What to do when your purchase is complete

Organisation and a clear head can help make the process of buying a home far less stressful – especially when it comes to the days, weeks and months after you move into your new dream home. Here at Ellis & Co we’re great supporters of clear and precise thinking, so take a look at our guide to everything you’ll be faced with once you move into your new home.

SORT OUT YOUR INSURANCE

This is one thing that can be forgotten in among the long list of things to do when you move in. And it’s especially true for first-time buyers, who may be used to buildings insurance falling on the shoulders of their landlords in renting accommodation.

Seek out some competitive quotes early on, perhaps while relaxing with your tablet or laptop during the evening.

And don’t forget the contents insurance! Once all your lovely things are looking amazing in your new home, you’ll want to ensure they are fully protected against damage or theft.

FIND THE METERS AND WATER STOPCOCK

After moving into your new home, you’ll almost certainly want to compare prices for your energy use. Again, this could be done online during an evening, leaving daylight hours for other tasks.

But in order to seek out those quotes that could save you a lot of money, you’ll need to know where the electric and gas meters are in your new home to take accurate readings.

If you are struggling to find these, contact your local Ellis & Co branch who will do their best to help.

Finally, make sure you know where the water stopcock is. Sometimes, the worst can happen and knowing how to stop a serious leak could halt serious damage to your new home.

TRY OUT THE SMOKE ALARM

If the previous owner has left the smoke detectors in place, test them out straight away – preferably on day one.

Fire is not something to be left to chance. Test each alarm and if any need new batteries or replacing completely, ensure this is done right away.

BRING IN A LOCKSMITH

While the previous owners of your new home seemed lovely when you met them, there could be a multitude of other people who have keys to your new property, especially if the sellers didn’t have the locks changed when they purchased the property.

While changing locks is not always cheap, it will provide peace of mind. Ellis & Co always recommends new homeowners change the locks on the property as soon as possible after moving in.

PLAN YOUR RENOVATION

Almost all new homeowners want to put their stamp on a property early, but it can pay to be patient when undertaking major work.

Yes, it’s an exciting time moving to a new home and having a vision of how you want it to look. But taking on big work requires planning and if you are looking to bring contractors in to do the work for you, take your time when getting quotes.

If you are doing the work yourself, make sure you know exactly how much it will cost and stick to your budget. Draw up a realistic timescale for completing the work and don’t rush.

Your local Ellis & Co office will be happy to put you in touch with their contacts (plumbers, electricians etc) if needed.

BOILER SERVICE CONTRACTS

The boiler is one of the most important pieces of kit in your new home so looking after it is crucial. The sellers may have had it serviced before you moved in, but drawing up a service contract with a contractor can be a good way to ensure the upkeep of your boiler is regular and consistent.

Again, seek out some quotes and take time to decipher the best person for the job.

BRING IN A PROFESSIONAL CLEANER

Most sellers will ensure their property is left in a good state of cleanliness on moving day. But most will not go the extra mile in paying for a professional deep clean – so you should.

Part of making the property your own can be in undertaking a deep clean and bringing in the professionals is the best way to do this.

Dirt and grime has a habit of nestling in unlikely places but a professional cleaner will know all the tricks of the trade to ensure your home is spotless.

PAINT BEFORE UNPACKING

It can be tempting to unpack and build things like beds and tables as soon as you move in. But if you are planning to decorate your new home, keeping large items to one side will save you time and effort.

Try to plan what painting and decorating you wish to do during the conveyancing process and purchase paint and wallpaper as soon as you can after moving in.

It might mean a few nights with the mattress on the floor, but once the decoration is done, you’ll only need to build that king size bed once!

EXPLORE THE AREA

It’s likely you would have taken a look around your new postcode when you viewed the property, but with your focus almost certainly on the bricks and mortar, you may not have fully taken in your surroundings.

We all need a doctor or a dentist from time-to-time, so take a good look around the area and find out where these are, registering if you can.

If you like to relax in town, find out where the best coffee shops or bistros are and try them out!

LET EVERYONE KNOW YOUR ADDRESS

As well as banks, building societies and the DVLA, make a list of the people who need to know where you have moved to.

This can be an exhausting process and you will almost certainly forget a few so Royal Mail redirection for a few months can be a safe way of ensuring none of your post remains at your previous home or in the hands of somebody else.

INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO YOUR NEIGHBOURS

Lastly, don’t be a stranger and say hello to your new neighbours. Maybe even pop around with a bottle of wine.

Living closely to other people means a lot of give and take so it’s important to begin on a sound footing with the people either side of your new home.

And you never know when you might need them, even if it’s just to water the plants when you’re away.