By Nick Elgey, managing director at Cumberland Estate Agents

Last updated at 12:10, Saturday, 08 August 2009

When contracts are successfully exchanged for a house sale, most sellers feel daunted by preparations for the move.

• Visit the Cumberland Building Society website

It is viewed by many as a highly stressful experience.

To help ease the process it’s important to make the best use of any time allowed between the exchange of contracts and the agreed completion of sale date when the property must be vacated.

So how can you make your house move less fraught? Here are some basic tips to follow:

• Confirm the date and time with your removal company and make sure they have your correct new address details, including any information on parking restrictions and your phone numbers so they can contact you en route if necessary.
• If you’re packing your own possessions, obtain storage boxes well in advance and phase the packing so it’s not all done at the last minute. Write on the boxes what’s inside and include a note showing which room they are going to at your new address.
• If you’re paying for the packing, single out valuable or breakable items and pack them separately yourself. Don’t forget to mark the boxes as ‘fragile’.
• Make a list of what to pack last and what to unpack first. Typically this will include crockery, cutlery, kettle, tea, coffee, sugar, milk, snacks, light bulbs, torch, pans, utensils, towels, cleaning materials, bedding, pyjamas, slippers, toiletries, phone charger, alarm clock and a change of clothes.
• If you’ve any regular deliveries or services, arrange to have these cancelled in good time and settle any unpaid accounts.
• Arrange for all utility reconnections that require access to your new address to coincide with you gaining access.
• Make sure you’ve changed the details for any direct debits, standing orders, credit cards, memberships and subscriptions etc to your new address. Banks and building societies usually require plenty of notice.
• Register with a doctor, dentist and optician in your new area if you have to change your current arrangements.
• Agree a time with your estate agent or solicitor when you can collect your new keys and hand over your old keys.
• Start to use up any food from your fridge and freezer.
• In addition to these actions it’s important to take steps to protect your identity by ensuring that you’ve removed all your personal data from your previous home. This should include:
• Ensuring there are no personal documents showing your name anywhere in the house when you leave.
• Redirect your mail and inform everyone of your new address in good time to avoid any mail going to your previous address. Where applicable, don’t forget to notify your employer, DVLA, council tax office, passport office, Inland Revenue, pension office, schools, clubs, TV licensing authority, satellite provider, broadband, telephone provider etc.
• End utility and telephone contracts before you move.
• If any of your goods are going into storage, make sure there’s nothing personally identifiable there.
• Keep checks on your credit record after moving.
• The final stages of your preparation will take place just before the move and this will include:
• Emptying and defrosting your fridge and freezer.
• Reading your utility meters and notifying the utility companies of the results.
• Allowing time for general cleaning before the handover of the house.
• Leaving a greeting card to wish the new owner well.

By following all of these steps you should achieve an organised and relaxed moving experience.

Visit the Cumberland Estate Agents website at www.cumberland.co.uk

First published at 05:14, Friday, 07 August 2009
Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk