The admin of moving house
Think about moving and chances are you envisage packing boxes, shifting furniture and the immeasurable relief of watching the moving van depart your last destination headed for your new home.
But what can sometimes be overlooked within the act of moving is the administration involved.
From signing rental agreements to setting up mortgage payments and taking out the right insurance, there’s a significant amount of work that needs to occur behind the scenes which goes beyond the physical act of relocating.
Here are just some of the administration tasks involved in moving house…
The paper work
Regardless of whether your new home is one you own or one you are renting, there is inevitable paperwork involved.
If you’ve purchased, this includes things like setting up your mortgage payment, and organising your rates bills with council.
If you’re renting, you’ll need to finalise the Entry Condition Report, and set up your regular rental payments.
In either case, there’s also the task of changing your postal address. You might want to put a mail redirection from your previous address in place, and you will also need to contact relevant organisations to advise them of your new address, including:
- The motor registry
- Australian Electoral Commission
- Centrelink
- Banking and financial institutions
- Medical providers
- Educational facilities
Connections and services
One of the first tasks involved in setting up a new home is having your utilities connected, including electricity, phone, and internet.
Often you can do this before you even move in, but in addition to this there might be a few teething issues you might need to work through.
This includes:
- Locating the relevant phone socket for your internet connection
- Finding the electricity power box for your home
- Establishing where the TV antenna is located (and perhaps purchasing a reception booster, if required)
- Determining which day is bin day
In some instances, you might need to contact an electrician, phone installer, or TV reception specialist to have things connected or the outlets shifted to where they would best suit your needs.
Switches and controls
Along with connecting utilities to the property, there’s also the very real task of locating exactly where everything is and understanding how things work.
For example, what light switch controls your outdoor lighting? How exactly does the central heating work and what’s involved in programming it to suit your routine?
Some properties also have additional things to consider, such as water pumps, pool filters or security systems.
Each of these takes time to learn about, remember and understand.
Meanwhile, some things might not be working as well as you’d hoped, which might mean you need to call in tradespeople or have a repair organised.
Insurance
Regardless of whether you rent or own the home, insurance is required.
If you own the property, this insurance will take the form of both building insurance and contents insurance.
If you’re renting, it’s important to take out personal contents insurance.
The final word
They say moving is among the most stressful situations we encounter in our lifetime on a list that also includes divorce and bereavement.
But while moving does come with its fair share of tasks and change, it doesn’t have to be overly stressful, with a little organisation and patience.
How we can help
Our experienced property managers pride themselves on establishing great relationships with both rental occupiers and owners.
We manage every property as if it were our own and you can learn more about our property management services here.
Alternatively, if you are looking to rent a property, you can view the properties we currently have available here.
