Buying a house can feel like a huge milestone, and when you finally get the front door keys, you’ll probably want to break out the champagne! However, there are still several things you need to do in order to protect yourself and your property, and our easy guide to moving in will help you to make the best decisions here.

What To Do After You Buy A New Home

If you’ve just bought a new home, you’ll have been involved in legal processes and paperwork for a long time, and you may think you can simply move into your house and move on. It’s important to keep following the necessary procedures, however, to ensure that you do not run into problems in the future.

Here at Irwin, Kilcullen & Co Solicitors, we are experienced in the conveyancing process and we have produced a handy checklist to help you out. You should ensure that you:

  • Keep your paperwork safe. You will probably feel that you have been dealing with mountains of paperwork throughout the purchase process, but this doesn’t stop as soon as you move in. You should set yourself up a filing system so that you can keep all the documents relating to the purchase somewhere safe and access these immediately if needed. You’ll be inundated with paperwork from your new energy suppliers and services as you change your address, too, so you’ll thank yourself if you set up a foolproof system at this stage.
  • Change your address. Of course, it’s vital to change your address with your bank and your place of work, and you should also change the address on any documentation relating to your car and any subscriptions you hold. You will probably have notified all of your close friends and family of your change of address, but it is well worth making a list of all of the authorities and organisations you need to inform as well.
  • Change your locks. It’s exciting to receive the keys to your new home, but don’t forget that these may not be the only keys, and any previous owners may still have copies. It may seem like an unnecessary expense at this costly time, but it really is best practice to have the locks changed professionally in order to ensure that only you and your family can access your new property in the future.
  • Do a safety check. When you move into your home, it’s important to carry out a safety check to ensure that it is a safe environment for you and your family and friends. Find out whether the property contains working fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors and, if not, replace batteries or invest in new devices where necessary. You should create a fire evacuation plan for your new home, and ensure any residents are aware of this, and re-set or replace any intruder alarm systems as a matter of priority.
  • Contact your utility providers. When you move house, the process of changing suppliers can seem endless. Make yourself a comprehensive list and work through it, contacting each supplier in turn, so that your electricity, gas, telephone, broadband and water suppliers can all begin to provide services to your new address, and don’t forget to take readings on your meters when you arrive at the new property so that you do not get surprised by an unexpected bill.
  • Schedule essential maintenance work. You may have discovered some areas that need addressing during the conveyancing process, and there will certainly be elements of the house that you wish to update or change, unless it is a brand new property. It is important to have chimneys swept and wiring checked, and to have your boiler serviced to avoid any costly problems in the future.

When you have done all of the essentials, you will be able to sit back and relax in your new home, and plan any re-decorating that you wish to do. It’s a good idea to take your time and live in your property for a few months before undertaking any major renovations, so that you can make the best decisions about how the property works for you.

Irwin Kilcullen & Co Property Solicitors in Cork

If you are buying or selling a property, it is important to work with an experienced property solicitor to avoid any of the common pitfalls and ensure that the process runs as smoothly as possible. Our friendly team of property specialists at Irwin, Kilcullen & Co Solicitors will be very happy to work with you throughout the conveyancing process, and will help to make it as stress-free as possible for you. Simply contact us online or call us today on +021 4270934 to see how we can help