Win your car finance on us! Moving house car admin checklist
There’s a lot to remember when moving house but don’t forget about your car! Here are the car admin essentials you need to know
Moving home can be a really stressful experience, but there are few more exciting feelings than getting the keys to your new home.
The best way to reduce the stress that comes with moving home is to prepare, prepare and prepare a bit more, with the help of a thorough checklist.
One of the things you need to consider when moving home is updating your car details. We know that can be a bit of a faff and it’s easy to forget things, so we’ve created a comprehensive guide to everything you need to update for your car when moving.
Read on to find out more.
What car information do I need to update when moving home?
When moving home the key things you need to update for your car are:
- Your driver’s licence
- Car insurance details
- Car logbook
- Road tax
- Breakdown cover
- Personalised number plate documents
- Car Finance
Read on to find out how to update each bit of information.
How to update your driving licence
Remember, it’s not just you moving house – you car is too!
When you move, it’s important to contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and inform them of your new address.
If you don’t, you can face a heavy fine of up to £1,000, which isn’t worth the risk as it’s really easy to update your car address.
You simply need to visit the DVLA website and update your address details. This is a free service and you can still drive while you wait for the new licence to be sent.
The only instance where you’re moving but don’t need to inform the DVLA, is if your move is only temporary and you can still be contacted at the address you have registered on your license.
How to update your car finance
Make sure you don’t forget to let your car finance lender know that you’ve moved. You’ll need to contact your lender and share your new address with them. Many of them will let you do this online or over the phone.
Not sure who your lender is? You should be able to find the details on your bank statement.
Updating your car logbook
You’ll also need to update your car logbook when you move home.
Your car logbook, also known as a V5C, tracks registration and tax history of a car. It also proves your ownership and contains other details about the car, such as registered address, make, model, chassis number, and engine.
Logbooks track vehicle changes too, so if you have your car modified, you’ll need to update the logbook, which then informs the DVLA.
The main benefit is for car buyers and sellers as they can make sure the car you’re buying or selling matches everything in the logbook and everything is above board.
When you move home, you’ll need to update the logbook to change the car’s address.
You can do by either updating your V5C online through the Government website or sending your physical logbook directly to the DVLA with the changes.
It’s quickest and easiest to do this online and all you need to get started is your new (UK) address, logbook reference number and vehicle reg.
What happens if I’ve lost my logbook?
Lost your logbook? Easily done. Thankfully you can get a new one pretty quickly.
To apply for a new logbook, you can download a form from the Government’s website. Simply fill the form out and return it to the DVLA. They will then send a new one out to you.
Unfortunately, there aren’t many things in life that are free, and you’ll be charged £25 for your new book.
Updating your car insurance details
Moving to a new home can affect your car insurance. This is because insurers use postcodes to set their premiums as they take crime levels and accident numbers in that area into account.
Contact your insurer as soon as you move to a new house to update your details. If you’re lucky, you may see your insurance go down, but there’s also a chance it could go up.
For example, if you’ve moved from street parking to a secure garage, your rates may decrease. Vice versa? Your costs could increase.
Does moving home affect road tax?
Yes, it can, so it’s important to inform the DVLA of your new address, especially if you pay by Direct Debit.
If you don’t inform the DVLA of your change in address, you can be fined up to £1,000.
Can moving home affect breakdown cover?
Yes, it can, so when you move home make sure you contact the provider of your breakdown cover.
Fortunately, many major breakdown cover providers let you do this online, so it should only take you a few minutes.
