Moving home guides

Many rural and edge-of-village homes are not connected to the mains sewer. Moving into one means inheriting a septic tank or small sewage treatment plant, along with legal responsibilities that a first-time owner may not expect. This article explains what GOV.UK says about those responsibilities in England, focusing on what a new owner or tenant should check before and after the move. It applies to England only: GOV.UK states that there are different rules for septic tanks and treatment plants in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Who is responsible

GOV.UK says a person is responsible for, and is the “operator” of, a septic tank or sewage treatment plant if they own the property that uses the system, if the property shares the system with others (in which case they are jointly responsible), or if they have an agreement with the owner that they are responsible, for example where a tenancy agreement says so. That last point matters to movers who rent: the tenancy agreement should be read for who looks after the system. GOV.UK also notes that connecting to the mains (public foul) sewer means no permit is needed.

The “general binding rules”

An operator does not need an environmental permit if the system meets the general binding rules. The rules that apply depend on when the discharge started. GOV.UK distinguishes existing discharges that started before 1 January 2015, those that started from 1 January 2015 up to 2 October 2023, and new discharges from 2 October 2023, with additional rules for the later categories. For a discharge to the ground, the rules for all discharges include that:

• no more than 2 cubic metres (2,000 litres) a day is discharged, otherwise the property must connect to the public sewer where reasonable or apply for a permit;
• only domestic sewage is discharged;
• the discharge must not cause pollution of surface water or groundwater;
• a septic tank or small sewage treatment plant must be used with a drainage field, and effluent from a septic tank must not go to a watercourse;
• the discharge must not be in a groundwater source protection zone 1, otherwise a permit is required.

GOV.UK adds that a well or borehole cannot be used to discharge waste water to ground, and that a soakaway designed for rainwater and installed after December 2007 cannot meet the rules. Owners with such arrangements must upgrade to a compliant drainage field or connect to the sewer where reasonable.

What an existing system needs

For a discharge that started before 2 October 2023, GOV.UK says to check whether the system meets the general binding rules. If it does not, the operator must either connect to a public foul sewer if it is reasonable to do so or change the system so that it meets the rules, and must apply for a permit if neither is possible. It also says that if the system did not obtain building regulations approval when it was installed, approval may be needed, and planning permission might be too; for a system installed before 1 January 2015, the local council can advise on planning permission.

Maintenance and emptying

The rules say the treatment system should be regularly maintained in line with the manufacturer’s instructions, and must be repaired or replaced if it is not in good working order. GOV.UK gives examples of faults, including leaks, cracks, blocked pipes, waste water not draining properly with pools around the drainage point, sewage smells, and a failed motor or pump. Sludge must be removed (desludged) before it exceeds maximum capacity, at least once a year or as the manufacturer instructs, and the company used to dispose of the waste sludge must be a registered waste carrier. GOV.UK says the operator can check this by asking the company to confirm it or asking the driver for a copy of the waste carrier certificate.

Buying or selling: the duty to hand over information

Anyone selling a property with a system must tell the new operator in writing that a sewage discharge is in place. GOV.UK lists what to include: a description of the treatment and drainage systems, the location of the main parts and the discharge point, details of any changes, how the system should be maintained together with the maintenance manual if there is one, and maintenance records. A buyer can use that list as a checklist when asking the seller and their solicitor for information. For the wider moving process, the site’s guide to exchange versus completion explains the sale timeline in which those questions are usually raised.

If a system stops being used permanently, the rules say anything that could cause pollution, such as remaining sludge, must be removed. This does not apply if the equipment is unused only temporarily, for example when the property is empty.

Common questions

Do I need a permit if my tank meets the general binding rules? No. GOV.UK says an operator who meets all the general binding rules that apply does not need a permit.

Do these rules apply in Scotland or Wales? No. GOV.UK says there are different rules there and in Northern Ireland.

The bottom line

In England, whoever owns, shares or has agreed to look after a septic tank or small sewage treatment plant is the operator, and must meet the general binding rules or hold a permit. That includes regular maintenance, at least annual desludging by a registered waste carrier, and written information handed to the next operator on sale. Movers buying or renting a home with a private system should ask for the maintenance records and manual before completion, and check who is responsible under the tenancy agreement. This is general information, not legal advice.

Sources

• GOV.UK, “Septic tanks and sewage treatment plants: what you need to do”
• GOV.UK, “Septic tanks and sewage treatment plants: Your property has an existing discharge”
• GOV.UK, “General binding rules: small sewage discharge to the ground”

Spain remains a popular destination for UK households, and the practical tasks after arrival are specific: registering with the town hall, obtaining a residence card, exchanging a driving licence within a short window and declaring overseas assets. The UK Government’s “Living in Spain” guidance, last updated on 3 July 2026, sets out the main points. This article summarises the parts that matter to someone planning a move. It reflects UK Government guidance on Spanish requirements, so the Spanish authorities remain the final source.

