Category: Uncategorized

An address change that is easy to forget

A pet’s microchip is only useful if the database record leads back to the keeper. Moving house makes the address on that record wrong overnight. This article summarises the GOV.UK guidance “Get your dog or cat microchipped” and the text of the Microchipping of Cats and Dogs (England) Regulations 2023. The Regulations extend to England and Wales but apply in relation to England only. GOV.UK says the rules for cats differ between England and Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, while the rule for dogs applies across the UK. It is general information, not legal advice.

Who must microchip

GOV.UK says all dogs in the UK must be microchipped and registered by the time they are eight weeks old. For cats, it says that in England a cat must be microchipped and registered by the time it is 20 weeks old, including cats that usually stay indoors, whereas people in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can choose to microchip their cat. The England Regulations set the same ages: a keeper of a cat older than 20 weeks, or a dog older than eight weeks (other than a certified working dog), must ensure it is microchipped. The requirements for cats came into force on 10 June 2024.

What counts as microchipped

Under regulation 3(4) of the England Regulations, a cat or dog is microchipped where a compliant microchip has been implanted and the details required by regulation 6 are recorded on a database. Those details include the full name and address of the keeper and the keeper’s contact telephone number, if any. In other words, the legal test for “microchipped” is not just the chip, but the database record as well.

Updating details after a move

GOV.UK says the keeper is responsible for keeping the pet’s microchip information up to date, for example if the keeper moves house. The way to do it is to contact the database company the pet is registered with, and GOV.UK notes that a fee may be charged for updating the information. The Regulations set out a specific duty for a change of keeper: a new keeper must, unless the previous keeper has already done so, record their full name, address and contact number, and any change in the animal’s name, with the database. The Regulations do not set a time limit for that duty.

Finding out where a pet is registered

GOV.UK says a keeper who does not know which database holds the record can check using the microchip number. Someone without the number can ask a vet, a dog warden or a rescue centre to scan the pet. The guidance lists many approved databases that meet government standards. It also states that one database, Track Your Paws, does not meet government standards and has been removed from the list, and that pets registered there should be re-registered with a different database.

Fines and enforcement

GOV.UK says a keeper can be fined up to £500 if a dog or cat is not microchipped when it needs to be, or not registered on an approved database. The Regulations work through notices. Where a cat or dog has not been microchipped, an authorised person may serve a notice requiring the keeper to have it microchipped within 21 days, and failure to comply with that notice is an offence punishable on summary conviction by a fine not exceeding level 2 on the standard scale. Transferring an animal to a new keeper before it has been microchipped is a separate offence with the same maximum.

Scam emails

GOV.UK warns that an email from any database other than the keeper’s own, asking for money to register the pet, could be a scam. Suspicious emails can be reported to the National Cyber Security Centre. A move is a time when a keeper is more likely to be expecting messages about addresses, so the safer approach is to go to the database company directly rather than follow links in an unexpected email.

Collars, tags and buying a pet

A dog must still wear a collar and tag with the keeper’s name and address when in a public place, according to GOV.UK, so the tag needs a new address as well. The same guidance says that anyone getting a dog or cat should ask for proof that a microchip has been fitted, such as a microchip certificate, vet records or a pet passport, and must make sure the microchip details are updated to their own.

The bottom line

After a move, the microchip record should be updated to the new address through the pet’s database company, the dog’s tag should be changed, and any email asking for money to update the record should be treated with suspicion. Dogs must be microchipped across the UK, and cats must be in England, where a microchip is treated as valid only if the keeper’s details are recorded on an approved database.

Sources

• GOV.UK, “Get your dog or cat microchipped”
• legislation.gov.uk, “The Microchipping of Cats and Dogs (England) Regulations 2023”

Two health tasks that follow a move

A move to a new area usually means changing GP surgery, and often finding a dentist. Both take longer than expected if left until treatment is needed. This article summarises two pages from the NHS website: “Register with a GP surgery” and “How to find an NHS dentist”. The GP guidance says that everyone in England can register with a GP surgery, so it is written for England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are outside the scope of this article. It is general information, not medical advice.

Registering with a GP

The NHS says a person can register online through the NHS website or the NHS App, by visiting a surgery in person, by downloading a paper form, or through a surgery’s own website, though the last is only offered at some surgeries. Surgeries can be searched by entering a postcode or by using the person’s location, which makes it possible to search around a new address before moving in. Registration is usually completed within five days of submission, though it may take longer.

The NHS says people do not need ID, proof of address or proof of immigration status to register. Only basic information is required: name, date of birth and address. An NHS number is helpful but not mandatory. For people with no fixed address, the page says they can register using a temporary address or the address of the GP surgery.

Changing surgery when you move

The NHS says people do not need to tell their current GP surgery that they are changing, because it is told automatically once the person is registered with the new one. For someone who has already registered elsewhere, the NHS App can be used to change GP surgery. The practical sequence is therefore to register with the new surgery near the new address, and let the transfer of the record follow.

