreading heavy items across several boxes. Supermarket boxes are fine for clothes and bedding, but we would not trust them with books or plates. Weak bases are the problem, not the walls.

As for weight, there is no magic number. The HSE says the law sets no specific weight limits, and that loads under about 25 kg, easy to grip close to the body and in good conditions, are low risk for most people. That guidance is written for work, and it assumes a flat floor and a clear route. Your own stairs are harder, so if a box is a strain at floor level, split it. See our cost guide for how materials fit into the total budget.

The kitchen takes longer than any other room, so give it a full evening at least. Run down the freezer and fridge from week 2, and pack in this order: rarely used appliances and serving dishes, then glasses, then most plates, then daily items last. Which? recommends putting layers of crumpled paper between items and marking breakable boxes as fragile. Stand plates on their edges in a small box, like records in a crate, instead of stacking them flat. Wrap each glass, and fill every gap so nothing can shift when the box is lifted.

Decide now what will not go in the van. Which? suggests carrying particularly delicate items in your own car, and moving expensive or sentimental pieces yourself, because a removal firm's insurance may only cover items up to a certain value. Add passports, jewellery, keys, medicines and your moving folder to that list. Do not pack flammable items such as fuel, paraffin or camping gas. Tell your crew about anything like this before the day, so they can advise you.

Fridges need more care than people expect, and makers do not agree. Beko says to leave one upright for at least 4 hours before plugging in, Bosch says at least 3, and Hotpoint at least 2. If it travelled on its side, Bosch says 24 hours when that lasted over a day, and Hotpoint says at least 8 hours. Both warn against laying it on its back, and Hotpoint adds its front. Your manual comes first. If you do not have it, wait 4 hours, and allow up to 12 hours for it to cool before food goes in. Defrost it first if it is not frost-free, so ice cannot leak in the van.

Empty and clean the oven and fridge before you leave, particularly if you rent. Our guide on how to clean an oven covers the safe way to do it, and the oven cleaning service is there if you run out of time. Check your washing machine manual too, as many need transit bolts refitted before they are moved.

Pack this box last, label it clearly, and keep it with you or put it on the van last. It should get you through the first night and morning without opening anything else. If you have children, give each one a small bag of their own. Our recommendation is one box for the household plus one overnight bag each, with enough to last two days in case the move runs late.

Sort school places first, because this is the job with the longest tail. If your child is changing school mid-year, you will usually apply through the council for the new address. Redbridge says in-year applications can be made at any time, that you can list up to six schools and should hear within 10 working days. It also says your preferred school may not be considered until proof of address arrives, and asks for a council tax reference plus one other document such as a tenancy agreement. That is another reason to get council tax set up quickly. Other boroughs differ, so check yours.

On the day, our recommendation is to arrange for young children to be somewhere else, with a grandparent or friend, until beds are up. A hallway full of crew and heavy furniture is not a safe place for a toddler. Older children cope better with a job: let them pack their own small box, mark it with their name and open it first. Set up their bedroom before anything else, so the first night feels familiar.

Cats need planning, and Cats Protection is specific. Set up a quiet safe room about a week before the move, with a bed, litter tray and carrier, and shut your cat in the evening before. Keep the room closed on the day and label the door so nobody opens it. At the new home, repeat the safe room for a few days, then let your cat explore. It says an outdoor cat should stay indoors for at least three weeks. A cattery or a trusted friend is another option; check vaccinations first if you use a cattery.

For dogs, the PDSA suggests a good walk before the move, a room near an enclosed outdoor area, walking the new garden on a lead at first, and not leaving them alone in the new home for the first days or weeks. Check that fences are secure, change the ID tag on the collar, and keep small pets in a quiet room with their food and bedding, away from the open door.

Update the microchip record as soon as you move. GOV.UK says you are responsible for keeping those details current, by contacting the database your pet is registered with, which may charge a fee. Owners can be fined up to £500 if a dog or a cat in England is not chipped or not registered. If you start getting itchy ankles after moving in, read our flea guide; a previous tenant's pet is a common cause.

Parking is what separates a London move from most others. A crew that has to park two streets away carries everything further, and on an hourly rate you pay for that. So check both streets in week 6. Note whether the bays are residents', pay and display or yellow lines, the hours of control, and how far the nearest bay is from the door.