Who can help, and who cannot

The guidance says questions about moving to or living in Spain can go to the Spanish consulates in Edinburgh, London or Manchester, the Embassy of Spain in the United Kingdom, or the Spanish Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration. It states that the UK government, including the British Embassy and Consulates in Spain, cannot give personalised advice on moving to, living or retiring in Spain, and cannot help with Spanish visa, residency or citizenship applications. It also describes the ‘gestor’, a private professional agent who can help with administrative tasks, tax and accountancy, and points to a National Register of Accredited Gestores. English-speaking lawyers, translators and notaries are also listed as sources of professional help.

Visas and registering on arrival

A visa is available for purposes that include studying, retiring, working (including as a digital nomad), an internship, medical treatment, living with family, religious activities, volunteering and research. After arrival, the guidance says a new resident needs to register as a resident and on the municipal register, the ‘padrón municipal’, at the local town hall, and that children must be registered with their own residency documents. The residence card is the ‘TIE’, the Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero.

For anyone who moved before 1 January 2021, the guidance says the TIE is the only valid residency document listed in the Withdrawal Agreement and that holders of an older ‘green’ certificate are strongly recommended to exchange it. A mover arriving now should treat the town hall registration and TIE as early items on the arrival checklist, alongside the address changes covered in the site’s change-of-address checklist.

Citizenship: an important difference

The guidance states that Spain does not recognise dual citizenship with the UK. Someone considering Spanish citizenship in the long term should confirm what that means for British citizenship with the Spanish authorities. By comparison, the same UK guidance for France says that country recognises dual citizenship with the UK, as described in the site’s guide to moving to France.

Driving licences: a six-month window

The guidance says a UK, Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey or Isle of Man licence can be used to drive in Spain for up to six months, and that these licences cannot be replaced or renewed by someone living in Spain. To continue driving after six months, a UK or Gibraltar licence must be exchanged. The applicant needs a check code from the DVLA for English, Welsh and Scottish licences, or from the Driver and Vehicle Agency for Northern Irish licences, and should apply before the six months end because processing takes time and a Spanish licence is needed to drive legally.

The guidance adds that licences issued in Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man cannot be exchanged. Holders must apply for a Spanish licence as a non-EU national, which involves a theory test and a practical driving test. The six-month window is shorter than the 12-month exchange window the same series of guidance gives for France, so the two countries should not be treated alike. The vehicle side of an overseas move is covered in the site’s guide to exporting a vehicle when you move abroad permanently.

Tax, assets and pensions

The guidance says the UK has a double taxation agreement with Spain so that tax is not paid twice on the same income, and suggests contacting the Spanish Tax Agency about relief and considering professional advice. It states that a person resident in Spain must declare all assets held outside Spain, may need to file an annual tax return, and faces penalties for failing to file or giving incorrect or incomplete information. For pensions it covers claiming the UK State Pension and applying to the Spanish social security office, INSS, for a Spanish pension. The UK-side residence position is explained in the site’s guide to tax residence and split-year treatment.

Buying property and voting

Anyone considering buying property or land is told to contact an English-speaking lawyer in Spain. On voting, the guidance says a resident cannot vote in general or regional elections without Spanish citizenship, but can vote in local elections after three years of residence if on the electoral register.

Common questions

Can I keep driving on my UK licence indefinitely? No. The guidance says a UK licence can be used for up to six months and must then be exchanged.

Does Spain allow dual citizenship with the UK? The guidance says it does not.

The bottom line

For a move from the UK to Spain, the UK Government’s guidance highlights registering as a resident and on the municipal register, obtaining a TIE, exchanging a UK licence within six months, declaring foreign assets and understanding that Spain does not recognise dual citizenship with the UK. Professional help from a lawyer or gestor is the route the guidance points to for personalised questions. Rules and processing times change, so mover checklists should be verified against Spanish government sources before dates are fixed. This is general information, not legal or tax advice.

Sources

• GOV.UK, “Living in Spain”
• GOV.UK, “Living in France”

Anyone planning a move to a home in Scotland will meet a Scottish document called the Home Report. It is produced before a property is marketed, and it shapes decisions that feed straight into moving plans, from how much repair work to budget for to whether a removal date is realistic. This article explains what the Home Report contains and how a buyer can use it, according to the Scottish Government. It applies to Scotland only; the site’s guide to how offers, missives and settlement set the date you get the keys covers the sales timeline.

What the Home Report is

According to mygov.scot, if a home is publicly known to be for sale it should have a Home Report, and a buyer can ask the seller, their solicitor or their estate agent for it. The Home Report is split into three parts: a single survey and valuation, a property questionnaire and an energy report. The Scottish Government says it introduced the Home Report in 2008 to give sellers and buyers better information about a property’s condition before offers are placed, to address the problem of multiple surveys and valuations being carried out, and to address the problem of artificially low asking prices.

The Home Report comprises three documents: an Energy Report, a Property Questionnaire and a Single Survey. The Government’s policy page adds that only surveyors registered with or authorised to practise by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors can produce Single Surveys.

Getting a copy

mygov.scot states that a seller or selling agent must give a Home Report within nine days of being asked. If it is not provided within nine days, the buyer can contact their local council’s trading standards service. A seller may refuse only in limited situations: where they do not believe the person is seriously interested in buying, do not believe they have enough money, or would prefer not to sell to them, although they cannot discriminate for illegal reasons.

