Once you have decided on your new home and all the necessary contractual procedures are complete, you will probably feel excited and looking forward to your new life.
However, in reality, there are many things you need to prepare and should do in order to move into a new home.
In this article, based on the author's experience working in the real estate industry, I will introduce what you should do before your move-in date and what you should do immediately after moving in, so that you can be thoroughly prepared and start your new life in a good mood.
Please use this as a reference if you are planning to move to a new home.
What you need to do before moving in
Once you have decided to move, there are many things you need to do before you can move in.
Everyone will think about things like completing the necessary procedures to move out of your current rental property and arranging for a moving company to transport your belongings to your new home, but there are surprisingly many other small details to take care of.
First, we will introduce the things you should do before your move-in date when moving, so be sure to check them and complete them before your move-in date.
There are five main things you need to do before you move in:
- Electricity, water and gas procedures
- Change of telephone and internet services
- Moving Procedures (City Office)
- Mail forwarding procedure
- Change of address for each service (mobile phone, credit card, etc.)
I will explain them in order.
Electricity, water and gas procedures
When you move, you will not be able to use the electricity, water, and gas that you normally take for granted unless you go through the appropriate procedures.
When you move out, you will need to contact each company to let them know how long you plan to use the services, and you will have to continue paying the basic fee unless you make a final settlement.
The final procedures for the room you are moving out of are often checked by the management company when they inspect the room, so it may be difficult for anything to slip through.
However, you will also need to complete the necessary procedures in your new home, so be sure to complete these before your move-in date.
The contact details for the electricity, water, and gas companies can be obtained from the management company (real estate company).
Particular care is required with gas, and you will often need to be present when the main gas valve is turned on before you can start using it.
If you do not need to be present, there is no problem as the gas company will open the main valve in time for your start date. However, if your presence is required, and your schedule does not match up with the gas company, you may not be able to have the valve turned on on the day you move in.
If you can't use gas, you won't be able to use hot water, which will make your life inconvenient.
Once you have decided on the date of your move, we recommend that you proceed with the procedures for turning on the gas as soon as possible.
Change of telephone and internet services
If you have a landline phone or internet contract, you will need to make changes when you move.
There are two types of internet environments in rental properties: "Internet-ready" and "Internet-compatible." If it is "Internet-compatible," you will need to carry out the line installation and sign a contract with a provider yourself.
If your property is internet-enabled and you want to continue using the internet after you move, you will need to have communication work done at your new home, so it is a good idea to arrange this at the same time.
In addition, properties with "free internet" allow you to use the internet free of charge, without the need for line installation, installation to bring the internet into the room, or signing a contract with a provider.
Moving Procedures (City Office)
If the address you are moving out of is registered on your residence card, you will need to go through the necessary procedures at your local government office.
If you fail to complete the procedure within 14 days of moving without giving a reason, you may be subject to a penalty, so be sure to complete it.
If you move within the same city, town, or village, you must submit a change of address notification to your local government office.
If you move to another city, ward, town or village, you will need to submit a moving out notification to the city, ward, town or village you moved into, and then a moving in notification to the city, ward, town or village you moved to.
Mail forwarding procedure
Mail forwarding procedures allow you to have mail sent to your previous address delivered to your new address for one year after you move.
You can also complete the procedure using the special postcard available at your post office or online.
When mail arrives immediately after moving, it may be because the address change procedures for various services have not yet been completed, so we recommend that you do not forget to complete the mail forwarding procedures.
Change of address for each service (mobile phone, credit card, etc.)
Don't forget to change your address on any services that have your address registered, such as your mobile phone number, credit card, and bank account, and that send you regular mail.
There won't be any problems if you complete the mail forwarding procedure, but since the forwarding period is one year, we recommend that you complete it before you forget.
What to do before or after moving in
From here on, we will introduce what you should do just before and just after actually moving and bringing in your furniture and belongings.
If you complete the items below, you can avoid future problems and reduce costs when you move out, so be sure to check them out and try them out.
- Check the interior (scratches and dirt)
- A quick clean before the moving truck arrives
- Supervising the moving operation
- Water-related measures
- Pest Control
- Scratch protection
Check the interior (scratches and dirt)
It is no exaggeration to say that checking the interior is the most important thing when moving into a rental property.
If possible, try to get this done before moving in your furniture and belongings.
Check the interior of the room for any scratches or stains, and if there are any scratches or stains, take photos of them.
Once you have settled into your move, be sure to email the photos you have taken to the real estate company.
By clearly recording the fact that "these scratches and stains were there before you moved in," you will not be obligated to restore those scratches and stains to their original state when you move out.
If possible, it would be best if you could reply to the email you sent the photos with a statement that you will not be charged for the areas in the photos when you move out.
In addition to just taking photos, it is important to email them to the real estate agency.
If it's email, a history will be kept, so it's easy for the tenant to prove that they "informed the real estate company."
By not just telling them, but leaving a record of what was said, you can avoid pointless arguments and avoid any trouble when they move out.
Below are seven points you should check when moving into a new home. Be sure to check them.
- Stains and scratches on the wallpaper on the walls and ceiling
- Dirt and scratches on flooring
- Are there any malfunctions or defects in the intercom, lighting, washstand, toilet, air conditioner, hot water heater, etc.?
- Is there any mold around the sink or bathroom?
