Change of address in the UK

Can someone offer a few words of advice. We're moving from our residence here in the UK of 6 years to a new residence just ten minutes away. We're signing our contracts on Thursday and will then schedule a closing date for the actual move. How do we handle the change of address? I mean I'll contact everyone I can think of and give our new address but what about places I don't remember to notify? How does a change of address work in the UK? Do we just apply for one at the post office? I heard there was a charge for this? If so how much? Also how much advance notice do I have to provide? I think in the US it was at least a week or two.

Yep, go to the post office. There's a form. Depends upon how long you have the post forwarded what it will cost. You can try the web site, prices might be there.  I think they need at least one week. It's been a year since we've done it...

Yep, go to the post office. There's a form. Depends upon how long you have the post forwarded what it will cost. You can try the web site, prices might be there.  I think they need at least one week. It's been a year since we've done it...

Thanks. I'll check out the website. Are you still getting your mail forwarded? Is it reliable? In the US when I would do a change of address it was sort of a hit and miss type thing. Most the mail got forwarded but a few always seemed to get sent to my old address. Im hoping since we have to pay for the change of address in the UK it will be much more reliable.

http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/content3?mediaId=600008&catId=5200021

£35 for 12 months.

i've done it once and the boy's done it once.  mail takes an extra 2 days or so.  never had a problem losing mail. 

in terms of informing other people... i made up a form letter and sent it to all other companies, banks, employers, pension, insurance, etc...

Thanks for that link and information Meggles. I wish I knew the exact moving date as it's getting SO close and I'm stressing about everything in general but this is just one more thing I can add to the list!

Pebbles, we used the change of address service last year and it was great. We did it for three months and then extended it for another three. I would have a think about how long you want it for because its cheaper to do it up front rather than renew. Six months may be a good minimum.

Pebbles, we used the change of address service last year and it was great. We did it for three months and then extended it for another three. I would have a think about how long you want it for because its cheaper to do it up front rather than renew. Six months may be a good minimum.

Thanks for the advice Jules. I think we would go about six months also. I made a list of creditors, banks, schools, doctors, etc but there's bound to be a few places I forgot. We lived here over 6 years and STILL get an occasional letter from the previous occupant 

We lived here over 6 years and STILL get an occasional letter from the previous occupant 

We've been in our place 8 months and still occasionally get mail for previous occupants we've haven't heard of before. There must be at least 6 or 8 of them. That's the downside of charging for mail forwarding: people are too cheap to pay for it, and then the next people get stuck with the job. 

Thanks for the advice Jules. I think we would go about six months also. I made a list of creditors, banks, schools, doctors, etc but there's bound to be a few places I forgot.

There's a checklist here that might be helpful!

There's a checklist here that might be helpful!

yes it's very helpful and what a cool site too. Just in time!

We applied for mail-forwarding through the Post Office and I think it was something like £6 per month for three months.  As far as I know, we didn't lose anything important! 

we did twelve months, figuring that got us through Christmas card season.  Wish the people we bought from had done the same.  I'm forever scrawling their new address on post for them and it's nearly a year now.