Moving house, have I done everything?

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David321

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#315702 8-Aug-2024 08:17

Hi all,

As the title suggests my wife and I are moving house and its our first time doing so after purchasing our first home 13 years ago.

I am trying to cover all my bases in the whole process and think I have managed to do everything necessary so far such as -

Insurance on new place
Contents insurance address change
Internet arranged
Electricity arranged
All above utilities canceled for old home.

If there is anything I have missed please let me know, (lawyers do rates and water bills)

One thing on my mind now is mail that will probably be sent to us at our old address. I have filled out a temporary mail redirection form on the NZ Post website (didn't realize these were only temporary and you pay for how long you want the redirection to last), I have selected 4 months. But I think with this it would be up to the new owners of our old place to write something on the envelope and put it in a post box? something I cant be sure they will do. Is there something they should do if they were to receive my mail considering I have a mail redirection set up? for example do they write "not at this address" and put in a post box? I could ask our agent to request this of them, still no guarantee they will do it though.

I am wondering if this is all I can do in regards to our mail short of brainstorming every possible organization that may send us mail and updating our address with each of them?

_David_

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#3269376 8-Aug-2024 08:23

Make friends with the new occupants of your old place, are you changing cities?

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Behodar

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#3269380 8-Aug-2024 08:31

My understanding (which may be wrong!) of the mail redirection is that any mail addressed to your name at your old address will be redirected by the post office (scanning/OCRing the address), before it actually makes it to the old house.

bagheera

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#3269384 8-Aug-2024 08:43

"I am wondering if this is all I can do in regards to our mail short of brainstorming every possible organization that may send us mail and updating our address with each of them?"

You should be doing this - as a new owner there will be only so much effect I would put into re-directing mail that the old owner was too lazy to sort - if there is a lot I would just go stuff it I am not getting paid to sort your mail.

Senecio

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#3269386 8-Aug-2024 08:46

Looks like you have everything covered.

Just use the next 4 months to make sure you change your address on of your important accounts. Better still, if they allow it change your settings to receive important information by email. We've been in our house for 7 yrs now and we stil get mail for the previous owners. We used drop in to the local post office with "not at this address" on it but we stopped that after a year. If they haven't take care of it in that time its obviously not mportant to them.

Stu

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#3269388 8-Aug-2024 08:53

Have you checked your contents are covered during the moving process? Can depend on whether you're moving the items yourself or using a moving company. Best to check.

People often mistake me for an adult because of my age.

Keep calm, and carry on posting.

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floydbloke

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#3269394 8-Aug-2024 08:59

David321:

Hi all,

...

I am trying to cover all my bases in the whole process and think I have managed to do everything necessary so far such as -

Insurance on new place
Contents insurance address change
Internet arranged
Electricity arranged
All above utilities canceled for old home.
...

I am wondering if this is all I can do in regards to our mail short of brainstorming every possible organization that may send us mail and updating our address with each of them?

Have you arranged the physical move?

Sometimes I use big words I don't always fully understand in an effort to make myself sound more photosynthesis.

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Wakrak

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#3269402 8-Aug-2024 09:14

These aren't necessary, just nice to haves.

Start putting together a list of all the websites/businesses where you need to change your address. You don't have to do it straight away but it's a good way to not have to reserve space in your head for it. Bank(s), PayPal, Amazon, clubs, supermarket loyalty cards etc. I usually just do it in my phone notes.

A few times I've had a parcel sent to the wrong address because I was so used to the default address being the correct location.

For bins, Hamilton uses the Antenno app. Might be something similar where you are? Handy if the new location is quite different. Don't have to look up what bin goes out since you'll get an alert the night before.

CYaBro

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#3269412 8-Aug-2024 09:48

Throw out everything you've been hoarding before you move! 🤣

We got rid of so much stuff before we moved to the South Island and it still took two 20 foot containers to get the rest down here.
Depending on how far you are moving it may be cheaper to sell all your furniture and appliances and start again.

If we had to move that far again that's what we would do.

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Scott3

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#3269413 8-Aug-2024 09:52

The Physical move is the big bit.

Truck / Trailer rental if you are going to do it yourself, Or booking movers if not.

