Do These Five Things When Moving into Your New Home

You’ll no doubt have seen plenty of tips explaining how to start planning and getting ready for an upcoming moving day. This will involve moving checklists and the best way to prepare for the big day ahead, paying attention to the ticking clock. But there’s less information on what to do when you arrive at your new home. What’s the best way to approach things when you start unpacking?

Everyone at Thomas Firbank has years of experience in removals and storage. We understand what makes a successful relocation, and this includes after the job ends. That’s why we do our best to inform and provide helpful tips for our customers. Here’s our five-step plan on what to do when you reach your new house or apartment in Bath.

Thomas Firbank’s Five-Step Plan When Moving In –

We can all do with a helping hand when moving to a new house or apartment. It can be a slightly chaotic time with lots of switching and swapping of different tasks. It’s hard to balance home life, work schedules and also organise the relocation. That’s why Thomas Firbank has put together some useful post-move tips to give you a chance to settle properly.

Now you’ll know what to do before, during, and after the moving day. If you want more information on things like moving checklists, read one of our earlier blog’s here. While getting to your new home is the prime objective, we still think there are some information gaps for online relocation advice. That’s why we’re publishing this blog.

In this article, we centre on five points for you to consider when you open the door to your new home. This will help you settle in quicker and avoid any issues regarding things like changes of address. You might also see opportunities to prepare more thoroughly. If you’re mindful of tasks when you move in, you can plan now and take action.

Thinking and acting a few steps ahead is the best way to lay the path to a successful relocation. And that will reduce any worries and stress that comes with relocating. You’ll also have the Thomas Firbank team here to assist at every step of the process.

The Initial Walkthrough and What to Note –

Before you start opening boxes and containers, you’ll need to do a walkthrough of the whole building and outdoors. Ideally, this works best before anything enters the property. You’re looking to see if everything is in decent condition, especially if there were any requests to fix things as part of the agreement. The previous owner should provide a clean home without any issues as the minimum standard.

However, this isn’t always the case, and you need to note any problems you think don’t comply with the original contract of sale. You’ll have to compromise on things like minor niggles, but any clear maintenance or disrepair is worth escalating. You can take this opportunity to write up anything you’re unhappy with and send it to third parties if the repair work results in additional costs.

You’ll also be able to coordinate the unpacking to prevent any disorderly mounds of containers and other items. Check which rooms line up with boxes in your home inventory. Then you can direct the Thomas Firbank team to put relevant items in each room. If necessary, we’ll also help unpack and assemble any tricky furniture and electronic devices.

It’s possible to perform a deep clean before you unload if you think ahead and arrive before the removals van. Try and arrange this between your estate agent and the seller to get early access to the building. You can always pay for a professional cleaner to arrive between the former owner leaving and your arrival.

Meter Readings and Setting Up Utilities –

This one trips many new homeowners up and gets lost within the pile of relocation tasks.  You must record the meter readings straight away for both properties. So, make locating the new meters a priority for your initial walkthrough. You’ll likely find them in your kitchen, hallway, or an understairs cupboard.

You can read here for more details on which reading applies to gas and electric. It can be unclear if they’re older models, and you should discuss them with your energy supplier. Also, make sure you check for any old statements and have a forwarding address. You don’t want to be lugged with the previous owner or tenant’s outstanding bills. And this happens a lot, so be mindful to avoid it.

Write down the meter readings but also take a photo or record a video as evidence. Make sure the image or footage is of decent quality and readable. You need proof of the readings in case of a dispute. It’s rare, but an energy supplier might disagree with your figures, leaving you with an invoice to clear and no ability to appeal their decision.

It’s always better to cover your back and avoid unwelcome payment demands. It will be best if you also remember to take the readings of your previous home for the same reasons. Then you can change your energy provider or ask your preferred choice to do it for you.

Change Your Address Details and House Locks –

You can start changing your address once ownership transfers and you’re the official resident. Start by listing everyone who might send mail to you as they’ll continue to do so after leaving your current property. Also include any service providers like doctors, energy suppliers, banks, and so on. The bank is one of the most important as you’ll need proof of address, in addition to preventing any confidential mail arriving after you depart.

Contact each individual or company and notify them of your new address and date of moving. Follow-up with any that don’t respond by the time you arrive in a new location. Then you can use the same list and mark services and providers to replace them with new ones. It would be a good idea to be proactive and find potential ones before you arrive.

The last change we suggest making is the locks. This is a security measure that most people don’t think of. And we’re not suggesting you become suspicious of the former owners. It’s a sensible precaution everyone should take when moving. You can arrange this once you’re in and have the relevant identity and proof of residence documents. A locksmith can do this and supply new keys. Remember to do for all locks, including windows where appropriate.

Our Range of Removals and Storage Services –

At Thomas Firbank, we design and implement a comprehensive range of removals and storage packages. The aim is to cater to as many situations as possible, and we monitor our performance to ensure we’re meeting our customers’ expectations. We have the right packages and expertise to create a seamless transition between every service.

The core removals services we offer can accommodate every size relocation. For smaller jobs, we’ll suggest using our Man & Van service. This is for people moving out of an apartment or small house with fewer items. For everything from a three-bed house and upwards, we’ll need to use a larger van. Our Home Removals service is better for these scenarios because we can fit everything into the vehicle and do it in one go.

If you have any issues with move-in delays, you don’t have to worry because we have the most extensive storage facilities in Bath and Somerset. You’ll have somewhere secure to store your belongings while you make other arrangements, and this is where a seamless removal and storage service makes things simple. You’ll have confidence your possessions are safe and secure with us.

Thomas Firbank – Helping New Residents Settle in Bath –

At Thomas Firbank, we believe in making our services inclusive by keeping our prices low while delivering a high level of customer service. Furthermore, we’re constantly thinking of ways to encourage thorough preparation for anyone who’s moving to a new home in Bath. This is where the battle is won, or issues can occur.

One of the many benefits you’ll receive as a Thomas Firbank customer is our flexible attitude to our removals and storage packages. We’ll go out of our way to assist you, including assistance with planning or advice when you arrive. Plus, we can assemble any furniture and set up appliances as add-ons for your removals service.

If you’re relocating this year and need some pointers for the move-in day, please contact us today. We’re Bath’s number one for removals and will make sure you settle into life here.