Moving House Checklist Week by Week

A moving house checklist breaks down a complicated process into manageable weekly tasks so you do not miss anything important. Renters and buyers can compress this timeline if their move date is closer. Buyers should not commit to a paid removal date until contracts exchange or a completion date is reasonably firm, and you should always ask firms about their postponement terms before you hand over any money.

How to pace your moving timeline

Moving house involves coordinating legal dates, packing your entire life into boxes, and managing the administration of a new address. Starting early gives you time to compare prices and check the background of the firms you speak to. Removals is not a licensed trade and anyone can offer the service. Rushing the process often leads to mistakes, such as booking a van that is too small, needing extra trips at extra cost, or hiring a firm with no written terms that cancels late.

Booking a removal firm involves agreeing a specific date for transport. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 the service must be carried out with reasonable care and skill, at a reasonable price if none was agreed, and within a reasonable time. However, the usual 14-day cancellation right does not apply to transport of goods where the contract provides for a specific date, as set out in the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. This means a removal firm's own cancellation and postponement terms are what count and must be read carefully.

Eight weeks before you move

Start by decluttering your home. The price of a move is driven heavily by volume, which is exactly how much furniture and how many boxes you have to move. Volume dictates the vehicle size and the number of crew needed on the day. Moving items you no longer want will cost you money, so sell or donate them early.

Arrange a pre-move survey with about three different companies. This is a home visit or a video call where the remover assesses your volume and checks the access at your property. A removal company normally gives a fixed price quote after a survey and sends a lorry and crew sized to the job. Avoid any firm that gives a quote without seeing your contents, as the price often rises on the day.

Compare what is included in your quotes, not just the total price. Check the following details before you choose a firm:

• The physical business address.
• Customer reviews over time.
• Insurance and goods in transit cover.
• The firm's liability limit for damaged items.

Standard industry terms commonly limit a remover's liability to a modest sum, for example £40 per item, unless a higher value is declared and paid for. Check what your home contents insurance covers during a move to see if you need extra protection. Read a guide on how to choose a removals company to help you compare the quotes you receive.

Tell your landlord or letting agent about your move date if you rent your current home. You should also book time off work for moving day and the days immediately around it. Moving is tiring, and you will need time off to unpack and settle into the new property.

Six weeks before you move

Book your removal firm once your dates are reasonably firm. Two to four weeks ahead is usually enough for standard dates, so booking now leaves a margin. You will need that extra time for peak periods, as month ends, Fridays and summer are busiest and dates there book up first.

If you are deciding whether to book a man and van or a removal company, base your choice on the volume of your move. A man and van service usually charges by the hour with a minimum booking and suits smaller loads such as flats, student moves and single items. A removal firm handles whole houses and provides a fixed price quote based on a survey.

Order your packing materials or book a packing service through your mover. You can choose a full packing service where the crew packs everything, a fragile-only packing service for kitchenware and ornaments, or packing yourself. Items you pack yourself are often treated differently under the firm's liability terms, so ask for these terms in writing. If you need storage between properties, ask the removal firm to include this in their quote.

Contact the local council to arrange a parking suspension or permit if the removal lorry cannot park freely outside your current home or your new property. A long carry between the lorry and the front door will add time and cost to your move, and the firm may pass on any parking charges or fines it receives if the right permission was not arranged.

Four weeks before you move

Start packing the rarely used rooms in your house, such as the loft, the spare bedroom and the shed. Leave everyday items in the kitchen and bathroom until the final week.

Pack heavy items like books in small boxes so they are easy to lift, and put lighter items like bedding in large boxes. Wrap fragile items carefully and fill any empty space in the box with crushed paper so the contents cannot shift during transit. Do not pack highly flammable liquids or hazardous materials, as removal firms will not carry them in their vehicles.

Begin your address changes. Tell your bank, your employer, your pension provider and your insurance companies. This takes time, so it is best to read a guide on who to notify when moving house and work through the list gradually.

Declare any heavy, fragile or valuable items to your removal firm if you have not already done so. You must also tell them about any restricted access at the new property, such as narrow lanes or multiple flights of stairs. If stairs or a long carry were not mentioned at the survey, the firm may add charges for them on moving day.

Two weeks before you move

Confirm the arrival times with your removal firm. Check their postponement and cancellation charges again, especially if you are in a buying chain and your completion date might move. Late cancellation often incurs a fee, sometimes up to the full cost of the move.

Book a Gas Safe registered engineer if you are taking a gas cooker or gas fire with you. Do not try to disconnect a gas appliance yourself. Leave it to a Gas Safe registered engineer.

Start running down the food in your freezer and kitchen cupboards. Plan your meals so you have very little left to throw away or transport on moving day.

