It can be daunting at first, especially if you don’t know where to start. Here are some of the most important things you should do before moving house to make sure it is safe for your family, and to help you get started.
Moving house can be extremely exciting. While you might be eager to start the new chapter in your life and move in as soon as possible, you must take a variety of steps beforehand to make your new home as safe as possible for your family. A new home might look okay on the surface, but you never know what safety and security issues it might have. Unfortunately, this is not always something that is disclosed in the conveyancing process, so it is your responsibility to make sure everything is okay. This is vital if you have children, as you want to ensure their new home is welcoming and safe, especially if they are already anxious about moving.
#1 Check for hazards
You should go around the property and check for any hazards. There may be things that you won’t know about, such as something within the foundations, but you can certainly look for anything obvious. For example, you might find that there are some live wires sticking out of a wall, some broken glass on the floor, or a cupboard that is falling off. Make a list of all the hazards that you can see. You can then take this home with you and organise a professional to come and resolve the issues for you before moving in.
You may also wish to get advice from a professional, for example, an electrician, who can go around your home and check for any other electrical faults. Electrical faults can be extremely dangerous, so it is an important thing in any new home to get checked.
#2 Clean
You should give the property a deep clean before you move in. Not only will this make for a much nicer environment to unpack your belongings in and make it easier to maintain in the long run, but it also gets rid of any risks to your health. You don’t know who was on the property before you, what their cleaning habits were, if they had any pets or if there were any factors about their lifestyle that would create an unclean environment. This is the last thing you want to bring your family into. It is therefore important that you give the new property a good scrub beforehand, and use antibacterial products on all surfaces. This will ensure your family is moving into a sanitary and safe environment, and you have removed any potential risks, contaminants and allergens.
#3 Install relevant measures
It is not compulsory to do so, but installing safety and security measures when you buy a new home is a great way to give yourself peace of mind. Consider the different ways you will feel safer in your home. For example, you can opt for Osborne flyscreens & security doors, security cameras, new locks on the doors and windows, childproofing measures in the kitchen, new fire alarms, and much more.
Taking these steps before moving into your new home can provide you with peace of mind, so you can relax and enjoy the new space with your family straight away.
