Hi,

I'm looking for some help and advice, i have just bought my first flat. What are the first things i need to do when i get the keys. Do i change the locks? who is best to go with for gas and electricity? should i get someone in to inspect the boiler etc as i only have a few days after i move in to make a claim if what i have bought isn't as described(in good working order).

Cheers Rusty

Walk around nakid, and stand in front of the Windows

stop worrying about stuff, have a party, enjoy your castle, and hide a spare key somewhere outside

Clean it.

2nd Bunnyhop.
clean it, before you move any of your stuff in.

bring kettle and brew kit, change locks, fit window locks etc, clean, then move in. enjoy.

Do people change locks when they move in a house? Bought and sold several houses over the years and never changed locks.

Take meter readings. Then get on the phone…council tax, phone & broadband, water, tv license, electric, gas, buildings & contents insurance etc etc. Its boring but get it done and out the way.

…and clean it.

nuke – Member

Do people change locks when they move in a house? Bought and sold several houses over the years and never changed locks.

+1 for clean it, my current place I think they packed the vacuum away when I put in the offer!

I changed the mortice locks to 5-levers for insurance purposes, rather than paranoia.

Matt

If you're living by yourself then hide a key! It's really quite upsetting when you hear the 'click' of the latch behind you…

Then, buy some fuses (if fused) for the switch box, and work out how to turn the water on and off.

Say hello to the neighbours as well – it'd be weird if you did it in 6 months time (when you want them to do something for you!) but entirely normal if you do it now. I did it when I moved into mine and got help moving all my crap in!

If by yourself make sure you get the 25% discount on council tax as well.

Finally, you've got 6 months (IIRC) to challenge the council tax banding of your flat. A lot of flats have the wrong info – i challenged mine 5months and 20 days after I moved in (cutting it fine!) and got it reduced, and saved several hundred quid. The council had my flat down as a two bed, and had valued it accordingly (in 1991 when the valuation was done). I further amused the council by informing the other occupants of the block of flats of this fact 😀

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/council-tax-bands-change

Stand in the front room, slowly look around you, and try and blank the voice in your head screaming
"OH MY GOD!!! WHAT HAVE I DONE!!!"
🙂

+1 on the neighbours thing

Have a wafty krank, walk round naked etc…

Agree on the cleaning. Hire a carpet cleaner for a day or two. And don't thing about why the water is black and your carpets are now a different colour. Or burn them, if easier 😈

And change the locks and put window locks in if you need too. Reduced our insurance by about £100 pa

paint all the walls and windows black, put tinfoil on the ceiling and build a fort out of cardboard boxes in the largest room, get a loop tape of the laughing policeman playing at full volume and then invite the Jehovah witnesses around.

Clean and say hello to neighbours.

+ another for cleaning, walking round naked, wrafty cank, and then just enjoy the peace and quite, oh and don't forget to stand in the windows naked, no need to introduce yourself to the neighbours then 😉

and then just enjoy the peace and quite

…before your neighbours come home and play death metal until 3am 😈

fish and chips and champagne (out of mugs) while sat on the bare floorboards.

zaskar – Member
Clean and say hello to neighbours.

You have to clean your neighbours before you can say hello to them? What sort of area is it?!

Given the location of this forum, I'm suprized no one has mentioned the obvious… Find a place for your bike(s)!

Bikes are temporarily in my girlfriends cellar, will need to buy a shed once i've moved in, you can all expect future posts on ground anchors, sheds and the like.

Cheers

Rusty

Send us a email and I'll sort you out a voucher to help with cleaning.

If it needs decorating do it now before you move all your crap in / get settled.

get the girlfriend round and start christening the rooms one by one.