Moving home guides

Malta is a Schengen country that allows 12 months for swapping a UK driving licence, and its own agency, Identità, handles residence permits. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) sets out the main points in its “Living in Malta” guide on GOV.UK, last updated on 12 December 2025, and in its Malta travel advice on entry requirements. This article summarises both for a household move from the UK. It covers Malta only, it is general information rather than immigration, tax or legal advice, and the FCDO notes that the Maltese authorities set and enforce the entry rules.

Visas and the first 90 days

The FCDO travel advice says British citizens can travel to the Schengen area, including Malta, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. For entry the passport must have been issued less than 10 years before arrival and must expire at least three months after the planned departure from the Schengen area. The Living in Malta guide says a visa or residence permit is needed to stay long term, meaning more than 90 days, and lists work, study, joining family, volunteer work and sports trials among the purposes. Time spent in Malta with a Maltese residence permit or long-stay visa does not count towards the 90-day visa-free period in the Schengen area.

Registering as a resident

The guide states that once a person arrives in Malta, they need to apply for a residence permit. Problems or questions go to the Identità agency or a lawyer in Malta. Permanent or long-term residency may be available after five years of living in Malta, and the guide adds two conditions: a stable and regular income and one’s own accommodation. Applications go through Identità’s Expatriates Unit portal. Malta recognises dual citizenship with the UK, so British citizenship need not be given up to become Maltese.

The eResidence card

For people who moved to Malta before 1 January 2021, the guide says a residence document showing Withdrawal Agreement rights should already be held. Under the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), such residents need the biometric eResidence card when entering or leaving Malta. If they have one, they do not have to register with the EES when entering, leaving or travelling within the Schengen area, and without one they may be wrongly identified as overstaying and refused entry. The guide says the original deadline for applying for an eResidence card was 30 June 2021, but late applications can still be made where documents show why the deadline was missed and Identità accepts the evidence and reasons.

An appeal against a refusal must be made to the Immigration Appeals Board within three working days of receiving Identità’s decision, and a further appeal to the Court of Appeal may be possible, which the guide says can be lengthy and expensive. It suggests getting legal advice from a lawyer in Malta. Family members of a pre-2021 resident must book an appointment with Identità within 90 days of arriving and apply for an eResidence card as a family member.

Working and studying

The guide says a work permit will probably be needed to work in Malta, and job applicants may have to provide a UK police certificate and a Maltese certificate of conduct. A work permit or visa is not needed by those who have lived in Malta legally since before 1 January 2021.

Driving: the 12-month window

The FCDO says a licence issued in the UK, Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man can be used in Malta for up to 12 months, and that these licences cannot be replaced or renewed while living there. To keep driving after 12 months, the licence must be exchanged for a Maltese one, without a practical or theory test. The steps are:

• get a check code from the DVLA for English, Welsh and Scottish licences, or from the Driver and Vehicle Agency for Northern Irish licences;
• apply before the 12 months are over, because processing takes time and a Maltese licence is needed to drive legally; and
• do not rely on an International Driving Permit, which cannot be used instead of exchanging.

Anyone unable to exchange can get a Maltese licence through Transport Malta by passing a theory and a practical test. A UK Blue Badge holder living in Malta must return it to the UK issuing authority, and a Maltese disabled parking card can be applied for. The site’s article on telling DVLA or the DVA about your new address covers the UK side of licence and vehicle records.

Tax, pensions and benefits

The UK has a double taxation agreement with Malta so that the same income is not taxed in both countries. The guide directs tax questions to the Malta Tax and Customs Administration and suggests professional advice from a lawyer in Malta. Questions about a Maltese pension go to the Department of Social Security and the International Relations Unit, and the guide points to that Department’s FAQs for non-Maltese residents on benefits.

Buying property

The guide says there may be eligibility requirements for buying property in Malta, which may include applying for an Acquisition of Immovable Property (AIP) Permit. It advises contacting a lawyer in Malta before buying land or property.

Children travelling alone

Children aged 17 and under must carry a letter of consent if they travel out of Malta without a parent or legal guardian. The letter must be signed by the parents or guardians and legalised at the Consular Services Office.

The bottom line

The FCDO’s Living in Malta guide gives movers 12 months to exchange a UK driving licence, but short deadlines elsewhere: an appeal against an eResidence refusal must be lodged within three working days, and family members must book with Identità within 90 days. A permit may be needed to buy property. Definitive information comes from the Maltese authorities.

Sources

• GOV.UK, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, “Living in Malta”
• GOV.UK, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, “Malta travel advice: Entry requirements”

Greece is inside the Schengen area, so a British national moving there faces rules that a move to Cyprus or Ireland does not. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) publishes a “Living in Greece” guide on GOV.UK, last updated on 17 March 2026, along with travel advice on entry requirements. This article summarises both for a household move from the UK. It is general information, not immigration, tax or legal advice, and it deals with Greece only. The FCDO says the UK government, the British Consulate and the British Embassy in Athens cannot give personalised advice on moving to, living or retiring in Greece, and that the Greek authorities set and enforce the rules.

The visa comes first

The guide says that anyone wanting to live in Greece should apply for a visa before arrival, typically a Type D Visa, also known as a National Visa, and then apply for a temporary residence permit after arrival. Visas are listed for work, work as a digital nomad, study, living with family and retirement. The travel advice adds the short-stay position: British citizens can travel to the Schengen area, including Greece, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa, and a longer stay requires a national visa from the Greek authorities. Time spent in Greece on a residence permit or long-stay visa does not count towards that 90-day limit. The travel advice warns that overstaying the visa-free limit may lead to a ban from Schengen countries for up to three years.

For entry, the travel advice says a passport must have been issued less than 10 years before arrival and must expire at least three months after the planned departure from the Schengen area.