Boundaries and out-of-area registration

Surgeries have areas they serve, and the NHS says not all of them accept out-of-area patients. Whether a surgery does can be checked during the search or by contacting the practice. The NHS also warns that registering outside the local area may affect the NHS services a person can access, including home visits and urgent care. Someone who moves a short distance and wants to stay with a surgery near a previous address should therefore ask the surgery what would change.

If a surgery refuses

The NHS says a surgery may refuse registration if it is not accepting patients, if the person lives outside its area or if the person was previously removed from its list. It says the surgery must write to the person within 14 days to explain why. A person who is refused can contact the local integrated care board, Citizens Advice or Healthwatch for help, according to the NHS. A refusal is worth challenging where the stated reason does not fit, and worth avoiding by checking the practice area before applying.

Temporary registration

For people who are living away temporarily, or visiting from abroad, the NHS says a person can register with a GP surgery as a temporary patient for up to three months. Someone in the gap between selling one home and completing on another, staying with family or in short-term accommodation, may find that this route or a temporary address is relevant, subject to what the surgery accepts.

Finding an NHS dentist

Dentists work differently from GP surgeries. The NHS says registering at a first visit does not guarantee future NHS care at that practice. It says people can use an online tool to find an NHS dentist near them, and that they can contact any NHS dentist and ask for an appointment, since no catchment area restriction is mentioned on the page. Patients may be placed on a waiting list before receiving an appointment. A person unable to find a dentist accepting patients can contact the local integrated care board, and urgent dental care has its own guidance.

A practical order of tasks

Read together, the two pages suggest checking practice boundaries before choosing a GP, registering before a health need arises, using the online tool to look for a dentist early and expecting a waiting list. None of the steps requires the removal date to have passed: a new address can usually be given once it is known.

The bottom line

In England, registering with a GP after a move needs only a name, date of birth and address, not proof of address or ID. The surgery must give written reasons within 14 days if it refuses, and the old surgery is told automatically. Dentists are different: there is no registration to hold a place, no catchment area on the NHS page and often a waiting list, so the search is best started as soon as the move is confirmed.

Sources

• NHS, “Register with a GP surgery”
• NHS, “How to find an NHS dentist”

Two devolved taxes, two revenue authorities

Scotland and Wales each have their own devolved tax on land transactions. Scotland has Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT), administered by Revenue Scotland, and Wales has Land Transaction Tax (LTT), administered by the Welsh Revenue Authority. Stamp Duty Land Tax and the rules that apply elsewhere in the UK are outside the scope of this article. This article covers only the filing and payment deadlines for those two taxes, using guidance published by Revenue Scotland and the Welsh Government. It does not cover rates, which change, or reliefs. It is general information, not tax advice.

Scotland: the LBTT return

Revenue Scotland’s guidance on the duty to make an LBTT return says the buyer is legally responsible for making it, although in almost every land transaction the buyer’s agent is likely to make the return on the buyer’s behalf. It says the return must be submitted within 30 days of the day after the effective date of the transaction, and calls that deadline the filing date.

On payment, Revenue Scotland’s page “How to pay LBTT”, last updated on 11 September 2024, says the tax is due by the earlier of the date the return is submitted or the filing date. It also says interest is chargeable on any outstanding tax that is not paid by the filing date, and that late submission may incur penalties, with delayed payments triggering interest and potentially further penalties.

The Revenue Scotland guidance says a buyer who fails to make a return by the filing date is liable to a penalty and refers to separate penalty guidance for the amounts. Those amounts are not repeated here, and the penalty guidance should be checked directly.

Wales: the LTT return

Welsh Government technical guidance, last updated on 26 November 2024, says a taxpayer must submit a return within a 30-day period beginning on the day after the effective date of the transaction, and stresses that these are calendar days and not working days. It says the effective date typically corresponds to when a transaction completes or is substantially performed, not when contracts are signed. Tax must be paid no later than the filing date, so the payment deadline is the same as the return deadline.

Late penalties in Wales

The Welsh Government’s page “Tax penalties: filing or paying late”, last updated on 16 March 2022, sets out the penalty amounts. The initial penalty for failing to send a required return on or before the filing date is a £100 fixed penalty. Further late-filing penalties apply from 6 to 12 months late, of an extra £300 or 5 per cent of any unpaid tax, whichever is greater, and again at 12 months or more, of another £300 or 5 per cent of unpaid tax, whichever is greater.

For late payment, the page gives a penalty of 5 per cent of the amount of unpaid tax, with a further 5 per cent within six months and another 5 per cent within 12 months of the penalty date. Daily interest continues to be charged throughout. Because the page was last updated in March 2022, readers should check it for changes before relying on the figures.

