Who do I need to tell that I'm moving home?

When moving home, you should inform your: Employer Bank/building society Credit card/loan providers Insurance and pension providers Doctor/dentist Council Plus you should also let the following know about your new address: Contact Gov.uk , to update the electoral register (so you can vote) DVLA (if you drive) via Gov.uk HM Revenue & Customs for National Insurance, pension and benefits purposes TV Licensing (if you have a TV licence) You should also contact Royal Mail redirection services to make sure any stray letters or parcels get delivered to your address – plus retailers such as Amazon to ensure the same for packages.

What should I leave behind when moving home?

Generally speaking, when moving home you should leave behind: Items you have agreed to sell or give to the new owner (obvs). Items listed on the 'fixtures and fittings form', such as kitchen units, light fittings and towel rails. Keys for the property (doors, windows, sheds, garages and so on). Manuals and warranties for any appliances or systems being left behind, such as the boiler, oven and security system.

Do sellers have to clean a property before moving out?

Sellers are under no legal obligation to leave their home in a clean state, unless this is agreed in the contract. However, you are usually legally obliged to remove your personal possessions and furniture in time for handing over the keys, unless the contract says otherwise. (You'll typically have agreed to vacate the home at a given time on a given date.) If you were to leave items or rubbish behind, for example, this could disrupt the moving process and prevent someone from getting into the property, potentially breaching the terms of the contract. While removing/taking possessions doesn't necessarily mean tidying the home, it's still courteous to clean before moving out.

Do I have to pay energy exit fees if I move home?

You'll usually only need to pay early exit fees if you're on a fixed tariff with more than 49 days left on your contract (although some energy providers will waive early exit fees if you're moving home). If there are fewer than 49 days, providers can't charge you exit penalties. Even if there are more than 49 days left to run, your existing energy provider may offer to let you keep your current contract and tariff at your new home without having to pay any fees. It's worth asking. But bare in mind, if your new home is in a different region of the UK, your rates and standing charges may change, even if you do keep the same tariff. If you're on a standard variable tariff or another without exit fees, you may want to consider fixing your energy once you finally get into your new home – our Cheap Energy Club can help you work out whether this would be best for your wallet.

How do I cancel Council Tax when moving home?

It's important to cancel your existing Council Tax payments when you move home so you don't end up paying it on two properties. To do this, contact your council ( find your council via Gov.uk ). You'll need to provide details such as your current address and Council Tax account number, moving date and the address you're moving to. Whether you're changing council or not, your current council will then send you a final bill. As Council Tax is often paid in advance, you might find you're in credit when you move. While some councils automatically refund this, not all do – if yours doesn't then claim it back by following the steps in our Reclaim overpaid Council Tax guide. If however you owe Council Tax when you move, you will need to clear the debt (it's not wiped when you move). Next, contact the relevant council to set up Council Tax payments at your new address.

Are there any safety checks I should do when I move in?

It's worth doing the following on moving day or shortly after: Checking detectors. Test and replace the smoke and carbon monoxide detector batteries if needed. Find the fuse box. So you know how to turn off the electricity. Locate the stopcock. So you know how to turn off the water supply. Give the house a once-over. Check for any leftover belongings and issues such as leaks or broken/loose light switches. Consider changing the locks. One to consider if lots of people previously had access to the property. You might even want to change your window locks to be extra safe.

Moving home checklist

Slash costs & make moving house or flat easier

Kit Sproson | Edited by Matt Finn

Updated 27 November 2024

It's just before you move home. You're frantically packing boxes, sorting final bills and booking removal vans. But what else do you need to know and do? Our moving home checklist is here to help, offering everything from moving day tips to ways to save on your new household bills. We've split our checklist into three parts:

Part 1: Before moving day
Part 2: On moving day
Part 3: After moving day

Part 1: Before moving day

Our moving home checklist opens with all you need to know BEFORE you go. We've full help to get you prepped and ready for the big day, taking in everything from ensuring you'll have food in the cupboards of your new home and a broadband connection, to lining up removals help and selling any unwanted items for an extra bit of cash.

Compare removal costs ✅

If you're moving home without any furniture (for example, from your parents' home, or you've been renting a furnished property), a car and a couple of mates should suffice. Even if you think you have a lot of stuff, hiring a van for a couple of hours is likely to work out cheaper than a removal company – try these services:

TravelSupermarket (select 'car hire' field)
Enterprise Car Club
Zipcar

If you ARE taking property and furniture with you, it's more likely you'll need to enlist the help of a removal company. To get a handful of local quotes in a few minutes, head to Reallymoving.com or Compare My Move.

