Moving Home 

Moving home can be a very stressful time, with lots to think about at once! Whether you are moving into or out of a South Essex Homes property, this page aims to make sure that nothing gets forgotten.

Giving Notice

If you are moving out of one of our properties, you may end your tenancy at any time by giving us at least four weeks notice in writing. The notice must end on a Sunday. 

You must send your notice to us at our office in the Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue, Southend on Sea, SS2 6FY, or deliver it by hand. If you send your notice by post, please send it by recorded delivery. 

We may end your tenancy by sending you notice. The amount of notice we give you depends on why we want to end your tenancy. If you (or someone else in your household) stay in your home after the notice ends, we shall apply to the court for a possession order and take other court action if needed. If successful we shall ask the court to order that you pay our costs.  

Returning your Keys

When you leave your home, you must return all the keys to the Civic Centre reception desk no later than midday on the Monday after your tenancy ends. You should make sure that you get a signed receipt from us to prove that you have returned the keys. 

If you fail to return the keys, we may have to serve a notice to quit which means that your tenancy would not have ended until the notice expires (usually four weeks later). At that point we may have to change the locks. You would then need to pay for the rent up to that date as well as the costs of replacing the keys and the locks. You must leave your home empty and secure when you leave. If you do not, you may have to pay for any losses.

Taking your belongings

moving house

Moving home can be expensive. You may be able to manage this with the help of friends and family. If you are going to use a professional removals company, be sure to do your research and get some quotes. You should check that any firm you decide to use is registered to the British Association of Removers. 

You must make sure you take all your belongings including any furniture and rubbish with you when you leave. This includes removing any items in the loft or garden. Please ensure you also clean your home, make any repairs and redecorate if necessary. We operate a tenants' incentive scheme and you may be entitled to a grant if you leave your home clean and in good decorative order. 

If you leave any items behind in one of our properties (after leaving/abandoning or being evicted from your home), unless you have given signed permission for us to dispose of your items we will serve a 7-day TORT Notice. If you have not claimed your items during the notice period, we will dispose of them as we think is appropriate and you may be charged for this and any rent loss incurred. 

Please make sure that when you leave, the property is secure and you have redirected your post and transferred your utility providers.

Redirect your Post

Redirect your Post

It can be useful to set up mail redirection when you move house. You can do this easily in a post office for three, six or twelve months (or longer if needed). The  Royal Mail website  has more information on how to do this. 

You should also contact senders individually and update your address with them. 

Any bills you don’t receive and pay may damage your credit rating or result in you being tracked by a debt collection agency.  

If you receive post from the previous tenant in your new home, the best thing to do is write ‘return to sender, not known at this address’ and put it back in the post. It is illegal to open post addressed to someone else. 

Change your Address

Change your Address

There will be lots of people that need your correct address, and you will need to contact them even if you have set up a post redirection service. Below is a list of some people that you may need to update your address with after moving: 

  • Friends and family.
  • Your employer.
  • Your Housing Benefit/Universal Credit.
  • Your bank (and any credit cards, loan companies, pensions, etc).
  • The council covering both your old and new home in relation to your council tax bill.
  • Electoral roll – this doesn’t happen automatically when you move and being registered can boost your credit score. You can register on the gov.uk website.
  • TV licence.
  • DVLA – for your driving licence and your vehicle registration.
  • Utility suppliers e.g. gas, electricity, and water if applicable.
  • Mobile phone, Sky/cable TV, internet companies.
  • Any company that you hold insurance with.
  • Any online companies or subscription services that you have an address registered with – Amazon for example.
  • Your Doctor (you may need to register at a new surgery).
  • Your Dentist and other healthcare professionals.
  • Your children’s school.
  • Vets, particularly if you have your pets microchipped. 

Leaving the Property

If you are leaving one of our properties, please leave it clean and tidy and ready for re-letting. If you move out of your property leaving an untidy garden or the property in a generally poor condition, then this constitutes a breach in your tenancy conditions.   

Please let us in to complete a pre-inspection before you move out, to identify any necessary repairs and to provide advice on any recharge. We will need to carry out works to bring the home up to a lettable standard for the next tenants to move in to. The cost of any such works which are because of a breach of tenancy conditions, will need to be paid for by the previous tenant or from the estate, if the previous tenant was deceased. This is what is known as a ‘recharge’. 

Please also continue to grant our contractors access, especially towards the end of your tenancy, so that we can book in works and make sure that repairs are completed before you vacate the property. The longer a property is being worked on once you move out, the longer it is not being used as a home for someone who needs it. 

If you are struggling to manage your property and are worried that you might be recharged once you leave, then we recommend that you talk to us now so we can advise you on how you can sort out any issues before you move out.  Contact your Tenancy Services Officer on our free phone number 0800 833 160. 

There are simple yet effective ways to avoid a recharge: 

  • Keep your garden tidy and grass mowed
  • Carry out repairs that are your responsibility
  • Keep the inside of your property cleaned regularly and well decorated 

And before you move out… 

  • Wipe dirty surfaces using a damp cloth and disinfectant or hot soapy water
  • Hoover/sweep your floors
  • If you have removed any doors, you will need to re-hang them before you leave
  • Make sure you take all your belongings and rubbish with you 
  • If any item has been damaged in the property, you need to repair or replace this before you move out