March Moving to your new home? Let s help make it a smooth move

Transcription

1 March 2007 Moving to your new home? Let s help make it a smooth move

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3 Contents Congratulations! 4 Timetable 4 Removals 5 Packing 7 Moving Appliances 10 Notifying people of your move 10 Telephone Service 11 Post 11 Water 12 The week before you move 12 M - Day (Move Day) 13 Helpful information and telephone numbers 14 Checklist 15 Physical disability 17 Medical conditions 17 Feedback 18 3

4 Congratulations! You are about to move to your new home! We understand that moving can be a very stressful experience. Careful planning and organisation can help make things go well on the day. This leaflet is designed to give some advice and tips about how to move home more smoothly! Once you have signed up for your new tenancy you are going to want to tell your friends and family. Make sure you have got the right address for your new home including the postcode. This should be on the tenancy agreement but if you are unsure ask your new landlord for confirmation. Timetable OURS People usually have to move within a fairly tight timeframe and you are likely to have a limited amount of time to organise your move. First of all you need to think about how you are going to move. Are you going to hire a van and do it yourself, perhaps relying on family and friends to help? Or are you going to contact professional removal companies for a quote? 4

5 Removals For van hire and information about professional removal companies check the local papers small adverts, the Yellow Pages, local directories or go on line and search various websites. Reputable removal companies are usually members of a trade association. This will help give you some assurance around the quality of the service offered. Many of the removal websites have a quick quote tool so you can get an estimate of how much it will cost for the move. Some will also offer packing services for which they will make a charge but if you want to pack your belongings yourself, most removal companies will supply you with packing materials although there may be a charge for this so check the costs carefully before you commit to anything. Some removal companies offer fixed rate prices, other may charge by the hour. Ask for a clear quote, which contains all the costs of your move and packing. Make sure the movers are insured. You will usually need to book your move at least two weeks in advance. If you want to move more quickly you may have to shop around to find a company who have availability for the date you want to move. You will need to tell them exactly what furniture and appliances you want to take with you. They will also need to know if you want to take other goods, for example bicycles, lawnmowers or large tools. They will generally either ask you how many boxes you need, or visit your current home and assess what they think you will need. 5

6 Most removal companies are not licensed to carry livestock, so if you have a pet you will have to make your own arrangements for transport to your new home. You should also ensure that your new landlord has given you permission to keep a pet. Hopefully, the move will go smoothly. If things do go wrong, you have used a removal company and you are not happy with the service they have provided, or with the way they have tried to resolve your complaint, you can contact the Removal Ombudsman Service. This provides the removal industry with an independent service to resolve disputes between member companies and their clients, if the normal complaints procedure has not produced a satisfactory conclusion. The Ombudsman has no connection with any removal business. Complaints are investigated free of charge but only after all efforts to conciliate by the trade association have been exhausted. For more information visit the website at If you decide to do it yourself, you will want to think about the type of van you will need. Hire companies can be found in the local papers, Yellow Pages, local directories or on-line. If you hire a small van it may be cheaper but will take more trips. With a bigger van you may be able to move in one trip but do think about what parking spaces will be available while you load and unload the van. Hire costs depend on the size of the van and when you hire it. Usually it is cheaper weekdays but some hire companies offer special weekend rates if you need a van for longer than one day. Make sure you have taken out adequate insurance for the vehicle and your goods! Think carefully about what you want to take with you to your new home. Moving can be a good time to clear out unwanted items and de-clutter. 6

7 Is the property you are moving to smaller than your current home? Will your furniture and goods fit? It is a good idea to measure the rooms first you can then decide what you want to take with you. Is it going to be easy to get your furniture and goods into your new home? For example, does it have a narrow entrance, are the stairs going to be difficult to negotiate with large pieces of furniture? Is there a rear entrance? Will some of your furniture need to be dismantled before you move so that you can get it into your new home? Removal companies will advise you on these points but if you are doing it yourself, you will need to think carefully about this. Packing You can start to collect boxes, newspapers or tissue paper to wrap fragile items. You may prefer to use bubble wrap as this will give even greater protection. You will also need strong scissors, a bold marker pen and adhesive tape. Some packing tips you may find useful: Wrap each item individually. Use strong cartons that are designed for household removals. Put heavy items into smaller boxes for easy lifting. Mark cartons that contain delicate items as FRAGILE Mark cartons that contain heavy items as HEAVY Never overfill a carton. Ideally, one person should be able to lift a packed carton without help. 7

