The transition between renting and homeownership is steep, with many things to remember and action before the moving day arrives. You’ll have a lot to organise and not much time to complete everything, especially if you’re dealing with family life and work. This is where little mistakes creep in and can cause delays further down the line if you don’t prepare enough. That’s why a plan of action will help to focus and bring you back on track.
Aussie Man & Van has been there and done this many times in our twenty-plus years of providing removals and storage in London. We know that things like moving checklists are vital to keeping things in order and ticking off tasks. But the question is – do they cover enough? There are always areas typical lists miss out on, and we’ll explore them.
The Transition from Tenant to Homeowner –
This is a transition we hope more people make in the coming years. The gap between people who own property and those stuck renting hasn’t changed much, even with promises from politicians. While renting suits some people, it unfairly traps others in perpetual tenancy. That’s why Aussie does whatever we can to educate and advise our followers.
When you move out of a rental property, there are things you need to remember to ensure it’s a positive adjustment. Rental deposit reclamation is a point of contention for most tenants, with most resulting in some form of deduction. Make sure you leave the property in the same state you received it to avoid this. You can read our previous blog on rental deposits here, but it’s worth covering your back wherever possible.
Then there’s the mortgage and finance side of things – a seemingly opaque and complex process at the best of times. You’ll need to make sure you understand this process and criteria specific to the home loan to apply for. Have some backups in place for unforeseen delays, such as using self storage. And by working with us, we’ll be here to assist you every step of the way.
Understanding the Completion Day Process –
Completion day is when all the money moves across from the buyer to the seller. And if everything goes to plan, you can pick up the keys to your new home. The date for the completion is set from initial discussions between all parties, including solicitors, once the property’s selling price is agreed upon. As the name suggests, this is the final piece of the puzzle, and the homeownership officially changes hands.
If you’re purchasing a property with a mortgage, the lender plays a pivotal role in this process. They can only release funds when the lender receives a Certificate of Title from your solicitor for the final sales transaction. The Certificate of Title is a document that gives a thorough history of the property’s ownership, including a complete legal description of the building.
However, there is something any prospective homeowner needs to consider carefully. The lender reserves the right to withdraw their funding approval if they believe the borrowing party is no longer a safe commitment. They will undertake one final check to see if your circumstances are the same. So, make sure that your finances are in good order up until the completion day. You should try and avoid any new credit or debit orders that may strain your finances.
When the final checks are over and the money transfers to your solicitor, they will pass on the funds to the seller’s solicitor. When these funds reflect in the appropriate bank account, the purchase is complete, and you can discuss the arrangements for collecting the keys to your new home. You can then officially let out a sigh of relief and put enjoy a celebratory drink or two.
Starting the Planning Stage Early –
The beginning part of moving to a new house is often the one that causes the most problems. The thing we’re suggesting is to raise the importance of a timeline in your estimations. If you think of the old phrase & time is money, it’s easier to think of how you spend it wisely before the day of your relocation. If you put plenty of effort into the planning stages, the result will almost always be favourable.
There’s another thing you should be mindful of before you put your current house up for sale. The average time a property spends on the UK housing market is just over four months. It might be worth adding another month to facilitate any delays due to the pandemic to be safe. Most notably, this figure doesn’t include any additional time people put in to update their property. You might be looking at an average of six months before you sell.
The reality for most homeowners is the need to sell their current home to facilitate their relocation. That’s why there’s no time like today to get the ball rolling, and you can start doing some research or costing today. Another task you should start as soon as possible is decluttering. If you reduce the number of items you’re moving with, it can save you money.
We don’t mind repeating ourselves with this point – there is no such thing as too much preparation. It will help if you visit your new city or town for a week or two to get some first-hand experience. That way, you’ll know what life is like there at various times of the day and night.
Create an Address Change Contact List –
This is something many would-be homeowners forget when they relocate. They wait until they arrive in a new property before changing their address with doctors and the gas and electric company. This often results in then changing one service provider at a time, which invariably results in forgetting some. The only problem is confidential mail is still going to the previous address, and the responsibility for paying bills still rests with you.
That’s why we suggest listing every important contact now. Note what service they provide and contact details, including their email address. Then start contacting them during the final week before the big move. You can give the new address and departure date, requesting they forward mail and stop sending anything to your soon-to-be old home.
This point is crucial – take meter readings and save information with a photo or video. In the unfortunate situation where a dispute occurs, you’ll have evidence of the readings before vacating the property. Please also remember to contact your current council to repeat the process. You need to remove your responsibility for paying council tax and other rates. Finally, it’s onto your doctor and other healthcare providers.
To make this task easier, go through your mail and list each service provider you have a financial agreement with. This includes your bank, and they retain your financial information. You wouldn’t want that falling into the wrong hands.
An End of Tenancy Cleaning Service –
For Londoners, paying for an upfront rental is a huge undertaking. That’s because most landlords ask for two- or three months’ rent in advance. That’s why it’s vital to reclaiming it in full when you leave. It isn’t easy to know how trustworthy the owner is until things like deductions come into play. The only thing you can do is take control of the situation by presenting a spotlessly clean property when you move out.
Aussie’s End of Tenancy Cleaning service will get your rented house or apartment into perfect shape. We clean every inch of the property to ensure you get the full deposit back. Additionally, we work with several landlords to get their property back on the market straight away. You should also pay attention to the state of the carpets and any minor repairs.
Fortunately, we also have a Carpet Cleaning package, with state-of-the-art cleaning equipment to give any carpet the best professional clean possible. Similarly, our knowledge of carpet types and cleaning products makes it possible for us to get any dirt or stain out while safeguarding the material. We guarantee your landlord will try and apply a deduction for a professional cleaning service. You can pre-empt this by booking it yourself, which might save you a lot of money.
Preparing for the Last Day as a Renter –
Now that you have everything lined up, it’s time to take one last personal inventory and look to the future. The work it takes to become a homeowner is exhausting and typically stressful. You deserve a lot of credit for the grind and dedication it takes to achieve this. Now you can look forward to a home to call your own.
There are a few things to do in your final week to make sure everything is on track. Contact Aussie to double-check everything is good on our side, even though this is a formality. We’ll confirm arrival times and expected completion. Then we’ll remind you of certain tasks you should recheck; an example would be to contact people with your new address.
Think about your journey to your new house or apartment and start making these preparations. If it’s a long-distance move, familiarise yourself with the route before setting off and save everything in your satnav. Children and pets require additional consideration, and you’ll need to plan some service station breaks. Pack lots of snacks and water for the trip, as well as some entertainment to keep the little ones occupied.
Aussie Man & Van London – Moving You into Your First Home –
Aussie is the ‘can-do’ removals and storage company in London, and we have five branches throughout the capital. We consider it our mission to improve the chances of homeownership. Whenever we see an opportunity to help, we will. And we hope this article will spark some ideas and motivate you to take action and set reminders today.
It’s time to think about the advantages of owning property and putting that as your ultimate goal. You can do change the decor and make modifications without permission (for the most part). There’s also the advantage of having an asset there for investment purposes. The Aussie team is ready to relocate you when the time comes, and we have an excellent range of affordable services.
If you’re at the planning stages of a relocation, please contact us today. We have the right removals and storage package to make your move a success.