Part 1: the single survey and valuation

This section is based on a visual inspection by a chartered surveyor. It describes the home, its condition and accessibility, and any repairs that may be needed, and it gives a valuation, which mygov.scot describes as an opinion on how much the home is worth. For movers, the practical consequence is on the budget side: if any repairs are marked as urgent or needing future attention, the buyer should consider whether they can cope with the cost or inconvenience, and mygov.scot suggests getting estimates before proceeding. A buyer who decides they cannot cope with the repairs can walk away at this stage without penalty. The report is therefore worth reading before committing to a removal date.

Part 2: the property questionnaire

The property questionnaire covers 16 categories designed to give more information about the home. According to mygov.scot, these include the council tax band, past issues such as fire or storm damage or asbestos, alterations or extensions, details of specialist works or guarantees, and notices that might affect the home.

Part 3: the energy report

The energy report gives information on the home’s energy efficiency in the form of an Energy Performance Certificate. It tells the buyer about energy use and roughly how much heating, lighting and hot water will cost on average, rates the home’s environmental impact in terms of carbon dioxide emissions, and gives contact details for advice on making the home more energy efficient. This helps a household forecast running costs for the new address, a step the site’s guide to moving house budgets encourages.

Homes that do not need a Home Report

mygov.scot lists several exceptions: houses on the market since before 1 December 2008, new houses being sold off-plan or to the first occupier, newly converted homes not yet used in their converted state, dual-use homes used for both residential and non-residential purposes, and seasonal holiday homes that can only be used at certain times of year. If a home does not need a Home Report, the seller must still give an Energy Performance Certificate.

Common questions

Does this apply to sales in England or Wales? No. The Home Report described here comes from Scottish Government sources, so this article covers Scotland only.

Can a buyer walk away after reading the report? mygov.scot says a buyer who does not think they can cope with the repairs can walk away at that stage without penalty.

The bottom line

In Scotland, a Home Report of three parts, a single survey and valuation, a property questionnaire and an energy report, should be available for most homes on the market, and a seller or agent must supply it within nine days of a request. Reading it before an offer helps a mover budget for repairs, understand past works and forecast energy costs, which in turn helps set a realistic moving date and removal budget. Exceptions apply for certain categories of property, but an Energy Performance Certificate is still required. This is general information, not legal advice.

Sources

• mygov.scot, “Home Report”
• Scottish Government, “Home Reports” (gov.scot)

A move often changes who lives in a home, not just where. A partner moves in, a housemate leaves, a student joins the household. Each change can alter the Council Tax bill, and the rules on who counts as an adult decide whether a discount applies. This article sets out what GOV.UK says about Council Tax liability and discounts when household make-up changes. It covers England, Wales and Scotland; Northern Ireland uses a different system, touched on in the site’s guide to moving home in Northern Ireland.

The starting point: two adults

GOV.UK says a full Council Tax bill is based on at least two adults living in a home, and that people aged 18 or over will usually have to pay. It states that spouses and partners who live together are jointly responsible for paying the bill. In practice, when a couple moves in together, both are jointly responsible for the bill, and the household is counted as two adults unless someone is “disregarded”.

Who is not counted

Some people are disregarded when working out how many adults live in a property. GOV.UK lists them as people who are:

• under 18 years old;
• on certain apprentice schemes;
• 18 or 19 years old and in full-time education;
• full-time students at college or university;
• under 25 years old and receiving funding from the Education and Skills Funding Agency;
• student nurses;
• foreign language assistants registered with the British Council;
• severely mentally impaired;
• live-in carers for someone who is not their partner, spouse or child under 18; or
• diplomats.

The discount is not automatic. GOV.UK says a discount or exemption must be applied for even if someone is disregarded.

What the discounts are worth

According to GOV.UK, the bill is reduced by 50% if everyone living in the household is disregarded. It is reduced by 25% if the person paying Council Tax lives on their own, or if everyone else in the home is disregarded. This is why a move can change the amount due. If one person moves in and is counted as an adult, a sole occupier’s 25% reduction stops; if a full-time student moves in with a sole adult, the household is still eligible for a 25% reduction, because the student is disregarded.

Students moving in or out

GOV.UK explains that households where everyone is a full-time student do not have to pay Council Tax, and that a household that receives a bill can apply for an exemption. To count as a full-time student, a course must last at least one year and involve at least 21 hours of study a week. For a qualification up to A level taken by someone under 20, the course must last at least three months and involve at least 12 hours of study a week. A household that includes someone who is not a full-time student will receive a bill, though it may still qualify for a discount.

Telling the council about changes

The site’s guide to Council Tax and rates when you move house covers registering a new address. GOV.UK adds a warning specific to discounts: anyone who receives a discount by mistake must contact their local council. If they do not, they could get a fine, and the council may ask them to pay back the discount. When a household changes, the safe practice is to write to the council promptly, giving the date of the change and who now lives in the home, and to keep a copy.

