The Seller's Moving Checklist

Declutter room by room — clear surfaces, cupboards and the loft

Buyers need to picture their life in the space, not navigate yours. It also gives you a head start on packing, and an early skip / charity run is far less stressful than doing it in the final fortnight.

Commission an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) if you don't have a valid one

An EPC is a legal requirement before marketing and lasts ten years. Your agent can usually arrange the assessment; check whether a previous one is still in date on the government EPC register first.

Gather the paperwork a buyer's solicitor will ask for

Title deeds or your mortgage lender's details, FENSA / building-regulation certificates for windows and extensions, boiler service records, electrical and gas safety certificates, guarantees and any planning permissions. Having these to hand early prevents weeks of delay later.

Tackle the small jobs that quietly put buyers off

The dripping tap, the scuffed skirting, the door that sticks, the dead bulb. None are expensive on their own, but together they shape the impression of a well-kept home.

Get the garden and entrance looking their best

First impressions form at the kerb. Mow, weed, jet-wash the path, clear the bins from view and tidy the front door — it's the first and last thing every viewer sees.

Decide on your onward plans and budget

Are you buying onward, renting, or moving in with family? A rough budget — including moving costs, your conveyancer's fee and any Stamp Duty on an onward purchase — tells you what you need to achieve from the sale.

Have professional photography and a floorplan in place before launch

The photographs are how most buyers decide whether to view at all. Bright, considered images and an accurate floorplan do more to generate interest than almost anything else.

Agree how viewings will run with your agent

Accompanied viewings let you step out and let buyers talk freely — and a good agent will qualify applicants and gather feedback you'd never get face to face. Decide what notice you need and how keys are handled.

Prepare the house before each viewing

Open curtains and blinds, turn on lamps, air the rooms, clear away dishes and clutter, and make sure it's warm in winter. A made bed and a tidy bathroom read as a cared-for home.

Make a plan for pets and children during viewings

Not everyone is comfortable around pets, and a calm, empty house shows best. Arrange for them to be out or settled elsewhere while buyers look round.

Secure valuables, medication and personal documents

Strangers will be walking through your home. Put anything valuable or sensitive out of sight before each viewing as a simple precaution.

Listen to feedback and review with your agent

If viewings aren't converting to offers, the feedback usually tells you why — price, presentation or a specific reservation. Review it honestly and adjust rather than waiting and hoping.

Instruct a conveyancing solicitor or licensed conveyancer

Ideally line one up before you accept an offer so you can instruct the same day. Ask about fees, who your point of contact will be, and how they prefer to communicate. A responsive conveyancer is worth a great deal.

Confirm the agreed price, what's included, and the chain in writing

Make sure the memorandum of sale records the price, which fixtures and fittings are included, and the position of everyone in the chain. Misunderstandings here cause friction later.

Complete the property information and fittings & contents forms

Your solicitor will send the standard forms (often the TA6 and TA10). Fill them in carefully and honestly — accuracy here prevents queries and delays down the line.

Respond promptly to enquiries from the buyer's solicitor

Once searches come back, the buyer's solicitor will raise enquiries. The faster you and your solicitor answer them, the faster you reach exchange. This is where chains most often stall.

If you're buying onward, progress your purchase in parallel

Your sale and your purchase need to keep pace so they can complete on the same day. Stay close to your agent and solicitor on both, and flag any mismatch in timing early.

Keep your mortgage lender informed

If you have a mortgage, your solicitor will request a redemption figure to settle it on completion. If you're porting your mortgage to a new home, speak to your lender or broker early.

Make sure every enquiry has been answered and searches are back

Exchange can't happen until the buyer's solicitor is satisfied. Check in with your solicitor on what, if anything, is still outstanding so nothing is a surprise.

Agree a completion date that works for the whole chain

This is the day you hand over keys and move out. In a chain, everyone has to agree the same date — be realistic about how long you need to pack and arrange removals.

Provisionally book your removals around the likely completion date

Good removal firms get booked up, especially around month-end and Fridays. Get a provisional date in the diary now and confirm it the moment contracts exchange.

Understand what happens at exchange

Once contracts exchange you're committed; pulling out afterwards typically means losing your deposit or facing a claim. Make sure you're comfortable with the date and terms before your solicitor proceeds.

Confirm your removal company and date

Lock in the firm, the date and the scope — packing, dismantling furniture, and whether they supply boxes. If you're packing yourself, start with the rooms you use least.

Notify your energy, water and broadband suppliers of the move

Tell your gas, electricity and water suppliers your moving date so they can close your account, and arrange supply at the new address. Book your broadband / phone transfer early — installations can take weeks.

Arrange a Royal Mail redirection

Set up a redirection to catch post you've forgotten to update. It can take a few working days to start, so arrange it ahead of the move rather than on the day.

Update your address with everyone who matters

Bank and building society, employer, insurers, pension and investment providers, the DVLA (licence and V5C), TV Licensing, subscriptions and your loyalty cards. A quick list now saves chasing later.

Sort buildings insurance for both homes

Your buildings insurance on the home you're selling generally needs to run until completion. If you're buying onward, arrange cover on the new property from the day you exchange — your lender will usually require it.

Tell your council you're moving for council tax

Notify the council at your current address so they can issue a closing bill, and register with the new council so your account starts on the right date.

Run down the freezer and use up perishables

In the final couple of weeks, plan meals around what's in the cupboards and freezer. Less to move, less waste, and one fewer thing to think about on the day.

Pack an essentials box for the first night

Kettle, mugs, tea and coffee, phone chargers, toiletries, a change of clothes, basic tools, bin bags and any medication. Keep it with you rather than on the lorry so you're not unpacking at midnight.

Take final meter readings — gas, electricity and water

Photograph the meters with a timestamp and send the readings to your suppliers. This is your proof of where your responsibility ended and avoids being billed for the new owner's usage.

Do a final walk-through before the van leaves

Check every room, cupboard, the loft, the garden and any outbuildings. It's astonishing what gets left behind in the last hour — particularly in lofts and under-stair cupboards.

Leave keys, manuals, alarm codes and warranties for the new owner

Window and door keys, garage and shed keys, appliance manuals, the alarm code, the bin collection day and anything else genuinely useful. A short note is a kind way to leave a home.

Confirm completion with your solicitor before handing over keys

Keys are usually released through the agent only once your solicitor confirms the money has arrived. Don't hand them over until you get that confirmation.

Leave the home clean and clear

Remove all your belongings and any rubbish, and leave it broadly as you'd want to receive a home. It's both courteous and reduces the risk of a last-minute dispute.

Register with the new council and set up council tax

If you haven't already, confirm your council tax account at the new address so your first bill is correct from the start.

Register with a local GP, dentist and optician

Sorting this before you need it is far easier than in a hurry. If you've moved out of area, you'll need to register afresh rather than stay with your old practice.

Update the electoral roll at your new address

Register to vote at the new property. It also helps your credit profile, which matters if you have an onward mortgage or plan to borrow.

Update your driving licence and vehicle documents

Tell the DVLA your new address for both your licence and your vehicle log book (V5C). It's free, and driving with out-of-date details can mean a fine.

Locate the stopcock, fuse board, meters and isolation valves

Find the water stopcock, the consumer unit, the gas and electricity meters and how the heating works — ideally before you need any of them in an emergency.

Check the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms work

Test every alarm in your new home and replace any that are missing or dead. It's a five-minute job that's easy to forget in the chaos of moving in.

Introduce yourself to the neighbours

A friendly hello early on is the start of feeling settled — and neighbours are often the best source of local knowledge about bin days, parking and the area.