Decide who will do the dismantling and reassembly of large furniture. If you are doing it yourself, start taking apart spare beds and large wardrobes now. Keep all the screws and fittings in small bags taped securely to the furniture frames. If you paid the removal firm for dismantling and reassembly, check they still have this on their job sheet.

The week before you move

Defrost your freezer a day or two before the move. Leave the doors open to let it dry completely, otherwise water will leak inside the removal lorry and damage your other possessions.

Tell your gas and electricity supplier your moving date. Citizens Advice says to do this at least 48 hours before you move.

Pack an essentials box that travels in your car, not the removal lorry. You will need these items immediately when you arrive at the new house. This should contain:

• Daily medication and important documents.
• Phone chargers and basic tools like scissors.
• Tea bags, a kettle, mugs and snacks.
• Toilet roll and basic cleaning supplies.

Label every box clearly on the top and on one side. Write the destination room and a brief summary of the contents. This ensures the removal crew knows exactly where to put them, saving you from moving heavy boxes between rooms later.

Arrange childcare or pet care for moving day. The house will be busy with crew carrying heavy furniture and leaving doors open, so keeping young children and pets away from the main activity is much safer and helps the crew work faster.

The day before you move

Keep your mobile phone fully charged. You will need it to coordinate with the estate agent, your solicitor and the removal firm throughout the day.

Do a final sweep of all cupboards, lofts, sheds and the garage. It is very common to forget items hidden at the back of high shelves or left in outbuildings.

Confirm the key collection time with the estate agent or your new landlord. Ask them what happens if the keys are delayed, as waiting time charges apply if the removal crew arrives at the new house and cannot get in.

Pack your final toiletries and everyday clothes into a small suitcase. Treat this as if you are packing for a short weekend away.

Moving day

Read your gas and electricity meters before you leave, keep a record of the readings and give them to your supplier. The Citizens Advice guide on moving home explains that your old supplier must send a final bill within six weeks.

Be present when the removal crew arrives. Show the foreman around the property and point out anything that needs special care or anything that is not being moved.

Check the entire house before the removal van leaves. Look behind doors, inside fitted wardrobes and in the bathroom. Once the van drives away, going back for forgotten items is your responsibility, and a firm that returns for them may charge.

Note any damage on the day. Check your furniture and boxes as they are unloaded at the new property. If you spot any breakages to your goods or damage to the building, report it in writing to the removal firm promptly. Claims are often refused if damage is reported too late or if the broken items were self-packed without adequate protection.

Your first week in the new home

Contact the energy supplier at the new property. You are automatically on a deemed contract with the existing supplier, so contact them with your opening meter readings. You can shop around for a new tariff once your account is set up.

Update your driving licence. It is free to change the address on your driving licence, and you can be fined up to £1,000 if you do not tell the DVLA when your address changes. You must also update your vehicle log book (V5C) and your vehicle tax Direct Debit. The GOV.UK driving licence page explains how to do this online and links to the separate process for Northern Ireland.

Register to vote again at your new address. You do not move electoral rolls automatically, so you must register to vote again if you have changed your address.

Tell your new local council that you have moved in so they can set up your council tax account. You must also tell your old council the exact date you moved out so they can close your old account and issue any refund due.

Common questions

How long does moving house take?

A move can take anywhere from a few hours to a couple of days. The time depends on the volume of goods, the distance you are travelling, and how close the removal van can park to the front door. This table shows typical timeframes based on property size.

These are typical durations, and your own move may be quicker or slower depending on access, distance and volume.

Is the removals industry regulated?

Removals is not a licensed trade and anyone can offer it. The British Association of Removers (BAR) is the main trade association. Its members follow a Code of Practice monitored by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, are audited annually, offer an Advanced Payment Guarantee that protects deposits if the member fails before the move, and give access to a free independent dispute resolution service. Membership is a voluntary sign of standards, not a legal requirement, and many sound smaller firms are not members. A business running goods vehicles over 3,500 kg gross weight must hold a goods vehicle operator's licence, which applies to removal lorries but not to a standard van.

What are waiting time charges?

Waiting time charges apply when the removal crew arrives at your new home but cannot unload because the keys are released late on completion day. Many firms charge an hourly rate for delays. You can sometimes pay a small waiver fee upfront to cover potential waiting time.

Why do some firms ask for large cash deposits?

You should avoid firms that demand large cash deposits and have no verifiable business address. This is a common scam where the firm takes the money and does not turn up on the day. Pay by card where you can, not in cash, and check for written terms before paying anything. Work passed to an unknown subcontractor is another sign of a poor firm.

Next steps for your move

Get started on the most important early tasks so your move stays on track.

• Declutter your home to reduce the volume of goods.
• Arrange a pre-move survey with three different companies.
• Ask for fixed written quotes and read the liability terms.
• Check your home contents insurance for moving cover.
• Tell your landlord your moving date if you rent.

Use our directory to find a mover near you and request quotes based on a survey of your property.