Moving house isn’t just about getting your furniture safely transported – there are a host of bills and contracts that need updating too.
Whether its broadband, digital TV, telephone or utilities, you’re probably signed up to a lot more contracts than you may immediately realise, some of which can be tricky to get changed to your new address.
And there are a host of nasty surprises to contend with along the way. Did you know, for example, that you’ll probably have to sign up to another 12 or 18 month broadband contract regardless of how far along you are in your current deal?
Here we show you everything you need to know to make the move as seamless as possible – and how you could save yourself a few quid along the way.
Get a new broadband package here
Broadband
Countless customers have been left pulling their hair out in frustration when trying to coordinate the move with both their ISP and landline provider. Without doubt, getting your broadband service switched is the most difficult to achieve.
Start by contacting your broadband provider with the details about your move as soon as possible, informing them about the date of the move, new telephone number, post code and house number.
“It’s usually down to you to coordinate the move with both your ISP and phone provider,” says Charlotte Nunes, communications manager at price comparison site uSwitch “It’s sometimes hard to find out your new phone number before you arrive in the property.”
If there isn’t a BT telephone line installed at your new address (necessary for your broadband ADSL service to be enabled), then you will have to sort this out beforehand.
ISPs usually need five working days to cancel a service at the old property and another five to set up the service at the new one, but some aren't that efficient, so give them as much notice as possible.
The good news is there’s no fee involved with moving. The bad news, as we mentioned at the start, is that you may have to sign up to a new contract when you move, no matter how far along you are in the existing one.
Compare broadband deals in your area
Gas/electricity provider
This is far easier to change. But make sure you contact your energy provider at least 48 hours before your move. On your actual moving day, you will need to read the meters in both properties so the correct bills can be issued.
When you move in to your new home, contact the supplier you want so they can register you as a new customer and start billing you from that day. You may also want to pass on the details of your current supplier to the people moving in to your old house.
Moving home also provides an ideal opportunity to switch energy suppliers, as you could end up paying substantially higher bills in your new property. This is because suppliers tend to reserve their best rates for areas where they are trying to grow their business, and “fatten up” their balance by overcharging in areas they are already dominant. The only way to know who is cheapest in your new area is to shop around, says Jo Ganly, home services PR manager at uSwitch.
“Most homeowners ‘inherit’ their plan from the previous occupant and end up paying higher bills as a result. Find out what plan the owner is signed up to and how much the average bill is and then use a comparison site to see how much you could save by switching to another supplier. For the eco-aware, most suppliers also offer a green tariff,” adds Ganly.
“Also, find out what type of gas and electricity meters the property has. If it’s a pre-payment meter you won’t be able to pay your energy bills by direct debit, which means you will miss out on the direct debit discounts and cheaper online tariffs offered by suppliers.”
Get a digital TV package
Digital TV
This is the most straightforward to change. Simply inform your supplier of the move as soon as possible.
You won’t need to sign any new contract, but that you will need to take your set top box with you and arrange for a date for it to be installed at your new house. Nunes at uSwitch says it’s unlikely that you will need to pay a new installation fee provided it’s the first time you move, but it’s still worth checking with your supplier.
If you’re moving from a non-cabled area to a cabled one, its worth looking into signing up to new broadband and TV packages, as they should be notably cheaper. Finally, remember to update your TV licence details here.
Compare digital TV deals in your area
A few final checkpoints
Now that you’ve got all your contracts sorted out, take a look at the following checklist from the DirectGov site to see if there’s anything you’ve forgotten.
- Council Tax office: Contact your local council's Council Tax office to let them know the date you move out of your current property and when you move into your new one so that they bill you correctly.
- Post Office: Make sure your mail moves with you. Download the form from the Post Office here. Note that it can take up to 10 days to set up and there is a charge.
- Driver’s Licence: You must inform the DVLA immediately of any changes to your name, address or both. You must also inform the DVLA if either the name and address details shown on the registration certificate are incorrect.
- Electoral register: The register is updated every month and you need to be included on it to vote. A form is available from the Electoral Commission here. You can complete the form online, or download and send it to the Electoral Registration Office which is based at your local council.
Case study: Switching broadband and digital TV with Virgin
What do I need to do, and what do I need to get from my ISP? “You don't need anything from Virgin Media, but you'll need to inform us of your new address and if you want to alter the services you receive (i.e. add a phone/TV or upgrade to a different package). We want to make it as easy as possible for our customers to take their Virgin Media services with them when they move house. You need to call or complete a request form and we'll fix a date for your new installation, usually within two weeks of moving in. Will I have to pay a fee or penalty? “There is no fee for moving. If customers choose to upgrade their services when moving there may be a cost.” How much notice must I provide? “No written notice is required, but we ask for 30 days' notice for a ‘Disconnect’, which we can take verbally. We do ask the customer for at least 14 days' notice for a ‘Move and Transfer’, and this is so we have enough time to give them an installation date they require.” Will I have to sign up to a new 12 month contract? “Yes. If customers move during the minimum period (12 months) and Virgin Media are able to activate the services at their new home, a new 12 month minimum period will start from the date that the service is activated at their new home.” Click here to see if Virgin is available in your area |
