Moving Should Be Easy
Moving house doesn’t usually fall apart because of packing or removals.
It falls apart inside the mortgage process.
Chains break. Lenders recheck things. Valuations come in differently.
What looks like a simple move can stall because the case doesn’t hold up under a lender’s criteria.
This checklist covers the practical side of moving.
But it also highlights where timing, finance and lender decisions can affect your move.
Why moving house timelines slip
Most delays don’t come from packing or removals.
They come from:
- mortgage approvals taking longer than expected
- lenders asking for more documents
- issues in the valuation
- another buyer in the chain losing their mortgage
Because lenders interpret cases differently, the same situation can move smoothly with one lender and stall with another.
2 months before moving house
At this stage, most people focus on choosing a mortgage product.
What actually matters more is whether your case will hold up under a lender’s assessment.
This is where delays often start.
Before anything else, you need to understand:
- how your income will be interpreted
- whether your deposit structure works
- whether anything in your case could cause issues later
If this isn’t clear early on, problems tend to show up much further into the process when it’s harder to fix them.
Here’s a list of things to consider:
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If you haven’t done this already, you will need a conveyancing solicitor. Get recommendations, compare reviews and get quotes.
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You should be able to get a rough idea of when you will be moving house so speak with work and book off a few days either side of the proposed date.
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Carry out further research of the area you are moving to. Find a new school for your children and speak to the current school about transferring school records and other documents.
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Start to clear out old stuff you no longer need. Recycling and charity is better than landfill!
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If you are currently renting a property, give the relevant notice to your landlord.
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Check you insurance policy to see if you will be covered for possessions when moving house. If not, then when you decide on a removals company, be sure to speak to them about being covered.
6 weeks before moving house
At this point, your move starts depending on other people.
This is where chains, lenders and legal work begin to overlap.
Things can still move quickly, but they’re no longer fully in your control.
What matters here isn’t just staying organised.
It’s making sure nothing in your case or the property gives a lender a reason to slow things down.
Common pressure points at this stage:
- outstanding documents or unclear income
- delays in mortgage processing
- issues raised during legal checks
- uncertainty elsewhere in the chain
If something is going to cause friction, it usually starts showing up around here. If not, continue grinding through:
Get recommendations and do some research into reputable removal companies. Get quotes, compare and then book. If you need insurance from them, remember to discuss.
Review the value of your contents and building cover to see if it appropriate for the new property. Check your life insurance policies and any other medical cover to ensure they are enough to cover the new mortgage payments and other home costs. If you don’t have a protection policy, then now is the time to consider getting one. Even if you do, it’s worth understanding that having cover, doesn’t always mean your covered.
Make a full inventory of your possessions and further clear out anything that is no longer needed. The less stuff you have to move, the easier!
Review the floor plan of the property so you can see where you will fit your furniture and other belongings.
Collect together or purchase packaging materials. Check with your removal company as they might provide this.
Look into parking restrictions and find out where the removal van will be able to park on the day of moving house. The removal firm may need to apply to the council for permission to park.
1 month before moving house
By now you should have received a report from a Chartered Surveyor informing you of the property’s structural condition. Your mortgage provider will likely have arranged this as part of their conditions. You will be charged a fee along with your other mortgage fees.
Where things often go wrong at this stage
This is where survey results, lender checks and legal work all start to interact.
And it’s where I most often see timelines slip.
Common issues:
- valuation comes in lower than expected
- lender raises additional questions late in the process
- property details don’t match lender criteria
- legal work uncovers something unexpected
At this point, small issues can start affecting completion dates.
But let’s continue with our moving house checklist with just 1 month to go:
Speak with your solicitor about exchanging contracts so that you can finalise your move date.
Inform your removal company of the finalised date that you will be moving house.
Organise to have your new house cleaned as soon as the previous owners move out so it is clean and fresh ready for you to move into
Arrange with the current owners, a suitable time to visit the property if necessary, to take any measurements for carpets, curtains etc.
Clear out any unused areas of your current house such as loft space and sheds.
When you can, start packing any items you aren’t currently using into boxes. Label boxes so that the boxes will be put in the right room on arrival at your new house.
Notify relevant utilities companies that you are moving house.
Search online for good TV, broadband and phone deals for your new house and make enquiries.
Search for the the best deals in your new area from energy providers.
1 week before moving house
At this stage, the move can feel close to being finished.
But this is often where final lender checks or delays elsewhere in the chain can still affect timing.
If everything has held together up to this point, you’re usually in a strong position.
If not, this is where delays tend to become visible.
With just 1 week to go before moving house, there will be a number of things still to be done on your moving house checklist.
Continue your packing. This is likely to continue right up until moving house day.
Encourage each member of your household to pack a bag with the essentials needed for the first night in your new house.
Make any final calls to utility providers to close accounts.
Inform your bank or building society and any other financial providers of your forthcoming change of address.
Cancel any services with local deliveries. eg. milk and newspapers.
Inform the Royal Mail of your change of address. You can set up a temporary redirect so anything that is addressed to you at your old property, will be redirected to your new address.
Register to pay council tax for your new house.
The day before moving house
Make sure you have the keys to your new home from the estate agent or that you have arranged to collect them from the previous owner.
Plan your route to the new house.
It’s moving house day!
Start slow.
Carry out a final clean once furniture has been moved and the floors are clear.
Pack any final items left until the last minute such as bedding and toiletries.
Take final meter readings.
When the removal company arrives, give them guidance and show them where everything is.
Finally, take one last look around to check you have everything and that all windows and doors are closed and secure.
And you’re on your way!
At your new home
You’re almost there and are coming to the end of your checklist of things to do when moving house.
Inspect furniture and valuable items for damage once they have been unloaded by the removal company.
Instruct and guide removal staff if necessary
Check locks and repair or replace with new ones if necessary.
Start unpacking or if you prefer sit back and take a sigh of relief!
After you've moved in
But before you fully relax, there are a few final items on your moving house checklist.
Register with a local doctor, dentist and vet (if you have pets).
Explore your local area and check out the shops, restaurants and other amenities.
Make sure you update the electoral register as otherwise you won’t be able to vote.
And finally, your moving house checklist is complete.
Final thought
Most moving house guides focus on what you need to do.
The bigger risk is usually how your case is handled behind the scenes.
If the mortgage side holds together, the move tends to follow.
If it doesn’t, everything else slows down with it.
See How Lenders Are Likely to Read Your Case
Most borrowers compare rates before they know whether a lender will actually like their case.
That’s how people waste time with the wrong bank, get weaker offers, or end up with avoidable declines.
The readiness check gives you an early read on how your case is likely to land, where the pressure points are, and whether lender choice needs more care.
- Avoid wrong lenders
- Spot pressure points
- Understand case fit
- Check before applying
See How Lenders Are Likely to Read Your Case
Mortgage Readiness Check
See how lenders will read your case.
Whether the income pattern looks stable enough to rely on, and how much of it they are prepared to include.