Make your house move cheap and easy
TV property expert Phil Spencer suggests careful budgeting, planning and getting a bit of help
Although moving house is expensive and many people are strapped for cash at the moment, property guru Phil Spencer insists it should still be an option for those who fancy it – as long as they budget carefully, of course.
Despite inflation climbing to a 30-year high, new research has found one in five Brits (20%) still plan to move house this year, even though moving can cost an average of £3,480 per household. The 2022 Airtasker Move Right Report found budgeting was the most difficult part of moving, with over half of respondents (56%) exceeding their budget by up to £1,000, and overspending by an average of £414. Top areas of overspending included van hire (31%), connection fees/utility services (30%), moving supplies (28%) and repair work (26%).
Spencer, presenter on long-running Channel 4 property show Location, Location, Location, says: “An awful lot of people have successfully moved over the last couple of years, and 20% of people are still interested in moving this year.
“Budgeting has never been more relevant because of inflation and rising costs. People need tot read carefully–moving is always expensive, always complicated, and people have got togo about it ever-more cautiously.”
So, if you do make the brave decision to move in the current financial climate, what are Spencer’ s expert tips to help it go as smoothly as possible, and keep costs low?
“My number one tip would be preparation and proper planning, whether you’ re moving between rentedhouses or between ones you’ ve sold
and bought,” he advises.
1. Never lose sight of your budget
“Do your sums carefully, budget carefully, and really think about the choices you’re making and what it’s going to cost,” advises Spencer. “People are spending an average of £3,480 moving, which is a significant amount, aside from the stamp duty, solicitors or any of that. You have to be very money-conscious, particularly in the current environment, and if you can set a budget and stick to it, so much the better.”
2. Make a checklist as early as possible
Spencer suggests writing a checklist of everything you need to do before and during the move as early as possible – preferably as soon as you’ve decided to move, and he warns movers not to forget to include small tasks, like getting someone to look after the dog, as they often go a long way to helping things run smoothly.
“You’ve just got to walk yourself through each step of the process, and that’s not always easy to do, because moving home isn’t something many of us do frequently,” he says. “But there’s a lot to think about – preparing your house for sale, and making it look as good as possible, choosing the agent, setting the price, handling the viewers, the negotiations. When it comes to the actual move, you’ve got to notify all your suppliers, redirect your mail, tell your bank and insurance providers, read your meters, make sure the keys are in the right place…
“You might also have to do some repairs to the new property–have you budgeted for all that? The list is endless.”
3. De clutter well in advance
If you’ve lived in a house for years, you’ll have years of clutter you don’t use, and certainly don’t need to pack up and take to your new home. Spencer says movers should declutter well before they move, getting rid of any unwanted items at least a month before, so you’ re not wasting time packing unnecessary items on moving day.
4. Don’ t forget connection costs
Nearly a third (30%) of movers don’ t budget for connection fees and utility services, the Airtasker research found, and Spencer says: “People often forget about the cost of connection services, like for wi-fi and broadband. We’re all so used to having it, but it isn’ t everywhere and you may well have to pay to get it. You’ll probably need it as soon as you move in, so make sure it’s sorted in advance.”
5. Think about what you’ ll need help with
Although keeping costs down is crucial for most people, it’s also important to balance saving money with keeping your moving stress levels down, by recruiting help with some of the more time-consuming or daunting moving tasks.
Spencer says you might decide you can do your own packing, for example, but need atech expert to help set up the wi-fi at your new home, or perhaps a professional cleaner to get your old p rope rtys pick and span after you leave.”
6.Boxclever
The Airtasker report found 28% of movers forget to budget for moving supplies like boxes and tape( and don’ t forget tea for the removal people).
While you’ll often see people who are moving house asking for boxes on social media, Spencer says storage and removal firms sell them. You may also be able to get some from supermarkets.It’susefultoorderpackingboxes in a range of different sizes, and don’t forget packing tape and bubble wrap.
Once you’ve got your boxes, Spencer suggests movers start packing in the least-used rooms, and label each box to make sure you can easily see which room they belong in at the new property. Further tips include taking photos of the inside of boxes to find things more quickly, leaving clothes on hangers to save time, protecting lids on liquid containers to avoid spillage in transit, and keeping daily essentials – like phone chargers and toothbrushes – at the top of boxes for easy access later. 7. Location, Location ... of the meters
Spencer recommends movers ask the estate agent or landlord the location of the main stopcock and gas and electricity metersi n the new house. And he also suggests it’s a good idea to change the lock sat your new property so you can be sure you’ re the only ones who have keys.
8. Get someone to look after kids and pets
If you’ve got young children and/ or pets, it may be worth getting someone to look after them on moving day, suggests Spencer. “Children and pets don’t make particularly good moving day company, so if they can be farmed out on the day, that may ease tensions .” n Phil Spencer teamed up with Air task er to help launch its 2022 Move Right Report.