Who to Notify When You Move House: The Full Address-Change List

Knowing who to notify when you move house is one of the easiest ways to avoid missed post, fines and admin headaches after the move. This is the full address-change list for a Sussex move, grouped so you can work through it in a sensible order, from the legal must-dos to the accounts everyone forgets.

Changing your address is not one job, it is a couple of dozen small ones, and the trouble is they sit with different organisations that will not talk to each other. Some are legal obligations with real penalties if you ignore them. Others are just accounts that quietly keep sending things to your old front door. Work through the list below in the weeks around your move and you will not be chasing lost letters in three months' time. If you want the wider plan, our moving house checklist and timeline sets out when to do each task.

Start with the legal must-dos

A handful of address changes are not optional, and two of them carry fines if you get them wrong. Do these first.

  • Your local councils. Tell the council you are leaving so they can close your council tax account, and register with your new council so you are billed correctly. In Sussex that could mean moving between districts such as Brighton and Hove, Lewes, Wealden, Mid Sussex or Arun, so you may be closing one account and opening another.
  • DVLA. You must update the address on both your driving licence and your vehicle log book (V5C). It is free to do and you can complete it on GOV.UK. Driving with an out-of-date licence address can lead to a fine of up to £1,000.
  • HMRC. Update your address so your tax records, and anything linked to them such as child benefit or tax credits, follow you.
  • Electoral roll. Register to vote at your new address through GOV.UK so you stay on the register and protect your credit file.
  • TV Licensing. Move your licence to the new home so your cover stays valid.

Set up Royal Mail redirection early. A paid redirection from Royal Mail forwards post from your old address for up to 12 months. It is a safety net, not a substitute for telling people directly, but it catches the accounts you forget. Apply at least five working days before you move.

Money and finance

Your financial accounts hold the address that many other checks are made against, so keeping them current matters for both post and fraud protection.

  • Banks, building societies and savings accounts
  • Credit card providers
  • Mortgage lender or, if you rent, your letting agent or landlord
  • Pensions, ISAs and any investment platforms
  • Loan, car finance or buy-now-pay-later accounts
  • PayPal and any digital wallets tied to a card

Insurance and healthcare

  • Home, contents, car, life and pet insurance. Your address affects premiums, so tell them before renewal.
  • Your GP surgery and dentist. If you are moving out of the area, register with a new practice near your Sussex home.
  • Optician and any ongoing hospital or clinic appointments.

Utilities and home services

Take meter readings on completion day at both properties and pass them to the suppliers so your final and opening bills are accurate.

  • Gas and electricity supplier
  • Water company (Southern Water or South East Water serve much of Sussex)
  • Broadband and landline provider
  • Mobile phone contract
  • Any streaming or subscription boxes billed to your address

Work, family and the easily forgotten

  • Your employer, for payroll and HR records
  • Your children's school or nursery, and any clubs
  • Vets, and update your pet's microchip details, which is a legal requirement
  • Online shops you order from regularly, so parcels do not go to the old address
  • Charities, gyms, professional bodies and magazine subscriptions
  • Breakdown cover and any warranty registrations

None of these is difficult on its own. The trick is to keep a simple list and tick each off as you go, ideally in the fortnight before and the fortnight after your move. Once your address is updated everywhere and your redirection is running, you can settle into the new place without a slow trickle of someone else's problems landing on your mat. For help lining up the move itself, see our guide to choosing a removal company in Sussex, or start from the Move Sussex homepage.

Frequently asked questions

Who do I legally have to tell when I move house?

The address changes that are legal obligations are your driving licence and vehicle log book with the DVLA, your council for council tax, HMRC for your tax records, and the electoral roll. Pet owners must also update their microchip details. Most other updates are strongly advised but not required by law.

How far in advance should I change my address?

Start the legal and financial updates in the two weeks before you move, and finish the rest in the two weeks after. Apply for Royal Mail redirection at least five working days before moving day so it is active when you leave.

Is Royal Mail redirection enough on its own?

No. Redirection forwards your post for up to 12 months, which is a useful safety net, but it does not update your actual accounts. Letters will keep arriving late until you tell each organisation directly, and some documents will not be forwarded, so treat redirection as backup rather than the whole job.

Can I change my address for several organisations at once?

Some banks and services let you update linked accounts together, and a paid redirection catches stragglers, but there is no single button that tells everyone. Working from a checklist is the reliable way to make sure nothing is missed.

What happens if I forget to update my address?

At best you miss post and parcels. At worst you risk a fine of up to £1,000 for an out-of-date driving licence address, problems with insurance claims, and a weaker credit file if the electoral roll and finance records do not match. A short checklist avoids all of it.