What the effective date means for movers

Both sets of guidance run the clock from the effective date of the transaction, not from moving day or from the date a removal is booked. The Welsh guidance says the effective date is typically completion or substantial performance, which is usually the date of the property change of hands. Where completion and moving day differ, or where a purchase completes earlier than expected, the deadline is counted from the effective date, so the return timetable should be agreed with the solicitor or conveyancer.

That is a practical reason to keep in touch with the buyer’s solicitor after completion. In Scotland, Revenue Scotland says the buyer’s agent will usually make the return. In Wales, the guidance says the taxpayer must file, so the arrangement should be confirmed in writing where a solicitor is acting.

Where a move crosses the border

Revenue Scotland’s guidance covers land transactions in Scotland, and the Welsh Government’s guidance covers land transactions in Wales. Anyone buying in one of those nations after a purchase elsewhere in the UK is therefore dealing with a different revenue authority, each with its own guidance and its own filing window.

The bottom line

Both LBTT in Scotland and LTT in Wales require the return and payment within 30 days counted from the day after the effective date, which is usually completion. In Scotland the buyer’s agent usually files. In Wales the Welsh Revenue Authority publishes a £100 fixed late-filing penalty as of its March 2022 guidance, plus escalating penalties and interest. Buyers should confirm early who is filing the return and check the current penalty guidance before any deadline is at risk.

Sources

• Revenue Scotland, “LBTT4004 – Duty to make an LBTT return”
• Revenue Scotland, “How to pay LBTT”
• Welsh Government, “Land Transaction Tax returns and payments: technical guidance”
• Welsh Government, “Tax penalties: filing or paying late”

A change of address is a change of registration

Most items on a moving checklist involve companies. Registering to vote involves a statutory register, and it matters for elections and, according to GOV.UK, for other uses of the full register. This article summarises GOV.UK guidance on registering to vote, the electoral register and the open register, applying for a postal vote and contacting the electoral registration office. It covers the whole UK and flags where Northern Ireland works differently. It is general information, not legal advice.

Re-registering after a move

GOV.UK says that people normally only need to register once, not for every election, but that they need to register again if they change their name, address or nationality. Registration is done online and usually takes about five minutes. The service asks for a National Insurance number, although a person without one can still register. The electoral register lists the names and addresses of everyone registered, and GOV.UK says the way to update details such as a change of address is to use the register to vote service if living in the UK.

Checking whether you are already registered

GOV.UK says people in England, Scotland or Wales who want to check whether they are on the register should contact their electoral registration office, which is found through the local council. In Northern Ireland, the Am I Registered service is used to check, and the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland (EONI) handles registration matters. The rules and forms in Northern Ireland differ, including paper forms for some applications.

The annual canvass and the fine

From July each year, electoral registration offices contact households to check that the details on the register are correct and may tell people to register if they are not already. GOV.UK calls this the annual canvass and says there is no annual canvass in Northern Ireland. The contact may be by post, email, phone or a visit to the door.

GOV.UK also says that a person who is asked to register by an electoral registration officer, and meets the conditions for registering, must do so. A person who does not could be fined up to £1,000, but will not be fined if there is a valid reason, such as a long stay in hospital or severe learning difficulties. New residents who receive a canvass letter therefore have a legal reason to respond, and cannot treat it as junk mail.

The full register and the open register

There are two versions of the register. GOV.UK says the full version, which lists everyone’s name and UK address unless they are registered anonymously, is used for elections and referendums and cannot be opted out of. It can be used only for electoral administration such as sending poll cards, campaigning by candidates and parties, preventing and detecting crime, checking applications for loans or credit, and jury summoning in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The open register, known as the edited register in Northern Ireland, is the version available to anyone who wants to buy a copy. GOV.UK says a person can opt out of it, using the register to vote service even if already registered, or by contacting the electoral registration office in England, Scotland or Wales or EONI in Northern Ireland. Opting out does not affect the right to vote, and details still appear on the full register unless the person registered anonymously. A move is a natural moment to make that choice, since the registration form is being completed anyway.

Postal votes after a move

A postal vote is tied to an address. GOV.UK says a person must be registered to vote in the UK before applying for a postal vote, and that someone who moves house must re-register at the new address and then reapply for a postal vote for that address. It gives a deadline of 11 working days before the election, by 5pm on that day, for applying, changing or stopping a postal vote arrangement. A person who is away from home when the ballot pack would be delivered can ask for it to be sent to a different address, and the same deadline applies. In Northern Ireland, GOV.UK says the rules are different, and applications use a paper form rather than the online service available in England, Scotland and Wales.

Second addresses

GOV.UK says it is sometimes possible to be registered at two addresses, for example a student with a home address and a term-time address, though a person can only vote once in any election. A household in the middle of a move, with keys to two properties, should register at the address where they actually live and use the electoral registration office if unsure whether a second registration is permitted.

