You’ve found the dream home, your local Beewise advisor has sorted your mortgage, and you’re waiting on the solicitors to complete their legal work. What next?
Your Beewise mortgage advisor will liaise with the solicitors and estate agents on your behalf, giving you regular updates, but there’s plenty you can start organising ready for moving day.
It’s also worth remembering there are two stages to officially owning your home, exchange and completion.
Once the legal work is done and a date is agreed for the sale to complete, your solicitor can set up the first stage, exchange of contracts.
This is when you pay your deposit, the agreed completion date is set in stone and the sale is legally binding.
And, completion is when you officially get your keys! For more on the exchange and completion process, check out our blog post – what happens once your offer gets accepted.
There are different things you’ll need to do at the different stages, such as giving notice to your landlord if you’re renting. But, we break it all down for you in our helpful guide below.
Scroll down for our handy list of things to do when you’re moving, from companies to contact – like utilities and broadband – to when to give notice if you’re renting.
And, click here to download a handy printable you can tick off as you go!
If you haven’t found your dream home yet, or want advice on your mortgage or personal insurances like life, critical illness and income protection cover, get in touch with Beewise!
We’re on hand from start to finish throughout your homebuying journey, so call 01934 204841 or email us to speak to your local Beewise mortgage & insurance expert.
Prepare for moving once the mortgage is agreed
Current timescales for buying a home are around three to four months from offer to completion, but while you’re waiting for the solicitors you could think about packing.
Start by having a good clear out of each room, getting rid of any items you don’t use or taking them to a charity shop.
The less you have, the less you need to pack, and if you haven’t moved house for years, spaces like your loft and garage are probably in need of a declutter.
Are there any toys or clothes that could be passed on or sold on Vinted or eBay? Or maybe you’ve accumulated 20+ mugs over the years and fancy giving your new kitchen cupboards a fresh start.
Once you’ve done that, source some boxes. These can be bought new, but it’s worth asking in local Facebook groups or at your local supermarket or retail store.
You can then start packing non-essentials, so those items you know you won’t need to use over the next couple of months.
Top tip – make sure to label all your boxes clearly! Write the room they belong in big letters, and a brief description of what’s inside e.g. Loft: photo albums.
That way, when you move into the new property you can put all the boxes into their right rooms, and easily find what you need.
Don’t forget, if you haven’t used Beewise to source your mortgage, we could still potentially get you a more suitable deal!
Email us or call 01934 204841 to make sure you’re getting the right mortgage for your needs.
Next steps before you exchange
Once the legal work is progressing nicely and the solicitors are dealing with final enquiries, you can start planning for exchange.
Exchange of contracts is the point where you pay your deposit, the completion date is agreed and the sale is legally binding.
If you haven’t already, arrange another viewing on the property at this stage. That way, you can make sure you’re still happy to go ahead, and there’s been no change to the property condition.
It also gives you a chance to measure up spaces and get an idea of where your sofa and other furniture will go, or to check sizing if you’re planning on buying new items.
Some other points to consider are:
· A plan for pets – if you’ve got cats or dogs and will be moving into your new home on the same day, is there someone you can leave them with?
It’s easy for them to get stressed on the day, or for cats to run off and find a safe place, so maybe consider moving them to the new property first.
· Dates for completion – this is usually around a week after you’ve exchanged and the purchase is legally binding.
We wouldn’t recommend giving notice to a landlord, setting up broadband and contacting companies until you’ve exchanged, so will you need a longer period between exchange and completion?
For example, if you rent you may want to leave a gap of 3 weeks, giving you enough time to move gradually and clean the old place before handing the keys back.
If you’re buying a house, you’ll also need to make sure you have buildings insurance in place on exchange.
Your Beewise advisor should have this set up ready, but if you call 01934 204841 or email us we can get a quick quote arranged.
And, it’s sensible to have life, critical illness and income protection cover in place on exchange too, giving you and your family financial peace of mind should anything happen.
Contact us today to chat through the right options to suit your needs and budget.
Your essential contacts once you’ve exchanged
Once you’ve exchanged contracts you can contact everyone necessary, as the sale and completion date are now legally binding.
Arranging a removals company for the completion date should be top of your list, or booking a van if you’re planning on moving yourself.
