New home checklist: your first day, week and month in a Bradford home

The van has gone, the boxes are in, and the house is finally yours. Now what? This new home checklist covers the jobs that matter in your first day, first week and first month in a Bradford home. It is written as a moving in checklist you can tick off as you go, with links to the official pages where a rule applies. Print it, stick it on the fridge and work down it.

First day new home checklist: safety and essentials

Do these before you unpack anything that is not in your first night box.

Meters and utilities

• Read the gas, electricity and water meters and take a dated photo of each.
• Give the readings to your energy supplier and water company, and to the old ones for your previous address if you have not already.
• Find the gas meter and the gas shut-off valve. In many Bradford terraces they are in the cellar.
• Find the fuse box (consumer unit) and check you know which switch is which.
• Check the boiler is on and the heating and hot water work.

Water

• Find the internal stopcock. It is often under the kitchen sink, but older stone terraces sometimes have it in the cellar or under the stairs.
• Turn it off and on once so you know it moves freely. A stiff stopcock is much easier to sort now than during a leak.

Safety checks

• Test every smoke alarm and any carbon monoxide alarm. Replace batteries if they chirp.
• If there is a gas, oil or solid fuel appliance and no carbon monoxide alarm, fit one.
• If you rent, your landlord must make sure the required alarms are fitted and working when your tenancy starts. Report any that are missing.
• Check all doors and windows lock, and find every key, including window keys.

Removal day handover

• Walk round with the crew before they leave and check every box and item has come off the van.
• Check furniture for any marks or damage while the crew is still there.
• Make sure beds and any furniture you asked to be reassembled are put back together.
• Keep the screws and fittings bags somewhere safe if you are rebuilding furniture yourself.

Comfort

• Make up the beds first, before you are too tired to bother.
• Plug in the fridge (wait a few hours if it was laid down in transit) and the kettle.
• Put toilet roll, soap and towels in the bathroom.
• Charge phones and set up a temporary hotspot if broadband is not live yet.

First week checklist

Locks and security

• Change the locks on outside doors if you have bought the home, or ask the landlord if you rent.
• Check the outside lights, and that gates and back yard doors close and lock.
• Update your home insurance with the new address and move-in date.

Council and bins

• Tell Bradford Council you have moved in so your council tax is set up from the right date. Do it through the council tax pages on bradford.gov.uk. Our guide to council tax when moving house in Bradford explains who to tell and when.
• Look up your bin day with the Bradford Council bin collections lookup.
• Check which bins belong to the house. If any are missing or damaged, report it to the council.
• If you want garden waste collected, check whether it is a separate service you need to sign up for.

Health

• Register with a GP. Search the NHS find a GP service by postcode, then follow the NHS guide to registering with a GP surgery.
• Find your nearest pharmacy, dentist and the route to the nearest A&E.

Unpacking the essentials

• Unpack the kitchen first: kettle, a pan, plates, cutlery and cleaning things.
• Set up beds, curtains or blinds in bedrooms, especially for children.
• Put the bathroom together: towels, toiletries, shower curtain and a bath mat.
• Leave the spare room, loft boxes and ornaments until later. Stack them out of the way so they do not block doors and stairs.
• Find somewhere for keys, post and paperwork so nothing important goes missing in the boxes.

Children and pets

• Set up children’s rooms early with familiar bedding and toys.
• Check gates, fences and back yard walls before letting a dog or cat outside.
• Update microchip details with your new address and phone number.

Broadband and post

• Book or move your broadband if you have not already. Ask how long installation takes at the new address.
• Check post is arriving, and set up mail redirection with Royal Mail if you have not done so.
• Put your name on the letterbox or door if mail is going astray.

First month checklist

Change your address everywhere

• Bank, building society, credit cards and pension.
• Employer and HMRC.
• Driving licence and vehicle log book.
• TV Licensing.
• Mobile phone, subscriptions, online shops and delivery addresses.
• Dentist, optician, vet and schools.
• Register to vote at the new address.

Our full list of who to notify when moving house has more detail.

Parking

• If your street has residents’ parking, apply for a permit. Start with the Bradford Council parking permits page.
• If you are on a busy terraced street, learn where neighbours usually park and any loading or time limits on nearby roads.

Getting to know the area

• Work out your routes to work and school, and test them at rush hour. Roads like Leeds Road, Manningham Lane and Thornton Road can be slow at peak times.
• Find your nearest station. Forster Square and Interchange are the two main city stations, with smaller stops at places like Frizinghall, Shipley and Saltaire.
• Find out where the nearest household waste and recycling site is for anything too big for the bins.

The house itself

• Bleed radiators and check the boiler pressure.
• Clear gutters and check drains, especially on older stone houses before winter.
• Check the cellar for damp, as many Bradford terraces have one.
• Book a boiler service if there is no recent record.
• Note any snagging problems if it is a new build and report them to the builder.

Settling in

• Unpack the last boxes and flatten them for recycling or reuse.
• Introduce yourself to the neighbours. On a terrace you will see them most days.
• Find your nearest park, library and shops. Our guide to living in Bradford is a good place to start.

Before the move: make moving in easier

The first day goes far better if the move itself is well planned. Label boxes by room, pack a first night box, and keep keys, documents and chargers with you. If you would like a crew to take care of the loading, carrying and unloading, our house removals service covers the whole move, from the old front door to the new one.

Still at the planning stage? Get a free quote online or call 08000862860.