Things to do, 6 weeks before Moving Day.  

 - Health: Visit your health clinic to arrange for any necessary vaccinations. Visit www.dh.gov.uk for more information on Health Travel. If you are on medication make sure you have enough to cover you until you get settled. Also arrange to get a copy of your prescriptions and any important medical letters and let your doctor know you will be moving.

 - Vets: Arrange for your pets to have any necessary vaccinations and fill out any relevant paperwork etc health certificates, immunisations and permits.

 - Restrictions: Whilst you are packing get rid of any items which may have restrictions on in certain countries. Each country has different rules and restrictions so please check with the customs department of your destined country. However most countries will not allow the following:

• Narcotics and drugs
• Hazardous items i.e. fireworks, toxic or poisonous substances
• Plants and vegetables
• Cane furniture
• Alcohol (subject to duties). Check your private wine collection will be allowed to go to your new home
• Meats and meat products
• Dried Flowers, bulbs and seeds including pine cones
• Firearms, ammunition and explosives.
• Weapons i.e. swords, knuckle- dusters, spears, flick knives
• Pornographic material

 - Notify: Contact all relevant companies that you will be leaving the country and arrange for any outstanding bills to be sent to you i.e. council, water, electric, gas, telephone, mobile, internet, store cards, rentals. For a full printable checklist please click on the following links. We have put together a handy contact checklist to be printed. This is handy to have when you contact companies to change your details. Choose either Adobe or Word format.

Handy Contact Checklist - Word 130K Handy Contact Checklist - Adobe 194K

Remember you must give them a months notice, sometimes in writing. If you do not then you will be billed for a service that you are no longer using.

 - Mail: Arrange to have your mail re-directed by the Post Office. This can be arranged by post. Just pick up a form at the post office, do however allow 10 working days for this to be set up and note that they charge per name.

 - Bank: Notify your bank/banks that you are moving abroad. If you have any savings and your account includes the facility to make a "not ordinarily resident" declaration you can arrange for your interest to be paid without deduction of tax. Your building society or bank will be able to advice you more but for a R105 form click on the link below. www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/pdfs/r105.pdf

 - Credit/Store cards: Contact relevant companies and arrange for a final account figure.

 - Inland Revenue: Contact them and let them know you are moving abroad. Make sure you complete a P85 form, you current employer can do this or accountant/ tax office. You may get a tax rebate if you move before the end of the financial year. Click on link to download the P85 form. For more information on Tax when living abroad visit: www.direct.gov.uk