The bottom line

Moving home means registering to vote again at the new address, an online task that takes about five minutes in most of the UK. Households should respond to the annual canvass, consider opting out of the open register, and re-apply for any postal vote arrangement. Northern Ireland has its own registration process, with paper forms and no annual canvass, so residents there should use the EONI route.

Sources

• GOV.UK, “Register to vote”
• GOV.UK, “The electoral register and the ‘open register’”
• GOV.UK, “Apply for a postal vote”
• GOV.UK, “Contact your electoral registration office”

Why the end of a move produces a waste question

Moves generate rubbish: broken furniture, unwanted mattresses, garden waste and DIY leftovers. It is tempting to hand it to whoever is already on site with a van. The law puts a responsibility on the householder as well as the person taking the waste. This article summarises GOV.UK’s guidance “Dispose of household waste”, the Defra guidance for local authorities on household waste duty of care fixed penalty notices, and an Environment Agency news release. The fixed penalty scheme applies in England only. GOV.UK’s general guidance points to separate registers in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, and those systems are outside the scope of this article. It is general information, not legal advice.

What counts as household waste

GOV.UK says household waste is any waste that comes from a household. It includes usual household rubbish, unwanted or unusable items such as old mattresses, furniture or electrical items, garden waste, oils and paints, scrap metal, and DIY waste such as rubble, timber or bricks. If a tradesperson is hired for construction or renovation, the waste they produce is classed as business waste, and they are responsible for removing and disposing of it correctly.

GOV.UK says most household waste can go in the council-provided bins, and that councils may offer special collections for large items such as sofas or fridges. If the council will not collect something, the options it lists include taking it to a recycling centre or a permitted private waste site, using a registered private business that provides a waste collection service, such as a skip company or household clearance service, giving old electrical items back to retailers when buying a replacement, or giving away or selling reusable items.

The duty of care: checking who takes your waste

When a private business takes the waste, GOV.UK says the householder must check that the company is on the register of waste carriers, selecting the “upper tier” on the register for businesses. A charity that collects items must be checked using the “lower tier”. Scrap metal collectors can also be checked against the register of scrap metal dealers. Where the householder takes waste to a private site personally, the site must have an environmental permit for waste operations or a registered waste exemption, and the householder can ask for the permit or exemption number and check it against the Environment Agency registers.

For a move, this means that an offer from a removal firm, man and van or clearance service to dump leftovers is a private waste collection, and the same checks apply. The check is against the waste carrier register, not against whether the firm is a member of a trade association.

What can happen if the checks are skipped

GOV.UK says that a householder who gives waste to someone who cannot legally take it, without doing the necessary checks, might have to pay a fixed penalty notice to the local council, or be prosecuted and face a higher penalty. It gives the example of something fly-tipped that is identified as the householder’s.

The Defra guidance for local authorities says the fixed penalty notice can be used where an individual appears to have failed to comply with the household waste duty of care in England only. The offence is under section 34(2A) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The guidance, last updated on 1 April 2024, sets a default penalty of £200, a minimum full penalty of £150 and a maximum of £600. It gives a minimum discounted penalty of £120 for early payment, with payment due within 14 days of the notice and the discount applying if paid within 10 days. Because local authorities set the amount within that range, and the guidance may be updated, the current figures on the GOV.UK page are the reference point.

What counts as reasonable checks

The guidance says householders must take reasonable steps to verify that the recipient is authorised. It suggests that householders consider the details of the business and of any vehicle used, and keep a record of the checks made, including the operator’s registration, permit or exemption number. It also says there is no duty on an individual to keep a waste transfer note or other written records when transferring household waste, so keeping a record is good practice rather than a requirement.

Practical questions to ask a removal firm

The Environment Agency’s advice, in a 2020 news release aimed at social-media “man and van” adverts, suggests three steps: ask where the rubbish will end up, do not pay cash and insist on a receipt, and record the details of the vehicle used to take the rubbish away. The release warns that if a trader has no waste carrier registration there is no guarantee the rubbish will go to an authorised site, and it may be dumped, causing environmental damage. The release quotes an older fine level, so the current penalty range should be taken from the Defra guidance above rather than that release.

A householder who wants the removal firm to take unwanted items should ask for the firm’s waste carrier registration number before the move, check it on the public register, and ask where the waste will be taken. If the firm cannot provide a registration number, the council collection or a recycling centre is the alternative route GOV.UK describes.

The bottom line

In England, a householder who hands household waste to a removal firm, clearance business or man and van must check that the carrier is registered, or risk a fixed penalty notice of between £150 and £600 under the Defra guidance, or prosecution in more serious cases. The checks are quick: ask for the registration number, check it on the register, ask where the waste is going and keep a note. Householders elsewhere in the UK should use the register that applies to their nation.