GOV.UK also says that people on a low income or receiving benefits may be able to claim Council Tax Reduction, previously called Council Tax Benefit, and that bills are usually split into 10 monthly payments, which some councils will spread over 12 months if the payer contacts them when struggling.

Common questions

Does a discount apply automatically when I move in alone? No. GOV.UK says a discount must be applied for, even where someone is disregarded.

If my partner and I move in together, who pays? GOV.UK says spouses and partners who live together are jointly responsible for the bill.

What if I keep a discount I am no longer entitled to? GOV.UK says the council may ask for the discount to be repaid and a fine is possible if it is not reported.

The bottom line

In England, Wales and Scotland, Council Tax is based on a household of two adults, spouses and partners are jointly liable, and a 25% discount for a single adult or a 50% discount for a fully disregarded household must be applied for. When a move changes who lives in the home, the council should be told promptly, because wrongly kept discounts can lead to repayment demands and fines. This is general information; each council administers its own accounts, and the local council is the place to confirm the position for a given household.

Sources

• GOV.UK, “Council Tax: Who has to pay”
• GOV.UK, “Council Tax: Discounts for full-time students”
• GOV.UK, “Council Tax: Paying your bill”
• GOV.UK, “Council Tax: Working out your Council Tax”

Moving a household to France involves more than a removal lorry. Residence status, driving licences and overseas assets all carry their own rules, and the UK Government’s “Living in France” guidance for British nationals sets out the main ones. This article summarises the parts most relevant to someone planning a relocation, using the version of the guidance updated in December 2025. It describes UK Government guidance, not French law directly, so the French authorities remain the final source for their own rules.

Where to get help

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s general guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad, last updated on 12 January 2026, says that for most questions a mover should contact the government of the destination country and get professional help, for example from a local lawyer. It adds that the UK government, including British embassies and consulates, cannot give personalised guidance on moving to, living or retiring in another country.

Visas and residence permits

The guidance says the visa or residence permit needed depends on the purpose of the move, and lists work, study, living with family in France, being an au pair, volunteering and getting medical treatment as examples. It points readers to the French government’s visa wizard and says that, once in France, a new arrival needs to apply for a residence permit or validate a long-stay visa. Questions go to the French visa service, the French consulate in London or an English-speaking lawyer in France; the guidance states plainly that the British Embassy in Paris cannot help with French visa, residency or citizenship applications.

Anyone whose move pre-dates 1 January 2021 is in a different position. The guidance says people who moved before that date and have been legally living in France since have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement, evidenced by a Withdrawal Agreement Residence Permit (WARP). Movers arriving now fall under the ordinary visa and permit rules instead.

Keeping address details correct

For residence-permit holders, the guidance notes that an address change may mean requesting a new residence permit, and that people with a WARP need to report changes in personal details such as a new address on the French government portal. A removal plan should therefore include a step for updating the permit as well as the usual utilities and banks; the site’s guide to planning shipping and customs research covers the goods side of an overseas move.

Driving licences

The guidance draws a line based on the date the licence was issued. UK, Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man licences can be used for short stays or by students. A licence issued before 1 January 2021 can be used in France until it expires, but the guidance says these licences cannot be replaced or renewed by residents of France. It sets out when an exchange for a French licence is required:

• If the licence was issued after 1 January 2021, the exchange must be made within 12 months of arrival in France.
• If it was issued before 1 January 2021 and has expired, or will expire within the next 12 months, an exchange is also required.

The application is made online through the National Agency for Secure Titles (ANTS). It requires a check code from the DVLA for English, Welsh and Scottish licences, or from the Driver and Vehicle Agency for Northern Irish licences, while holders of Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or Isle of Man licences need a letter or certificate of entitlement from the relevant authority. The guidance advises applying before the 12 months end, because processing takes time and a French licence is needed to drive legally. An accepted application produces a secured deposit receipt that can be used to drive until the new licence arrives. UK Blue Badge holders who live in France must return the badge to the UK issuing authority.

Vehicles

The guidance refers readers to the French government’s information on registering a foreign vehicle. On the UK side, notifying DVLA about a vehicle leaving permanently is explained in the site’s guide to exporting a vehicle when you move abroad permanently.

Tax and declarations

The guidance says the UK has a double taxation agreement with France, so that tax is not paid on the same income in both countries, and recommends contacting the French tax authority about double taxation relief and considering professional advice. It also states that assets held outside France must be declared to the French authorities, including bank accounts, securities, insurance, annuities and property, and that this declaration is separate from the annual tax return. The UK side of leaving is explained in the site’s guide to tax residence and split-year treatment.

Pensions, benefits and pets

The guidance covers claiming a UK State Pension from abroad, applying to the French pension office (CARSAT) to check French pension eligibility, and claiming UK or French benefits. It refers readers to its wider “moving, living or retiring abroad” guidance for healthcare planning. For animals, see the site’s guide to moving abroad with a pet.

Common questions

Can the British Embassy help with a French residence application? No. The guidance says the embassy cannot help with visa, residency or citizenship applications.