Boroughs handle this very differently, and the table shows how much. Kensington and Chelsea says you do not need to suspend a bay for a domestic removal: you can stop in any free parking bay or on a single yellow line if you cause no obstruction, as long as loading is continuous. You cannot save a space with barriers or notices. Tower Hamlets offers residents who are moving a limited suspension of up to two bays for one day with no bay charge, just a service charge. Others charge in full and need booking well ahead.

One bay is usually 5 metres, and that is too short for a Luton van with room for its tail lift, so ask for two. Apply through the council for the street where the van will stand, and do it for both addresses. Barking and Dagenham warns that a suspension may be placed up to 50 metres from where you ask. Fees are often non-refundable: Redbridge says that once notices are on the street the booking cannot be changed or refunded, which matters if a completion date slips. If your date is not firm, wait for exchange or pick a borough with short notice, and accept the risk that a late application may be refused.

Yellow lines are separate. Tower Hamlets calls permission to load there a dispensation and asks for at least three working days. Islington says yellow lines, zebra crossings, keep clear areas, red routes and private roads cannot be suspended. Red routes are run by Transport for London and not the borough, so if your door is on one, ask TfL about a dispensation early and tell us before you book. We plan the loading point around it.

Then there is your own permit. A resident permit does not transfer between boroughs, and even a move within a borough has steps. Redbridge charges £27.50 for a change of address and asks for two proofs of address, proof of vehicle ownership and evidence that the old permit was destroyed. Hackney wants your logbook to show your name and Hackney address, and says newly built or redeveloped homes there are usually car free, so no street permit is available. Check that before you bring a car. Redbridge tells drivers who change vehicle to use visitor permits until the new permit arrives, so ask your council whether that works for a change of address too.

A flat move is a logistics job as much as a lifting one. Before you get prices, write down the facts for both addresses: floor number, whether there is a lift, the lift's inside size, how far the van can get from the entrance, and any tight turns on the stairs. A quote based on ground-floor access will not hold up for a fourth-floor walk-up, because stairs, lifts and long carries all affect the price.

Ring the managing agent or concierge at week 4. Many blocks want a booked slot for the service lift, have set hours for moves, and ask for protection on lift walls and floors. Ask about loading bays, gates and fobs too, and whether a deposit or a form is needed. Get the answers in writing. Do not prop open fire doors to speed things up; ask the agent how the building wants this handled.

Measure the big items against the route, not only the room. Hotpoint advises measuring a fridge freezer's height, width and depth and checking every doorway and hallway, and the same goes for sofas, wardrobes and mattresses. Victorian terraces are the classic London problem: a narrow hall, a turn at the foot of the stairs and a low ceiling on the half-landing. If a sofa came in through a window or in pieces, it will have to leave the same way. Tell the crew in advance. Furniture dismantling and reassembly is included in our hourly rate.

For a walk-up with no lift, our recommendation is to book three people instead of two if you are moving more than a one-bed. One person can carry on each flight or stay with the van, which keeps it attended on the street. If both addresses are difficult, leave a gap between your keys handover and the crew's arrival wherever you can. Our London house removals guide has more on planning routes and timing in the city.

Do not forget the rubbish. Redbridge residents get one free bulky waste collection every 12 months for up to 3 items, then £15.20 per extra item, and flats must leave items in the communal bin area. Book in week 7, so nothing is left in a shared hallway on the day. Check your own council's rules, and only give waste to a registered waste carrier.

A good moving day has a set order. Do the checks at the start, stay available for the crew, and leave the old home last. Keep one person in charge of decisions so the crew has a single point of contact. If you are buying, ask your solicitor when funds are likely to clear, and do not unload until you have the keys.

Loading order matters more than you might think, because it sets the unloading order. The drawing below the list shows the idea. Heavy furniture goes in first, boxes go in with the heaviest low, beds go close to the doors, and the essentials are last. That means the bed frame and essentials come out first at the other end, which is exactly what you want if the day runs late.

Give notice properly first. GOV.UK says that in England it must be in writing, and that a letter, email or text will do. You can agree shorter notice with your landlord if it is in writing. The deposit scheme mydeposits says notice should usually end on the last day of a rental period, that it should name the address and end date, and that you should keep proof of delivery. It also warns that one joint tenant's notice may end the tenancy for everyone, so talk to anyone you share with. Notice rules changed on 1 May 2026, so ignore older guides.

