More Than You Bargained For: Homeowners Could Be Fined ££’s For Not Doing These Things

Make sure you’ve got your EPC ready for your buyer 
A vital part of the property selling process – and the only thing that you must sort before moving – is sorting your EPC. If you fail to provide an EPC to your prospective buyer when selling your home, you can be fined 12.5% of the rateable value of the building – up to £5,000. 

Update your address with TV Licensing 
If you forget to let TV Licensing know you’ve moved house, you could be sent a penalty notice at the new property because they won’t have moved your licence details over (unless you don’t watch TV, in which case you do not need a TV licence). The maximum penalty is £1,000 plus any legal costs and/or compensation.  
 
If you’re moving in with a spouse, partner or family member that already has a TV licence, you may even be eligible for a refund of your current licence – so it’s worth checking and updating your details in this case too. 

Update your driving licence and vehicle logbook 
You can be fined up to £1,000 for not updating your address on your driving licence, or for not updating it within your vehicle’s log book (otherwise known as V5C). It’s simple, and free to do both of these things – so ensure it’s done once you move house to avoid any fines, or stress, later down the line. 

Update your insurance policies 
Though it’s not a fine as such, if you fail to tell your insurers that you’ve changed your address, there’s a chance any future claims won’t be paid out. Many car insurers, for example, provide a policy based on the location or post code your vehicle will generally be parked in, or whether it’s parked on a street or in a garage. Make sure you update all your insurance policies, so that you don’t run into any issues with any future claims. 

Update your pet’s microchip details 
While the primary reason you should update your pet’s microchip details when you move house is so that your pet can be returned to you in the event they get lost or stolen, you can also be fined for not doing so. It is a legal requirement to microchip dogs, and keep the details up to date, and from 2024 it’ll be a legal requirement to microchip cats too. Ensure you’ve got access to your details on the microchip database and update your address as soon as possible.

Notify your local council 
While you must notify your current council that you’re leaving, so you’re not liable for any council tax on the property you’re no longer living in, you must also notify your new council in the area you’ve moved to. It is a legal requirement to notify them within 21 days of moving into your new home, and failure to do so can result in a fine of up to £70 (with a further penalty of £280 possible too).  

Notify HMRC 
HMRC won’t immediately fine you for not notifying them of a change in your address, but you must do so in order to make sure all-important correspondence reaches you in the future. If you miss letters regarding self-assessment deadlines for example, you can end up with fines for not paying on time. 

Notify your energy, WiFi and water providers 
Any utilities or subscriptions related to your house must be cancelled or moved to a new address, or you could risk fines for not paying – even if you moved home. You must let each provider know that you are leaving the property, and you can in some cases take the service with you to your new home or cancel the service altogether. Failing to do so may mean you miss important letters and notices about future payments and get hit with fines for not paying them.