Moving into a rental property

Allow yourself plenty of time to pack your belongings and get ready to move. Moving is a great time to have a clear-out and get rid of things you don’t want or need any more. It’s worth collecting boxes and other packaging material in advance to help protect your more fragile items.

Clear your schedule and pick a moving day (or days!) that suit you where possible. You’ll avoid unnecessary extra stress if moving house is the only thing you have to worry about.

As you are renting, you will not be required to have buildings insurance. However, you will need to purchase contents insurance to cover your personal belongings, including any household appliances that you bring with you. This is not a legal requirement, however many landlords will have it as a condition of the tenancy; be sure to check your contract for the details. Your landlord’s insurance will only cover their own property and belongings.

To discuss your requirements, you can speak to one of the team at our partners, First2Protect, who can offer a range of products tailored to your requirements. They’ll establish your specific needs before finding the most suitable product for you from their panel of insurers.

Notify key organisations of your change of address:

• Utility providers
• Bank and employer
• GP or healthcare providers
• DVLA

Set up a Royal Mail redirection to avoid missing important post. Also, contact utility suppliers and your local council to:

• Open accounts
• Provide opening meter readings
• Ensure you are billed correctly from your move-in date

Some letting agents offer assistance with utility registration—check what services are available.

In most cases, your landlord will arrange to have an independent inventory made prior to you moving in. If this is the case, we will send a copy to you once we receive it.

This document records:

• The condition of the property
• Fixtures, fittings, and furniture included

Important:

• Review the inventory carefully
• Make any amendments if needed
• Sign and return it within 7 days

This important document will be used for any deposit negotiation at the end of your tenancy, so make sure you make any necessary amendments or adjustments then sign and return it to us within 7 days.

What to do with CO alarms

Landlords are legally responsible for ensuring:

• Smoke alarms are fitted on every floor
• Carbon monoxide alarms are installed in rooms with solid fuel burning appliances (wood, coal, etc.)

They must ensure these alarms are working at the start of the tenancy.

Tenant responsibilities:

• Test alarms regularly (recommended monthly)
• Replace batteries where required
• Report faults promptly to the landlord or agent, so they can arrange a replacement

You are required to pay your rent in cleared funds by standing order each month, so be sure to complete the form provided to set this up (provided with your Tenancy Agreement) and send to your bank. Banks will only take an instruction from you and we cannot set it up for you. Alternatively, you can also set this up online using the account details and the reference provided.

Hopefully these points will help you tick off most of the important tasks so you can focus on getting settled in your new home.