Pre-organise the set-up of your new home

Home and contents insurance

One of the first things you should do when locking in a change of address is talk to your home and contents insurer. The details of your policy will change with the relocation, dictated by the new area’s risk rating and the type of property you are moving into.

Obtain advice from your insurer as to changes you can make to your new home that will reduce risk and therefore your policy overheads. Another way of reducing your insurance costs is to provide an up-to-date inventory of your belongings. Moving house often involves a culling of possessions and this may mean lower insurance premiums.

Shop around and read the fine print on potential policy options. Whether you stay with your current insurer or make a change, moving house offers an opportunity to negotiate your future insurance charges. Find out whether your home’s contents is covered during transit (this is often an optional extra). If it isn’t, organise transit insurance or investigate your removalist company’s insurance policies.

Change of address and mail re-direction

Letting friends and family know that you’ve changed address is important. A group email will generally suffice.

Organise short-term mail re-direction with Australia Post a couple of weeks prior to your move. It’s a good idea to set the start date for a day or two before your move so mail doesn’t slip through the cracks.

It is important to let government, financial, education and medical institutions know you are moving home. This includes the Australian Taxation Office and Medicare, and your doctor, school, university, bank, health fund and superannuation fund. You can run into trouble if you don’t update your driver’s licence address. It is your main form of photo identification and is often required when setting up new services such as a mobile phone plan. Jump onto your local road authority website to update your licence address.

Utilities, phone and internet

Contact your energy, gas, phone, internet and pay television providers to arrange final meter readings and the closure of billing periods − you do not want to be charged for utilities being used after you have moved out. Likewise, pre-organising utility connections in your new home will ensure you are not left stranded sans hot water, heating or lighting.

As with your home insurance, moving house offers the opportunity to review your utility providers’ services and charges. Obtain several energy and gas quotes and consider bundling services to obtain a discount. Question fees, including usage charges and any installation, establishment or meter-reading fees.

Phone, internet and pay television services can be tricky to set up in a new home. Not all properties have access to the necessary cabling for broadband or pay television services. There can also be a transition period once you have taken possession of your new home when phone lines are transferred between carriers or the actual connections need to be checked on-premises. Talk to your provider about interim solutions such as temporary wireless internet connections. Try to obtain as much information as possible from the real estate agent about the property’s communication and data connections prior to your move.

Parking permits

Once you have received a copy of your sale contract or lease, you can generally organise a parking permit for your new local area. Most councils require two forms of documentation that prove you live, or will be living, at the property, along with a copy of your vehicle’s registration.

Back up your files

To prevent the loss of your important personal information or sentimental data like family photos and music, make multiple backups and put them in storage or give them to a trusted family member or friend while you move.

Organise trades and repairs 

If you’ve bought a home that needs upgrades, general maintenance or adaptions, try to get the work done before you move in. Think security upgrades, fixing floors, painting, re-wiring, a new water system and replacing broken windows. It is a good idea to get the locks changed before you move in, so book a locksmith promptly.

You won’t have the same control over a new rental property but you may have negotiated necessary repairs or upgrades with your landlord. Talk to your real estate agent or landlord about undertaking these repairs before you move in.

Renting

If you are renting, book in a bond inspection for your current home post moving day. Give yourself leeway to clean the residence after you have moved or book professional cleaners ahead of time.

Is your new home energy-efficient?

Whether you’re buying or renting, there are changes you can make to your new home to improve its energy efficiency. Installing LED lights will reduce your lighting energy usage by about 70 per cent. Water-efficient taps, shower heads and toilets can save many thousands of litres of water annually. Your hot water system is one of the biggest energy consumers in the home, so consider upgrading your water fixtures, turning the thermostat down and using cold water on your washing cycles. Investing in energy-efficient appliances will pay dividends in the long run, so check energy-efficiency star ratings when you buy.

The more you can reduce your home’s reliance on artificial heating and cooling (the home’s biggest energy guzzlers) the lower your bills and impact on the environment. Review your new home’s insulation, sealing, solar resistance and window energy efficiency (the majority of a home’s heat is gained and lost through windows). For more tips on reducing your home’s costs, check out these cost-cutting ideas.

Continue reading our Moving House Guide with: Top tips for settling into your new home