Who to notify when you move house: the complete list

Two weeks before — the safety net first

• Royal Mail redirection — the single most important item on this list, because it catches everything you forget below. Takes up to a week to activate, so set it up early; 3, 6 or 12 months, from about £39.50. Worth a full year if you can — identity thieves love post sent to your old address
• Broadband — book the move or new installation now; lead times run 2–3 weeks and engineer slots vanish around month-end
• Removal company — confirmed date, deposit paid, insurance checked

One week before — money and home

• Energy suppliers — tell them your move date; they'll close the account on final readings. You don't need to stay with the new home's incumbent supplier, but the account starts in your name from day one
• Water company — same drill; water companies are regional so it may be a different company entirely
• Council tax — close the account at the old address, register at the new one (two different councils means two phone calls)
• Banks, credit cards, savings, pensions, investments — most take two minutes in the app
• Insurers — car insurance (your premium changes with your postcode — and an unreported move can void a claim), plus contents, life, pet and health policies
• Employer, HMRC and student finance — payroll, tax correspondence and any benefits all follow your address

Moving week — the official stuff

• DVLA — twice — your driving licence AND the vehicle log book (V5C) are separate updates. Both are free; ignoring them risks a fine and missed correspondence
• Electoral roll — register at the new address (5 minutes on gov.uk). Beyond voting, it feeds the credit reference data lenders check — an out-of-date entry quietly dents mortgage and credit applications
• GP and dentist — register locally; prescriptions and referrals follow your registration, not your postcode
• TV licence — it doesn't move automatically; transfer it online
• Schools and childcare — plus any clubs, tutors and activity providers
• Vet and pet microchip database — the chip registration is the one everyone forgets; an out-of-date chip is how found pets stay lost

The long tail — let the redirection catch them

Subscriptions and deliveries, loyalty schemes, online retail accounts, mobile phone billing, gym membership, breakdown cover, charities you support, professional bodies, premium bonds. None are urgent; all will surface in your redirected post over the following months. Update each as its letter arrives, and by the time the redirection lapses the trickle will have stopped.

Renters and owners — the extras

• Renters: give your landlord/agent written notice per your agreement, supply a forwarding address (they legally need it for the deposit return), and take date-stamped meter photos at both properties
• Owners selling: your conveyancer and the buyer's side handle ownership records — but cancel old buildings insurance and boiler cover only AFTER completion, never before