There’s a lot to keep in mind when moving house, both logistically and legally. There are a lot of contracts that need to be managed, ranging from the conveyancing process to setting up your gas and electricity. At SCL Wills & Probate, we pride ourselves on providing sound advice especially when making a huge investment such as buying a home. This is the perfect time to ensure that you have a Will in place. We are also happy for our partners to provide some tips on managing your household contracts when moving house.
Set up a new energy contract as soon as possible
When you’re wading in boxes, it likely won’t occur to you to think about getting new gas and electricity contracts set up. But as our friends at Switch-Plan will tell you, setting up new gas and electricity contracts as soon as you move house can save you money in the long term.
When you move house, you’re automatically placed on a “deemed contract” with the previous occupant’s supplier. This could mean that you are placed on a default variable tariff which may be much more expensive than what you paid before your move. The Switch-Plan team can help
you to find the perfect energy plan for your needs as soon as you move in. So you needn’t spend a penny more than necessary on your energy.
Know your window between exchange and completion
When buying a home , it’s important to time your move properly. Especially if you’re in a chain. It’s important to be aware of the space of time between the exchange of contracts (when you put down your deposit and the sale becomes legally binding) and the completion (when
payment is made to the seller’s solicitor, and ownership transfers to you).
This can be anything from a couple of days to three months. Sometimes exchange and completion can take place on the same day. Typically this period is about two weeks.
Renting? Go over your contract with a fine-toothed comb!
You may assume that if you’ve seen one tenancy agreement you’ve seen them all. But before signing, you should check every item within the agreement to make sure that you won’t inadvertently break it in future. For instance, make sure that you can take care of every item in
the inventory (reasonable wear and tear is okay). See if there are any restrictions that could affect you such as bringing a pet into your home, changing your energy meter, or even switching suppliers.
Consider longer-term contracts for your utilities
Finally, when it comes to setting up your utilities (including energy, phone and broadband), you may find that you get better value for money when you take on a longer-term contract (48 months is pretty common). Suppliers are keen to secure customers for longer periods of time,
and are happy to extend more advantageous rates as an incentive.
Again, the folks at Switch-Plan can help you find a fixed-rate energy plan that insulates you from rising energy costs in the future.