Moving house can be an expensive time, with estate agent’s fees, redecorating, and new furniture purchases to contend with. It’s definitely not a time when you want incur to unnecessary charges, simply because you didn’t wrap up the bills properly on your old home. Here’s some essential things to tick off your list before the big day.
 
Inform your energy supplier
If you do not tell your energy company before you move out, you could be overcharged, or even end up paying for energy you did not use. Something to avoid, especially as energy bills are soaring for householders at the moment. Tell your supplier in advance when you are moving out, and submit a final meter reading on the day.
 
Be sure to pass on the new address, or let them know if you change your email address, so that they can send you the final bill. Your account may be in credit, so if you are not sticking with the same provider, you will be due a refund. If it is in debit, pay it off promptly to avoid incurring interest charges.
 
You may be charged an early exit from your energy contract if you change providers before your deal is up. Some providers will let you carry over your tariff to a new property. However, shop around for the best deals, as sometimes you may still be paying less, even after the exit fee is taken into account.
 
Take the water meter readings
Another important admin chore not to overlook is the water meter readings. Take a photo so that you have it stored in your phone, rather than have to rely on a scrap of paper that will no doubt go missing! This is important, to avoid being unfairly charged for the next occupant’s usage and standing charges.
 
Remember to take all the meter readings in the new house on the day that you move in, and check if the energy and water supplies need to be reactivated. If the agent doesn’t know who the existing supplier is and you are struggling to find out, you can contact the Distribution Network Operator, who will be able to tell you.
 
You are not obliged to have a water meter installed if you don’t want one, and some people prefer to pay a fixed monthly charge. Generally, people who live alone tend to save money with a meter, and large families who use lots of water may be better off with a fixed charge.
 
Inform your local council
Finally, it’s important to transfer your council tax correctly, or you could face a financial penalty. Tell the council in advance the date you are moving out and your new address. They will also probably ask for the name of the new occupant, or the agent dealing with the sale or transfer of tenants.
 
Bear in mind that if you are leaving your current property empty, you may continue to be charged the full rate of council tax, depending on the rules in your area.
 
If you are looking for Man And Van Removals Wakefield, talk to us today.
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The phrase “it’s grim up north” is a well-worn saying, but it’s clearly one many Londoners appear to have seen through, according to a new survey.

Data from Experian shared with the i newspaper has revealed that people from the capital have been swapping urban myths for rural dreams by seeking to move away from the concrete jungle, with several alternatives in the shires proving particularly popular.

While four of the top ten areas people moved away from between September 2019 and February 2022 were London boroughs, rural areas saw the most incomers, with Selby in Yorkshire being one of the most popular of all, running neck-and-neck for the lead with Tewkesbury in the Cotswolds.

The pandemic has been cited as the key reason removal companies in Yorkshire have been busy, as the need for social distancing and the increasing availability of remote working has meant living in easy commuting distance of a city centre office has been of less importance.
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Associate Professor in Economics and Finance of the Built Environment at University College London Dr Nikodem Szumilo told the i this has been a classic case of ”urban flight”.

He explained: “If people were able to live from home but not able to enjoy the amenities they get in the city they simply moved away.”

Now that the restrictions have been removed and the threat of Covid is much diminished, life has become more normal for most. The question will be whether the movement away from cities was a short-term thing.

Of course, if people are now ready to move back into urban areas, that could benefit cities in Yorkshire like Leeds, where large-scale development is taking place in and around the city centre and the population as a whole has risen over the past decade.

In 2020, Leeds was estimated to have a population of 800,000, the largest of any single local authority in the UK bar Birmingham. This was up from 751,000 in the 2011 census.

The 2021 census figures will be published later this year, providing a more precise figure for the city’s population and those of Yorkshire’s other towns and cities.