Check that the removal firm you're considering belongs to the British Association of Removers, which'll give you extra protection (including access to a free ombudsman service if you've got a complaint and, in some cases, insurance cover).

Quick questions

How can I reduce the cost of a professional removal service?
If you do use professional movers, there are ways you can try cutting the cost:

Avoid peak moving times. Removal companies often charge higher rates at weekends, during school holidays, and the beginning or end of the month.

Get a breakdown of the quote. Make sure you understand exactly what is included and what might incur additional costs – for example, packing services, fuel charges and stair fees (if items need to be carried up and down multiple flights of stairs).

Declutter before moving. Reduce the number of items you need to move by decluttering your home, for example by donating, selling or disposing of anything you no longer need.

Pack properly. If you're doing the packing yourself, make sure everything is boxed up and ready to go before moving day. Removal companies typically charge extra for packing services. You should also label all boxes with their contents and the room they belong to, which helps movers put them in the right rooms and save time.

Sort out parking and access for the removal firm. Ensure there is enough parking for the moving van and that you've got any necessary parking permits in advance. Movers may charge extra for walking if they have to park far away.

Also make sure any hallways, corridors, landings and stairs are cleared and easily accessible too, as this will help speed up the moving process.

Tell a removal firm about any special requirements in advance. For example, concerns about particularly large, heavy, or fragile items. This will help you avoid any last-minute charges.

Offer to help. It's worth being available on the day to oversee the move and answer any questions the movers have.
Will my belongings be insured on moving day?

Moving is stressful enough without having to worry about your belongings getting lost or damaged in transit as well, but having the right insurance in place can give you peace of mind that if anything goes wrong you'll be protected financially.

Fortunately, if you've got an existing home contents insurance policy then this should cover your move, though there are likely to be restrictions. For example, most insurers will only cover belongings moved by a professional removals company (rather than in your own car, or by a 'man with a van'). And, in some cases, you'll only get damage cover if your fragile items are packed by a professional, too.

If not, you may be able to get cover through a removals firm – for more information on all of this, see our full Insurance when moving home guide.

Get free or cheap packing supplies ✅

Although your removal company will almost certainly provide a packing service and any packaging if you were to use one, these will likely come at a cost.

Instead, consider opting for free or cheap packing supplies and boxing your stuff yourself to save money.

Here's what you might need and where to find it:

Boxes. Websites such as Freecycle, Freegle and Gumtree are a goldmine for used boxes. Also see if your friends and family have any. Supermarkets are another place to check. It's worth grabbing a range of sizes.
Bubble wrap. Bubble wrap will help keep items from breaking during your move. Try building up your own stash from any deliveries you get in the weeks/months ahead of your move. You might also find leftover bubble wrap for free on sites such as Facebook Marketplace. If not, you can buy it from Amazon or a local DIY shop for cheap.

Other items you may need for your move include:

Packing paper for fragile items
Marker pens for labelling boxes
Bin bags for anything you want to throw out
Sellotape/gaffer tape to seal boxes
Vacuum bags for clothes

If you're using a professional removals firm, it might be easier to leave the packing of large and more valuable items, such as beds, TVs and furniture, and any disassembly, to them.

Sort out your broadband ✅

It's sensible to arrange broadband for your new home as soon as you have a moving-in date, preferably a few weeks beforehand, as it can take up to a month to set up. Leave it too late and you might be without broadband initially.

Most broadband providers let you stay with them when you move, so long as their service is available in the area you're moving to (enter your new postcode on our broadband comparison tool to check). Some providers charge a small fee to move, while others will require you to take out a new contract, though the latter means there's scope to haggle for a better deal.

You might consider staying with your current provider if:

There's coverage in your new area.
You're happy with your current deal.
You're mid-contract and would pay cancellation fees.

Otherwise, you may want (or in some cases, have) to switch providers – learn how to do so in our guide to cheap broadband deals.

Quick questions

How do I transfer my broadband to my new home?

The good news is that your provider will do most of the work for you. Many companies have dedicated teams for transferring customers' broadband connections.

Generally, all you need to do is contact your provider to arrange the transfer. How much notice you'll need to give varies by provider, though typically it's somewhere between two weeks and a month.