If you’re in rented property you might also want to book a carpet cleaner, or arrange for a deep clean to save the hassle of doing it yourself!
You’ll also need to update your current utility companies with your new address and moving date, or if you’re living at home, get in touch to set them up.
Here’s a list of who you’ll need to contact:
· Gas and electric
· Broadband
· Home phone
· Your local council for council tax
· Water company
Now a date’s been confirmed, you can also pack as much as possible. Only leave out items you’ll need up until completion, and make sure you have enough boxes for them.
It’s also worth putting a couple of boxes aside for essentials you’ll need on the day, like a kettle, tea or coffee, mugs, toilet roll and a phone charger.
And have another box for cleaning products, so they’re to hand when you first move in, or for giving your house a final whipround.
If you’re selling and buying on the same day, it’s good practise to leave your house clean and tidy for the new buyers.
Have a clear out of any rubbish in your garden or garage, wipe down empty cupboards as you pack, and clean the bathrooms a day or two before moving day.
That way, all you need to do is give your place a final hoover round and quick clean once it’s empty.
You may want to set up a postal redirection with Royal Mail too, as some companies won’t let you change address until you’ve moved house.
And, you won’t want important documents like bank statements going to the new property before you move, or coming to your old place once you’ve handed the keys back.
What you’ll need to do on completion day
Your Beewise advisor will check in with the solicitors before completion to make sure everything’s on track, and keep you updated on the day.
On the morning of completion, the solicitors in the property chain will again liaise with each other, making sure all parties are ready.
And, as each seller’s solicitor receives the required funds, the sale will officially complete, and they’ll let the estate agents know to release the keys. At this point, it’s yours to move into – congratulations!
By this point you should have your removal company sorted and be mostly packed, so it’s just getting those last bits into boxes.
Once you’ve left the property and finished cleaning, have a final check around to make sure you haven’t left anything behind.
It’s also a good idea to take pictures of your gas, electric and water meter readings to update the suppliers. This saves you writing them done, and the photo will be time stamped.
When you’re finally in, it’s time to celebrate! Unpack the essentials, order a takeaway and put your feet up – the unpacking can wait until tomorrow.
Once you’ve moved into your new property
At this point, you can update everyone else with your new address. Make it a priority to update financial companies, and anyone else linked to your credit file.
Businesses you might need to contact are:
· Banks or building societies
· Credit card and loan companies, including car loans
· Other credit providers such as Klarna, Paypal and Creation
You can download a free copy of your statutory credit report from companies like Equifax and Experian to check who you need to update, and you can update them directly too.
Updating your address on the electoral roll is also important for your credit file, and can be done online here.
Here’s a list of other people you may need to update your address with:
· Your workplace
· Student loan company
· HMRC (if you’re self employed)
· Insurance companies (e.g. for your car, pets, phone and personal insurances)
· Vets – ask about updating the address for your pet’s microchip too
· TV license
· DVLA (for your driving license, car tax and log book)
· Supermarkets – so those Tesco Clubcard points don’t get posted to someone else!
· Mobile phone provider
· Doctors and dentist
· Retailers like Amazon, ASOS, Ebay – make sure to change saved addresses
And one more important thing – find out when bin day is! There should be a section on your local council website where you can enter your postcode and find out.
That way you can recycle all those cardboard boxes you carefully packed, or put a post on your local Facebook group passing them on.
Last but not least, share your new address with friends and family. Send a text to let them know the good news, or post a new home note!
Click here to download a printable version of your handy checklist.
Your local Beewise mortgage broker won’t just save you time, money and stress on your mortgage deal, we’ll talk you through your homebuying journey with expert advice every step of the way.
To get in touch, click here or call 01934 204841. We offer evening and weekend appointments to fit with your lifestyle, plus face-to-face appointments or video calls to suit you.
And we can help if you’re looking to remortgage, whether you just need to save time and money, or want to borrow more towards home improvements or debt consolidation.
Awarded Silver for Best National Mortgage Broker in the UK 2023 – South West and Bronze for Best Mortgage Broker Office in the UK 2023, you’re in safe hands with Beewise FS Ltd. Check out our 260 5 star Google reviews here.
Looking for more expert advice? Check out these other helpful blog posts!
PLEASE NOTE, YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON A MORTGAGE OR ANY ANOTHER DEBT SECURED ON IT.