Do I need to exchange my UK licence? It depends on the issue date and expiry, as set out above; the guidance gives the 12-month exchange window for licences issued after 1 January 2021.

The bottom line

For a move from the UK to France, GOV.UK’s guidance identifies four early tasks: obtaining the right visa and then a residence permit or validated long-stay visa, exchanging a UK driving licence where required within the stated period, declaring overseas assets to the French authorities, and understanding tax and pension consequences under the UK-France double taxation agreement. Because French rules and processing times can change, mover checklists should be checked against the French government’s own pages before booking removal dates. This is general information, not legal or tax advice.

Sources

• GOV.UK, “Living in France”
• GOV.UK, “Moving, living or retiring abroad”

A car that is moving abroad with its owner needs its own piece of paperwork sorted with DVLA, separate from everything else on a moving checklist. Getting this wrong can leave a vehicle still registered as if it were in the UK, or delay a tax refund that is otherwise due.

Permanent export is a specific process

Official government guidance treats taking a vehicle out of the UK for 12 months or more as a permanent export, distinct from a shorter trip abroad. To notify DVLA of a permanent export, the registered keeper fills in the “notification of permanent export” section of the V5C registration certificate, which in Great Britain is the V5C/4 section, detaches it from the rest of the document, and sends that section to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BD. The remainder of the V5C has to be kept and taken with the vehicle, because it may be needed to register the car in the destination country.

What happens to the tax

Once DVLA has processed the permanent export notification, any vehicle tax refund due is calculated from the date DVLA actually receives that section, not from the date the vehicle physically left the UK, so a delay in posting the form pushes back the start point for the refund calculation. Official guidance states a refund is usually issued within four to six weeks of DVLA receiving the notification. If the keeper’s address has changed as part of the move, a letter with the new address needs to go to DVLA alongside the form, so any refund cheque is sent to the correct place rather than an address the mover has already left.

Buying a car specifically to take abroad

Where the move involves buying a vehicle in the UK specifically to export it, the seller needs to follow the correct process for a vehicle that will be registered in another country rather than simply handing over a standard V5C as if for a normal domestic sale. Getting this step wrong at the point of purchase creates the same registration problems further down the line as failing to notify a permanent export after buying the car in the ordinary way.

Temporary trips are handled differently

Government guidance draws a clear line at the 12-month mark: taking a vehicle out of the UK for less than 12 months is treated as a temporary export rather than a permanent one, and follows a different process from the permanent export notification described above. Anyone unsure whether a move abroad will turn out to be temporary or permanent should check which set of rules actually applies to their planned length of stay before assuming the permanent export form is the right one to use, since submitting the wrong notification can create complications with the vehicle’s UK registration status.

What this means for a move abroad

Because the permanent export section is physically part of the V5C, it needs to be dealt with before the rest of the document goes into a shipping container or gets handed to an overseas dealer, not treated as paperwork to sort out after arrival. Keeping the non-detached part of the V5C accessible during the move, rather than packed away with other household documents, avoids a situation where the vehicle arrives at its destination without the registration document needed to complete re-registration there.

Common questions

Can I submit the permanent export notification before I actually leave the UK? The process is triggered by completing and sending the notification section of the V5C, and the refund calculation runs from the date DVLA receives it, so there is no requirement to wait until after departure to post the form.

What if I am only planning to be abroad for a few months and I am not sure it will become permanent? Government guidance treats anything under 12 months as a temporary export with its own separate process, so it is worth confirming the expected length of stay before submitting either form, since using the wrong one can create registration complications.

Why does the rest of the V5C need to travel with the vehicle rather than being sent to DVLA too? Government guidance is explicit that the remaining part of the registration certificate should be kept and taken abroad because it may be needed to register the vehicle in the destination country, so only the permanent export section itself is detached and posted to DVLA.

The bottom line

Moving a vehicle abroad for 12 months or more is a permanent export in DVLA’s terms, notified by completing and sending the permanent export section of the V5C to DVLA in Swansea while retaining the rest of the document for use abroad. Any tax refund is calculated from the date DVLA receives that notification and is usually paid within four to six weeks, so posting it promptly, along with a new address if one applies, avoids unnecessary delay. A trip of less than 12 months follows a different, temporary-export process, so confirming which category actually applies before submitting anything avoids registration problems on both sides of the move.

Sources

• GOV.UK, “Taking a vehicle out of the UK”

Moving into a rented home in England involves more identity paperwork than moving into an owned property, because landlords are legally required to check who they are letting to before the tenancy starts. This is a distinct legal scheme from tenancy deposit protection or a standard reference check, and it does not apply in the same way everywhere in the UK.

What the scheme actually requires

Home Office guidance states plainly that landlords and letting agents must carry out right to rent checks on people before entering into a tenancy agreement with them, to make sure they are allowed to rent in the UK. The check has to happen before the tenancy starts, not after moving day, and it applies to each adult who will live in the property as their main home, not only the named tenant on the agreement. Carrying out the check correctly, in line with the Home Office code of practice, gives the landlord a “statutory excuse” against a civil penalty; a landlord who lets a property without carrying out the check as prescribed loses that excuse and becomes liable for a penalty if it later turns out the tenant did not have the right to rent.