Registering after arrival

The FCDO says residency cannot be applied for until the person is in Greece. Within 90 days of arrival they must register their address in person with the regional branch of the Hellenic police and apply for a temporary residence permit. A Citizens’ Service Centre (KEP), the Ministry of Migration and Asylum or an English-speaking lawyer can help with problems. Permanent residency may be available after five years with a temporary permit, with a permanent permit renewed every 10 years. Greece recognises dual citizenship with the UK, so British citizenship does not have to be renounced to become Greek.

People who moved before 1 January 2021

The guide says these residents should hold a biometric residence document, the Engrafo Diamonis 18 (4), which shows Withdrawal Agreement rights. Anyone living in Greece before that date without a permit must apply in person at a regional Hellenic Police branch, with evidence. If the application is refused, the refusal letter explains how to appeal and the appeal must be made within 20 days. Documents need renewing every 5 or 10 years, depending on the permit. The document matters for travel as well: the guide says British nationals legally resident in Greece do not need to register with the EU Entry/Exit System if they hold the Engrafo Diamonis 18 (4), and that without it they may be wrongly identified as overstaying.

Healthcare, work and study

Public healthcare is run by EOPYY, and the guide says a Greek residence permit is needed to access EOPYY services while living in Greece. Working may require a work permit or visa, and job applicants may need a UK police certificate and a copy of a Greek criminal record. Someone studying for longer than 90 days will probably need a Type D Visa. Those living in Greece legally since before 1 January 2021 need neither a work permit nor a student visa.

Driving in Greece

The FCDO says a licence issued in the UK or Gibraltar can be used in Greece for up to six months, and Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man licence holders should contact the regional Directorate of Transport and Communications to learn what they must do. These licences cannot be replaced or renewed while living in Greece. The guide says that a resident of six months or more should exchange a licence issued in the UK, Jersey, Guernsey, the Isle of Man or Gibraltar for a Greek one. A Greek licence can be applied for after at least six months’ residence, and that route involves a theory test and a practical driving test. A UK Blue Badge holder living in Greece must return the badge to the UK issuing authority, though a Greek disability card or an EU parking card may be available. The site’s article on telling DVLA or the DVA about your new address covers the UK side.

Tax, pensions and benefits

The UK has a double taxation agreement with Greece so that the same income is not taxed in both countries. The guide says residents must register for a Tax Identification Number (AFM), and once they have one must submit a yearly tax return and an annual declaration of assets, including assets held outside Greece, with severe penalties for failure. Claiming Greek benefits usually needs an AFM and a social security number (AMKA). The guide directs pension questions to the Greek Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the Unified Social Security Fund (EFKA).

Property and voting

Foreign nationals can own land and property in Greece, but the guide says an AFM will usually be needed, and it advises contacting an English-speaking lawyer before buying. Greek elections are open only to Greek citizens, and European elections only to citizens of an EU country.

Travelling with children

Children aged 17 and under must carry a letter of authority if they are travelling out of Greece without a parent or legal guardian.

The bottom line

The FCDO’s Living in Greece guide sets a clear sequence: a Type D visa before arrival, address registration and a residence permit application within 90 days, an AFM for tax and property, and a Greek driving licence once six months’ residence is reached. It is best read alongside the entry-requirements page, and detailed questions belong with the Greek authorities.

Sources

• GOV.UK, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, “Living in Greece”
• GOV.UK, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, “Greece travel advice: Entry requirements”

Cyprus is a popular destination for British movers, but it is not in the Schengen area and the rules for residency, driving and property differ from those in most of mainland Europe. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) publishes a “Living in Cyprus” guide on GOV.UK, last updated on 5 February 2026, that sets out the main steps and points to the Cypriot authorities for detail. This article summarises that guide for someone planning a household move from the UK. It concerns the Republic of Cyprus, and the guide itself says the UK government cannot give personalised advice on moving to Cyprus. It is general information, not immigration, tax or legal advice.

Where to get help

The FCDO says questions about moving to or living in Cyprus should go to the High Commission of Cyprus in London or the Cypriot Migration Department, and that English-speaking professionals in Cyprus, including lawyers, translators and notaries, can help.

Residency for people moving now

For a British national who did not live in Cyprus before 2021, the guide says that staying longer than 90 days as a visitor means applying for temporary residency as a third country national, meaning someone without EU, EEA or Swiss nationality. The guide says permanent residency may be available after five years of living in Cyprus, with eligibility explained by the Cypriot Migration Department. It adds that Cyprus recognises dual citizenship with the UK, so a British citizen does not have to renounce British citizenship to become Cypriot.

Entry rules for the first 90 days

The FCDO’s Cyprus travel advice says a British citizen can travel without a visa for up to 90 days. The passport must have been issued less than 10 years before arrival, must expire at least three months after the planned departure date and must have a blank page for stamping. It also says visits to Cyprus do not count towards the Schengen 90-day limit and the reverse, that overstaying can lead to questioning on exit or a refusal of entry for up to five years, and that anyone wanting to stay longer than 90 days should check with the Cyprus High Commission.

Residency for people who moved before 1 January 2021

People who moved to Cyprus before 1 January 2021 and have lived there legally since then have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement. The guide says they should exchange older MEU1, MEU2 or MEU3 documents for the biometric MUKW residence card, and that anyone who never got a document should apply now, with evidence. Applicants with under five years’ residence complete an MUKW1 form for a temporary card valid for five years, and those with over five years complete an MUKW3 form for a permanent card valid for ten years and renewable. Non-EU family members who joined after that date should apply for an MUKW2 document within four months of arrival.

Travel around Europe

The guide says Cyprus is not part of the Schengen area, so visits to Schengen countries from Cyprus must stay within the visa-free 90 days in any 180-day period. A passport and residence document should be carried, and border officers may ask for other evidence of residence such as a tenancy agreement or utility bill. Dual British and EU or EFTA citizens should enter and leave Cyprus using their EU or EFTA passport. The guide says Cyprus does not use the EU Entry/Exit System, but British nationals resident there will have to register with the system to travel to other EU countries.