Sources

• GOV.UK, “Dispose of household waste”
• Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, GOV.UK, “Guidance for local authorities on household waste duty of care fixed penalty notices”
• Environment Agency, GOV.UK, “Beware of rogue ‘man and van’ rubbish removers on Facebook”

The job removal teams usually leave to someone else

Most removal firms will happily lift a washing machine or fridge, but many draw a line at gas appliances. There is a legal reason. In Great Britain, working on gas fittings is regulated, and that includes disconnecting and reconnecting an appliance. This article explains what the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 say and what the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) advises householders. It covers Great Britain only: the regulation is marked as applying to England, Wales and Scotland, and Northern Ireland has separate arrangements not examined here. This is general information, and the regulations and HSE guidance themselves are the authority.

What counts as “work” on a gas fitting

Regulation 3 says no person shall carry out any work in relation to a gas fitting or gas storage vessel unless they are competent to do so. It adds that employers and self-employed people must not carry out such work unless they belong to a class of persons approved by the HSE. The regulations define “work” broadly. It includes installing or reconnecting the fitting, and maintaining, servicing, permanently adjusting, disconnecting, repairing, altering or renewing it or purging it of air or gas. It includes changing the position of a fitting that is not readily movable, and removing the fitting.

That definition matters for a move, because taking a gas cooker out of a kitchen involves disconnecting and, at the other end, reconnecting. There is an exception in the definition: it does not include the connection or disconnection of a bayonet fitting or other self-sealing connector. A separate provision also excludes replacing a hose or regulator on a portable or mobile space heater, or a hose connecting a refillable cylinder to installation pipework.

What HSE tells householders

HSE’s guidance for home owners says anyone employed to work on gas appliances in domestic premises must be a Gas Safe registered engineer and competent in that area of gas work. The engineer’s competencies are marked on the back of their Gas Safe Register identity card, and you can ring the Gas Safe Register or check its website to confirm registration. HSE strongly advises that gas appliances, flues and pipework are installed, regularly maintained and serviced at least annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

HSE also says it is illegal for anyone to use a gas appliance they suspect is unsafe. Turn it off and do not touch it until a Gas Safe registered engineer has checked it. For a suspected gas leak, its advice is to call the National Grid gas emergency number, 0800 111 999, open all doors and windows, and shut off the gas supply at the meter control valve if you know where it is.

What to ask a removal firm and your own engineer

Ask the removal firm, in writing, whether its staff will disconnect or reconnect any gas appliance. If the answer is no, which is common, arrange a Gas Safe registered engineer yourself, for the old property and the new one. Ask the engineer to confirm they hold the right category for the appliance type, since the competencies are shown on the ID card, and keep the invoice or certificate. For a rented home, check who is responsible for the gas appliances before you touch anything.

If you are moving a cooker that runs on a flexible hose with a self-sealing connector, the definition of “work” has an exception, but that should not be relied on without professional confirmation, because it depends on the exact type of connector and installation. When in doubt, use a registered engineer.

Before you use gas in the new home

Do not use a gas appliance in the new property if you suspect a problem. HSE says the appliance should be left off until checked. Remember that HSE strongly recommends carbon monoxide alarms as one useful precaution, complying with British Standard EN 50291 and carrying a British or European approval mark such as a Kitemark, though alarms are not a replacement for maintenance. HSE says CO alarms cost from around £15, though prices vary.

It is also worth booking a check on the boiler and other appliances soon after moving, since HSE advises annual servicing and you may not know when the previous owner last had one done.

The bottom line

In Great Britain, disconnecting, reconnecting or removing a gas appliance is regulated gas work that must be done by a competent person from a class approved by the HSE, and HSE’s householder guidance says anyone employed to do gas work in a home must be a Gas Safe registered engineer. Do not assume your removal team will do it, check the engineer’s ID card for the right category, and have appliances checked after moving in.

Sources

• Legislation.gov.uk, “The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, regulation 2: Interpretation”
• Legislation.gov.uk, “The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, regulation 3: Qualification and supervision”
• Health and Safety Executive, “Gas safety: Home owners”

The move and the school place are linked

For families, a house move is also a school move, and the timing rarely fits the annual admissions calendar. This article explains how applications made outside the normal round, called in-year applications, work in England. It draws on GOV.UK’s school admissions guidance and on two English councils, Leeds and Dorset, as worked examples. Councils set their own detailed processes, so check your own authority; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own systems and are not covered.

What GOV.UK says

GOV.UK says you apply through your local council even if you are applying for schools in another council area or have just moved to England. When moving to another area you may need to supply proof of your new address, such as a mortgage or rental agreement or property deeds, and prove that you will live in the area before the start of the next school term.

The normal round has fixed deadlines: primary applications close on 15 January and secondary applications are usually due by 31 October, with offers on 16 April and 1 March respectively. For applications after the start of the school year, GOV.UK says to contact your local council, which can tell you which schools still have places and how to apply. Once your child is offered a place, they will usually start at the beginning of the following term. It also says the council must provide a place at another school if your child is not offered any of the schools you applied for, usually the nearest with places.