We've outlined the process for some of the biggest broadband providers below:

Transferring your broadband connection with popular providers

You'll need to contact Virgin Media directly to transfer, unless your new home has previously had Virgin Media installed. In this instance, you can use a 'QuickStart self-install' pack yourself.

- Telephone: 0345 454 1111

- Online

BT logo.

You can use BT's moving home service to set up BT broadband in your new pad. Do note that you may have to pay up to £130 for a BT 'master socket' if there isn't one in your new home.

- Telephone: 0800 783 0235

- Online

You need to confirm your new address and moving date with Sky at least two weeks in advance.

- Telephone: 150 from a Sky Talk line or Sky Mobile, or 0333 759 0910

- Online

Give Vodafone at least 30 days' notice and it will aim to transfer your broadband connection on the day of your move.

- Telephone: 191 from a Vodafone mobile or 0333 304 0191

- Online

You'll need to contact TalkTalk at least 14 days before your move. TalkTalk's moving home service comes with a £60 fee.

- Telephone: 0345 172 0088

- Online

You'll need to contact EE within three weeks of your moving date. EE's moving home service is free, provided you don't need any new equipment.

- Telephone: 150 from an EE phone or 0330 123 1105

- Online

What if I want to transfer my TV package?

If you're moving your TV package with you, often the provider will have a service set up to help you.

Sky, for example, has a dedicated moving service that'll check whether it's available at your new property. If it is, take your Sky box, remote, and any other accessories with you. Where the new property doesn't have a dish, Sky will send engineers to install one (if it's a complex installation, the company may charge an installation fee).

Where you can't get Sky TV at your new address, you may have to pay an early termination fee.
Will my broadband provider charge a fee when I move home?

There are some instances where a provider may charge you for moving home. For example, if you're moving to a property that's not covered by your current provider – say from a Virgin Media area to an Openreach area – and you're still within contract, you may have to pay an early cancellation fee (though Virgin typically refunds this in your final bill).

With BT, if you're moving your landline to a property where there isn't currently a landline, it'll charge a £70 connection fee to install the new line.

Plusnet and a few others charge an admin fee to move your current contract to your new property, but don't if you take out a new one.

What about your gas and electric supply?

See our 'Do I have to pay energy exit fees if I move house?' FAQ below for more.

Take stock of food stashed away ✅

Moving home is an opportunity to take stock of how much food you have hidden away at the back of cupboards, and loitering in your fridge and freezer. To ensure you're not having to transport anything you don't have to, try to eat as much of this as possible before moving day (not necessarily in one sitting!) – particularly frozen food that's difficult to transport and heavy tins that will weigh you down.

Eating yourself empty means fewer boxes to pack and less waste, while helping you to save on food costs.

If you do have unwanted food, consider giving it to neighbours and/or family and friends. Another option is to use Olio, an app where you can pass on food to strangers.

Sell unwanted items ✅

A good way to reduce how much stuff you take on moving day AND boost your finances is to sell anything you're unlikely to use anymore.

Just like moving home will highlight how much food you've got, the same goes for belongings in general. Whether it's clothes, electronics or even household waste (yes, you read that right – see our guide on flogging your rubbish), moving is the perfect time to streamline your stuff.

We've plenty of help to get you started, with guides to shifting unnecessary items on the following platforms:

If you can't sell certain items before you move, why not donate them to charity instead?

Do a food shop ahead of time ✅

A panicked trip down the supermarket aisles is the last thing you'll want to do on or around your moving day. So ordering a food shop in advance to be delivered on the day of your move makes a lot of sense. You'll have grub ready to cook from day one, plus you'll have your food shop for the week ahead sorted.

Just make sure you book a slot a bit later on in the day to account for any moving-day delays!

However, while it's not particularly MoneySaving, you may want to treat yourself to a first-night takeaway after a stressful day of loading, unloading and unpacking.

See our Restaurant Deals & Vouchers page for ways to save on everything from Nando's and McDonald's to Domino's Pizza.

And finally... 10 last-minute questions to ask sellers ✅

To make your life easier when moving house, it helps to learn as much as possible about your new home in advance – the kind of stuff you may not have learned when viewing the property.

