Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Final Checklist Before Packing to Move

Just before you move, you should go through the following checklist and ensure you've taken care of everything on it.

Have you arranged new utilities for your new house?
Have you taken final meter readings and phoned them in – or will phone them in on the first day the utilities are open?
Have you informed your bank, mobile phone and any other companies who regularly bill you at your old address of your new address?
Do you regularly contract a gardener, milk delivery, maid service or other third party service that you need to cancel?
Have you arranged a mail redirect?
Have you turned off the gas, water and electricity, if asked?
Have you stopped all utilities, and informed any tax or local authorities of your move so that they can adjust your final bill and have it forwarded to your house?
Is everything packed, removed, binned or accounted for?
If you are leaving furniture, have you checked that there's nothing in, underneath, behind or on top of it?
Have you fulfilled any items that will ensure the return of your deposit (if you had one?)
Is everything packed and clearly marked?
Have you paid, or do you have the means to pay for your new house, if required?
Have you clearly explained, or marked out any repairs required within your old house?
Have you left any manuals that you don't need, for appliances or items you're leaving behind?
Have you transferred things like your driver's license, visa, passport or work permit to your new address?

Once you've ensured you've taken care of everything, you can move on to your new house knowing that you're able to continue your life without fear of disruption, identity theft or needing to contact the new occupants of the house with your problems. You'll also be able to relax and enjoy the move itself.

Booking your Van - Residential Relocation

Booking your Van

Unless you're moving a very short distance and can do many hops in your own transport - or if you're moving with a group of people (such as in the Military), or your family has access to a suitable van, its important to book your van as far in advance as possible, to allow you to ensure that you get your van.

You can collect quotes online based on your move date and expected destination - and the phone and confirm and discuss these quotes if necessary. During this phone call, you can also ask about anything you've got concerns about, if anything.

You'll need to decide whether you're moving yourself and just hiring a van, or hiring a van and moving team. Or even hiring a company to take care of it all, from packing to moving you to your new home and arranging your belongings so that you can unpack.

You may also need some basic information on the amount of items you want to move, the sizes of your bulky items, and whether you'll be moving into a house that's up stairs or an elevator - and what access you have, as some companies charge premiums for this if you're using their team to move. Access includes whether its a long way to your front door, or if parking is readily available, or conversely, difficult.

Booking your own van can be pretty straight forward - once you work out how large a van you need. An average four bedroom house requires around a ten tonne van, but some families have less belongings, and some have more, so its important to judge carefully and ask around rental firms for their opinion. You'll may also have to pay a deposit on your van so you should take that, and your petrol requirements into account - so that you can budget accordingly. These may or may not be included in your final price for rental, so you may need to look closely at each quote before deciding which one works for you.

Moving House

Moving House

The average person moves house several times in their lifetime. Moving for a job, more space, or a change of scenery, its one of the most stressful, and rewarding times for the majority of people. From moving a few doors down, to across a continent, moving house is one of the most important things, and sometimes the hardest to organize.

From collecting supplies - buying boxes and tape, to packing your house up, cleaning and moving to your new home, its an adventure for all involved. Small and home offices are also usually quite interesting to move - a new area for local clients and a nightmare for people that run services online, so its important to plan accordingly and ensure that you've made plans to cover yourself during the move. Your small office may be the last thing you actually pack fully, but you can start by cleaning through your paperwork and ensuring everything you've got has storage - if you run a craft business or have a hobby that takes up space, its always good practice, as soon as you've heard you'll be moving, to start clearing and boxing up your non essential supplies.

It takes careful planning to move house, but you can do so via the web at http://movingplan.com or http://helpiammoving.com - two great sites that help you plan your move and give you an idea where to start. Most importantly, you need to start planning as soon as you know you're moving - so that you're as organized as possible.

Whether you're selling your house or moving due to a new baby, need for more, or less space, because you're renting and need to move on, or are going to let your own house and move into another one - moving can be stressful....but it can also be a lot of fun.

Need To Move but I Have My Rental Contract

Rental contracts

When renting a house, you have to consider your own rights and needs before signing that lease. Leases protect tenants and landlords rights alike - these rights are laid out fully in any lease you sign.
Leases are considered legal contracts, so its important you know what you're signing and what you're giving up.

Your lease should contain your rent details, and how much grace you'll have if you have problems paying. Your lease will also detail who your landlord is and give you contact details for them. You'll need to consider what your lease should cover - whether you're allowed pets or to redecorate. It should outline what your responsibilities are to do with the house - whether you'll be responsible for the house - whether you'll be required to keep the garden, if you have one - what bills your rental cost covers, what taxes and fees to do with the house you'll be required to pay and how long your lease is for.

A short hold lease is 6 months, and other leases can last longer. An average of around a year is a good length, though it all depends on how comfortable you are with the idea of possibly moving again within 12 months. It should also detail how long it renews for, when it renews.

You'll need to ensure your notice period is a fair one - and get information on how that will work. Its always a good idea to make sure your landlord is responsible for any breakages, such as the heating, boiler, or plumbing - and that you are only responsible for minor breakages, if at all. Optional additions to your lease might include whether you're responsible for window breakages, and other minor things - and whether you need to take out insurance to cover your property or whether that's included.

The most important thing to remember about your lease is that you should be completely satisfied with it, and that it doesn't put you in a position that's unreasonable, or unmanageable. Good leases give you the power to live in the home comfortably, without paying the major bills, and those leases are also usually the most acceptable for both tenant and landlord.