Last Updated on 2 months by David Bergmann
Are you moving out or moving in for the first time? Then you will probably rightly ask yourself the question: What do I have to consider? There is a lot to do when moving, from giving notice on your old apartment and changing your address to the final cleaning and handing over the apartment. To make sure your first move out goes smoothly, we’ve put together a checklist with the most important to-do’s!
- Termination of rental agreement
- Admin tasks & address changes
- Cancelling or changing contracts
- Final cleaning & renovation
- Read gas and electricity meters
- Apartment handover
1. Termination of rental agreement
As soon as you have found a new home, you should inform your landlord that you are planning to move out and give notice to leave your apartment in accordance with the notice period.
The notice of termination should be given in writing and in good time, i.e. it should reach your landlord before the start of the notice period. You can find out more details in the respective tenancy law (may differ depending on the region) or in your tenancy agreement.
2. Admin tasks & adress change
One of the most important points when moving is to register with the relevant authorities. It is important that you adhere to the statutory registration period (usually 14 days) and register with the residents’ registration office or residents’ registration office within this period.
Many authorities now offer an online registration service that allows you to complete the re-registration process from the comfort of your own home. The best way to find out more is to go directly to the website of your local authority.
If you own a car, you also have to re-register it or, under certain circumstances, change the license plate number. This is usually the case if you move to another city or state.
However, not only the authorities must be informed of your departure, but also all other contractual partners.
We have put together a small checklist here to help you:
- Insurances
- Tax office
- Employer
- Bank & PayPal
- Health insurance
- Doctors
- Gas and electricity providers
- Delivery services
- Tax consultant
- Lawyer
- Subscriptions (e.g. newspapers)
- School and kindergarten
- Church
- All clubs (e.g. sports club)
- …..
As you will be very busy during the weeks of the move, it is worth commissioning a forwarding order from the post office. Until you have informed all contractual partners of your new address, all letters and parcels will be automatically redirected to your new address.
3. Cancelling or changing contracts
In addition to simply announcing your change of residence, it is often also necessary to cancel or re-register existing contracts. This is because certain services may not be offered at your new address.
The most important contracts that you should re-register as early as possible when moving are:
- Electricity and/or gas
- TV/Telephone/Internet
- Household insurance
- Health insurance (depending on region)
4. Final cleaning and renovation
Most rental agreements provide for final cleaning on moving out. The somewhat outdated term “swept clean” is often used for this, which literally means that the apartment only needs to be “swept”.
However, many landlords are quite picky and demand more than that. It is therefore advisable to read your tenancy agreement again carefully before moving out. After all, you want to make sure that you get your deposit back in full.
Renovation or cosmetic repairs, including painting work, are generally not mandatory. However, the landlord can demand that you leave the apartment in the same condition when you move out as when you moved in. For example, if you have painted the walls a bright green, the landlord can ask you to change this.
If you are very busy at work or at home, you can get professional cleaning help. About Relock you can, for example, book a specialized cleaning company in addition to a moving company.
Tip: Are you looking for long-term domestic help? Then we recommend this article: “Home help – 7 things you should know.”
5. Read gas and electricity meters
Before handing over the apartment, you should definitely check and note down all meter readings (electricity and gas). This ensures that you only pay for the consumption that has occurred during your rental period.
You will find the respective meter cupboard either directly in your apartment (usually in the entrance area) or in the hallway or in a separate room (e.g. boiler room). If you don’t know where the meters are located, it’s best to ask your landlord or property management company.
6. Apartment handover
After you have vacated and cleaned the apartment including the adjoining rooms (cellar, garage, attic, etc.), the keys must be handed over to your landlord.
This is an apartment tour during which a so-called “inventory ” is carried out. In the course of this, a protocol (“apartment handover protocol”) should be kept in which the condition of the apartment, the completeness of all rented objects (e.g. cooking utensils) and any defects are documented. The meter readings should also be noted in this log.
If there are visible defects in the apartment (e.g. deep drill holes, cracks in the windows, etc.), the landlord should make a note of who is responsible for repairing them and by when. Your landlord may withhold part of your deposit for the repairs.
It is therefore advisable to rectify all defects and damage caused by yourself before handing over the apartment in order to prevent the retention of the rental deposit.
Tip: You can find more tips & tricks for your first move in the following article: 10 common moving mistakes you should avoid.
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