People might think they have sorted out all the admin when switching addresses but one simple error could prove costly
People are being warned not to make one easy mistake when moving home as it could leave them with a £1,000 fine. Most people realised there is a string of paperwork that needs to be done when leaving for a new house.
This includes changing your address with everything from your bank and energy suppliers to the HMRC and DWP for tax and benefits. But there is one mistake which can be easy to make when it comes to updating your driving records.
Experts have explained how changing your driving licence details does not automatically update your vehicle log book – or V5C – but must be done separately. Failing to do either can come with a £1,000 – while neglecting to change both could mean a bill of £2,000.
Because legal records are easily buried under completion statements, tenancy paperwork and removals admin, property-market expert Lisa Mortie, Owner of Sylvest, said: “Treat the licence and V5C as two separate boxes on your moving-week list. Completing one does not clear the other, so save each confirmation before moving on.”
Current guidance says a driving-licence address change is free online and the new licence should arrive within a week. A V5C address change is also usually free, and motorists can continue driving while waiting for replacement documents.
The financial risk is not limited to the driving licence and V5C. Anyone paying vehicle tax by Direct Debit must update that address separately, while an unassigned private registration requires the V750 or V778 record to be changed. Trailer registration details may also need updating if the trailer will be taken abroad.
There is an important exception. DVLA says it does not need to be told about a temporary move, such as living away at university, if the person can still be contacted at their permanent address. The driving-licence service and penalty wording covered here apply to Great Britain. Northern Ireland licence holders use the DVA process.
Drivers should keep emails, screenshots and reference numbers for each update. The official maximum is “up to £1,000”, so the penalty is not automatic, but leaving the old address in place creates an avoidable enforcement risk.
Lisa had further advice for people moving home. Once the motoring records are handled, movers should work through the remaining accounts by category rather than trying to remember organisations at random.
She added: “Start with records that can trigger penalties, missed bills or misdirected personal mail, then work down the list. A single checklist shared by everyone in the household is far safer than relying on memory during moving week.”
Council Tax
Tell the council for the home being left and register at the new address. If the move crosses council boundaries, the two councils need to be contacted separately.
Electoral register
Register again with the new address, even if the voter was already registered at the old home.- HMRC: wait until after the move, then update the address through a personal tax account for records including Income Tax, National Insurance, Child Benefit and the State Pension where relevant.
Energy
Tell current gas and electricity suppliers, give final meter readings and a forwarding address, then record opening readings at the new home.
Banks and insurance
Update banks, credit-card firms, mortgage providers and household and motor insurers so statements, checks and policy details use the new address.
Post
Consider a Royal Mail redirection to catch correspondence from organisations missed during the first weeks after the move, but still update each sender directly.