What two councils ask for

Leeds City Council says an in-year application can be made at any time, but offers are usually kept open only for a half term, so you should apply in the half term before you want your child to start. If you apply earlier the school may still offer a place but may require your child to start by the beginning of the next half term. It advises using your child’s current address on the application until you have moved in, and sending evidence as soon as possible because your address can affect your chances at some schools.

For proof, Leeds asks for evidence that you have left the old property, such as an exit utility bill, completion of sale documents or a landlord notice to leave, and evidence of the new address, such as a tenancy agreement or a house purchase completion, and it says completion rather than exchange. If you do not have those documents, it asks you to send as much evidence as possible and explain why. Dorset Council says it processes in-year applications only half a term before the date you want to start, and asks you to make clear whether you are applying from your current or new address. It says you do not need to live in Dorset to apply, and that if you are moving out of Dorset you can apply to your new home authority.

Timing your move around the school term

Because offers are held for a limited period and councils want proof of the move, timing matters. If your completion date is uncertain, a place may be offered before you can send the evidence, or it may lapse. Keep your removals booking flexible where possible, and ask the council what it needs if your dates change. A moving date that slips at the last minute can leave children in limbo, so build a contingency into your plan.

If you are refused a place

GOV.UK says that if your child is refused a place, you can appeal against the decision, and the letter will tell you how. You must appeal against each rejection separately and can appeal only once against each. The admission authority must allow you at least 20 school days to appeal from when it sends the decision letter, must give at least 10 school days’ notice of the hearing, and appeals must be heard within 40 school days of the deadline for making one. The panel must be independent, and your appeal must be upheld if the school’s admission criteria were not properly followed or do not comply with the admissions code.

The guidance also notes a special rule for infant classes. In reception, year 1 and year 2, class size is limited to 30, and an application can be turned down if every class already has 30 children, though an appeal may succeed in some circumstances, including where a place would not push the class over the limit.

Practical steps

Check catchment areas and admissions policies before you commit to a house, if you can. Contact the council for the area you are moving into as soon as you have a confirmed address. Gather the evidence early: exit bills, sale documents or notice to leave, tenancy agreement or completion statement. Keep copies of everything you send, and follow up if you do not hear back. If you are moving from another country, contact the local council for the area where you are going to live.

The bottom line

In England, in-year school applications go through the council for the area you are moving to, and councils ask for proof that you have really moved, so completion dates and paperwork matter. Apply in the half term before you want your child to start, use the address the council tells you to use, and remember you can appeal a refusal. Check your own council’s process, because details differ.

Sources

• GOV.UK, “School admissions: How to apply”
• GOV.UK, “School admissions: Appealing a school’s decision”
• Leeds City Council, “Before you move schools”
• Dorset Council, “Moving school during the school year (in year admissions)”

Why energy needs its own moving-day plan

Energy accounts are one of the few things a removal company cannot do anything about, and mistakes cost real money: paying for gas and electricity you did not use, or inheriting the previous occupier’s debt. This article summarises Citizens Advice’s guidance for England on dealing with your energy supply when moving home. Citizens Advice publishes separate pages for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, so do not assume the details below apply there.

Before you move

Citizens Advice says that before you move you should tell your electricity and gas supplier you are moving, giving at least 48 hours’ notice. You should read your meters on the day you move out and give the readings to your supplier, keeping a note of the readings and dates in case you disagree with your final bill. You should also give the supplier a forwarding address so the final bill can be sent, and you will have 28 days to pay it. If the final bill shows you are in credit, it says you should claim the money back.

If you are on a fixed tariff, you might be charged an exit fee to break the contract, and if you do break it you automatically go onto a standard variable tariff in your new home. Citizens Advice suggests contacting your supplier if you want to keep the same tariff at the new address, as they might let you do that without a fee.

Smart meters and in-home displays

For smart meter users, Citizens Advice says it is worth checking your meter is working in smart mode before you move, which means it sends automatic readings to your supplier. If it is not, you need to take a final reading and give it to your supplier. When you move, you should leave the in-home display, the small portable screen that shows usage and cost, for the next occupants. Note that the display is not the smart meter itself.

After you move in

You should contact the current supplier at your new home to tell them you have moved in. Citizens Advice says you will automatically be put on a “deemed contract”, which will be the supplier’s default or standard variable tariff, and that you should read your meters on the day you move in and give the readings to the supplier so your first bill is accurate.

On the old account, your old supplier should send a final bill within six weeks, and if it does not, it might owe you compensation. If you have credit left, the guidance says the supplier must refund it within 10 working days of sending the final bill, and if it does not, compensation might be due.