Driving licence and vehicles

The FCDO says a licence issued in the UK, Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man can be used in Cyprus for up to six months, and that these licences cannot be replaced or renewed while living in Cyprus. To continue driving after six months, a UK-issued licence must be exchanged. The guide’s steps are:

• obtain a check code from the DVLA for English, Welsh and Scottish licences, or from the Driver and Vehicle Agency for Northern Irish licences;
• visit a district office of the Road Transport Department; and
• apply before the six months end, because processing takes time and a Cypriot licence is needed to drive legally.

An International Driving Permit cannot be used instead of exchanging. Licences from Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man cannot be exchanged, and their holders must apply for a Cypriot licence as non-EU nationals, which involves a test.

A UK-registered vehicle can be brought into the Republic of Cyprus, but the guide warns that a vehicle cannot be imported through the northern part of Cyprus and that the authorities may seize it. The site’s article on telling DVLA or the DVA about your new address covers the domestic side of vehicle records.

Tax, pensions and benefits

The guide notes that the UK has a double taxation agreement with Cyprus so that the same income is not taxed in both countries, and refers questions to the Tax Department of the Ministry of Finance and to English-speaking lawyers. National Insurance contributions are called social security contributions in Cyprus. A Cypriot pension may be claimable after long residence, and the Department of Social Insurance Services can confirm eligibility. For UK State Pension and benefits, including Child Benefit, the guide refers to its general moving-abroad guidance.

Property and schools

Foreign nationals can own land in the Republic of Cyprus, but the guide says there are a number of restrictions for non-EU citizens and advises contacting an English-speaking lawyer before buying. It says all children aged 4 to 15 must attend school in Cyprus and that there is no government-sponsored childcare system, though private services are plentiful.

The bottom line

The FCDO’s Living in Cyprus guide treats British newcomers as third country nationals who need temporary residency after 90 days, gives them six months to exchange a UK driving licence, warns against importing a vehicle through the north and sends most detailed questions to the Cypriot authorities. It is a guide only, and definitive information must come from those authorities.

Sources

• GOV.UK, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, “Living in Cyprus”
• GOV.UK, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, “Cyprus travel advice: Entry requirements”

Radon is a natural gas that seeps from the ground into buildings, and whether a property sits in a radon “Affected Area” can come up during a house purchase. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) runs the UKradon service, publishes the radon map with the British Geological Survey, and gives specific advice to buyers and sellers. This article summarises the UKradon pages on buying and selling, radon searches, the Action Level and UK maps, plus UKHSA’s 2022 press release on the updated map. It covers England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and says where the sources separate them. It is general information about property moves, and it does not describe conveyancing practice in Scotland.

What radon is and how big the risk is

UKradon describes radon as a colourless, odourless radioactive gas formed by the decay of small amounts of uranium that occur naturally in all rocks and soils. Every building contains radon but the levels are usually low, and the chances of a higher level depend on the type of ground. UKHSA’s 2022 press release says the risk of developing lung cancer from exposure to radon remains low for most people and that the vast majority of buildings are outside Affected Areas. It adds that the risk is highest among smokers and ex-smokers.

The map and what “Affected Area” means

UKHSA says its map shows where high levels are more likely: the chance is less than one home in a hundred in the white areas and greater than one in three in the darkest areas. UKradon adds that the map should not be used for basements, cellars or underground sites, which should be treated as having an increased chance of high radon regardless of location. The map was updated in England, Wales and Scotland in December 2022, while the Northern Ireland map, last updated in 2015, was unchanged.

An Affected Area is one where UKHSA advises testing. UKradon’s flow chart for buyers says that if a property is not in an Affected Area there is no formal advice to test, meaning less than a 1% chance of a high radon level there. Its radon searches page shows that testing is advised for areas with a probability band of 1 to 3% and above.

Address searches

UKradon distinguishes definitive from indicative searches. Definitive searches use the full data set of 25-metre squares. An individual address search, for homes and small workplaces no larger than 25 metres in any direction, is available from the UKradon site for a fee of £3.90 and reports the estimated probability of being above the Action Level. For large buildings and land, the British Geological Survey offers a search for around £50 each.

The Action Level and the test

UKHSA recommends that radon levels be reduced in homes where the average is more than 200 becquerels per cubic metre (200 Bq m-3), a recommendation the UKradon page says has been endorsed by the Government. Because the Action Level is an annual average, measurements use two detectors, one in a bedroom and one in a living room, over three months to average out short-term fluctuations. A Target Level of 100 Bq m-3 is described as the ideal outcome of remedial work, and UKradon says action should be considered if a result falls between the Target and Action Levels.

Advice for buyers and sellers

UKradon’s advice for buyers in an Affected Area is to ask the current owners whether they have completed a three-month radon test and, if so, to ask for a copy of the report. If not, buyers should discuss a retention with their solicitor and test after moving in. Sellers are advised to find any earlier test result, and if they have not tested, they should expect the new owner to be advised to test on moving in. Both should be prepared for questions about a retention.

Retentions

The page defines a retention as a sum held back from the sale to help pay for remedial work. It gives the typical remediation cost as £1,000 and a typical retention as between £800 and £3,000. The money is initially held by one of the solicitors for six months, to allow for moving in, the three-month test and receipt of the report. If the result is below the Action Level the money goes to the seller. If it is higher, the money pays for remedial works, with a timescale agreed for the work and a further test, and any surplus goes to the seller. UKradon says a retention may not suit buyers planning major building work on moving in or not moving in straight away.

