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UK moving and property guides
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Moving guides
Moving checklists, removal quotes, packing, utilities and settling in.
Moving House Checklist: What to Do Before and After Moving
A UK house move is easiest to organise in six stages: inventory and quotes six to eight weeks out; packing, parking and utilities two to four weeks out; final confirmations the week before; loading, keys and meter readings on moving day; then bills and address updates afterwards. If buying, keep your removal date flexible until completion is confirmed.
Read the full answerWho to Notify When Moving House in the UK
When you move, tell your old and new councils, gas, electricity, water and broadband providers, bank, insurer, employer, healthcare providers and electoral registration service. Update your driving licence and vehicle V5C separately if applicable. HMRC says to update your personal tax address after the move, not before; Northern Ireland's licensing process differs.
Read the full answerHow to Compare Removal Quotes Without Hidden Surprises
Compare removal quotes only after giving every company the same inventory, moving addresses, floors, parking and access details, estimated moving date and packing requirements. Check the total price or hourly minimum, number of movers and vans, insurance limits and excess, dismantling, key-waiting charges, VAT and cancellation rules before choosing.
Read the full answerMoving House Utilities Checklist: Gas, Electricity, Water and Broadband
Before moving, arrange electricity, gas, water and broadband at your new home and tell the existing suppliers when responsibility ends at the old home. On the day, photograph dated final and opening meter readings, take account numbers and keep the photographs until the final bills are settled. Broadband transfers and installations can need advance notice.
Read the full answerCouncil Tax When Moving House: Who to Tell and When
When moving in England, Scotland or Wales, inform the council for your old home and the council for your new home of your move dates and household circumstances. Liability, discounts and any overlap depend on occupancy and the property's status; request a closing bill and set up the new account. Northern Ireland charges domestic rates instead of Council Tax.
Read the full answerMoving House Packing Checklist: Room by Room
Pack non-essential items first, room by room, and label each box with its destination and a brief contents description. Protect fragile items, keep heavy boxes manageable, bag furniture screws, photograph dismantling and carry medicines, documents, keys and valuables yourself. Leave an overnight bag, chargers and cleaning supplies accessible.
Read the full answerCost of Moving House in the UK: The Full Budget Checklist
Professional UK removal costs commonly fall somewhere between about £400 and over £1,000 according to MoneyHelper, but the actual price depends on how much you own, distance, floors, parking, number of movers and whether packing or storage is needed. This is a moving-service benchmark, not the total cost of buying or selling a home or a fixed quotation.
Read the full answerMoving Day Checklist: What to Do Before You Hand Over the Keys
On moving day, keep your keys, ID, medicines, phone, chargers and moving paperwork with you; protect floors, confirm the loading inventory and take final gas and electricity readings. Before leaving, check every room and secure the property. At the new address, verify lawful key handover, photograph opening readings, inspect delivered items and set up essential rooms first.
Read the full answerBuying guides
Deposits, mortgage decisions, surveys, conveyancing and keys.
First-Time Buyer Guide: Costs, Steps and Getting the Keys
To buy your first home, calculate the deposit and the cash needed for tax, legal fees, survey and moving costs; obtain a mortgage agreement in principle, view properties, offer, arrange mortgage and legal checks, commission a survey, then exchange and complete. In England and Wales an accepted offer is generally not binding until exchange. Scotland and Northern Ireland use different processes.
Read the full answerCompletion Delayed? What to Do About Keys, Removals and Storage
If completion is delayed, contact your conveyancer immediately to establish whether contracts have exchanged and whether completion is contractually due. Tell the seller, estate agent and removals company through the appropriate channels; confirm waiting, cancellation and storage costs and arrange temporary accommodation if needed. Do not assume the keys can be released until the seller's solicitor confirms completion.
Read the full answerCompletion Day and Getting the Keys: What Buyers and Sellers Need to Know
In England and Wales, the buyer normally gets the keys on completion day after the buyer's solicitor sends the completion funds and the seller's solicitor confirms receipt and authorises key release. Exchange of contracts is the earlier legally binding stage; it does not itself give you possession. Arrange removals around an uncertain handover time, not a guaranteed morning collection.
Read the full answerHow to Buy a House: The Process from Budget to Keys
To buy a home in England or Wales, establish a deposit and full purchase budget, obtain a mortgage agreement in principle if needed, find a property, negotiate an offer, appoint a conveyancer, complete mortgage and survey checks, review searches and legal enquiries, exchange binding contracts and finally complete and collect the keys. Scotland and Northern Ireland follow different legal procedures.