Switching after the move

If you want to switch tariff or supplier at the new property, Citizens Advice says you need to wait until the day you become responsible for the property. Switching supplier will not happen immediately, so you will pay at least one bill with the current supplier, and it says your new supplier should switch you within five working days. It also suggests asking to be added to the priority services register if you are over state pension age, disabled or have a long-term illness, which may bring extra support such as free gas safety checks.

Prepayment meters: the risk of inheriting debt

The guidance gives a specific warning for homes with a prepayment meter. It says to contact the current supplier straight away, and to avoid using a key or card or putting money on the meter until you have done so, otherwise you risk paying extra for debts owed by the previous occupants. If the new property has no gas or electricity supply at all, Citizens Advice points to separate advice on getting connected.

A photograph of every meter on the day you move out and the day you move in is cheap insurance. Timestamped photos, alongside the readings you gave the supplier, make any dispute much easier to settle.

What to put on your moving checklist

Set a reminder for at least a few days before completion to give notice, since 48 hours is a minimum. Decide who will read the meters on the day, particularly if you are handing over keys before the removal van arrives. Note the readings when you leave, note them when you arrive, and keep the final bill and any credit refund date in your calendar. If your supplier is slow, you can use the compensation points above.

The bottom line

In England, give your energy supplier at least 48 hours’ notice, read the meters on move-out and move-in days, give a forwarding address, and expect a final bill within six weeks and any credit back within 10 working days of it. At a new home you will be on a default tariff until you switch, and if there is a prepayment meter, contact the supplier before putting money on it.

Sources

• Citizens Advice, “Moving home – dealing with your energy supply (England)”

The address change that gets forgotten

Moving-day checklists cover utilities and banks, but the driver and vehicle records are often forgotten. The official rules are stricter than many people assume. This article summarises the GOV.UK guidance for Great Britain, where DVLA is responsible, and the nidirect guidance for Northern Ireland, where the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) handles driving licences.

Great Britain: the driving licence

GOV.UK says you can change the address on your full or provisional driving licence, and that it does not cost anything to change your address with DVLA. You can still drive while you wait for your new licence. If you want to change your name at the same time, you have to apply by post. The service requires you to be a resident of Great Britain, and the guidance notes there is a different process in Northern Ireland. You must also not be banned from driving.

If you want to change your licence photo at the same time, the guidance says it costs £14 with some exemptions, though fees can change so check the page. If you are moving abroad, you cannot register your new address on your British driving licence, and you should contact the licensing authority in your new country.

The key sentence is this one: you can be fined up to £1,000 if you do not tell DVLA when your address changes. That appears on the licence page and on the vehicle log book page.

Great Britain: the vehicle log book and related records

The V5C log book is a separate update. GOV.UK says you must update your vehicle log book if you change address, and it is usually free. The online service is for registered keepers moving to a new UK address. You cannot use it in several situations: if you need to change your name and address at the same time, if you have sold, transferred or bought the vehicle, if you have already sent your log book to DVLA, if you have lost it, if the vehicle is registered under the DVLA fleet scheme, or if your new address is abroad, including the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or Ireland.

Both pages also list the other things to change: your vehicle tax Direct Debit if that is how you pay, and the address on your personalised registration number document (V750 or V778) if you have one. In other words, three or four separate records may need updating from a single move.

Northern Ireland: the DVA

In Northern Ireland the agency is the DVA, not DVLA. Nidirect explains that Northern Ireland driving licences have two parts, a plastic photocard and a paper counterpart, and that you must tell the DVA immediately of any changes to your name, address or health. Informing the DVA keeps records up to date so that licence renewal notices reach the right address. It also states that the DVA can only register a Northern Ireland address on a Northern Ireland licence; an address outside Northern Ireland cannot be applied to it, and if you move permanently to another country you need to contact the licensing authority there about exchanging.

Vehicle log books work differently from driving licences in Northern Ireland. Driving licences are handled by the DVA, but nidirect says you must tell the DVLA, not the DVA, if the name and address on your vehicle registration certificate is incorrect. The £1,000 figure quoted above comes from the DVLA guidance for Great Britain and should be read as a Great Britain figure.

A sensible order of tasks

Update your licence and log book as soon as you have the new address confirmed, not weeks later. Update your tax Direct Debit and any personalised registration paperwork at the same time. If you also changed your name, remember both the licence and log book services require different routes when a name change is involved.

Removal companies do not do this for you, and these are among the tasks that fall on you personally. Build them into your checklist for the first week in the new home, alongside energy readings and bank details, and keep the confirmation emails or letters you receive.

Where this article stops

It does not cover vehicles registered to companies or people moving abroad in detail, beyond the notes above. It also does not cover insurance address changes. Those are separate contracts with their own rules, so contact your insurer directly.

The bottom line

In Great Britain you must tell DVLA when your address changes, for your driving licence and separately for your vehicle log book, and you can be fined up to £1,000 if you do not. Tax Direct Debits and personalised registration documents also need updating. In Northern Ireland, licences are handled by the DVA, which asks to be told immediately of changes, and only Northern Ireland addresses can go on a Northern Ireland licence.