England only

The Right to Rent scheme applies to residential tenancy agreements in England. It was first introduced for tenancies entered into on or after 1 December 2014 in a small pilot area covering Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell and Walsall, before being extended to the rest of England for tenancies from 1 February 2016 onward. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland do not operate the same landlord-check scheme, so a household moving within the UK from a devolved nation into an English tenancy will encounter this requirement for the first time, and a landlord letting property in England needs to apply it even to a tenant who has just moved from elsewhere in the UK.

What this means for someone moving into a new tenancy

In practice, a prospective tenant in England should expect to be asked for identity and immigration status documents, such as a passport, before signing an agreement or getting the keys, rather than after moving in, because the landlord needs to complete the check before the tenancy is granted to retain the statutory excuse. A tenant with a more complex immigration position may go through a digital check via the Home Office rather than presenting a physical document, but the underlying obligation on the landlord to check before granting the tenancy applies regardless of which route is used.

The penalties that make landlords careful

Civil penalties for letting to someone without the right to rent, where the landlord has not established a statutory excuse, currently run up to £10,000 per occupier for a first breach and up to £20,000 per occupier for a repeat breach, figures that were substantially increased from the previous lower levels. Where a landlord knowingly lets to someone without the right to rent, the matter can move beyond a civil penalty into criminal prosecution, carrying an unlimited fine or up to five years’ imprisonment. These figures explain why landlords letting in England are typically strict about completing the check before handing over keys, even for tenants who seem to present no obvious risk.

Common questions

Do I need to prove my right to rent again if I move to a new tenancy within England? Yes. The check is tied to each new tenancy agreement, so moving from one rented home to another in England means going through the process again with the new landlord or agent, even if a previous landlord already checked.

What happens if a tenant’s permission to stay in the UK is time-limited? Where the right to rent is time-limited, the landlord is expected to carry out a follow-up check nearer the expiry date to maintain the statutory excuse, rather than relying on the original check indefinitely.

Does the scheme apply to lodgers as well as tenants? The scheme covers people renting residential accommodation as their only or main home under a tenancy agreement, which has historically included lodgers in a landlord’s own home as well as tenants, so the same pre-tenancy check obligation applies.

The bottom line

Right to Rent checks are a legal requirement for private landlords letting residential property in England, running since 2014 in a pilot area and UK-wide across England from February 2016, and they exist to give the landlord a statutory excuse against a civil penalty rather than to screen tenants for any other purpose. The scheme does not operate in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, so its relevance is specifically about where in the UK the tenancy is. Because civil penalties now run up to £10,000 per occupier for a first breach and £20,000 for a repeat one, with criminal liability possible where a landlord knowingly lets unlawfully, the check is usually completed strictly before a tenancy starts rather than treated as a formality to tidy up after moving day.

Sources

• Home Office, “Landlord’s guide to right to rent checks” (gov.uk)
• National Residential Landlords Association, “Right to rent fines to hit £20,000” (nrla.org.uk)

Moving into a brand-new home removes some of the usual pre-move worries, such as an unknown boiler or a roof of uncertain age, but it introduces a different one: snagging. Most new-build buyers in the UK are covered by a structural warranty, and the largest provider of these is NHBC, whose Buildmark product is worth understanding before moving day rather than after the first defect appears.

What Buildmark actually is

Buildmark is NHBC’s warranty and insurance product for new-build homes, and it is built in layers rather than being a single flat guarantee. It starts with pre-completion protection: cover for builder insolvency before the home is finished, which NHBC describes as protecting the buyer if the builder becomes insolvent during the build. This is followed by a two-year builder warranty period, backed by NHBC’s own resolution service, during which the builder, not NHBC, is contractually responsible for correcting problems caused by a failure to meet NHBC’s technical requirements. After that two-year period ends, Buildmark moves into an insurance-backed phase, normally covering the remaining years up to a total of ten years from the policy start date, for physical damage to the home caused by a failure to build to NHBC’s requirements.

Who deals with a defect, and when

During the first two years, the builder is the first port of call for anything covered by the warranty, and NHBC guidance recommends reporting a defect as soon as reasonably possible, always within the builder warranty period, and keeping a record of the correspondence. NHBC’s resolution service only becomes available once the homeowner has reported the problem to the builder, allowed reasonable time for repairs, and completed the builder’s own complaints process through to a final written response; if that response is unsatisfactory, or no response arrives within 30 days, the homeowner can then ask NHBC to step in. Once the two-year builder period has passed, responsibility shifts to the insurance element of the policy, which responds to physical damage from a breach of NHBC’s build standards rather than every cosmetic snag, and typically carries a minimum claim value below which the policy does not respond.

Cover limits

Buildmark’s pre-completion protection is commonly set at 10% of the purchase price, up to a cap of £100,000, to cover the insolvency scenario before the home is finished. The main structural cover for a new house is typically arranged up to £1 million, with a lower figure of £500,000 commonly used for a converted property, though higher limits can be available depending on the specific policy arranged for a development.

