Most popular house move date revealed as 1st September
Exclusive data from the UK’s largest database of home movers has revealed that the UK’s busiest dates for moving home are just weeks away. The most popular date for UK moves is 1 September, closely followed by the last weekends in July and August.
For anyone considering a move during this period, now is the time to start preparing as new research from Post Office HomePhone reveals that most people do their pre-move preparation at the last minute - leaving them stressed, argumentative and potentially without vital services in their new home.
Although more than one in ten of us (13 per cent) claim that we cannot live without broadband in our new homes, many movers may find themselves out of touch and offline. Over a quarter (26 per cent) leave it until a week or less before moving to transfer their landline, when most providers need at least a fortnight’s notice to keep connections live.
It’s no surprise then that 51 per cent of us of us admit to falling out with friends and loved ones during the moving process. Confirming this, 79 per cent of estate agents have seen rows and tense moments between home buyers during the buying process.
In response to these findings, Post Office HomePhone and property portal movewithus.co.uk, have put together a downloadable checklist with a week by week countdown, to help those planning a home move to be more organised and avoid stress. The guide is available at postoffice.co.uk/homemoverchecklist.
Highlighting that we are a nation of poorly prepared movers, the Post Office research also showed:
42 per cent cancel bills and notify suppliers a week or less before moving
28 per cent only notify their bank and other officials of their new address a week or less before their moving date
27 per cent tell friends and family their new address a week or less before moving in
Yet:
26 per cent of us buy furniture before we move
15 per cent of movers start thinking about how to decorate their new home a whole month before moving
Hugh Stacey, Head of Post Office HomePhone, explained: "Our findings show a surprisingly large number of people who make little or no effort to plan their move in advance, despite it being a huge life event. Although movers are keen to sort out their furniture and plan their decoration, practical things such as redirecting their mail and arranging for a landline in their new home are often left until only a few days before leaving their old property.
"We have put together the Home Mover Checklist to help those planning their move during the peak moving period this summer, to minimise the stress that it inevitably brings. With 51 per cent of us admitting to arguing with friends and loved ones through the moving process, the guide will help keep the strains and anxieties at bay, and can be downloaded at postoffice.co.uk/homemoverchecklist."
Top tips include:
Keep an inventory list of each box and its contents - vital for organisation and for insurance purposes
Give your utilities providers, especially your telephone and broadband supplier, one month’s notice of your intention to move
Organise a box of basic supplies that you will need on the day of the move
For information about the Post Office’s telecoms landline services - HomePhone and Broadband - visit postoffice.co.uk.