Addresses around the world
Moving House and Changing Your Address
A practical checklist for moving home: who to tell, in what order, how mail forwarding works in general and what to keep an eye on afterwards.
Updated 14 October 2026 · 2 min read
A move creates a long tail of small tasks, most of which involve an address. Doing them in a sensible order prevents lost post, missed bills and confusion over identity.
Before you move
- Confirm your new address in full, including unit, floor and postal code. Ask the landlord, agent or neighbours if something is unclear.
- Check how it is written locally, as it might differ from what you expect. See how postal addresses are structured.
- Set up mail forwarding if your postal operator offers it.
- Make a list of every organisation that sends you post or deliveries.
Who to tell
Priority groups:
- Government and official bodies: identity, tax, driving, voting and residence records, where they apply.
- Financial institutions: banks, cards, insurance, pensions.
- Employer and schools.
- Utilities and telecoms: electricity, gas, water, internet, phone.
- Healthcare providers.
- Online accounts: shopping, subscriptions, delivery apps.
- Friends and family.
The exact organisations and procedures depend on where you live.
Update online accounts carefully
Check both the delivery address and the billing address in each account; they are stored separately. See delivery address vs billing address. Remember saved addresses at checkout and in delivery apps.
After the move
- Watch for mail addressed to your old address and tell the sender.
- Keep forwarding active until the stream of old mail dries up.
- Tell the new occupant or landlord how to pass on post.
- Check that deliveries find you; add notes or a location pin if the entrance is hard to find.
Help your visitors and couriers
A new address may be unfamiliar to maps. If the entrance is difficult to find, save an exact-location code or pin for your doorway, and share it with couriers alongside the written address.
Summary
List your contacts, update the most important first, forward what you can and check back for stray mail. A little planning avoids a lot of lost correspondence. See also common address mistakes.
Frequently asked questions
How early should I tell people about my new address?
As soon as the move date is firm. Updating key organisations a few weeks ahead avoids missed bills and documents.
Does mail forwarding last forever?
Typically not. Forwarding services, where they exist, usually run for a limited period, so update your address with each sender directly.