Published 14th October 2026
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Links marked Ad are paid links: if you buy through one, this site earns a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Once the keys are in your hand, the mortgage is in place and the next job is making the house safe and set up to run. Some of what follows has a deadline or a cost if it is missed, and the rest is quick to do while the rooms are still empty. None of it needs a tradesperson.
On the day: meter readings
Take a reading from the gas and electricity meters before you unpack, and a water reading if the property has a meter. A phone photograph of each display, with the date visible in the file, is enough.
Ofgem's consumer advice says that, unless you have a smart meter or give regular readings, suppliers have to estimate your use. It lists telling your supplier when you move in or out as one of the steps that helps them send accurate bills. If you do not know who supplies the property, ask the sellers, through the conveyancers, for a copy of their last bill, which will name the supplier.
The same guidance suggests keeping old bills, since they help to prove your payment history or any credit. Keep the readings you took on day one with them. If a first estimated bill looks high, your readings and their dates are the evidence you will want.
Find the stop tap
The internal stop tap, or stopcock, shuts off the water to the house. WaterSafe says it is usually under the kitchen sink, but it can also be in a kitchen cupboard, a downstairs toilet, the garage or utility room, a cellar, or under the stairs. Turning it clockwise closes it, and it can take a few minutes for the water to stop. It should be turned slowly and never forced, since overtightening can damage it. If it does not turn or does not shut off, WaterSafe's advice is to call a plumber.
Find it in the first week, not during a leak. Test it once, tag it so anyone in the house can see where it is, and keep Ad a head torch near the kitchen or utility cupboard, since stop taps often sit in dark corners and you will want both hands free. A Ad basic home tool kit with an adjustable spanner, screwdrivers and a hammer means a first small job does not turn into a trip to the shop.
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
GOV.UK's home fire safety guidance says to fit at least one smoke alarm on every level of the home and to test them at least monthly. One-year batteries need changing every year, and ten-year alarms are replaced whole after ten years.
Do not assume the previous owners tested them. When you move in, press the test button on each alarm, check the date on the back, and replace any that are old or silent. A Ad ten-year sealed battery smoke alarm is a straightforward swap for a unit that has an unknown history, and it does not need annual battery changes. If your property has stairs and a landing, place one on each level.
A smoke alarm does not detect carbon monoxide, so if you have a gas boiler, a gas fire or a solid-fuel stove, a separate Ad carbon monoxide alarm in the room with the appliance is worth fitting. Your local fire and rescue service can advise on which alarm and where. Check any alarm is within its stated life and test it on the same day as the smoke alarms, so there is one date to remember.
Tell the council
Council tax is separate from the mortgage and starts when you take the property on. GOV.UK says to tell your local council, or the council for your new area, that you have moved. If the property has no band, the council can arrange to assess it.
A full bill assumes at least two adults live in the home. If one adult lives there, GOV.UK says you can get 25% off, and you need to apply for it even if you qualify. Do it in the first week so the bill is right from the start.
Update your driving licence
GOV.UK says you must update your driving licence when you move, and the maximum fine for not telling the DVLA is £1,000. Changing the address online is free.
A sensible order
The tasks above do not all need doing on the same day, and some depend on others.
- Day one: meter readings and photographs, test every smoke alarm, find the stop tap.
- Day two or three: tell the council, update the driving licence, and confirm the energy supplier has your move-in date.
- By the end of the week: carbon monoxide alarm fitted where there is a fuel-burning appliance, locks dealt with, and the completion papers filed.
Doing the safety items first means the house is covered while you work through the paperwork, and it keeps the list short enough to finish.
Locks, keys and the rest
Previous owners, estate agents and contractors may all have held keys. Many people have the door locks changed or re-keyed in the first week, and it is a job that is easier before the house fills up. A Ad wall-mounted key rack in the hall also stops the first set of spares going missing.
Keep the paperwork you received at completion in a single place. The completion statement, your mortgage documents and the lender's contact details are the first things you will need to find.
Where the money goes next
A first week is also when the monthly outgoings become real. The mortgage payment is only one of them, and a second article covers what a home costs to run beyond the payment.