Removal checklist – Part 1: Preparation
Terminate the old tenancy and fix the date of moving
Have you decided to change your place of residence? We would be happy to help you step by step! The first thing you have to do is to terminate the existing tenancy (unless you have just moved out of your parents’ house). In any case, there is a period of notice for the termination. This is usually three months. This means that the landlord must receive the notice of termination three months before the date of the move. Otherwise, the deadline is extended by one month later. We therefore recommend that you give notice in good time as soon as you are sure you want to move. Otherwise, you may have to pay rent twice – and that would be uncool. Next, you should decide on the day you want to move. In order to have enough time to clear out the house, the day of the move should be before the termination date.
Take your time and check whether special leave is possible
If the date for the move is set, you should apply for leave from your employer so that you don’t get too stressed. If your belongings fit into a van and you’re only moving to the next street, the move can be done over a weekend – and taking holiday becomes unnecessary. Nevertheless, we advise you to plan a little more time. You are not legally entitled to special leave for a change of residence. However, check whether your employment contract contains a clause to this effect. Some companies take the special case of moving into account in their employment contracts. If not, you can hope for goodwill from your employer, especially if you are moving for professional reasons. Another contact point for questions about holidays would be the works council, if there is one.
Settle early: Make a list of all items and start decluttering
It’s a good idea to make a list of all household items. Over time, a lot of things accumulate in your apartment or house. That’s why it can take a little time to record everything for a removal company. At the same time, it is a good idea to check what you really want to move with. There is potential for savings here – because fewer items mean less packing volume for the movers. You may find one or two items that can be gotten rid of. Don’t forget to also take a look in the cellar or attic.
Are you moving with only a few boxes or suitcases? Then your life is easy! But feel free to pass this information on to a friend who owns many things and wants to move ?
Electricity and telephone: cancel or re-register?
Telephone, electricity or gas contracts are tied to the apartment and must either be cancelled or re-registered in due time. Some providers grant a special right of termination for a move. This allows you to take the opportunity to check whether better conditions are now being offered. In any case, the following applies here as well: the earlier you start the re-registration, the better.
Pack properly: Furniture and objects
Have you finished the list? Great! Now you should carefully pack all items into boxes. Our guide to packing boxes will help you out here! If you have fragile or breakable items, don’t forget to use some packing paper or bubble wrap to protect them. Bubble wrap can also protect sensitive electrical appliances very well. When it comes to large furniture it’s best to let the professionals take care of protecting these, using blankets and plastic foil, to make sure that everything remains intact when loading the truck.
Removal checklist – Part 2: Moving day
The moving day: engaging professionals is easier than ever before!
Especially if you are also taking furniture from A to B, there is no way around a move by truck. Now you can compare moving companies, services and prices yourself. With us you can make your move much more comfortable: SMOOVR makes the move cheap AND simple! Just give us the key data via the online form on the SMOOVR homepage and we will take care of the rest. We will arrange for a reliable and reasonably priced moving company and also include additional services such as temporary No Parking Zones or box delivery in the complete offer. All arrangements with us are handled by WhatsApp. Here you can read about how we check and select the removal companies.
Your new address: Who needs to be informed?
In addition to your employer, friends and acquaintances, other people need to know the new address. These include insurance companies, banks and doctors. You can set up a forwarding order at the post office so that letters that still go to the old address reach you. This is limited to six months to a maximum of two years and ensures that letters or parcels are forwarded. The majority of senders will then gradually correct the address automatically.
Create a folder for tax purposes
There are many costs involved in a move. The good news is that in many cases you can use the relocation costs to reduce your tax burden. If you are moving for career reasons, the relocation costs can be claimed as so-called income-related expenses in your tax return. In certain cases, you can also claim a privately motivated move to reduce your tax burden. In any case, it is a good idea to keep all important invoices and receipts for tax purposes – preferably in a separate folder. We have written our own article on how exactly you can deduct the move from tax.
Moving checklist – Part 3: After the move
The new residence: registration with the city
Every resident of a town must be registered with the residents’ registration office. This also applies if you only move within a town. You usually have between one and two weeks after moving. You will need a few documents to make an appointment with the registration office. The local authorities will decide which documents you need. You can find them quite easily by searching online for “Einwohnermeldeamt (ZIELORT)”. On our detailed pages about moving to Munich and moving to Berlin (under construction) you will find direct links to the local authorities. Normally, the residents’ registration offices need a valid ID, a completed form for the change of address and possibly also a confirmation of move-in from the landlord.c
The car: Registering the car
Not only you as a person, but also your car must be re-registered to the new address. If you are only moving within the same registration region, you may be lucky and report the change to the registration office. However, municipalities deal with this in different ways. If you move across city or state borders, the only option is to go to the registration office. Some documents are required to change vehicles:
- your identity card, of course, but also
- the vehicle registration document,
- the vehicle registration document,
- the certificate of the last main inspection (general inspection) and exhaust emission test (AU),
- a certificate of insurance (electronic confirmation of insurance, or eVB for short),
- a SEPA Direct Debit Mandate for the collection of car tax and
- the new label (can usually be stamped at the local service providers).
Your opinion about this list?
Did you like this moving checklist? Or are you missing something in our compilation? We are always happy to receive constructive feedback – here are our contact details! We’d be delighted if this relocation checklist helps you, because our aim is to make your move smooth