Sources

• GOV.UK (DVLA), “Change the address on your driving licence”
• GOV.UK (DVLA), “Change your address on your vehicle log book (V5C)”
• nidirect, “Keeping your driving licence up-to-date”
• nidirect, “Moving to your new home”

The customs bill nobody budgets for

People planning an international move usually compare shipping quotes and forget that goods arriving in the UK can attract customs charges. HMRC has a relief, called transfer of residence (ToR) relief, that can remove those charges on personal belongings for people who genuinely move their home to the UK. It has strict conditions, and it requires approval before you claim. This article summarises HMRC’s GOV.UK guidance, last updated on 12 November 2025 in the version cited. It covers moves into Great Britain, meaning England, Scotland and Wales, and into Northern Ireland from outside the EU.

Who can claim it

HMRC says the relief is available to people transferring their normal place of residence to Great Britain, or to Northern Ireland from outside the EU. If you are moving from the EU to Northern Ireland, the guidance says you will not need to apply for ToR relief, because of freedom of movement. It points to separate guidance for people moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

The relief also covers students coming for full-time study and people moving to marry or enter a civil partnership, or following a marriage or civil partnership. It exists for people who want to make the UK their normal place of residence, which HMRC says means the UK will be your main home. It is available only to living persons and their personal property, not to trusts, companies or other organisations, and it cannot be claimed for goods from secondary or holiday homes.

What counts as eligible goods

You can claim relief on personal property intended for your use or for meeting your household needs. HMRC lists household effects, personal effects, household linen, furnishings and equipment for personal or household use. It also lists cycles, motorcycles, private motor vehicles and their trailers, camping caravans, pleasure craft and private aircraft, household provisions necessary for normal family requirements, household pets and saddle animals, and portable instruments of the applied or liberal arts that you need for your trade or profession.

The relief does not apply to alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, commercial means of transport, or non-portable instruments needed for your trade or profession. HMRC adds that the relief does not remove the need for licences for restricted goods, such as firearms or endangered species.

The conditions that trip people up

To claim relief you must meet all of HMRC’s criteria. You must have been resident outside the UK for at least 12 consecutive months before the move. You must import the goods within 12 months of coming to live in the UK, and you must intend to use them in the UK for the same purpose as before. The goods can be imported in several consignments. Goods for which relief is granted cannot be lent, used as security, hired out or transferred to another person within 12 months of your move.

There is also an ownership test. You must have had the goods in your possession for at least six months before moving to the UK, although that restriction does not apply to items imported under the marriage or civil partnership relief, or the student relief. In practice that means a sofa bought a month before you ship it is unlikely to qualify, and it is worth keeping purchase dates and receipts.

Exceptional circumstances

HMRC allows some flexibility. For people becoming resident because of exceptional political circumstances, such as seeking asylum, the guidance says the six-month possession rule can be relaxed, as can some use and transfer conditions. Where circumstances beyond your control mean you cannot meet the requirements, HMRC says it will consider waiving certain conditions, including the 12-month residence outside the UK, the six-month possession rule and the 12-month window to bring goods in. It is explicit that a lack of funds or space in your new home is not considered an exceptional circumstance, and that you should include evidence in your ToR1 form if you think exceptional circumstances apply.

Approval comes first

The process matters as much as eligibility. HMRC says you must get approval before claiming the relief, by completing a ToR1 form with details of the goods being imported and evidence to support your claim. That means the application is part of the planning stage of an overseas move, not an afterthought when the container reaches the port. Ask any international removal firm you are considering who prepares customs declarations, what documents it needs from you, and whether it expects you to hold the ToR1 approval before shipping.

How this affects quotes and inventories

A detailed inventory helps. If you will be claiming relief, your list of goods needs to match what you declare, and separating older household goods from anything you have bought recently can prevent disputes. Alcohol and tobacco are excluded from the relief, so remove them from the shipment unless you are prepared to deal with the charges separately. Vehicles, pets and boats have their own rules and licensing needs, so treat them as separate workstreams even though they sit within the same relief.

This article does not cover moving goods out of the UK, moving between the UK nations, or the rules for people who do not intend to make the UK their main home. It also does not cover other taxes and rules for particular goods, such as vehicles. HMRC’s page is the place to check the current text before you commit.

The bottom line

Transfer of residence relief can remove customs charges on your household goods when you move your main home to Great Britain, or to Northern Ireland from outside the EU, but only if you meet all the conditions: 12 months resident abroad, six months of prior possession, import within 12 months, and no lending or transfer within a year. Alcohol, tobacco and commercial transport are excluded, and you must get HMRC approval on a ToR1 form before you claim.

Sources

• HM Revenue & Customs, “Transfer of residence to the UK (GOV.UK guidance)”