You may be renting your first home or looking to move into a new place. Either way, here’s what you need to remember when you are moving into a new rental property.
Find a new home
If you’re not in a complete rush to move, take your time searching for a new place. Ensure that you have the funds available to pay your deposit, in addition to your first month’s rent, but don’t be duped into paying extra fees. Research your landlord or letting company ensure that any other tenants are happy with them.
Give your notice
If you are currently renting, you need to remember to give the correct notice period. The amount of time will depend on your landlord but a look through your contract will give you the information you need. It needs to be written, i.e. not just a verbal conversation, and you need to clearly state which date you will be leaving.
Fix up
Accidental damage can occur in any home, however, if you rent the property then the responsibility lies with you to fix it before you leave. Your landlord may use property inventory software on sites such as https://inventorybase.co.uk which can make it easy to know if any damage was already present when you moved in. However, you should also record this information yourself.
Clear out
There’s nothing worse than packing a whole lot of unnecessary items which you know will just be stored away in the new property never to be seen again. Take this as an opportunity to clear out. Throw, sell or give away unwanted items to keep your move as smooth as possible. You can then begin packing. Remember to keep an essentials box with you during the move, including tea/coffee and toilet roll so you don’t have to dig through boxes on moving day.
Utilities
Always remember to take meter readings on your final day and pass these onto energy suppliers, along with your new address and new meter readings, to ensure you only pay for your usage.
Keep it clean
Give the old property a thorough clean before you leave. You’d expect your new property to be left spotless so don’t make it hard for those moving into your old place. Plus, you don’t want cleaning charges being taken from your deposit.