Remember to find out the answers to the following questions:

1. Where's the main stopcock (to shut off the water)?

2. Where are the gas and electricity meters?

3. Do any surfaces need special cleaning products, such as wooden floors?

4. What day are the bins collected?

5. Are there any old tins of paint in the same colour as the walls?

6. Are there any instruction manuals or warranties to be passed on, for items or fixtures such as electronics, fireplaces or anything recently installed?

7. Where did the kitchen and bathroom tiles come from?

8. Which companies supply the energy and broadband?

9. Where is the thermostat?

10. Are there any pest control measures in place?

Having the answers to these to hand will help smooth your move into your new home.

Part 2: On moving day

Today's the day. You've successfully navigated most of the admin and scaled mountains of paperwork, so you're now very close to moving in. BUT you've not quite reached the summit. Now, in this short section, we'll give our tips to help make moving day go as well as possible.

Top tips to make moving day go smoothly ✅

The physical process of actually moving home can be very stressful. However, a little planning can help ensure you're not tearing your hair out on the day:

Label your boxes. Note down which room the box should go in and a description of what's inside, on the top AND side of the box.
Put screws and bolts in freezer bags. Such as those from large furniture or your bed. Then stick the bag to the relevant bit of furniture with masking tape.
Flatten some cardboard boxes. Lay these down to protect your flooring.
Have cleaning products, bin bags and old towels to hand. You may be expected to clean the property you're moving from, while old towels will stop things getting messy if it rains and bin bags will be handy for collecting rubbish.
Move large furniture into your new pad FIRST. Otherwise, you'll end up moving boxes around again to make room.
Check there are lightbulbs (which work). It's best to avoid going to the shops mid-move or only noticing the lights don't work when it's dark.
Take meter readings. Note down meter readings at your previous property, for gas, electric and water if applicable (and do the same at your new home). Take a photo of the meters for extra peace of mind.

It might seem like extra work right now, but you'll be thankful when it comes to unpacking at the other end.

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Part 3: After moving day

Congratulations! You've completed your big move. Take a moment to relax and bask in the relief. But don't break for too long – it's now time to finish off those final few jobs.

Redirect your post ✅

It might be a tall order to remember to change your address with every single company, organisation or other group you're associated with. In which case, you can use Royal Mail's postal redirection service to ensure any bills or other post still makes its way to you.

You can get post redirected for three, six or 12 months – longer if you're still getting lots of post through after your initial period is up. It costs from £39.50 (for three months), but the price is greater if more than one person needs their mail redirecting.

Updating your address is very important. For instance, any bills that end up at the wrong address increase the likelihood of you missing a repayment, something that can damage your credit score and, where repayments are continually missed, cause you significant issues.

Stray letters can also increase the risk of you being hit by ID fraud. For help beating different types of fraud, see our 30+ ways to stop scams.

Important – deal with former residents' post the right way. You open the front door on moving day and there's a pile of post that isn't yours on the doormat. You can't open it (legally) and shouldn't chuck it.

Your best bet is to write on it 'return to sender, not known at this address' and pop it back in the post. Where possible Royal Mail will then return the item to the sender, and the expectation is for it to update its records to prevent a mis-delivery from happening again.

Pick up free furnishings ✅

Need to furnish your new pad? Hundreds of top-quality goodies are available daily, for free. It's all about web communities, and the big names are Freecycle and Freegle.

What's the catch? There isn't one. Instead of dumping goods or eBaying them, people harness the web's power to offer them to their local communities. So as well as you kitting up for nowt, the environment benefits as unwanted items aren't flung into landfills.

Of course, there is some moth-bitten tat. But there's also top-tier stuff too. Bagging the best is all about the etiquette – you need to give yourself time to do your research and keep your eyes peeled. For a full step-by-step guide, see Freecycle & Freegle tips.

Register to vote ✅

When moving home, you don't automatically get registered to vote at your new address. If you're not registered, you don't get a say on who represents you at both a local and national level.

Not being registered also means it'll be harder for you to get accepted for credit. This is because credit reference agencies use the electoral register to confirm where you live, in order to counteract fraud.

Each person in a household needs to individually register themselves (one person can't register on behalf of a whole household). The age at which you can register to vote depends on where you live in the UK – for more on this, and to see how to register, see the Gov.uk website.

Clean your new pad ✅

While generally people clean their homes when moving out, there is a chance the property might be manky when you arrive, so tackling the grime will probably be an early task. MoneySaver mrs_montgomery says:

When you move in, the place will be FILTHY. If you buy it new it will be full of chips of plaster and dust.