- Is there any water leaking?
- Are there any problems with the installation of doors, etc. (Are there any problems opening and closing the doors?)
- Are there any items left behind by the previous tenant?
A quick clean before the moving truck arrives
After the previous tenant moves out, each room is cleaned to prepare for the next tenant.
However, even if the room has been cleaned, it is still surprisingly dirty (the longer it has been vacant, the more noticeable the dirt will be).
After checking the interior, do a quick cleaning before the movers arrive to bring your belongings.
It will be difficult to clean once furniture is in place, so we recommend staggering your move-in date and moving-out date and cleaning in advance.
It's a good idea to have some rags ready so you can do some cleaning on moving day.
Supervising the moving operation
Once the movers arrive and start carrying in the luggage and furniture, you need to not only give them instructions on where to put the furniture, but also be careful not to drop the furniture on the floor or hit it against the wall, causing damage to the room or luggage.
Even if you later realize that there are scratches on the walls of your room or that your furniture is broken without your knowledge, it is likely that the moving company will not compensate you.
Even if the moving process is the cause of scratches or damage, if you do not point it out on the spot, you will be forced to accept the situation and not get away with it, so be sure to closely supervise the moving company's work.
Water-related measures
We recommend that you take measures to prevent water damage in your new home before you begin your new life in earnest.
Areas around water are prone to mold, limescale, and other types of dirt, and once mold or limescale has formed, it is not easy to remove.
Before you move into your new home, take the following steps to protect your home:
Bathroom Measures
Taking care of your bathroom when you move in will make maintenance much easier later on.
Bathrooms are particularly prone to mold and limescale, so take the following precautions to prevent this.
- Bathtub Coating
- Apply anti-mold agent
- Put a garbage collection net over the drain
- Apply anti-fog agent to mirrors
Just by doing the four steps above, you can prevent mold and water stains from forming and make it easier to keep your home clean.
Not only will this make daily cleaning easier, but you will also avoid being charged extra cleaning fees when you move out.
Measures for washbasins, toilets, and kitchen sinks
Just like in the bathroom, it's a good idea to coat the sink, toilet and kitchen sink with an anti-fog agent and apply an anti-fogging agent to the mirror.
Also, if there are gaps between the sink and the floor, and between the toilet bowl and the floor, it is a good idea to cover the gaps with masking tape .
This prevents dust and other particles from getting into the gaps and causing dirt to accumulate.
This technique of using masking tape to cover gaps can be applied to many other types of gaps, so please give it a try.
Pest Control
We recommend taking measures against pests before moving large furniture or appliances.
Insects enter through gaps, so be sure to block their entry points using the following methods.
Pest control for air conditioner outdoor units and drain hoses
It may be surprising, but air conditioners are an entry point for pests.
Since it takes in outside air, the interior and exterior are spatially connected.
Insect netting to cover the fan part of the outdoor unit and insect caps to attach to the end of the drain hose are available on the market, so we recommend purchasing and installing them.
Measures against pests in gaps under water areas
There are likely to be holes under the bathroom sink or kitchen sink to allow pipes to pass through, leaving a small gap.
These gaps can also be a route for pests to enter, so it is a good idea to fill them with putty .
Scratch protection
Once you move in and bring your furniture and belongings, it will be difficult to maintain the walls and floors for a while.
To keep your furniture in good condition for a long time, we recommend taking measures to prevent scratches before moving your belongings.
Be sure to place protective mats in advance in areas where you will be placing large appliances, tables, chairs, and other furniture.
For furniture such as desks and chairs that are moved around frequently, try attaching cushioning felt to the surfaces that come into contact with the floor to prevent scratches on the floor.
By using protective mats, you can prevent scratches, dents, and dirt on the floor, and reduce the cost of restoring the floor to its original condition and cleaning costs when you move out.
Greeting neighbors
Whether or not to greet your neighbors when moving into a rented condominium or apartment is up to each individual's discretion.
In the past, it was considered normal to visit your neighbors to introduce yourself when you moved, but recently the number of people who don't do this has increased significantly.
If you move into a property designed for families, where both you and your neighbors have children, I think it would be a good idea to go and say hello to your neighbors, as it will allow you to have a long-term relationship with them in the future.
If you live alone, there's probably no problem if you don't go and say hello.
In an apartment building where residents feel like they have formed a community, they can help each other out in times of emergency, and knowing each other's faces gives people a sense of security and helps prevent crime.
When it comes to going to greet people, it's a matter of personal decision, but if you want to prioritize, it's a good idea to think about the areas you should go to greet in the following order.
- Next door
- The room below
- The room above
- Rooms on the same floor (2 or 3 rooms away)
When you go to say hello, it's not a problem to come empty-handed, but it's common to bring a gift.
There's no need to prepare expensive items, so people often bring consumables like towels and detergent, as well as snacks.
It's just a token of appreciation, so it's good to prepare something small without thinking too much about it.
summary
This time, we introduced what you should do on the day of your move, before, during and after.
Moving can be an exciting time for a new life, but there are actually a lot of things you need to do.
There are many things that will become troublesome later on, and things that will make things easier if you do them in advance, but if you prepare for all of them in advance, you can start your new life smoothly.
How much you do is up to you, but I recommend making a detailed list in advance and planning your schedule.
I hope this information will help you to start a better new life.
