A guide to a hassle-free house moving

Buying a home is a big event in life. With property options and prices across the UAE becoming more affordable, more and more people are looking to upgrade their residences to provide a better lifestyle. To make the experience seamless and stress free, it is important to keep in mind certain pointers. Here are a few of them.

1. Notice to your landlord (if renting)

The first thing you should do when you have decided to move homes is notify your existing landlord in good time. In the UAE, depending on your tenancy contract and the property law in the emirate where you reside, your notice period might vary.

2. Registration

Don’t forget to get your property contract registered with the respective authority. This ensures that full transfer of ownership has taken place.

3. Book movers

Get quotes from at least three moving companies and lay down the differences of each. Read reviews online and on trusted forums. Finalise the one that meets your needs roughly two weeks prior to your move.

4. Get a moving permit

In the UAE, some buildings and communities require you a move-in/move-out permit to verify if all charges on the apartment/villa, e.g. service fees, have been paid, and make the moving process stress free for other residents.

5. Pre-move maintenance check

Before you move in, do a thorough check of your new house. Make sure everything is in working condition. Take pictures of any damage and send it to the developer or owner in an email with a date stamp to show the situation and to request repairs before you move in.

6. Maintenance contracts

Invest in an annual maintenance contract — it will save you money in the long run and provide 24/7 assistance, emergency call-outs and a team of skilled technicians.

7. Interior changes

Very often, after you move in is when you realise that you don’t like the flooring of the house or you want to change the bathroom fittings. Avoid this by considering whether major interior architectural changes you want to make can be completed before you move in.

8. Shopping

If moving to a bigger space, you will need to invest some time and money shopping for new furniture. This can be a fun job! So make sure that you have researched the market well before you make your purchases.

9. Transfer utility services

One week before you are due to move, apply for a transfer of telecom service to your new home. You must also visit your water and electricity authority and apply for a move-in request, which might take between one and three working days to become active.

10. Return current apartment/villa back to its original condition

If you were living in a rented house, make sure that you return the apartment/villa in its original condition, if you don’t want to risk any deductions on the deposit of your old house.