You will want to have most of your stuff packed into boxes well before the move either way, and those boxes need to be arranged.

Personally I am quite a fan of the plastic rental boxes, vs cardboard. Sturdy, no need for taping / cutting, stackable, and of course you have a deadline to force you to actual unpack everything after the move.

Rent Plastic Moving Boxes in Austin, TX | Bronko Box

Seriously consider doing a serious per-move in clean (or booking cleaners to). Access is never going to be as good.

If you have an overlap between property occupancy, give some serious thought to what longer term maintenance tasks can be done on the new property before you move in. As an example we replaced our carpet a few years back, requiring a huge amount of effort to move everything off the carpeted area's. If you have a few days up your sleeve (and and appropriate fund'), and the carpet or interior paint is approaching it's end of life, it can be an opportune time to have it done, saving subsequent effort.

If you are still some weeks from the move, give some serious thought to thinning down how much stuff you have. Great opportunity to get rid of surplus stuff to make your mode easier, and your new home less cluttered.

Little point exerting the effort (or paying the cost for commercial movers), to move a bit of furniture which doesn't work with your new home.

Clothes you havn't worn in the last 2 years can go.
Hobbies that you have abandoned can go.
And so on.

Basically make a keep / sell / gift to charity / dump decision on everything you own.

Of course if you are under two weeks from your move, you won't have time to sell stuff.

qwertee

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#3269415 8-Aug-2024 09:57

When you vacate your old place for good, switch off the hot water and cancel any timers you have for appliances ie heatpump etc.(if no one is moving straight away) and take a photo of your meter reading.
Congrats and wish you well on this journey.

cshwone

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#3269424 8-Aug-2024 10:32

If you have a removal company coming in and that includes packing then don't pack anything yourself. That invalidates the insurance they should hold.

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jrdobbs

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#3269824 9-Aug-2024 11:05

CYaBro:

Throw out everything you've been hoarding before you move! 🤣

We got rid of so much stuff before we moved to the South Island and it still took two 20 foot containers to get the rest down here.
Depending on how far you are moving it may be cheaper to sell all your furniture and appliances and start again.

If we had to move that far again that's what we would do.

Yes agree 100%

We did the move to the South Island a couple of years ago and kinda wish i had just got new stuff on arrival. She who must be obeyed wanted all our existing items moved down here.

I don't practice what I preach because I'm not the kind of person I'm preaching to.

richms

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#3269835 9-Aug-2024 11:41

Behodar:

My understanding (which may be wrong!) of the mail redirection is that any mail addressed to your name at your old address will be redirected by the post office (scanning/OCRing the address), before it actually makes it to the old house.

No, it doesnt. I still have crap for people that lived in the house over 20 years ago show sometimes, and stuff for old flatmates.

It all goes in a shoe box, and when I can be bothered it goes to the post off for them to return them all. Might be a year later but there is no timeframe expected to do it.

Richard rich.ms

cddt

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#3269855 9-Aug-2024 12:48

Change address for your car insurance too.

Change vehicle registration address.

Take photos and a walk-through video of the house you have sold prior to settlement. In case of later disputes...

Likewise do a pre-settlement inspection. Think about what is worth chasing vs just fixing yourself. If it's an old house there is sure to be something...

You have to update your address with every company which might send you mail. There's no way around this one. Make a list and when you move house sit down and start doing this ASAP.

I used to return mail for previous residents in the NZ post box with "GNA" or similar written on it. Did that for a few years before saying "stuff it" and chucking it out. Must have been a few dozen different names we got mail for, so it was really ridiculous. Plenty of letters from the Ministry of Justice, CYFS, various debt collectors, banks, finance companies... after five years it started to peter out then weirdly we started to get a whole bunch of rates notices from councils in other parts of the country. Chucked those out too. 👍

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caffynz

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#3269856 9-Aug-2024 12:50

richms:

Behodar:

My understanding (which may be wrong!) of the mail redirection is that any mail addressed to your name at your old address will be redirected by the post office (scanning/OCRing the address), before it actually makes it to the old house.

No, it doesnt. I still have crap for people that lived in the house over 20 years ago show sometimes, and stuff for old flatmates.

Because there's no mail redirection in place.

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