Six crucial things house movers must do

Moving house can be an absolute nightmare! But before you start stressing over where to store the china, make sure you've sorted the serious stuff first.

Moving home is said to be right up there with debt, divorce and death as one of life's most stressful events.

Personally, I think that's a tad melodramatic - but I do whole heartedly agree that moving house can be a chaotic experience.

It's easy to get so wrapped up in the pandemonium of packing that you forget to address important issues like insurance.

In this article, I'll explain six crucial steps house movers should follow to ensure they're prepared for life in their new home.

1. Protect your property

The only way you'll be able to really relax in your new home is if you know your property and personal belongings are protected.

Therefore, when you move house, it's vital you insure your property from the day the contracts are exchanged.

There are two types of home insurance available: buildings insurance and contents insurance.

Buildings insurance covers the cost of damage to the structure of your property. On the other hand, contents insurance covers everything inside the house.

It's crucial to calculate accurately how much your belongings are worth before buying contents insurance. If you're underinsured you may not be fully covered if you need to make a claim, whereas, if you overinsure yourself you could end up paying unnecessarily high premiums.

Whichever type of insurance you're looking for, it's always worth taking the time to shop around online for the best deal.

It's also a good idea to check that any removals firm you use is adequately insured so that your property is fully protected while in transit!

2. Ensure your home is secure

All home insurance policy prices are based on risk assessment. Therefore, improving your home's security could help cut the cost of your premium.

Here are my six top security tips:

• Join a neighbourhood watch scheme.
• Install a burglar alarm or security system recognised by your insurer.
• Fit security lighting.
• Replace old locks on your doors with five-lever mortise locks.
• Fit key-operated window locks.
• Check there are no holes in your fences.

Be aware that following some of these tips could cost you money in the short term. It may take a few years of reduced home insurance premiums for you to recoup your initial spend.

However, in the meantime you'll have the peace of mind knowing your property is secure.

3. Switch to save

Before you move home, inform your energy supplier you're leaving. This should ensure you're not billed for energy used by the new occupants after you have left.

Then, once you're in your new property, notify the existing energy provider and inform them of the current meter reading. Again, this will prevent you having to pay for energy you have not used.

When you call to request that future bills to the property are sent in your name, it's likely you'll be put on your energy provider's standard tariff. These plans are often expensive, as energy companies usually reserve their best deals for new customers.

Therefore, it's is a good idea to run an energy price comparison as soon as possible to find out how much you could save by switching suppliers.

Remember, the longer it takes you to get your skates on and organise a switch, the longer you'll be stuck with an expensive standard tariff. It could take between four and six weeks for your new plan to come into effect, so it's important you don't delay.

4. Cover your car

The price of your car insurance will be affected by where you live. For this reason, moving home could make a difference to how much your premiums cost.

When you move, you must contact your car insurer and inform them of your new address. If you don't, your policy could become invalid and your insurer may refuse to pay out in the event you have an accident - leaving you to foot the bill.

The price of your premium may go up or down, depending on where your new property is. However, it's always best to be honest with your insurer as soon as your circumstances change to avoid trouble later down the line.

5. How to pay for your paint

According to recent research by Halifax, people spend an average of £8,100 on home improvements (not including adding space) during the first two years of living in their house.

If you know your house needs a lot of work, it's important you consider how you're going to finance it.

A 0% purchases card will allow you to spread the cost of an expensive purchase over a set period of time without charging you interest for the privilege.

However, 0% purchases deals are only introductory. This means that if you don't repay your balance in full before the offer expires, you'll be hit by hefty interest charges.

If this might affect you - perhaps because you'll be spending a significant sum - you may want to consider opting for a market leading personal loan instead.

6. Protect your life

If you own a home with a friend or partner and you move house, you need to make sure your life insurance policy covers your share of the new joint mortgage.

If you've moved into a bigger or more expensive home, it's likely you will need to up your level of cover. Remember, it's important to have adequate life insurance in place; otherwise, if you pass away, your housemate or partner could be pursued for your whole joint mortgage debt.

Alternatively, if you've downsized your property, you might not need quite as much life cover and therefore could save money on your premium by comparing deals.

Moving home may have coincided with an upturn in your lifestyle, which is another reason to reconsider your life insurance needs. You need to make sure any dependents you have will be able to maintain this new standard of living in the event you're no longer around.

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