New builds

For new homes, UKradon says radon protective measures are expected in Affected Areas where required by building regulations and guidance. Basic protection is a damp-proof membrane modified and extended into a radon-proof barrier across the ground floor. Full protection adds a radon sump or a ventilated subfloor void, and the sump is capped and not activated when the house is built. UKradon says buyers can ask the builder or use a radon search to find whether basic or full protection is expected. It also says Public Health England (PHE) recommends a three-month test during the first year of occupation because a result below the Action Level is not guaranteed. Where a result is above the Action Level, the options include adding a fan to the sump or increasing subfloor ventilation, followed by a further test.

Different building rules by nation

The searches page’s table shows the building-control category depending on the probability band. In the 3 to 10% bands, for example, England and Wales use “Basic” protection, Scotland “Stage 1” and Northern Ireland “Zone 1”; above 10% they use “Full”, “Stage 2” and “Zone 2”.

The bottom line

For a move, UKHSA’s advice is simple: check the map or run an address search, ask for any three-month test, agree with the solicitor whether to hold a retention, and test after moving in if there is no result. The Action Level is 200 Bq m-3 as a three-month, two-detector average, and new builds in Affected Areas should be tested in their first year.

Sources

• UKradon, “Information to pass onto clients buying or selling in a radon Affected Area” (ukradon.org)
• UKradon, “Radon and house sales” (ukradon.org)
• UKradon, “Radon searches” (ukradon.org)
• UKradon, “Radon Action Level and Target Level” (ukradon.org)
• UKradon, “UK maps of radon” (ukradon.org)
• GOV.UK, UKHSA, “UKHSA and BGS publish updated radon map for Great Britain”

Moving to a home beside a river, brook or ditch raises two separate questions before the removal van is booked: how likely the area is to flood, and who is responsible for the water running past or through the garden. GOV.UK and the Environment Agency answer both. This article summarises four GOV.UK pages: “Check the long term flood risk for an area in England”, “Find out if your property is in an area that has flooded”, “Prepare for flooding” and the Environment Agency guidance “Owning a watercourse” (last updated 12 February 2026). It applies to England only. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own services, which GOV.UK links to separately. It is general information, not legal or surveying advice.

Checking the long-term flood risk

GOV.UK provides an online service that shows the long-term flood risk for an area in England. It says the service covers risk from rivers and the sea, surface water, reservoirs and groundwater where data is available. It also shows how climate change might increase the chance of flooding, the possible causes of flooding and how to manage the risk. Anyone unable to use the online service can telephone Floodline on 0345 988 1188.

The limits of the service matter as much as its content. GOV.UK states that it does not tell users how likely it is that an individual property will flood, and that it does not cover flooding from sources such as blocked drains and burst pipes. It is therefore a picture of the area, not a verdict on one house.

Asking for the flood history of an address

Where an area has flooded before, the Environment Agency can be asked for a flood history report. GOV.UK says anyone can request the flood history for the area around an address or postcode in England by emailing the Environment Agency with the full address, including the postcode. If the postcode is not known, a map of the area can be sent as an attachment or online link. There may be a fee depending on how long the report takes to produce, and the Environment Agency will say if a fee applies. The report is sent by email within 20 working days.

The page contains an important warning: the Environment Agency does not have flood records for all areas in England and may not hold data for the area around a particular property. Other sources it names are the lead local flood authority, whose details come from the local council, and the Internal Drainage Board where one exists.

Who owns the stream or ditch?

The Environment Agency’s guidance says people normally own a stretch of watercourse that runs on or under their land, or that sits on the boundary of their land, up to its centre, unless the property deeds say otherwise. It advises checking the deeds if ownership is unclear. The site’s article on reading the title register and plan covers the wider limits of what those documents show.

The guidance defines a watercourse as any stream of water flowing in a defined channel or through an underground pipe or culvert. It can be narrow or wide, natural or artificial, and includes channels that are dry for long periods or do not flow every year. A dry channel filled only during temporary flooding is not a watercourse.

What owners must do

For a stretch they own, the guidance sets these responsibilities:

• let water flow naturally, which may mean removing blockages, fallen trees or overhanging branches where they obstruct a public right of navigation or reduce flow and cause flooding to other landowners, with damages payable in the latter case;
• avoid pollution, and get agreement from the Environment Agency before using herbicides within one metre of the top of the bank;
• not disturb protected species or habitats, birds and their nests, or the spawning or eggs of salmon, trout or other fish; and
• prevent invasive species such as Japanese knotweed from spreading to the wild or to neighbours’ land.

For a main river the risk management authority is the Environment Agency. For any other watercourse it is the lead local flood authority, which is a unitary authority or county council, or the internal drainage board.

Permissions for work near water

Owners have a right to protect their property from flooding and erosion, but the guidance says they must get permissions to build anything in or around the watercourse or within the floodplain if it does not have planning permission. Building anything that could divert water and increase flood risk to others can lead to a liability to pay damages. Permission is needed before changing, removing or building a flood defence on the land, or doing any work within 8 metres of a flood defence, or within 16 metres of a tidal flood defence. An owner may also be responsible for maintaining and repairing a flood defence on their land, so the relevant authority should be asked.

The guidance says permissions and licences are the owner’s responsibility, and that failing to obtain them may mean a fine or imprisonment. On a main river an environmental permit may be needed from the Environment Agency, and on the River Thames an accommodation licence too. It adds that the risk management authorities are unlikely to give permission to build a culvert.

Flood plans

The “Prepare for flooding” guide suggests making a personal flood plan and keeping it in a safe place with essential items such as spare medication, important documents and contact details. Where a property is next to a canal, it says the Canal and River Trust should be contacted to check who maintains it.

The bottom line

For a move in England, GOV.UK offers a long-term area flood check, a flood history report from the Environment Agency that can take up to 20 working days and may not exist for every area, and Environment Agency guidance on watercourse ownership. The deeds decide who owns the stream, and ownership brings duties to keep water flowing and to seek permission before building. The area check does not say how likely an individual property is to flood.