Read the full answerConveyancing Explained: Searches, Enquiries, Exchange and Completion
Conveyancing is the legal process of checking the property, preparing the contract and transferring ownership from seller to buyer. In England and Wales, a conveyancer checks the title and contract, orders searches, raises enquiries, deals with the mortgage, exchanges binding contracts and transfers the purchase funds on completion. A mortgage valuation is not a substitute for an independent condition survey, and unresolved title or chain issues can delay the transfer.
Read the full answerMortgage Agreement in Principle: What It Means and What Comes Next
A mortgage agreement in principle (AIP), also called a decision in principle, is a lender's provisional indication of what it might lend based on initial information. It is not a guaranteed mortgage offer: final approval depends on full affordability and credit checks, supporting documents and the property. Some lenders use a soft credit search for an AIP; others use a hard search.
Read the full answerHow Much Deposit Do You Need to Buy a House?
Your house deposit is the part of the purchase price you pay from your own funds rather than borrowing from the mortgage lender. On a £300,000 home, a 5% deposit is £15,000, a 10% deposit is £30,000 and a 20% deposit is £60,000. Loan-to-value (LTV) is the mortgage divided by the property value. You also need separate money for applicable property tax, legal fees, surveys, moving and emergency reserves.
Read the full answerWhich House Survey Do You Need? Level 1, 2 and 3 Explained
RICS Home Survey Level 1 reports visible condition at a basic level; Level 2 adds advice about defects, repairs and maintenance; Level 3 is a more detailed visual survey of construction, defects and repair options. A lender's mortgage valuation is not a buyer's condition survey. Even Level 3 normally does not expose every hidden defect or automatically include a market valuation.
Read the full answerSelling guides
Estate-agent fees, preparation, conveyancing and sale timelines.
Cost of Selling a House: What to Budget For
The amount you keep from selling a home is the sale price minus the outstanding mortgage and secured debts, estate-agent fee, conveyancing costs, any early-repayment charge, required EPC, agreed repair costs and moving expenses. Ask for VAT-inclusive written fees and your lender's current redemption figure; an asking price is not money you can assume you will receive.
Read the full answerHow to Sell a House in England and Wales: Step-by-Step
To sell a home in England or Wales, calculate any mortgage redemption and selling costs, decide on an estate agent, prepare property records and any required EPC, market the home, consider offers, instruct conveyancers, answer enquiries and agree an exchange and completion date. Accepting an offer alone usually does not create a binding sale contract; exchange does.
Read the full answerPreparing Your House for Sale: Practical Checklist
Before marketing, tidy and clean the property, fix obvious defects, assemble tenure and building-work paperwork, organise good-quality photographs and ensure a valid EPC exists or is commissioned if required. Compare estate-agent valuations with nearby sold prices rather than trusting an inflated asking price. Do not conceal material defects or spend heavily on renovations without evidence they will pay back.
Read the full answerEstate Agent Fees Explained: Contracts, VAT and Hidden Costs
Estate agents charge either a percentage of the agreed sale price or a fixed amount, depending on their contract. Compare the total including VAT, marketing and viewings included, payment trigger, contract length, exclusivity or sole-selling-rights clauses and whether you could owe two agents. For example, 1.2% including VAT on a £300,000 sale is £3,600.
Read the full answerHow Long Does It Take to Sell a House? UK Timelines and Delays
Selling a home in England or Wales takes about five months on average according to GOV.UK, but an individual sale can be much quicker or slower. Finding a buyer, mortgage approvals, conveyancing, leasehold paperwork and property chains all affect the timetable. Do not commit to an unconditional removal date before the legal completion date is agreed.
Read the full answerRenting guides
Preparing to rent and planning the move under the applicable tenancy rules.
Landlords guides
Responsibilities, compliance and evaluating rental returns.
Rental Yield Explained: Gross, Net and Cash Flow
Gross rental yield is annual rent divided by the property purchase price, multiplied by 100 to give a percentage. For example, £1,000 monthly rent on a £240,000 property produces 5% gross yield. Net yield is lower once you subtract maintenance, insurance, management, voids and other operating costs; mortgage payments and income tax need separate cash-flow calculations.
Read the full answerLandlord Checklist: Before Letting a Property in England
Before letting a home in England, check mortgage and lease permission, local licensing, gas and electrical safety, smoke and carbon-monoxide alarm obligations, EPC, deposit protection and the prescribed tenancy information. For covered private assured tenancies, the Renters' Rights Act changes effective 1 May 2026 require periodic agreements, restrict rent in advance and rental bidding, and end new section 21 no-fault evictions.
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