Find your inventory or check-in report, as Shelter advises, and compare each room against it. Shelter says you only need to return the home to the standard recorded when you moved in, and your landlord should not charge for normal wear and tear. Our end of tenancy cleaning checklist goes through each room, and our guide to cleaning deductions explains what can be claimed.

Book the cleaning for after the crew has left, not before. A van load of furniture coming out will mark floors and walls, and carpets show every footprint once a room is empty. If you are hiring help, end of tenancy cleaning has a 48-hour re-clean guarantee, and our end of tenancy cleaning cost guide explains how the price is set. For carpets you can also read how to clean carpet, and keep any receipt.

Ask to attend the check-out. Shelter says you can ask for a time to be there, that all joint tenants should go if possible, that you should have anything you disagree with written down, and that you cannot be charged fees for inspections or inventories. It also says an agent cannot ask for your keys before your last day. If the check-out happens after you have gone, take a video of every room on the day you leave.

Then close things out: final readings, a forwarding address for your landlord and suppliers, and keys handed back with a signed note of when. GOV.UK says the deposit must be returned within 10 days of you both agreeing the amount. If you do not agree, it stays protected in the scheme until the dispute is settled, and the DPS offers a free dispute service. Shelter also says to keep paying rent until you leave, and to keep proof.

Day one is for safety and sleep. Find the stopcock, fuse box and gas shut-off. Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Build beds before anything else, then unpack the essentials box. Which? suggests considering a locksmith to change the locks, which we think makes sense for buyers, because you cannot know who still has a key. Renters should ask the landlord before changing anything.

Work through the after-you-move list on days two to seven: HMRC, DVLA, electoral roll, GP, banks, microchip and parking permit. Which? recommends registering with a GP early, as treatment can be delayed if you wait until you need one, and the NHS says the form takes about 15 minutes per person, with a reply usually in 5 days. If you are keeping the same surgery, you just tell it the new address.

Buyers have one deadline to check. Which? says Stamp Duty in England is due within 14 days of the effective date, with an automatic £100 fine if it is late. Your solicitor normally handles this, so ask them to confirm it has been filed.

Unpack one room at a time, kitchen first, then bedrooms and bathroom. Flatten boxes as you go; many councils take them for recycling if they are clean and dry, but check your new collection days, which will not match your old ones. Check for damage while you unpack, photograph anything wrong and report it quickly.

A deep clean is easiest before your own things settle in. Mattresses travel badly, so air yours and read how to clean a mattress if needed. If you find droppings in cupboards or scratching in the walls in the first few weeks, read how to get rid of mice and tell your landlord promptly if you rent. If you have not had time to clean, a carpet clean or a one-off clean gives you a fresh start.

We are based on Clements Road in Ilford and cover London. Tell us both addresses, the moving date, the floors and lift details, and roughly how much you have. We confirm the price, the crew and what is included in writing before you book. Our phone lines are open Monday to Saturday, 8am to 8pm.

Our removals service is priced by the hour. A single mover and van starts from £60 an hour, for small flat moves or a single bulky item. Two men with a Luton van cost £80 to £120 an hour, and the van comes with blankets, straps and a tail lift. Three men and a large van cost £120 to £160 an hour, which suits 3-bed and 4-bed moves. The 2-man and 3-man crews have a 2-hour minimum, and the minimum booking charge for removal vehicles is £160.

Packing costs £30 an hour per packer, including fragile wrapping and box labelling by room. Boxes are £35 for 10, a 50m roll of bubble wrap is £20, and dismantling and reassembling furniture is included in the hourly rate. Which? says professional packing usually takes between half a day and two days, depending on how much you own.

For illustration, a 2-man Luton crew working 5 hours would come to £400 to £600, before any packing and depending on the rate that applies to your move. Add 30 boxes at £105 and a roll of bubble wrap at £20, and materials come to £125. Crew size, the duration and distance of the move, stairs, lifts, long carries and packing all affect the total. Ask us what insurance cover applies to your move before you book. The prices page lists everything, and you can contact us for a written price.