If you buy it from someone else, the cupboards will be grubby and the walls covered in big dirty moving-men fingermarks and scrapes from where they've carried their furniture down the stairs.

- mrs_montgomery

While there's no legal obligation to leave your home clean for the new occupants, out of courtesy many will tidy up before moving out (see more on whether sellers have to clean the house before moving).

And for loads of MoneySaving cleaning tips, see the Old-style MoneySaving forum.

See whether you can save on energy ✅

Don't automatically stick with the property's existing energy supplier. It's always worth checking whether there's a better deal for you. Those on providers' standard tariffs may be able to save by switching – even a small monthly saving will make a big difference in the long run.

If you don't have previous bills from your new home, you can still compare. Just tell our Cheap Energy Club some info about it and we can estimate your usage based on those details. It'll then give you an idea of whether it's worth switching – and you can even get cashback with some deals. The potential savings won't be 100% accurate as it makes some assumptions, but it's better than nothing.

Finally, don't forget to take meter readings when you move in (take a photo to be sure). Then you'll know you're not being billed for the previous owner's usage.

Check 'n' challenge your Council Tax band ✅

Up to 400,000 homes in England and Scotland may have been in the wrong Council Tax band since the early 1990s. If you live in one of these homes, you can get your band lowered and a backdated payout – often worth £1,000s (if you've been living there many years).

First you'll have to see whether your neighbours in identical or similar properties are in lower bands. Then you can use the web to value your home for free, and convert it back to its price in 1991, when homes in England and Scotland were first valued. We've got the full step-by-step process in our Council Tax bands guide.

Do note that getting your band lowered can be much tougher once you've lived in your home for longer than six months. So if you've got the feeling you might be overpaying, it's best to start investigating sooner rather than later.

Slash your boiler cover costs ✅

If there's a central heating boiler in your new home, then consider getting cover for it. There's nothing worse than arriving home when it's cold to discover the central heating's packed up and there's no hot water. Everything else flies out the window while you frantically search for someone who'll fix it – and it won't be cheap.

Companies play on this fear by charging serious money for boiler and heating cover, but you can avoid paying big bucks. And don't automatically go to your energy provider for this – our Cheap boiler cover guide may save you £100s.

Bag free £1,000 insulation ✅

If you receive certain benefits, there are wads of free cash on offer to install loft or cavity wall insulation. This can cut bills by £100s a year. Combined, these types of insulation can cost up to £2,500, but to fulfil energy efficiency obligations, some firms do it for free.

You usually have to own your home and be receiving certain benefits, such as Pension Credit, Universal Credit, Child Benefit, Carer's Allowance or Disability Living Allowance. For the full lowdown on what's available and to check providers' eligibility criteria, have a read of our Great British Insulation Scheme guide, which details any free insulation (and boilers) available.

Another quick way to check whether you qualify is to call Find Ways to Save Energy in Your Home (for those in England) on 0800 098 7950, Home Energy Scotland on 0808 808 2282, or Nest (for those in Wales) on 0808 808 2244.

Rent out your spare room for extra income ✅

If you have a spare room and fancy making some extra income, you could always rent it out. If you do, you've two options to legitimately reduce tax, but you must choose one of them:

The Rent a Room Scheme. The Rent a Room Scheme has a special exemption which means you can take in a lodger to live in a furnished room in your home and not have to pay tax on the first £7,500 you make each year. This is a huge tax break for most people and really ups the gain. Better still, as a landlord you'll be expected to ask for a month in advance, which means ready income comes in quickly.
Deducting expenses. HM Revenue & Customs also allows landlords to deduct certain expenses from any rental income, such as property maintenance costs. This can be a bigger saving in some cases. See the Gov.uk website for full info.

If you don't want to rent out a room full-time, you can play guesthouse. Airbnb and Wimdu let you list your spare room online, and take in travellers looking for a cheap place to stay. You can set the nightly cost, undercutting hotels, and you might just get to work on your language skills too.

For 60+ other ways to bring in extra money, see our full Boost your income guide.

Protect your property against scammers ✅

It might sound unlikely, but one homeowner had a nasty surprise after his property in Luton was sold by scammers without his knowledge (he was living elsewhere at the time). He only made the discovery when neighbours noticed movement inside the property, which turned out to be the new 'owners'.