What this means for the move-in checklist

Because the two-year builder warranty period is time-limited and NHBC’s own resolution service is only available after the builder’s complaints process has been followed through, it is worth treating the weeks around moving day as the start of that clock rather than an afterthought. A room-by-room check shortly after moving in, with anything found reported to the builder and kept on record rather than mentioned only informally, preserves the ability to use NHBC’s resolution service later if the builder does not act. It is also worth confirming which warranty provider is actually behind a specific new-build purchase, since NHBC is the largest provider but not the only one, and other providers structure their own two-stage builder-then-insurer cover differently.

Common questions

Does Buildmark cover cosmetic snags like paint marks or a sticking door? During the first two years these are the builder’s responsibility to fix under the warranty, but once that period ends the insurance-backed phase responds to physical damage from a breach of NHBC’s build standards rather than minor cosmetic issues, so timing matters for what can still be claimed.

What if I move in and the builder has already gone out of business? NHBC’s resolution service can decline to help where circumstances make it unsuitable, such as builder insolvency, which is a different scenario from the pre-completion insolvency protection that applies before the home is finished.

Is NHBC the only new-build warranty provider? No. NHBC is the largest provider of new-build warranties in the UK, but several other providers offer broadly similar two-stage builder-then-insurer cover, so it is worth checking the actual certificate for a specific purchase rather than assuming it is a Buildmark policy.

The bottom line

Buildmark cover moves through three stages: pre-completion insolvency protection, a two-year period in which the builder is directly responsible for fixing defects with NHBC’s resolution service available if they do not, and then an insurance-backed period running to ten years from the start date for physical damage caused by a breach of NHBC’s build standards. Reporting defects promptly and keeping a record during the two-year builder period, and confirming which warranty actually applies to a specific new-build purchase, both matter more in the weeks around moving in than at any later point.

Sources

• NHBC, “Buildmark Warranty and Insurance Cover” (nhbc.co.uk)
• NHBC, “In the first two years of the policy” (nhbc.co.uk)

Shipping the furniture is the easy part of an international move with a pet. The paperwork for the animal itself depends on exactly where it is travelling to, and Great Britain now uses two different documents depending on whether the destination is the EU or Northern Ireland.

The Animal Health Certificate for EU travel

A dog, cat or ferret travelling from Great Britain to an EU country needs an animal health certificate (AHC), which replaced the old EU pet passport for GB-issued travel. Official government guidance is explicit that the pet must be microchipped, vaccinated against rabies, and hold the correct travel document, and that residents of England, Scotland or Wales cannot use a pet passport to enter the EU even if it was originally issued in the EU. Before the AHC can be issued, the pet needs a microchip, and the rabies vaccination has to be at least 21 full days old by the time of travel, counted from the date of the primary vaccination. A vet issues the AHC, and it is valid for entry into the EU for 10 days from the date it is issued; once in the EU, the same certificate can then be used for onward travel within the EU, and for the return trip to Great Britain, for up to six months, provided the underlying rabies vaccination has not expired in the meantime. A new AHC is needed for every separate trip.

Great Britain to Northern Ireland uses a different document

Moving a pet from Great Britain into Northern Ireland does not use the AHC process at all. Since 4 June 2025, residents of Great Britain need a free Northern Ireland Pet Travel Document (PTD) to bring a dog, cat, ferret or assistance dog into Northern Ireland. Unlike the AHC, the PTD does not require a vet visit: it can be applied for entirely online, the pet still needs to be microchipped, and both the document and the microchip are checked at the port or airport. The key practical difference is that the PTD only needs to be obtained once and then lasts for the pet’s lifetime, rather than needing to be reissued before every trip the way an AHC does. Residents of Northern Ireland travelling the other way, into Great Britain, are exempt from needing a PTD and can travel with only a microchipped pet.

Combining both documents on one move

Anyone relocating via Northern Ireland but ultimately continuing on to the Republic of Ireland or another EU country needs both documents for the same trip: the PTD covers entry into Northern Ireland from Great Britain, but an AHC is still required for onward travel from Northern Ireland into the Republic of Ireland or elsewhere in the EU, since the PTD on its own does not satisfy EU entry requirements.

What this means for planning the move

Because the AHC has to be signed off by a vet within a short pre-travel window, and the rabies vaccination itself needs a minimum run-in period before that certificate can even be requested, pet paperwork for an EU move needs to be scheduled around the vaccination timeline rather than left until the final week before departure. The PTD route into Northern Ireland is comparatively low-friction, but it is a distinct legal requirement introduced only recently, and a mover who has previously taken a pet into Northern Ireland without one should not assume the old, document-free arrangement still applies.

Common questions

Can I get the Animal Health Certificate before I have a confirmed travel date? Not usefully. Because the AHC is only valid for 10 days from issue for entry into the EU, it has to be timed to the actual departure date rather than obtained well in advance the way a passport would be.

Does the Northern Ireland Pet Travel Document expire? No, official guidance describes it as lasting the pet’s lifetime once issued, which is a deliberate difference from the trip-by-trip AHC.