Sources

• GOV.UK, “Check the long term flood risk for an area in England”
• GOV.UK, “Find out if your property is in an area that has flooded”
• GOV.UK, “Prepare for flooding”
• GOV.UK, Environment Agency, “Owning a watercourse”

Leaving the UK does not have to mean losing a vote in UK Parliament elections, but the registration does not carry over automatically and it needs renewing. GOV.UK sets out how British citizens who move abroad can register as overseas voters, how often they must renew and how they can vote. This article summarises three GOV.UK pages: “Voting if you move or live abroad”, “Renew your registration to vote from abroad” and “Register to vote”. It is aimed at people from England, Scotland and Wales, with the Northern Ireland differences noted separately. It is general information rather than legal advice, and it covers UK elections only, not the rules of the country moved to. For a domestic move the site already covers re-registering after a move within the UK.

Who can register as an overseas voter

GOV.UK says a person can register as an overseas voter if they move or live abroad, have previously lived in the UK and are either a British citizen or an eligible Irish citizen registering to vote in Northern Ireland. It adds that the rules are different for someone who will be abroad only temporarily on election day. The “Register to vote” page says an overseas applicant must give the postcode of the last UK address at which they were registered to vote, or, if they have never registered, the postcode of the last UK address they lived at. They may also be asked for passport details, and the page says to contact the electoral registration office if the last address cannot be remembered. It also notes that National Insurance numbers are asked for, though registration is possible without one.

How to register

For voting in England, Scotland or Wales, GOV.UK says to register in the usual way, and the “Register to vote” page describes an online service that usually takes about five minutes, plus a paper form option that is printed, completed and sent to the electoral registration office. To vote in Northern Ireland, GOV.UK says a paper form is needed, returned to the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland. There are different registration routes for members of the armed forces, Crown servants and British Council employees working abroad.

Renewing every three years

GOV.UK says an overseas voter must renew their registration every three years to keep voting in UK elections while living abroad. The UK electoral registration office sends a reminder when renewal is due. A person who does not renew is removed from the register and must register again as an overseas voter. The renewal page says the online service is for someone who is already registered as an overseas voter and has received an email or letter reminding them to renew, and it refers to reminders asking for renewal by 1 November 2026. Renewal uses a nine-digit access code from the reminder. Where online renewal is not possible, a paper form is included with the reminder and can be returned to the office by email or post.

The renewal page suggests contacting the electoral registration office to check when renewal is due, to check whether registration is already in place, if the voter is returning to live in the UK permanently and does not want to renew, if a name has changed, or if the access code has been lost. A registered overseas voter who changes name, address or nationality should tell the office where they registered.

Which elections

According to GOV.UK, a registered overseas voter can vote in UK Parliament elections and may be able to vote in referendums, each of which has its own rules about who can vote.

How overseas voters can vote

• England, Scotland or Wales: vote by post, by proxy (if eligible) or in person.
• Northern Ireland: vote by proxy (if eligible), which needs a paper application form, or in person. GOV.UK says postal voting is not available to someone registered in Northern Ireland.
• In person: at the polling station used when living in the UK, or, if never registered, the one that applies to the former address. GOV.UK says photo ID is needed to confirm identity.

The “How to vote” guide adds that photo ID is needed when voting in person in some elections and referendums in England, Scotland and Wales, that Northern Ireland has different rules and that no election can be voted in online.

A moving-abroad checklist for the ballot

• Register as an overseas voter soon after arrival, using the last UK address.
• Give the electoral registration office an email address that will still work, since reminders arrive by email or letter.
• Diarise the renewal date, three years on.

Common questions

Do I need to re-register for every election?

GOV.UK says people normally register once in the UK; overseas voters must additionally renew every three years to stay on the register.

Can an overseas voter vote online?

No. GOV.UK says voters cannot vote online in any elections.

The bottom line

GOV.UK says British citizens who have lived in the UK can register as overseas voters, must renew every three years or be removed, and can vote in UK Parliament elections by post, proxy or in person. Northern Ireland has its own form and does not allow postal voting for overseas registrants. Registering soon after a move abroad and keeping contact details current are the practical steps.

Sources

• GOV.UK, “Voting if you move or live abroad”
• GOV.UK, “Renew your registration to vote from abroad”
• GOV.UK, “Register to vote”
• GOV.UK, “How to vote”

Moving from the UK to the Netherlands means planning the paperwork around the physical move: registering with the local municipality, getting a citizen service number, sorting the driving licence and clearing household goods through Dutch customs. This article summarises the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) guidance “Living in the Netherlands” on GOV.UK (last updated 23 December 2025 on the version consulted) and two Dutch Customs pages, “Moving to the Netherlands” (last updated 12 November 2025) and “This is not permitted to include in your household effects” (last updated 30 October 2025). It concerns people moving from the UK, which is outside the European Union. It is general information, not immigration or legal advice, and the FCDO says the UK government cannot give personalised advice on moving to the Netherlands.

Visas and residence permits

The FCDO says to check which visa or residence permit is needed and lists work, study, internship or apprenticeship, starting a business, research, living with family and medical treatment as the routes. It directs readers to the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) and the Embassy of the Netherlands in London, and says the British Embassy in The Hague cannot help with Dutch visa, residency or citizenship applications. People who moved before 1 January 2021 have Withdrawal Agreement rights and should hold a Withdrawal Agreement residence document. This article is for those moving now, who should check the IND for the route that applies to them.

