Who to inform when moving house (with checklist)

At a Glance

When moving house, the people to inform include your local councils, HMRC, the DVLA, your bank, your utility and energy providers, insurers, your GP surgery and the electoral register. Knowing who to inform when moving house helps protect you from missed bills, gaps in cover and identity fraud. Our change of address checklist below groups every organisation into clear sections so you can work through them at your own pace, well before moving day.

Who to Inform When Moving House: Your Complete Checklist

Working out who to inform when moving house is one of those jobs that is easy to leave until the last minute. The keys are in your hand, the boxes are packed, and updating your address everywhere feels like something that can wait. In most cases, it is better not to wait. Leaving your details out of date can hold up your council tax, delay important letters from HMRC, and in some cases leave you more exposed to identity fraud when statements keep arriving at your old home.

The good news is that a change of address checklist makes the task far more manageable. Rather than trying to remember everyone at once, you can move through it section by section. Many organisations let you update your details online in a few minutes, and some can be told several weeks ahead of your move. Start as soon as your new address is confirmed, and you can spread the work out instead of racing to catch up afterwards.

If you are reading this while you are still choosing where to move or how to sell your current home, it can help to plan the sale carefully too. You can compare local estate agents by real performance data on GetAgent to see which agents have the strongest performance selling homes in your area before you commit. Once your move is underway, this moving house checklist keeps the address side of things on track.

1. Government, Councils and Local Services

These are the organisations where an out-of-date address can cause the most disruption, so they are a sensible place to start.

Council Tax and Your Two Councils

If your new home sits in a different council area, you will usually need to tell both your old and new councils. Give each one your exact moving dates so you are not billed for council tax on your previous property after you have left. Even if you are moving within the same council area, it is worth updating your address so your bill is calculated correctly. Your council tax band depends on the property, so the amount you pay may change when you move.

Driving Licence and Vehicle Records

The DVLA asks you to keep both your driving licence and your vehicle registration details up to date. You can usually update your driving licence and your log book (V5C) through the same DVLA change of address service, which saves doing them separately.

2. Utilities and Energy Providers

Keeping your utility accounts current helps you avoid paying for someone else's usage, or being chased for a home you no longer live in. In most cases it is worth contacting your energy providers a few days to a week before your moving date.

Moving can be a natural moment to review whether your current energy tariff still suits you. Citizens Advice has clear, impartial guidance on switching energy supplier and comparing tariffs if you want to weigh up your options. Take opening and closing readings wherever you can, as this is the simplest way to keep your first and final bills accurate.

3. Money and Financial Providers

Your bank and other financial accounts should be near the top of your change of address checklist. Proof of address is central to identity checks, so out-of-date records can affect access to your accounts. It also reduces the chance of financial statements sitting in someone else's letterbox.

1. Banks and building societies: update your address as a priority once you have moved in. This can usually be done through online or mobile banking, though some providers may ask you to confirm details another way.
2. Credit card companies: contact them soon after you move so you do not miss a statement or payment date.
3. Loan providers: let any loan companies know so correspondence continues to reach you.
4. Pensions: private pension providers can often update your details online or by phone. For the State Pension, check the relevant GOV.UK guidance.
5. Premium bonds and savings: NS&I and other savings providers will need your new address to reach you.
6. App-based accounts: do not overlook providers such as Starling or Monzo, which may handle address changes differently from a high street bank.

4. Health Services

Keeping your medical records current helps make sure appointment reminders reach you and that your details match when you need care or make an insurance claim.

1. GP surgery: if you are moving to a new area, you will usually need to register with a new practice. The NHS website explains how to find and join a GP surgery near your new home.
2. Dentist and optician: update your address so you do not miss reminders, and register with new practices if you are moving further afield.
3. Other specialists: let any other clinicians you see, such as physiotherapists or chiropractors, know your new details.
4. Vets: if you have pets, keep their records and microchip details up to date with your new address.

5. Work, Education and Insurance

Employment and Education

Tell your employer's payroll or HR team as soon as you can, so your records and any documents that go to your home reach the right place. If you have children, update their school with your new contact details for day-to-day matters and emergencies. Anyone in higher education should update their university or college to keep tuition and finance correspondence on track.

Insurance

Insurers rely on your address to price cover and assess claims, so updating them promptly matters. If your details are out of date, you may find a claim is harder to settle. Review each of the following:

• Car insurance
• Home and contents insurance
• Life insurance
• Health insurance
• Pet insurance
• Travel insurance

Most insurers let you update your address online, though a change of postcode can affect your premium in either direction, so it is worth checking your renewal details at the same time.

6. Subscriptions, Memberships and Personal Services

The final group is easy to forget because these organisations rarely chase you, but leaving them out can lead to surprise charges or missed deliveries.

If you have a resident parking permit, update it if you are staying in the same zone, or cancel it and apply for a new one at your new address.

When to Tell Each Organisation

Timing matters. Some organisations can be told well ahead of your move, while others are better contacted once you have your final readings or have moved in. This rough timeline can help you sequence your change of address checklist.

How to Redirect Your Post

Even with a thorough checklist, a few letters usually slip through. Setting up a mail redirection is a useful safety net that buys you time to catch anyone you missed. Royal Mail offers a paid Redirection service rather than free forwarding, and you can arrange it before you move. Redirected post is a helpful prompt too: when a letter arrives from a company you had forgotten, it is a reminder to update your address with them directly.

Why Keeping Your Address Up to Date Matters

Your address is one of the main ways organisations confirm who you are. When it is out of date, you can miss bills and reminders, run into problems with identity checks, and leave sensitive post arriving at a home you no longer live in. Working steadily through a change of address checklist, starting as soon as your new address is confirmed, is the simplest way to avoid those problems. Once the address side is under control, you can turn your attention to the rest of your moving house checklist and the practical side of moving day.

References

• Citizens Advice
• GOV.UK, Register to vote
• GOV.UK, Tell DVLA you have changed address
• GOV.UK, Tell HMRC about a change of details
• Royal Mail, Redirection service