Moving Into a New House Checklist UK 2026: Day 1 to Month 1 + Free PDF

The new home checklist: first hour to first month

Five stages in the order they come. Tick them off as you go.

1. The first hour: before a single box is opened

Ten minutes of checks now save arguments with suppliers, landlords and removal firms later. Do these before the van is unloaded if you can.

Read the gas, electricity and water meters and photograph each one with the date visible. These are the readings your accounts start from.
Find the stopcock (usually under the kitchen sink or where the water main enters), the fuse box and the gas isolation valve, and check the stopcock actually turns.
Find the boiler, check it is on and that there is hot water and heating. If not, look for the timer and the thermostat before calling anyone.
Walk every room and photograph the condition, including any marks, damage or anything left behind. Renters: compare against the check-in inventory as you go.
Count the keys you have been given, including window keys, meter cupboard and any outbuildings, and note who else might still have a set.
Test the smoke alarms and the carbon monoxide alarm. Buy replacements the same day if any are missing or do not sound.
Run the taps for a minute if the property has been empty, and check under sinks and around the toilet and bath for leaks.
Check your belongings off against your inventory as they come in, and photograph any damage before the removal crew leaves. Our home inventory tool makes this quick.

2. Moving-in day: set up the rooms you will use tonight

Aim for a working bedroom, bathroom and kettle by the time it gets dark. Everything else can wait.

Open the essentials box first: kettle, mugs, toilet roll, hand soap, towels, chargers, medication and a change of clothes.
Make up the beds before you are too tired to find the sheets.
Put the fridge and freezer in place, let them stand for a few hours if they travelled on their side, then switch them on and move the cold food in.
Set up the bathroom: shower curtain, bath mat, towels, toilet roll, soap and the toiletries bag.
Plug in the broadband router if the service is already live; if not, check the activation date and set up a phone hotspot for the evening.
Children and pets: set up their room or a quiet corner first with familiar things, food, water and a litter tray or bed.
Give the removal crew the room plan, check nothing is left on the van and sign the paperwork only once you have seen everything come in.
Flatten the empty boxes as you go and keep the packing paper in one bag; it is the fastest way to get floor space back.
Order food in, find the bins, lock up and check all external doors and windows close and lock properly before bed.

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The New Home Checklist, as a printable PDF

All five stages with tick boxes, the renters’ and buyers’ lists, the room-by-room shopping list and space for your own jobs. We’ll email it straight to you.

3. The first 48 hours: services, safety and security

The admin that stops bills, cover and connections falling through the cracks.

Tell the current gas and electricity supplier you have moved in and give them your opening readings. Until you switch, you are on their standard tariff, so compare deals once the account is set up.
Register with the water company for the area and give your reading. You cannot choose a water supplier, but you can ask about a meter if there is not one.
Register for council tax with the new council from the day you got the keys, and claim the 25% single-person discount if you live alone.
Change the locks if you own the home, or ask the landlord who else holds keys if you rent. You rarely know how many copies the previous occupants made.
Put home insurance in place from day one: buildings cover from exchange or completion if you own, contents cover from the day you move in.
Confirm your broadband activation date and whether an engineer visit is needed. Most providers need one to two weeks’ notice, so chase it if nothing is booked.
Find out the bin and recycling collection days, what goes in which bin, and where the bins live. The council website has a postcode lookup.
Apply for a resident parking permit if the street has controlled parking; you will need proof of the new address.
Register new appliances for their warranties and for safety recalls, and keep the manuals and guarantees in one folder.

Progress is saved on this device only.

Moving into a rented house or flat

The first week of a tenancy decides how the last week goes. Deposit disputes are won and lost on the check-in inventory and the photos you take now, and the safety paperwork you are entitled to is easiest to ask for before you have unpacked.

Renting? The check-in list

Most deposit disputes are decided on the paperwork from the first week. Get these right and the move-out is simple.

Go through the check-in inventory room by room, add anything it misses (marks, scuffs, worn carpet, missing items) and send your amendments to the agent or landlord in writing within the window they give you, usually seven days.
Photograph everything, including inside the oven and fridge, the state of the walls, the garden and the meter readings, and keep the photos somewhere dated.
Check your deposit has been protected with one of the government-approved schemes within 30 days and that you have received the prescribed information. See our end of tenancy checklist for what the move-out side looks like.
Make sure you have the gas safety certificate, the Energy Performance Certificate, the electrical safety report and, in England, the current How to Rent guide.
Test the smoke alarms on each floor and the carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a boiler, fire or stove. The landlord must provide these; you are responsible for telling them if they fail.
Report any repairs in writing straight away, even small ones, so there is a record that they were not caused by you.
Ask how the landlord wants to be contacted for emergencies, and who to call if the boiler fails out of hours.
Check what you are allowed to change: picture hooks, painting, pets, satellite dishes. Get permission in writing before you do anything you cannot undo.

Moving into a house you have bought

Once completion has gone through, a handful of jobs only matter to owners: the locks, the paperwork, the guarantees, and for a new build the snagging list that starts on day one.

