11 things to consider when moving home

11 things to consider when moving house

The mortgage

If you live in an owner-occupied house, you will have to deal with the mortgage when you move. When you buy a new house, mortgage lenders offer you the option of taking your old mortgage with you. Do this only if you have locked in a low interest rate for a longer period when you took out the loan. Is your new home worth more than your old home? Then you can take out an additional mortgage. If your old home is worth more than the new one, you can often repay it penalty-free.

Cancell rent

Do you not live in a house you buy, but in a rented house? If so, you don't have to take your mortgage into account when you move. However, you do have to cancel the rental contract of your old house when you move. When terminating this contract, you will have to deal with a notice period. The notice period is actually always equal to the payment period for rental properties. Do you want to terminate a rental contract? Then send a registered letter to the landlord.

Transfer or switch energy providers

To use gas, water and electricity, you have signed a contract with an energy provider, such as Budget Energie, Eneco or DGB Energie, among others. To continue using energy in your new home, you can do two things. First, you can transfer your current contract to the new address. In many cases, the same conditions will then apply as at present. In addition, you can switch energy providers after moving house. You can choose the electricity and gas supplier, but not the water supplier.

Adjust tax refund

When you move house, it is sometimes necessary to adjust your tax refund. This is because your personal situation changes when you move house. If you do not inform the Tax Administration of this change, you may pay or receive the wrong amount. As a result, you may have to pay an additional amount next year. Obviously, this is not what you want. Reason enough to adjust your tax refund immediately after moving house. You can arrange this yourself easily and quickly via My Tax Office.

Parking and permits

Are you moving from the countryside to a village or city centre? Then you need to arrange certain things regarding parking. In many villages and cities, you cannot park your car just anywhere if you do not have a permit. If you already live in a village or city centre where you need a parking permit, you will have to cancel it. This is because such a permit only applies to a specific area. Don't forget to apply for a new parking permit. Will you be using a removal van or moving lift during your move? Then it is wise to apply for a temporary parking permit for this.

Municipal taxes

When you move house, you may receive a refund of municipal taxes. This is because in almost every municipality, you pay taxes in one go for the whole year. If you move to another municipality during the year, this means that you may have paid too much dog tax and sewerage and waste collection charges. You can reclaim the overpayment from the municipality.

Regulating insurance

The average Dutch person has taken out quite a few insurance policies. When you move house, cancelling insurance is not necessary. In fact, you can pass on a change of address. You are responsible for this yourself. Therefore, check which insurances you have taken out so that you do not overlook one. Below, we list a number of insurances that many Dutch people have.

• Health insurance
• Car insurance
• Death risk insurance
• Liability insurance
• Legal expenses insurance
• Home insurance
• Home contents insurance
• Travel insurance
• Cancellation insurance
• Funeral insurance

If you have taken out several insurance policies with one insurer, you do not have to change your address for each one. For example, do you have home and contents insurance with ING, ABN Amro or Centraal Beheer? Then inform these insurers of your change of address and they will update your address for all your insurance policies.

List your subscriptions

The Dutch are increasingly taking out subscriptions these days. Besides newspapers and magazines, they subscribe to the gym, lotteries, charities and online services.

Because you can take out more and more subscriptions, many people lose track. Moving house is a good time to take a critical look at your subscriptions.

Do you have internet and TV through KPN, Ziggo or UPC? If so, you may be paying an unnecessary amount for these. In that case, you can cancel your current subscription and take out a subscription elsewhere.

Many people have subscriptions they do not or hardly use. For example, do you subscribe to the Telegraaf, AD or Veronica Magazine, but hardly ever read these newspapers and magazines? Then stop your subscription.

If you play along with the National Postcode Lottery or Friends Lottery or donate to charities such as Stichting AAP, Amnesty International or the Aids Fund but no longer wish to do so, cancelling is also recommended.

Move planning and arranging

Some people hire a moving company for a move, but most people rely on friends and family. If you outsource the move to a specialised company, you don't have to plan and arrange much yourself. However, this is the case if you get started yourself. To make sure your move goes smoothly, it is important to plan well. Do not only draw up a plan, but also pack as many things as possible in advance. Do you need tools, such as a moving van or moving lift? Arrange this well in advance so that you can use them during the move.

Forwarding address changes

You are responsible for notifying all companies with whom you have a contract or subscription of a change of address. With most organisations, you can pass on a change of address easily and quickly these days. Those who want to change their address can use the relocation service. Het Parool, for example, offers a relocation service, but so do the newspapers and magazines published under the banner of DPG Media. Do you play the KWF Lottery, Lotto or Lucky Day? Then you can also change your address easily and quickly thanks to the relocation service.

GP, dentist and pharmacy

If you move to a new house in the same village or city, you don't have to look for a new GP, dentist and pharmacy. However, this is often the case when you move to another place. Don't start looking for a GP, dentist or pharmacy only after you have moved, but start (well) in advance. Moreover, do not forget to register once you have found a suitable GP, dentist or pharmacy. Without registration, you can only go there for emergencies.

Frequently asked questions when moving house

What do I need to arrange when moving house?

When moving house, the first thing you need to decide is what to do with the mortgage. If you are renting a house, you need to terminate the lease. Other things you will have to deal with are: transferring or changing energy providers, adjusting tax refunds, municipal taxes and notifying address changes.

To which authorities should I report my move?

In any case, you have to inform the municipality of your change of address, but also all organisations with which you have a contract or subscription. This could be an energy provider, but also newspapers and/or magazines, lotteries, charities and insurance companies.

How can I properly prepare for a move?

Three months before the move, give your change of address, arrange a parking permit if necessary, start packing and prepare your children. One month in advance, empty the freezer, think about hand luggage, keep important documents separate, arrange child and pet care and give your new address to the buyers of your old house.

When do I have to register with the local council?

You must report a move to the municipality within four weeks before or no later than five days after you have changed address.The date you give on the declaration as the date of moving is considered the date of moving.

What are the costs of moving house?

It is impossible to say in advance exactly how much a move will cost. The costs depend, among other things, on the choices you make. For instance, moving will cost more if you hire a removal company than if you ask family and friends for help.