Registering with the municipality

According to the FCDO, on arrival a person must register with the local municipality (“Gemeente”). Anyone intending to live in the Netherlands for more than four months must register as a resident in the Personal Records Database (BRP) by making an appointment at the municipality within five days of arrival. Those staying under four months should register on the Non-Residents Records Database (RNI) through their local RNI desk. Anyone who moves house afterwards must tell the municipality of the change of address. Registration leads to a Citizen Service Number (BSN), which the FCDO says is needed to work, open a bank account, get health insurance, visit a doctor or hospital and apply for benefits. Because the BRP registration certificate also underpins the customs paperwork below, booking that appointment early is sensible.

Customs relief on household goods

Dutch Customs says that someone moving from a non-EU country who wants to import household effects without paying import duties must declare the import to Customs. The declaration cannot be filed independently: the removal company files it in Customs’ declaration system using a relief code. The customer gives the removal company:

• a signed inventory listing all the personal goods to be taken;
• the certificate of registration in the municipality’s personal records database, showing that and when the person settled in the Netherlands; and
• if there is no registration certificate yet, proof of deregistration from the country of departure plus one of the following: an employment contract, an employer’s statement, a work permit, or a rental contract or mortgage certificate for the new home.

Customs says that if not all documents are available, a removal company can under certain conditions still apply, provided the missing documents are sent as soon as possible. For a car or motorcycle, copies of the registration certificate and the purchase or ownership certificate are needed, and vehicles need a separate declaration through the removal company.

The conditions for relief, according to Customs, are: moving from outside the EU to live in the Netherlands or another EU country; having lived outside the EU for at least twelve consecutive months; having owned and used the goods for at least six months and being about to use them again; importing within twelve months of taking up residence; and not lending, pledging, leasing out or transferring the goods within twelve months of import. Relief does not apply to products containing alcohol, tobacco and tobacco products, commercial vehicles or non-portable materials for professional use.

What cannot go in the shipment

The second Customs page says products containing alcohol, such as wine or spirits, attract import duties, and that tobacco products may not be sent with household effects unless they bear valid Dutch excise seals; unsealed tobacco is seized and taxed. Dogs and cats, counterfeit articles, endangered species, animal products, weapons and ammunition, narcotics and cultural goods such as art and antiques are subject to special rules. The site’s guide to moving abroad with a pet covers the animal side.

Driving

The FCDO says a UK, Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey or Isle of Man licence can be used in the Netherlands for up to 185 days, and that these licences cannot be replaced or renewed while living there. To keep driving after 185 days the licence must be exchanged, and the application should be made before the 185 days end because processing takes time. If it cannot be exchanged, a Dutch licence must be applied for as a non-EU national, which involves registering with the municipality, a certificate of fitness, a Dutch theory test and a practical test. A UK Blue Badge holder who lives in the Netherlands must return it to the UK issuing authority.

Buying and renting

The FCDO says to contact an English-speaking lawyer in the Netherlands when considering buying property or land. It also notes that the UK has a double taxation agreement with the Netherlands, and suggests professional advice on tax.

The bottom line

For a UK-to-Netherlands move, the FCDO and Dutch Customs describe a sequence: confirm the visa or permit with the IND, register with the municipality within five days if staying more than four months, get the BSN, and give the removal company the documents it needs to claim customs relief. Relief is conditional and excludes alcohol, tobacco, commercial vehicles and professional equipment. UK driving licences can be used for 185 days before exchange. This article covers moves from the UK only, so rules differ for other origins.

Sources

• FCDO, GOV.UK, “Living in the Netherlands”
• Dutch Customs, “Moving to the Netherlands” (douane.nl)
• Dutch Customs, “This is not permitted to include in your household effects” (douane.nl)

A house move usually comes with a conveyancer, but the owner still has to live with what the property’s legal record says: who can cross the drive, whether anything may be built in the garden, and where the boundary really runs. HM Land Registry publishes free guidance for England and Wales on how to read the register and plan that record each registered property. This article summarises two GOV.UK guides, “How to read a title register” and “How to read a title plan” (published 4 November 2021), and the GOV.UK service page “Search for land and property information”. All three apply to England and Wales. The service page says searches for property in Scotland or Northern Ireland use different registers. This is general information, not legal advice, and Land Registry itself says it cannot give legal advice and that a legal adviser should be consulted if any entry is unclear.

What the register and plan are

When Land Registry registers a property it gives it a unique title number and prepares a register and, in most cases, a title plan. The register shows the names of the legal owners and whether there are mortgages, rights of way or other legal matters affecting the property. It also records whether the property is freehold or leasehold. Land Registry says the register and plan generally need to be read together.

The three parts of a register

• A: property. A brief description, whether freehold or leasehold, and any rights the property benefits from, such as a private right of way. For a leasehold, brief lease details appear, including the date and length. It can also mention things such as excepted mines and minerals or provisions about rights of light or air and boundary fences.
• B: proprietorship. The class of title, the registered owners’ names and contact addresses, sometimes the price paid, and any restrictions. Land Registry says restrictions limit an owner’s power to deal with the property, for example to sell or mortgage it without a lender’s or another person’s consent. It says a common one, entered when the owners are trustees, limits what one owner can do alone, and another guards against fraud by requiring a conveyancer’s certificate that the person selling is the registered owner.
• C: charges. Mortgages and other financial charges, tenancies that affect the property, and other rights and interests that limit how the land can be used, such as rights of way for others to cross it and restrictive covenants. Not every register has a C part.

Restrictive covenants and rights of way

The GOV.UK service page defines restrictive covenants as promises not to do certain things with the land, like not building on a particular area, and easements as the rights of one piece of land over another, like a right of way. The free property summary says whether either exists, but the service page says the details need the title register. It adds that in some cases the register will not set out the details but will say which documents do. The title plan guide gives a real-style example of a covenant in a 1983 conveyance stating that the purchaser will not use the land for any trade or business or permit a public nuisance or private inconvenience.