Bought the house? The owner’s list

A few things that only matter once the keys are yours.

Change the locks on all external doors and keep the receipts; you have no idea how many keys are in circulation.
Ask your solicitor to confirm the Land Registry registration has gone through, and keep the completion statement and the title documents together.
Read the meters on completion day, send them to the suppliers, and check the previous owner has closed their accounts so you do not inherit a bill.
Find out what is guaranteed: boiler, windows, roof, damp-proofing and any building work. Some guarantees need transferring into your name within a set time.
New build: start your snagging list on day one and send it to the builder in writing. Defects are normally covered for two years, with structural cover for ten.
Find the boundaries on the title plan and work out which fences are yours to maintain.
Check the buildings insurance started on exchange (freehold) or that the freeholder’s policy covers you (leasehold), and set up contents cover.
Leasehold: find the managing agent, the service charge dates and the rules on works, pets and subletting before you need them.

New home essentials: the shopping list

The things people end up buying in the first week, grouped by room so one trip covers it. Check what came with the house first; previous owners sometimes leave bulbs, curtains and a toolkit, and sometimes take the lot.

Before the first box is opened

Toilet roll, hand soap, bin bags and a multi-surface cleaner
Light bulbs (check the fittings) and a torch
Kettle, mugs, tea and coffee, and milk
Extension leads and multi-socket adaptors
Smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm if any are missing

Bathroom

Shower curtain or screen seal, bath mat and towels
Toilet brush, loo cleaner and a plunger
Bathroom bin and a mirror if there is none

Kitchen

Washing-up liquid, sponges, tea towels and a drying rack
A pan, a frying pan, a chopping board and a sharp knife if you are starting fresh
Kitchen bin and bin liners that fit it
Foil, cling film, food containers and a few basic store-cupboard items

Bedroom and living room

Curtains or a temporary blind; new builds and rentals often have bare windows
Bed linen and spare pillows for the first guests
Door mat, coat hooks and somewhere to put keys
Picture hooks, Command strips and a spirit level

Tools and safety

Basic toolkit: screwdrivers, Allen keys, hammer, tape measure, pliers
Step ladder for the bulbs, the curtains and the loft hatch
Fire blanket for the kitchen and a small first-aid kit
A folder for the manuals, warranties, certificates and meter readings you now own

Tools and guides that go with this checklist

Change of address checklist: every organisation to tell, with lead times and links to the official forms.
Home inventory tool: check your belongings in against the list you made at the other end.
Moving house checklist: the 8-week countdown to moving day, with a free PDF.
End of tenancy checklist: for the property you have just left, if you rented it.
Storage for what does not fit: collected from your door, by the box or by the room.

New home checklist FAQs

What should I do first when moving into a new house?

Before you unpack anything: read and photograph the gas, electricity and water meters, find the stopcock and fuse box, check the boiler gives heating and hot water, test the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and photograph the condition of every room. Then set up the bedroom, bathroom and kettle so the first night works, and leave the rest for tomorrow.

Who do I need to inform when I move into a new house?

In the first 48 hours: the gas and electricity supplier for the property (with your opening readings), the water company, and the council for council tax. In the first week: register to vote, register with a GP, update your TV Licence, and work through banks, employer, DVLA, HMRC, pensions, insurers and subscriptions. Our free change of address checklist has every organisation with the lead time for each.

How do I set up gas and electricity in a new home?

You do not have to do anything to keep the lights on: the property already has a supplier and you are automatically on their standard tariff from the day you move in. Find out who it is (the previous occupant, the landlord, or the free “find my supplier” services online), tell them you have moved in and give them your opening meter readings. Once the account is in your name you can switch to a cheaper tariff or supplier.

What do I need to buy for a new house?

For the first day: toilet roll, hand soap, bin bags, a multi-surface cleaner, light bulbs, a torch, the kettle and extension leads. In the first week: a shower curtain and bath mat, bins for the kitchen and bathroom, curtains or a temporary blind, a basic toolkit, a step ladder, and a fire blanket and first-aid kit. The shopping list on this page is grouped by room.

Should I change the locks when I move into a new house?

If you own it, yes, on the first day if you can: you have no way of knowing how many keys the previous owners, their family, cleaners and tradespeople still have. A locksmith can change the cylinders on most doors in under an hour. If you rent, you normally need the landlord’s permission; ask who else holds keys and request a change if you are not satisfied with the answer.

What should I check when moving into a rented property?

The check-in inventory against the actual condition of every room, with dated photos; that your deposit has been protected within 30 days; that you have the gas safety certificate, EPC, electrical safety report and (in England) the How to Rent guide; and that the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms work. Send any amendments to the inventory in writing within the window the agent gives you, usually seven days. The renters’ section above has the full list.

Is there a printable PDF of this new home checklist?

Yes. The whole checklist, from the first hour to the first month, with the renters’ and buyers’ lists and the room-by-room shopping list, is available as a free printable PDF. Enter your email in the download box on this page and we will send it to you; you can also download it straight away once you have done so.

Moving Into a New House Checklist: The First Hour, Day, Week and Month (+ Free PDF)