Change of Address Checklist and Moving Abroad

Are you prepared for your moving date? Perhaps one of the most important, yet forgotten, tasks when moving is to update your address. But where should you start?

Changing Address When Moving Checklist

Changing address when moving can seem like a nightmare. We won’t lie to you, it’s not an easy task. But as long as you take your time and prioritise the amenities you use the most, everything will run smoothly.

While not all of these will relate to you, we hope this house move checklist will help you change your address for all your daily amenities:

Finance and Stores

Bank or building society
Charities you support
Credit cards
Investments, stocks and bonds
Loyalty cards

Government Bodies

Healthcare

Clubs, sports, and gyms
GP
Dentist
Opticians

Insurance

Any kind of insurance you could have, such as:

Car
Contents
Dental
Health
House
Life
Mobile phone
Pet
Travel

Personal

Cleaners and contractors (window, housekeeping, regular maintenance, etc)
Family
Food and milk deliveries
Friends
Networks
Newspaper, magazine, and newsletter subscriptions
Online shopping
Educational institutions
Streaming platform subscriptions
Workplace
Vets

Utility Suppliers and Other Providers

Broadband
Cable or satellite TV supplier
Electric
Gas
Landline
Mobile phones
Water

Mail Redirection

If you don’t have the time to manually change every address while moving, Royal Mail can do it for you. It’s temporary and comes at a cost, but it’ll give you up to a year to check what your address is tied to. Believe it or not, we think you’ll be surprised to realise how many establishments your address is actually connected to!

You can choose from three options: 3, 6 or 12 months of mail redirection from £36. After telling Royal Mail your new address, within 5 days, your old mail will automatically be redirected to your new address, whether that’s in the UK or overseas.

Royal Mail also has a great house move checklist explaining what months during your moving process you need to start redirecting mail and letting people know your forwarding address.

What Should You Consider When Moving Abroad?

Moving abroad is a whole lot different than moving in the same country. On top of setting up your utilities and changing your address, you’ll need to consider these things:

Start Planning Early

When we say ‘start planning early’, we mean months in advance. Many people make the mistake of researching too late or not researching at all. It’s best to avoid surprises, especially when you’re on a budget.

Estimate the Price of Relocation

How much will it cost to completely relocate abroad? Break this down into little sections, starting with travel costs, finding housing, hiring an international packing company, healthcare, phone contract, and shopping last.

Don’t worry about the total for now as this is just an estimate. Now you have a rough cost of moving, you need to create a budget. What do you have in your savings, and what are you spending and earning? How soon can you relocate based on this budget?

Research Tax Laws

Tax laws are different in every country. You don’t have to personally file every single purchase or penny you earn in the UK, but you have to in others, like the U.S. To avoid tax evasion, it’s best to understand how the laws differ and what you need to do instead. If that monthly form is too difficult to complete, we don’t blame you for hiring an accountant!

Consult an Immigration Professional

Before you put in your notice, ensure you’re eligible to relocate to that specific country. There may be documents and expenditures you haven’t considered, and the process of sorting these might not be so easy. An immigration professional will tell you everything you need to know about relocation, from travel guidelines to immunisation.

Research International Estate Agencies

You’ll need a trustworthy estate agent to help find the home of your dreams. While it helps if they speak the same language, a translation service will also do the trick. If you have a friend on the inside, they may be able visit potential properties for you too.

Research Transportation Options

Europe is known for having amazing transportation links from villages to cities, but this seems to be the opposite in European countries. While London has the subway system, will you be relying on buses or taxis? If not, then you may need to consider an international driving licence.

Sort Visa and Work

Each country has its own visas with different requirements. Identify what that list is and what type of visa you need. Will your new workplace sponsor you? Do you need to apply for a freelance visa? Are you relocating to live with your partner on a marriage visa?

Sign Deed to New Home

You can’t sign the deed to your home without sorting all the major things first. It’s difficult to get out of a contract if things go wrong. But now you can finally find a new home, accept the contract, and check off the last major thing you need to do before moving.

Notify HMRC

You must tell HMRC that you’re leaving the UK. This will affect any student loans and tax. If you don’t tell them, they will assume you’re still in the UK, which can cause major problems with your visa, employment, and tax. Tell them you’re leaving, what you have in savings, and complete tax returns (this last one is not applicable for everyone).

Research International Moving Agencies

Don’t start packing yet! Locate an international moving agency who will transport your belongings to your place or storage unit abroad. However, there may be limits on what and how much they can send, so ensure you can get all of your belongings by either reusing their service or asking family and friends for help.

Purchase Healthcare

While some countries offer free healthcare, if you’re not a resident, you likely won’t be eligible for free treatment. Some countries enforce the purchase of health insurance when applying for a visa, but others don’t. Make sure you know what healthcare you need and if your workplace is covering any of the costs.

Prepare Your Documents

It’s not just your passport, visa, and flight ticket you need to prepare, but others you haven’t considered before. You may need a tax document, criminal check, or health check. This depends on the country you’re travelling to, so remember to search this before you leave.

Find a New Bank

Go to the currency exchange office for travel funds, but while you’re doing that, let your bank know you want to cancel or put your account on hold. You’ll need to find a new bank abroad, which may require an alien registration card before you have access to funds. This will ensure you’re being paid and not spending more every time you use your card.

Buy Local Mobile Sim Card

If your current phone contract works abroad or you can easily switch, then you don’t need to buy a local sim card. These can be purchased at the airport, but we recommend sorting this early so you can contact whoever you need to upon arrival without paying extra.

Research Travel Conditions and Restrictions

There are always restrictions about what you can and can’t take to the specified country. It’s usually based around the amount of money you take, food, and materials. It’s best to solve this before you get to security at the airport because you could be denied access, have your goods confiscated, charged, and even be arrested.

Start Packing

It’s finally time to start packing! Ensure you’ve packed the necessities first, then you can pack luxury items if there’s space. Make sure you take daily items in a bag or suitcase.

Get Vaccinated

Check the immunisations guidelines before relocating. While these aren’t enforceable, it’s best to have them than risk getting sick. After all, a low-risk disease in the UK could be high-risk in another country.

Last Minute Shopping

Remember when we said don’t worry about last minute shopping until the end? This is the moment you realise all the things you need to buy, like an adapter or travel journal.

Moving Day

It’s finally a moving day! Ensure you wake up early so you can do last minute checks, like putting the necessities in your bag, collecting your documents, cleaning your accommodation, saying goodbye, and anything else you need to do. It’s going to be nerve-racking, but think of it as an extended holiday!

Redirect Mail and Change Addresses

If you’re moving abroad, having a specialised service redirect your mail is the easiest choice while you set up your utilities, but there’s nothing stopping you from changing your address before you move. Just be aware that your billing address should stay the same until you move and any parcels may go to your new address before you arrive.

Set Up Utilities

The last thing you need to do is set up your utilities. You can also do the majority of this at your current address, whether that’s purely research or choosing a new supplier. Ask your estate agent who the current suppliers are for your new address before you change anything. You may find it’s easier to stay with them and focus on unpacking and working first.

With this guide, you’re ready to take on any moving and changing address challenge! Bassy’s Removals can help you with your moving process, whether that’s commercially in a whole other city or a new home a few doors down.

If you have any questions or want to learn more about our services, contact us today and a member of our team will be happy to help!