While such incidents aren't common, it's a warning of what could happen if you fall victim to identity fraud. Fortunately, you can simply sign up to an alert service to mitigate the risk:

In England or Wales? Sign up to the Land Registry's property alert system
By signing up to the Land Registry's property alert system, you can choose up to 10 properties to monitor, and you'll be notified any time a search or application is received by HM Land Registry in relation to one of those properties. You don't need to be the owner to monitor a property (so you could do it to help out elderly friends or relatives who aren't online). Sign up on the Land Registry website.

Note you can only monitor properties that are registered with the Land Registry – see how to register a property for the first time.

Alternatively, homeowners in England and Wales can also prevent the Land Registry from registering a sale or mortgage on their property without a certificate from a solicitor or conveyancer (again, the property must be on the register in the first place).

To do this, a restriction needs to be added to the deeds of the property. This involves either you or a solicitor filling in an application form and sending it to the Land Registry. Restriction applications cost £40 if you live at the property, or they're free if you live elsewhere. Send the application along with any fees due (payable via cheque or postal order to 'HM Land Registry') to:

- HM Land Registry, Citizen Centre, PO Box 74, Gloucester, GL14 9BB

Download an application form from the Gov.uk website.

Do be aware that if remortgaging or selling a property that has a restriction on it, solicitors and conveyancers could charge for the extra admin involved (some MoneySavers have been quoted upwards of £150).

My property isn't registered with HM Land Registry – how do I rectify this?
More than 85% of property and land in England and Wales is registered with the Land Registry – in fact any property or land that's been bought or mortgaged (including remortgages) since the 1990s has had to be added to the register.

Unregistered properties are at an increased risk of property fraud, so for this reason alone you may want to get it on the Land Registry's list. Don't put off registering a property until you come to selling it, as this could hold up the sale, plus it makes registering more expensive.

The process of registering a property for the first time can seem daunting as there are a number of steps involved. If you're feeling brave you can do it yourself, though it might be wiser to pay a solicitor or conveyancer to do it for you.

You can find full details on how to register a property on the Gov.uk website, but in brief, the steps involve:

Checking whether your property is already registered. Do this by punching your address into the online register (it's free to do this, though it costs £3 to access a property's actual details). If the register doesn't come back with any hits that resemble your address, this is a good indicator your property isn't registered.

Checking whether there are any third-party interests in your property. This is done by applying for a search from the Land Charges Department, whose records go back to 1925. This involves a fee.

Filling in an application for first registration. You will need to send this form to the Land Registry.

Preparing a scale plan of the property. This is to show where the property is situated.

Compiling a list of the documents you've filled in. You'll need to complete two copies of this list.

Finding out the correct registration fee. This'll depend on the value of your property – expect to pay roughly between £200 and £500.

Send everything off to the Land Registry. This includes all the documents, application form and fees.
In Northern Ireland? Register an 'inhibition' on your property

Registering an 'inhibition' on your property in Northern Ireland is similar to adding a restriction to the deeds of a property in England or Wales.

An inhibition prevents the Land Registry in Northern Ireland from either registering a sale or mortgage on a property without your consent, or from doing so without first giving you notice (you decide which). The inhibition can be cancelled in future if you want.

You can apply for an inhibition directly yourself. To do this, you'll need to fill in an inhibition application form and an application for registration. Both of these, along with a £90 fee (payable via cheque or postal order to 'DoF General Account'), should then be sent to:

- Land & Property Services, Land Registers, Lanyon Plaza, 7 Lanyon Place, Town Parks, Belfast, BT1 3LP

Please note that to add an inhibition, your property must already be registered with the Land Registry in Northern Ireland. You can find more information about inhibitions on the NIdirect website.
There's no equivalent service in Scotland

While there is no equivalent of a property alert system or option to register an inhibition in Scotland, it's unlikely that fraudsters could target your property because of the way land registry works there.

See Registers of Scotland for more information about how property owners are protected.

Can you buy the freehold to your place? ✅

Just moved into a leasehold flat? Some freeholders charge £10,000s in management fees for work such as maintenance or upgrades which you could do for a fraction of that. Luckily, in England and Wales, owners are often entitled to buy freeholds at a fair price – reducing outgoings and potentially adding to the sale value.

Buying your freehold, if you can, costs about the same as extending your lease by 90 years and you can usually then extend the lease for free, just paying legal fees.