For movers, two consequences follow. A right of way for a neighbour over a drive or path can affect where a removal van can stand or where furniture can be carried, so it is worth reading the wording. A covenant on trade or business use matters to anyone planning to run a business from home. The site’s guide to parking suspensions for removal vans covers the public-road side of access.

Reading the title plan

The plan uses an Ordnance Survey extract, with red edging showing the extent of the registered land and black lines showing physical features. Land Registry says colours, letters and symbols sometimes link to entries in the register for easements, restrictive covenants or boundary agreements. Land shown edged in green has usually been removed from the title, such as a sold-off part of a garden.It also says the absence of a colour reference does not mean a property is free of easements, covenants or other agreements, because some are described in words in the register.

Land Registry cautions that the red edging cannot be treated as the exact legal boundary or as showing who owns a boundary feature, and that a measurement scaled off the plan should not be relied on to locate a boundary. It says title plans can look out of date because the earliest still in use were prepared over 100 years ago and the Ordnance Survey base map is not refreshed each time the map is revised. If neighbours agree the boundary’s precise position, the agreement can be recorded in the register of each property.

How to get the documents and what they cost

The GOV.UK service page says anyone can search for a property in England or Wales, even if they do not own it. The property summary is free. A title register or title plan costs £7 each to download, and a debit or credit card is needed. Official copies cannot be downloaded and are posted for £11 per document using form OC1. Downloaded copies cannot be used as proof of ownership, for example in a court case, while an official copy can be relied on to show the state of the register at the date and time it states.

Common questions

Can a title register replace legal advice?

No. Land Registry says it cannot give legal advice and recommends consulting a legal adviser about anything unclear.

The bottom line

For a property in England or Wales, the title register and plan set out ownership, mortgages, restrictions, rights of way and covenants, and they cost £7 each to download from GOV.UK. Reading the C part and the plan together before moving day shows what a new owner takes on. Land Registry warns that a plan’s red line is not an exact boundary and that a legal adviser should be consulted about anything unclear.

Sources

• HM Land Registry, GOV.UK, “How to read a title register”
• HM Land Registry, GOV.UK, “How to read a title plan”
• GOV.UK, “Search for land and property information”

Before the removal van arrives at a rented home, one document matters for safety: the landlord’s gas safety check record. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Great Britain’s workplace health and safety regulator, publishes landlord guidance on the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, which HSE describes as duties on landlords. This article summarises what HSE says a tenant should receive before moving in, what the record contains and what it does not cover. The HSE pages are guidance for Great Britain, and Northern Ireland is not covered here. This is general information, not legal advice.

What the landlord must give a new tenant

HSE’s “Dealing with tenants” page says a landlord must issue the latest gas safety check record to new tenants before they move in, and to existing tenants within 28 days of the check being completed. The “what if” page adds that before a new tenancy starts a current record must be provided, that a record is valid for twelve months from the date of the check, and that if a new tenancy begins within that period the existing record remains current and can be copied to the new tenants. So a tenant moving in on a date within twelve months of the last check may receive a copy of an earlier record, which is normal.

HSE says the copy can be electronic if the tenant is happy to receive it that way and can access it, but a paper copy must be given if the tenant asks for one. A landlord or a gas engineer, with the landlord’s agreement, may send the electronic record directly to the tenant.

What the record must contain

HSE’s record-keeping page lists the minimum contents of a gas safety check record:

• a description and the location of each appliance or flue checked;
• the name, registration number and signature of the person who carried out the check;
• the date of the check;
• the address of the property;
• the name and address of the landlord or their agent;
• any safety-related defect found and any remedial action taken; and
• confirmation that the check included the matters in regulation 26(9)(a) to (d).

HSE says the check must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer. It describes the standard form as the “Landlord gas safety record”, previously known as a gas safety certificate or CP12. It notes that one record usually covers all the items checked.

What is covered by the annual check

HSE says all permanent and portable gas appliances and flues in the property require an annual gas safety check, and that any appliance the landlord owns and provides for the tenant’s use is within the landlord’s duties. A mobile LPG space heater needs a check as well. Where a building has a communal appliance, such as a boiler serving several dwellings, the landlord must ensure it is maintained by a Gas Safe registered engineer and checked as part of the annual check. Tenants are responsible for checking their own appliances, and the flue if it serves only their appliance, though HSE recommends the landlord include all flues connected to gas appliances in the check. HSE says a tenant who buys an appliance from the landlord becomes responsible for its check and maintenance and should have it checked before buying. Where a previous tenant has left an appliance, the landlord should either remove it or have it checked, and should make ownership clear before re-letting.

Bedrooms and carbon monoxide alarms

HSE says that since 31 October 1998 a room converted to sleeping accommodation should not contain certain gas appliances unless they meet conditions, such as being room-sealed. If a room that contains such an appliance was already a bedroom before 1998, a risk assessment is needed to decide whether it can still be used as one. On carbon monoxide alarms, HSE says that from 1 October 2022 in England all relevant landlords must provide an alarm in any room used as living accommodation that contains a fixed combustion appliance, excluding gas cookers, and it points to separate guidance for Scotland and Wales.

Access, defects and heating

HSE says the tenancy contract should allow the landlord access for safety checks and that force must not be used to enter. If an appliance has been disconnected, HSE says the landlord must provide emergency heating while a Gas Safe registered engineer arranges remedial work. It says an appliance switched off by an engineer was unsafe and should not be used. It also states that a repairing lease cannot pass a landlord’s gas safety responsibilities to a tenant.

A move-in checklist

• Ask for the gas safety record before signing or, at the latest, before moving in, and check the check date is within the last twelve months.
• Confirm that every appliance you will use, including any portable heater the landlord provides, appears on the record.
• Note any defects and remedial action recorded, and ask for follow-up records, since HSE describes the record as a living document to be supplemented.
• Check where any carbon monoxide alarm is fitted, if you are in England.

