The £1,000 mistake Brits make when moving home

New homeowners and soon-to-be movers are being urged to follow advice to avoid being hit with large financial penalties. 

Experts at Quotezone.co.uk are urging Brits to make sure they are ticking off all necessary checklists when they move house.

This comes after research revealed 6.6% of Brits forgot to update the address on their driving licence after moving house.

Failure to update this basic information on a driving licence can leave Britons with a fine of up to £1,000. 

There are other important steps homeowners should remember to take when moving to a new address, including updating the DVLA, submitting a final metre reading and informing the bank. 

Founder and CEO of Quotezone.co.uk, Greg Wilson, said: “Moving house can be a really stressful process and there are so many things that need remembered in the build-up and on the big day itself, like redirecting mail and alerting energy suppliers.  Some items, seemingly less important on the day, could actually result in serious consequences. 

Here are Quotezone.co.uk’s top steps to remember when moving to help avoid fines: 

• Change of address for driving licence 

If you have recently moved house, you must contact the DVLA to update them of your change of address. It does not cost anything to change your address and you can still drive with your current licence while you wait for your new one to be delivered. 

• Alert your energy provider 

Before leaving your current home, it’s important to let your energy provider know about your move in enough time to make the process smooth and simple. Providing the company with your new home address means they can send the final bill to your new home to let you know if there are any outstanding payments to be made. Remember to submit a final metre reading on the day you move out of your property. Those who forget this crucial step could find themselves being charged for energy usage of the new tenant or from a daily standing charge if the property is left empty for some time. 

• Update your pets microchip  

The microchipping law was put in place in April 2016 for dogs and just recently for cats, in March 2023.  Owners are legally required to make sure their furry friend is fitted with a microchip unless they have health conditions that prevent them from the procedure – if caught without a microchip, it can lead to a £500 fine, cat owners have until June 2024 to comply.  Owners are also responsible for updating their contact details, including any change of address which should be updated on the microchip database, failing to do so could land them another £500 fine.

• Council tax

It’s important to update the local council when you’re changing addresses. Ignoring this step could result in being overcharged for your council tax or being stung with a financial penalty. The council is likely to require your new address, old address, name of the new tenant or owner of your previous address and the details of the solicitor dealing with the sale. 

• Update your finances  

To make sure no confidential letters containing bank details are sent to your previous address, you must remember to inform the bank of your new address. Letting them know of your plans to move early in the process. You may also need to get in touch with any stores you hold cards for and any other direct debits you have in place.  This is also true for any insurance policies you hold – failure to update the details with your correct address could void the policy, especially when it comes to home or car insurance. 

For savings on household bills and essentials, such as energy comparison, home or pet insurance, Quotezone.co.uk can help.