Day one
- Take meter readings (gas, electricity, water) and photograph them. Send them to the suppliers.
- Find the stopcock, the fuse box and the boiler. Know how to turn the water off.
- Check everything the seller said would be there, is. Tell your solicitor today if not.
- Change the locks. You do not know who has keys.
- Test the smoke alarms. Fit them if there are none.
First week
- Council tax: tell the council you have moved in. Single occupant? Claim the 25% discount.
- Utilities: stay with the existing supplier for now (you are on a deemed contract) and then switch to a better deal.
- Broadband: often the longest lead time; book it before you move if you can.
- Contents insurance, if you have not already. Buildings insurance started at exchange.
- Update your address: bank, employer, DVLA (licence and V5C), GP, electoral roll, HMRC, phone, subscriptions. Mail redirect covers the stragglers.
- Register with a GP and dentist if you have moved area.
First month
- Set up a repairs fund. Around 1% of the value a year is a sensible target.
- Put your mortgage deal end date in your calendar, minus six months. That is when you start looking at remortgaging.
- Get a boiler service booked if there is no record of one, and think about boiler cover.
- Read the survey again with a highlighter. Anything it said to keep an eye on, keep an eye on.
- Make a will. It is boring and it matters now.
- Meet the neighbours. They know where the drains run.
Paperwork to keep forever
The completion statement, the mortgage offer, the survey, the property information forms, warranties and certificates (boiler, electrics, windows, damp proofing), and the Land Registry confirmation when it arrives. A folder or a cloud drive, but keep them.
A note on the numbers. Thresholds, schemes and typical costs are correct as far as we know at the time of writing and are for England and Northern Ireland unless we say otherwise. Rules change and lenders differ. Check the current position, and get advice from a qualified broker before you commit.
Quick answers
Do I have to stay with the previous owner's energy supplier?
No. You are automatically on a 'deemed' contract with them, which is usually expensive. Take the readings, tell them, then switch to a better tariff.
When will the Land Registry show me as owner?
It can take weeks or many months; the Land Registry has backlogs. Your solicitor will send confirmation. You are the owner from completion regardless.
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