It's a complex process though, plus you'll need to be willing to take on responsibility for maintenance of your block, so it's not one to take on lightly. For a full how-to, see our Buy your freehold guide.

As inspiration, here's MoneySaver westernpromise's experience:

We saved £700 on insurance in the first year. We bought a share of the freehold because the freeholder was charging us £1,000 a year for buildings insurance. When we bought our own, it fell to £300 a year. The freehold cost £1,500 per flat, including legal fees.

We also gained control over maintenance expenses. Before this, the freeholder would dismiss suggestions that she was forcing us to overpay and just hand us a huge bill.

- westernpromise

Give yourself a full money makeover ✅

Moving home is the perfect time to assess your finances. You'll be signing up to new services anyway, so could save £1,000s on your previous bills by ensuring you grab everything cheapest.

For starters, have a read of our cheap broadband guide, then try haggling with Sky or with Virgin Media, and cutting your water bills. Those are just for starters. For a detailed checklist of more than 30 quick ways to cut bills, see our full money makeover guide.

Moving home FAQs

Who do I need to tell that I'm moving home?
When moving home, you should inform your:

Employer

Bank/building society

Credit card/loan providers

Insurance and pension providers

Doctor/dentist

Council

Plus you should also let the following know about your new address:

Contact Gov.uk, to update the electoral register (so you can vote)

DVLA (if you drive) via Gov.uk

HM Revenue & Customs for National Insurance, pension and benefits purposes

TV Licensing (if you have a TV licence)

You should also contact Royal Mail redirection services to make sure any stray letters or parcels get delivered to your address – plus retailers such as Amazon to ensure the same for packages.
What should I leave behind when moving home?
Generally speaking, when moving home you should leave behind:

Items you have agreed to sell or give to the new owner (obvs).

Items listed on the 'fixtures and fittings form', such as kitchen units, light fittings and towel rails.

Keys for the property (doors, windows, sheds, garages and so on).

Manuals and warranties for any appliances or systems being left behind, such as the boiler, oven and security system.
Do sellers have to clean a property before moving out?

Sellers are under no legal obligation to leave their home in a clean state, unless this is agreed in the contract. However, you are usually legally obliged to remove your personal possessions and furniture in time for handing over the keys, unless the contract says otherwise. (You'll typically have agreed to vacate the home at a given time on a given date.)

If you were to leave items or rubbish behind, for example, this could disrupt the moving process and prevent someone from getting into the property, potentially breaching the terms of the contract.

While removing/taking possessions doesn't necessarily mean tidying the home, it's still courteous to clean before moving out.
Do I have to pay energy exit fees if I move home?

You'll usually only need to pay early exit fees if you're on a fixed tariff with more than 49 days left on your contract (although some energy providers will waive early exit fees if you're moving home). If there are fewer than 49 days, providers can't charge you exit penalties.

Even if there are more than 49 days left to run, your existing energy provider may offer to let you keep your current contract and tariff at your new home without having to pay any fees. It's worth asking. But bare in mind, if your new home is in a different region of the UK, your rates and standing charges may change, even if you do keep the same tariff.

If you're on a standard variable tariff or another without exit fees, you may want to consider fixing your energy once you finally get into your new home – our Cheap Energy Club can help you work out whether this would be best for your wallet.
How do I cancel Council Tax when moving home?

It's important to cancel your existing Council Tax payments when you move home so you don't end up paying it on two properties.

To do this, contact your council (find your council via Gov.uk). You'll need to provide details such as your current address and Council Tax account number, moving date and the address you're moving to. Whether you're changing council or not, your current council will then send you a final bill.

As Council Tax is often paid in advance, you might find you're in credit when you move. While some councils automatically refund this, not all do – if yours doesn't then claim it back by following the steps in our Reclaim overpaid Council Tax guide. If however you owe Council Tax when you move, you will need to clear the debt (it's not wiped when you move).

Next, contact the relevant council to set up Council Tax payments at your new address.
Are there any safety checks I should do when I move in?
It's worth doing the following on moving day or shortly after:

Checking detectors. Test and replace the smoke and carbon monoxide detector batteries if needed.

Find the fuse box. So you know how to turn off the electricity.

Locate the stopcock. So you know how to turn off the water supply.

Give the house a once-over. Check for any leftover belongings and issues such as leaks or broken/loose light switches.

Consider changing the locks. One to consider if lots of people previously had access to the property. You might even want to change your window locks to be extra safe.