8 Never try to lift a carton that feels too heavy ask for help Put heavy things at the bottom of a carton to ensure you avoid crushing other items. Pack out space within a carton with crushed paper to ensure there is no movement during the move. Tape each carton closed when it is full. Make sure cartons are packed the right way up you can draw a large arrow showing the right way up with the bold marker pen or simply write on it THIS WAY UP Label each carton carefully so you know what it contains - it also helps to label where contents are intended to go i.e. KITCHEN Make sure cartons are packed the right way up. Pack cartons to the very top and to both sides, any voids can cause items to be damaged. If your goods don t fill the carton then pack out the spaces with crushed newspaper or bubble wrap. To close a carton, always fold in two opposite sides followed by the remaining two, never criss-cross. Cartons should not be placed on polished surfaces; any dirt and grit impregnated into the bottom can cause scratching of the surface. Take care when re-opening cartons if cutting the tape with a knife. You would not want to damage the contents. For health and safety reasons you should ensure you never bend at the waist to pick up a carton - bend at the knees and keep your back straight. Do not try to lift a carton that feels too heavy. 8

9 Tape the bottom of cartons before packing to make sure they are secure before you start loading them. You should tape the central bottom seam and any side seams and you may want to do this several times you don t want your belongings to fall out of the bottom! Start packing early ideally pack goods you don t need every day before removal day. On the day, start packing things earlier than you intended it always takes longer than you think! If you finish early, you can always have a cup of tea while you wait for the movers providing you have left your kettle and supplies to hand! It s probably best to pack these last and take them with you so you have them when you reach your new home. Also keep any medication close to hand and have a supply of drinks and snacks available to keep you going. If you have pets, keep bowls and some food available so you can put your pet(s) in a room with some food and water when you arrive. 9

10 Moving Appliances Always use a qualified tradesperson to connect or disconnect any gas or electricity appliance. You can find qualified tradesmen in the Yellow Pages. Remember that for gas appliances a tradesperson must be CORGI registered. Notifying People of your move Utility companies Utilities are services that go into your home including electricity, gas, telephone and water and you will need to let them know you are moving. Check the current bills if you are moving within the same area and contact the supplier about a new supply. You may want to take the opportunity of thinking about switching to a new gas or electricity supplier. The website is a free cost comparison site you may find helpful. Remember that you will need to give suppliers as much notice as possible of your moving in and leaving dates. You will need to take meter readings of the gas and electricity and possibly water at your old and new homes and send these to the utility companies so they can charge you correctly. Keep a copy of your readings in case there is any dispute. Check who is supplying services to your new home is it your current supplier? If not, when you call your current supplier they will usually be able to advise who is the supplier to your new home and you can make a decision on whether you want them to supply you. You will need to make contact to arrange for a new supply, or to tell them you do not want a supply from them. If you choose to have a new supplier you will need to contact them. 10

11 If you are intending to have pre-payment meters installed in your new home make sure the utility companies have plenty of notice to ensure you have services on your moving in day. You may have to arrange for them to install new meters before you move in. Telephone Service You may want to check with your existing telephone supplier to ask if they are able to transfer your current telephone number if you are moving within the same exchange area. This is usually free but check with them first! If you have to have a new number you may have to wait a bit longer for the line to be connected unless there is already a service to your new home. Talk to the telephone service provider and find out how they can help you, how long you will have to wait to be connected and what the cost will be. If you have a mobile phone, you will need to tell your service provider your new address. Post The Post Office can forward post from your old address to your new home. This is called post redirection and you can fill out a form entitled Moving Home which you can get from the Post Office. There is a charge for this service depending on how long you want your post redirected for, but full information can be obtained either from your local Post Office, by calling or by visiting the Royal Mail website at 11

12 Water If you currently pay a separate water bill, or will have to do so when you move, you should contact the water company and advise them of your moving date and your new address at least five days before you move. If you have a water meter they will need to take a reading. Thames Water can be contacted on twenty four hours a day. You can also visit their website which contains a lot of useful information at The week before you move Countdown! 7 days before you move make sure you have notified everyone on your checklist of your moving date. Make any necessary childcare arrangements. 3 days before you move check everyone who is helping you to move is still available and that the removal company has the correct time and date. 2 days before you move get any washing and ironing out of the way before your move. Make sure you have adequate food supplies for the next 4 to 5 days Buy insulated packaging for frozen or chilled food. 1 day to go if you have pets you may want to arrange for them to be boarded in kennels or a cattery overnight or to stay with friends or family. Make sure you take them to their temporary accommodation the day before you move. (Boarding kennel and cattery details can be found in the Yellow Pages) 12

