Moving mayhem: new research reveals the 10 things Brits forget when they move

Moving house might be one of life’s most stressful events, and Go.Compare home insurance’s latest research shows just how easy it is to forget the little things.

A new survey of 2,002 UK adults found that while nearly half (46%) are pretty certain they didn’t forget anything during their last move, plenty of others admit to dropping the ball.*

Forgetting to redirect post is the number one moving-day mistake, with 11% saying they failed to do so before vacating the property. One in ten (9%) forgot to label boxes, likely making unpacking a nightmare, while others forgot to clean their old place (8%), take meter readings (8%), and hand over spare keys (7%).

Some made even bigger blunders - with 6% admitting they left important documents behind, and a similar number (6%) forgetting to tell their utility companies or home insurer they were moving.

The top 10 things people forget when moving are:

The research also suggests men could be the more forgetful ones - with just four in ten men (40%) claiming they didn’t forget anything while moving house, compared to over half of women (52%).

And wisdom does seem to come with age - those aged 55+ were most likely to move without missing anything major. Over two thirds (67%) of over 55s said they hadn’t forgotten anything during their house move, compared to just 23% of 25-34-year-olds.

Nathan Blackler, Go.Compare home insurance expert, said: “Packing up your life is a huge job, so it’s no surprise that a few tasks can slip through the cracks. Redirecting your post, labelling boxes and taking meter readings take minutes but can save hours of hassle later on.

“Our research found that people are forgetting to update their insurance details, too. Whether it’s home insurance, car insurance or even pet insurance, it’s important to provide your new address to your insurer as soon as possible - this will help make sure you receive any important correspondence, but more importantly, a correct address is needed for your policy to be valid.

“For home and car insurance your address may affect your premium, so once your moving plans are in place, talk to your insurer and they can guide you through the process of changing your address.”

Go.Compare’s top tips for a smooth move:

• Redirect your post – use Royal Mail’s service for peace of mind.
• Tell your insurers and the DVLA – update your address before moving day.
• Take final meter readings – and photograph them to avoid disputes.
• Check your cover – your new home needs to be insured from exchange.
• Don’t forget your pets – update their microchip details as soon as you move!