What if my pet’s rabies vaccination lapses while I am abroad in the EU? The guidance is clear that an AHC cannot be used for onward travel or re-entry to Great Britain if the underlying rabies vaccination has expired, so the renewal date needs to be tracked for the whole trip, not just the outbound leg.

The bottom line

A pet moving from Great Britain to an EU country needs a vet-issued animal health certificate, valid for 10 days for entry and up to six months for onward and return travel, built on a microchip and a rabies vaccination that must be at least 21 days old. A pet moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland instead needs a free, one-off, lifetime Northern Ireland Pet Travel Document introduced from 4 June 2025, which requires no vet visit. A move that continues from Northern Ireland into the EU needs both documents, since neither one substitutes for the other.

Sources

• GOV.UK, “Taking your pet dog, cat or ferret abroad: Travelling to an EU country”
• Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Northern Ireland), “Great Britain to Northern Ireland pet travel guidance” (daera-ni.gov.uk)

A gap between selling one home and moving into the next, or a slow renovation before moving in, can trigger a council tax premium if the property sits empty long enough. The rules for when that premium kicks in, and how large it can get, are set separately in England, Wales and Scotland, and they have all changed in the last few years.

England: a one-year trigger since April 2024

The Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 changed the threshold at which English councils can apply an empty-homes premium, reducing it from two years to one year of a property being unoccupied and substantially unfurnished. Official government guidance confirms this took effect from 1 April 2024. Under the current structure, councils can charge up to a 100% premium once a home has been empty for between one and five years, rising to up to 200% between five and ten years, and up to 300% once a property has been empty for more than ten years, with the exact percentage within those limits left to each council’s discretion. A property that becomes occupied or furnished for six weeks or less does not reset the empty-homes clock. Nine mandatory exception classes protect certain owners, including homes actively being marketed for sale or let for up to 12 months, homes within 12 months of a grant of probate, and properties undergoing major repair or structural work for up to 12 months, all of which are common situations during a move.

Wales: discretionary, capped at 300% since 2023

Wales runs its own framework under sections 12A and 12B of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, inserted by the Housing (Wales) Act 2014, which gives local authorities a discretionary power rather than a mandatory one. A long-term empty dwelling in Wales is one that has been unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for a continuous period of at least one year, with the same six-week furnishing-or-occupation exception used in England. Welsh authorities were first able to apply a premium of up to 100% from April 2017, and the maximum was raised to up to 300% from 1 April 2023. Because the power is discretionary, whether a premium applies, and at what rate within the cap, depends entirely on the individual council’s own policy.

Scotland: a 12-month threshold with a renovation exception

Scotland’s regime runs through the Local Government Finance (Unoccupied Properties etc.) (Scotland) Act 2012 and the Council Tax (Variation for Unoccupied Dwellings) (Scotland) Regulations 2013, which from 2013 allowed local authorities to charge an empty-homes premium of up to 100% once a property had been empty for 12 months. A 2023 change introduced a specific exception: the premium cannot be applied where a property has been empty for at least 12 months, has been bought by a new owner within the past six months, and is undergoing repairs or renovation intended to bring it back into use, which is directly relevant to a buyer who moves in only after completing works on a newly purchased empty home.

Why this matters mid-move

The most common trigger during an ordinary house move is not a long void period but bridging gaps: a completed purchase left empty while renovation work is finished, or a departing property left unoccupied and unfurnished while a sale drags on. Because all three nations now measure from around the one-year mark rather than two, a chain delay or a longer-than-planned renovation can bring a premium into play faster than movers might expect, and the specific exception that applies, if any, depends on which nation the property is in.

Common questions

Does the premium apply the moment a property is empty, or only after the full year? It applies once the property has been continuously unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for the full threshold period; a shorter void does not trigger it, though the standard empty-property discount rules that applied before these premiums still vary by council.

Can moving furniture in briefly stop the clock? In England and Wales, occupation or furnishing for six weeks or less does not reset the long-term empty status, so a brief visit to drop off boxes will not avoid the premium once the underlying threshold has otherwise been met.

Is there a national list of which councils charge the maximum rate? No single national list exists; because the power is discretionary in all three nations, the applicable rate has to be checked with the specific local authority for the property in question.

The bottom line

England, Wales and Scotland each run their own empty-homes council tax premium regime, and all three now use a one-year (or 12-month) threshold rather than the two years that applied previously. England’s stepped structure, in force from 1 April 2024, runs up to 300% for homes empty more than ten years, with several mandatory exceptions including active marketing and probate. Wales caps its discretionary premium at 300% since April 2023, applied council by council. Scotland caps its premium at 100%, with a 2023 exception protecting newly purchased properties under active renovation. Anyone leaving a property empty during a move should check which of these regimes and exceptions applies to their specific address and timeline.

Sources

• Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, “Guidance on the implementation of the council tax premiums on long-term empty homes and second homes” (gov.uk)
• Welsh Government, “Council Tax on empty and second homes” (gov.wales)
• Scottish Government, “Local government finance circular 6/2026: council tax on second and long-term empty homes guidance” (gov.scot)