13 M Day (or move day) Make sure you and your family are ready for the movers when they arrive. Keep some snacks and drinks handy so there is something to eat and drink during the day. If you have children at school, make sure arrangements are in place to take and collect them from school. This will give you plenty of time to do any last minute packing and deal with any problems. You can also use this time to empty your fridge and freezer and wrap chilled or frozen items in cool boxes or bags or take them to a friend or family member. Pack up what you need to get you through the moving period. It is a good idea to keep the kettle, tea, coffee and drinks close to hand as well as some wrapped snacks, a first aid kit and your mobile phone. Keep both your current and new house keys with you and make sure any medication you need is to hand. Pack these things at the last possible minute and mark the box so that you can easily identify it when you arrive at your new home. You might want to take the box to your new home yourself instead of putting it in the removal van. If you are moving yourself and not using a removal company, you should try to collect the van the night before or first thing in the morning. Start packing and put boxes and bags in first. Follow this by putting in bedroom furniture or furniture from the upper floor of your home. The last things to go in should be kitchen appliances. These can then be unloaded first when you get to your new home. Fridges and freezers need to stand for at least two hours after you arrive to allow the refrigerants to settle. So don t switch them on straightaway. 13

14 Helpful Information and Telephone Numbers We hope you find the information in this leaflet helpful. You may want to check the following websites for more information and tips on moving. Moving House Removals (this is the website of the British Association of Removers) Information on the area you are moving to Maps of the area you are moving to Change of address/post redirection Comparison websites for utilities 14

15 Letting your friends, family and contacts know you are moving Checklist It can be helpful to sit down and make a list of everyone who needs to know you are moving The following is a simple list of commonly used contacts Checklist Tick for yes Date notified Employers Doctor Dentist Hospital Day care Home care Community Nurse Benefits Agency School(s) College Vet Bank Council Tax Housing Benefit Your current landlord Building Society 15

16 Insurance Company Credit Card Company Mobile Phone Company Suppliers of any subscriptions you have (ie Magazines) Chiropodist Any company with whom you have a service contract for repairs such as washing machine, refrigerator etc Utilities Checklist Date company notified Meter reading OLD property Meter reading NEW property Gas Electricity Water Company If you have to return the keys to your old home to the landlord, make sure you check with them how they want you to do this. You should ask for a receipt and you should ensure you return the keys as soon as possible as you don t want to incur charges for additional rent. Most social landlords prefer the keys are taken to an office but if your landlord is from the private sector the landlord may want them posted. Ensure they are sent via a secure mail method and the Post Office can advise you how to do this. You can also ask for a certificate of posting although there may be a charge for this. If you are moving from temporary accommodation provided by the Council you must ensure that you return your keys to the Placements Team at the Town Hall as soon as you have moved, otherwise you will incur rent charges until the keys are returned. Make sure you ask for a receipt for the return of your keys. 16

17 Physical disability If you have a physical disability and have difficulty managing day-to-day activities like getting in/out of the bath; turning on taps; getting on/off the bed, chair or toilet, you might benefit from an Occupational Therapy Assessment. You can contact your local Community Occupational Therapy Team on to refer yourself once you have moved in. If you think it is essential for the adaptations to be done before you move in, contact the Housing Occupational Therapist on who will liaise with the Community Team. If you are moving outside Kensington and Chelsea you can contact the local occupational therapy service for an assessment. Details will usually be given on each local Council website or you can ask your new landlord for information. Medical conditions If you have any medical conditions which you are concerned may affect your moving discuss it with your doctor first. Our Good Wishes. Finally, we wish you every happiness in your new home. You can download further copies of this leaflet from the Council s website at 17

18 Feedback We want to ensure that we are providing helpful and useful information to our customers We positively welcome comments and feedback from you if you would like to us please send it to: Or call us on and ask for the Allocations and CBL Team Leader who will be happy to talk to you. Or you can write to us at: The Allocations and Choice Based Lettings Team Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea The Town Hall Hornton Street London W8 7NX We are looking for people who would like to participate in a customer focus group. This is sometimes about reading publications and giving us your comments or it could be about looking at our website and telling us what you think. If you would like to be considered, please call the Allocations and CBL Team Leader on We welcome people from all parts of the community and look forward to hearing from you. 18

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20 If you do not understand English or you need help to communicate because, for example, you have sight or hearing loss, we can give you the information in this leaflet: On audio cassette or in very large print or Braille Translated into the main languages spoken in Kensington and Chelsea By arranging an interpreter or signer for you Please contact your local social services office on or to arrange for this help.