For other move-in documents, the site’s guides to tenancy deposit protection and Right to Rent checks in England are useful companions. See also the piece on disconnecting gas appliances.

Common questions

Does the record have to be new for every tenancy?

No. HSE says a record is valid for twelve months from the check date, so a current one can be copied to new tenants.

Can a landlord ask me to arrange my own annual check?

HSE says a landlord cannot delegate gas safety responsibilities for the appliances they provide, and a repairing lease cannot transfer them. Tenants are responsible for their own appliances.

The bottom line

HSE says a new tenant in Great Britain must be given the latest gas safety check record before moving in, and the record must show who checked what and when. The annual check covers the landlord’s appliances and flues, and a landlord cannot hand those duties to a tenant. Checking the record before moving day is a quick way to confirm that the gas supply has been looked at by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

Sources

• HSE, “Landlords’ responsibility for gas safety: Dealing with tenants” (hse.gov.uk)
• HSE, “Gas safety check records and what to keep” (hse.gov.uk)
• HSE, “Gas safety checks: what needs them?” (hse.gov.uk)
• HSE, “Gas safety checks: what if…?” (hse.gov.uk)

Homes off the mains gas network often heat with oil, and a large tank in the garden is part of what a buyer or tenant inherits on moving day. GOV.UK sets out who is responsible for the tank, what building rules apply to a new or replacement one, when a bund is needed and what to do after a leak. This article summarises the GOV.UK guide “Storing oil at your home or business” and the separate GOV.UK guidance on oil storage regulations for businesses. The home guidance is written for England and says there are different building regulations in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, so the rules below are for England unless stated. This is general information, not legal or engineering advice.

Who is responsible for the tank

GOV.UK says the person responsible for the property or premises is usually legally responsible for the oil storage container, for example the homeowner. For a household that means the new owner from completion. The guide also says the regulations depend on where the oil is stored: at home, building regulations normally apply if a container is installed, and if a container can hold 3,501 litres or more the regulations for businesses apply instead. The separate business guidance says a home container of 3,501 litres or more falls under those rules, and that a business container of 201 litres or more of listed oil types does. A farmhouse heating tank follows the home regulations under the overview.

New or replacement tanks in England

The GOV.UK guide says building regulations must be met if a new or replacement oil storage container is installed at a home in England, for example to fuel a cooker or central heating. It advises choosing an installer registered with a “competent person” scheme, who can self-certify that the work complies and deal with building control issues. If the installer is not registered, the householder must obtain a Building Control Notice from the local council and arrange and pay for an inspection. Without approval, GOV.UK warns, the certificates of compliance that may be needed when selling a home will not be available. The person installing the tank could be prosecuted and fined for non-compliance, and the householder is responsible for making sure the work meets the regulations, so a local authority could make them pay to fix faulty work.

A buyer moving into a property with a recently replaced tank should ask for the compliance certificate. The site’s guide to new-build home warranties covers a different set of documents.

When a bund is needed

A bund is secondary containment: an outer case that holds the tank. GOV.UK says the installer will carry out a risk assessment and say whether the tank needs one, and that the bund must hold 110% of the tank’s capacity and be impermeable to oil and water. A bund is needed where the tank is in any of these places:

• where oil spills could run into an open drain or a loose manhole cover;
• where the tank vent pipes cannot be seen during filling, for example because the tanker is parked too far away;
• within 10 metres of coastal waters or inland fresh waters such as lakes or streams;
• within 50 metres of a drinking water source such as a well, borehole or spring;
• where spills could run over hard ground and reach coastal waters, fresh waters or a drinking water source;
• in the inner zone of groundwater source protection zone 1.

A bund is also needed if the tank can hold more than 2,500 litres. Homes on private water supplies should note the well and borehole distance in particular; the site’s guide to private water supplies explains what buyers and tenants take on there.

Inspection, labelling and leaks

The overview page says a tank should be inspected every year by someone registered with a competent person scheme, who will say when it should be replaced, and it says the industry body Oil Care suggests checking for damage or leaks at least once a month. The tank should carry a sticker in a prominent position telling the owner how to look after the oil and what to do in a spill; if it is missing, one can be ordered. If there is a leak or spill, GOV.UK says to stop the oil spreading if possible, follow the sticker and the Oil Care website, not to clean up the spill yourself, and to get help from the insurer, the Environment Agency or the oil supply company. It warns of possible legal action if a spill pollutes a watercourse, and that all types of oil, even those sold as “environmentally friendly” or “green”, must be dealt with correctly.

A move-day checklist for an oil-heated home

• Ask the seller or landlord for the tank’s age, its installer, any compliance certificate and the date of the last annual inspection.
• Check that the tank has the care sticker, is not visibly damaged and sits on a sound base with a bund where one is required.
• Agree in writing what oil remains in the tank at completion and who orders the next delivery.

Common questions

Does a tenant own the tank?

GOV.UK says the person responsible for the property is usually legally responsible for the tank. Who that is in a rented home turns on the tenancy and the landlord’s obligations, so it is worth asking in writing.

Do these rules apply in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?

The home guidance says there are different building regulations in Wales, regulations in Scotland and regulations in Northern Ireland.

The bottom line

For an oil-heated home in England, GOV.UK says the property’s responsible person, usually the owner, carries legal responsibility for the tank, that a new or replacement tank must meet building regulations, that bunding is required in specified locations and above 2,500 litres, and that annual inspection is advised. Asking for the tank’s certificate and inspection history before moving day avoids inherited problems. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate rules.

Sources

• GOV.UK, “Storing oil at your home or business: Storing oil at your home”
• GOV.UK, “Storing oil at your home or business: Overview”
• GOV.UK, “Oil storage regulations for businesses”, last updated 2 May 2023