Start with the safety and security information you need to use the home confidently. Find the main controls and understand any instructions supplied with the property. If something is damaged, unfamiliar or potentially unsafe, contact the responsible professional or landlord rather than experimenting.
Check essential information
- Locate the stop tap, consumer unit and relevant service shut-offs.
- Identify alarms and follow their manufacturer's testing instructions.
- Check that exits, stairs and communal routes remain clear.
- Review keys, fobs, codes and access arrangements with the appropriate owner or manager.
Arrange suitable help for electrical, gas, lock or installation work when needed. In a rented home, check the agreement and communicate required repairs through the landlord or agent's process. Do not assume you can alter shared or rented security equipment without permission.
Secure furniture and equipment in accordance with their instructions, particularly around children. Keep tools, chemicals and packaging safely stored during unpacking. Record non-urgent issues on a dated list with the person responsible and follow-up date. Urgent hazards need the appropriate emergency or professional response, not a place at the bottom of an unpacking checklist.
Put it into practice
Use the personalised moving checklist and timeline to organise your own figures or next steps. Keep its assumptions alongside your plan.