When you move into your new house, you are likely to want to start unpacking and get settled in as soon as you can. But before that, you need to know that the house you’ve moved into is in the condition you need it to be in.
Here are 7 things you should check once you reach your new house on moving day, before you start unpacking everything:
Boxes
Before you start checking anything in the house, its essential that you check the things you brought with you. Sadly, when moving house, things can end up getting damaged or broken and even go missing in transit. So as you’re bringing in all your boxes and furniture make sure you are checking that everything survived the trip. This means if anything important needs replacing you can be prepared to go and get it as soon as possible.
This point is especially important if you have used a removals firm. If you think they are responsible for your items being damaged for whatever reason, it may be incredibly helpful to notice while they are still around helping you unload if you need to make a claim for replacement, repair or financial compensation.
Also remember, Removals Insurance can be useful if any of your items do get lost or broken.
Cleanliness
Before leaving the house, the previous owners should have made sure it was clean and presentable for its new owners. Unfortunately, you can’t always be sure that that will have happened. Also, if there was a long gap between them leaving and you arriving, dust and dirt may have naturally built up before your move in day.
Before you unpack, do a sweep of the property just to make sure its clean enough for you before you start hiding those nooks and crannies behind your furniture. You should particularly focus on checking for mould and mildew in bathrooms and kitchens where water may have been sitting.
Make sure cleaning supplies are one of the last things you pack, so that when you arrive you can unpack them first and spruce up your new house.
You should keep an eye out for any signs that bugs or even rodents have gotten into the property and caused an infestation while it sat empty. The sooner you know there is a pest problem the sooner you can get someone to come and deal with it.
Outlets
Every home is going to have plenty of plug sockets and electrical outlets for the various appliances and needs of modern life. A broken outlet can not only be annoying, but could also be quite dangerous.
When you enter your new home its worth locating all the electrical outlets in the property, so you know where they are but also to inspect them. Make sure none of them are broken, and have something you can plug in to test that they are all working.
Fuses
Knowing where your fuse box is will be useful going forward, so you can turn off the electricity if you notice any issues with it. Once you’ve found the fuse box, take some time to work out which fuse connects to which area of the house. If they are not already labelled its worth labelling them or creating a diagram for yourself.
This is also the ideal moment to check all the fuse switches are working correctly, so plug in that handy tool you used earlier and test each switch can effectively cut the power if you need it to.
Utilities
Many people find that when they move into new homes, their utility bills go up, when really they shouldn’t. This can be because they are being charged leftover for what the previous owners used before they left.
Before you hook up all your appliances make sure to find the utility meters and make a not of their readings, so you know where you started when you moved in and you can tell if you’ve been overcharged.
You should also get to grips with how the meters work and what energy suppliers you are with, so you know what they charge. You can always change energy suppliers later if you think you could get a better deal.
Locks
Feeling safe in your new home is vital, especially if you’re in a new area that you don’t know that well. Once you’ve got your keys, check all the locks in your house are working securely, especially those on the outside doors.
The sooner you realise your locks are broken or a key doesn’t fit, the sooner you can get a locksmith on the way.
Childproofing
Once again thinking about safety, if you are moving in with children (especially babies and toddlers), its essential that you asses your new property for any risks to their wellbeing. Make sure to look around the property thoroughly for any areas that you may need to get childproofed.
You should begin with the room your child will be spending most of their time in, whether that’s a nursery or your own bedroom. Somethings to look out for are sockets close to the floor, cupboards that open too easily and cords on blinds/curtains that hang down and can be pulled.
Though it may feel silly, a good technique is to crawl on the floor and try and see the world from a toddler’s viewpoint. This way you should be able to spot more things that they may interact with that could be a danger to them.