Complete Checklist of Addresses to Change When Moving in Australia
04Nov
Complete Checklist of Addresses to Change When Moving in Australia
By Bill Chen
Moving can be stressful,
so how do you make the task easier? Having a complete list of addresses to
change when moving can be a huge help.
This checklist encompasses all of the people,
organisations, and businesses you need to notify of your address change for
Australian residents to avoid leaving anyone out!
From your utility
company to the electoral office or your insurance providers, the move experts
at Bill Removalists Sydney are here to help you keep track of whom to notify
when you change the address. Read on for a brain-jolt of those often forgotten
during the moving process thanks to our change of address checklist Australia,
and get in touch with our
experienced moving consultants to make the whole task even easier.
Insurance providers
Insurance
is important when you change addresses, and informing your insurers of any
change in circumstances ensures you are financially protected. On the other
hand, if you forget to update your information, this can impact or void your
coverage.
Get
in touch with your home or car insurance provider before your move date, and be
prepared for the various documentation that a company may request to verify
your updated details.
The
key categories to consider are:
Home or
renters insurance
Car
insurance
Life
insurance
Health
insurance
Post office
A very important update
of your new address goes to the Post Office. The last thing you want is to miss
bills, subscriptions or packages due to them arriving at the wrong place. The
Post Office is at the top of our address checklist so they can arrange to have
mail redirected to your new address.
The process to change this is very simple and can even be done online with your choice of how many months you would like the redirect for.
The Bill Removalists helpful checklist will let you know everyone you should consider notifying about an address change.
Voter
registration
Regardless of where we
are in the election calendar, it’s a good idea to keep your new address up to
date with the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC). You can update your voter registration quickly online and this is very important as your new
address may mean you are registered in a different electorate.
If this is the case,
familiarise yourself with the new electorate when you have some time after your
move so you can think about where your votes will go next election.
Government departments
It is imperative to
inform the Tax Office of your new address and any other change in circumstances
to prevent complications down the line. You can do this quickly via your myGov account if
you have the ATO linked.
While you are there, see
which other Government departments you have linked, or use that may need your
new mailing address. You may need to update your contact details for any of the
following:
Australian JobSearch
Centrelink
Medicare
National Disability Insurance
Scheme (NDIS)
State Revenue Office
Drivers licence
While you do have a
grace period for changing the details of your driver’s licence and vehicle
registration, we recommend doing this as early as possible. If you leave it too
long, you’ll be violating the law.
For interstate moves,
it’s important to change your details within three months. The necessary
information to update your licence and registration per stats can be done via
these sites:
While we’ve mentioned
Medicare, other healthcare providers may need to know your new address, such as
your dentist, GP, and optometrist (if applicable). They may send important correspondence,
which will be taken care of by the redirect mentioned above, but still, it’s
better to be safe than sorry!
In some cases, you may
change your GP to find one closer to your actual address; you can request that
your health information be transferred directly to your new clinic to save
time.
There is already a lot to consider when moving house so you can easily forget to cancel subscriptions and update your contact information with various companies.
Phone/Internet
Your change of address checklist would be
pointless if it left off your high-speed internet, especially if you are
reading this online! So make sure to contact your phone and internet provider
to set up your online services in your new place before you move. Those keeping
a landline or internet through a phone line will need to update details to
ensure you can order a pizza online for that first night of unpacking!
Utilities
When leaving your old address, you need to
notify your essential utilities to ensure you have access to water, gas or
electricity, and aren’t unnecessarily paying for the previous location. If you
are keeping the same providers, the change of address should be a quick
process. However, if you’re changing providers, there will be a few extra
steps.
Get in touch about the new property at least a
week before your move to ensure everything is in order in your new home.
Bank and financial services
Your bank will need to know about your change
of address, especially if they need to replace a lost or stolen card. Those
with a loan must let their loan officers know their correct location as failure
to notify the bank may violate the terms of the loan. A quick phone call or
update online should be all that is needed.
If you have a
superannuation fund, update your address details via phone or online for
important correspondence through the mail. Those with a Self Managed Super Fund
(SMSF) will need to update their ABN (Australian business number) address with
the Australian Business Register (ABR) within 28 days of the change of address.
You can do this online with the ABR.
Work and education
You may need to inform your employer or
education provider of your change of address via an HR department (for work) or
the main office of your learning facility. Address details are often necessary
for payroll and the necessary documentation that may be delivered by post.
Social/entertainment/exercise groups and
subscriptions
You may be a member of a social club, take hobby classes, or be a part of loyalty programs and gyms that will require your new property details for relevant communications by mail. You should also note your change of address for any subscription services that deliver via regular package postal services, and the same goes for newspaper, magazine and catalogue subscriptions.
By letting the team at Bill Removalists assist with your move, you can relax and enjoy the process of a change of scenery!
Change of address details for a business
If you are relocating a business, it is a legal
requirement that all contact details are kept up to date, specifically within
28 days of your move. The Australian Business Register must be notified, and
you can do this via these methods:
The Australian Securities & Investments Commission
will also need to be updated online.
Friends and Family
Avoid the uncomfortable awkwardness of not
mentioning to your best friends, siblings or even parents that you moved. It
seems obvious, but this can be left by the wayside in busy times like a move! A
simple social media post or group email is an efficient way to cover your
bases.
Other organisations to notify
The
main considerations are in the checklist above, but there are often smaller
organisations and businesses to notify during the moving process. Here is a
quick list to jog your memory of any that may be relevant to you:
After school
care
Automobile
associations
Charities
Childcare
Gardeners
Gyms
House
cleaners
Lawyers
Mechanics
Pet
microchip registry
Real estate
agents
Road toll
networks
Store
memberships and loyalty programs
Unions
Vehicle
breakdown cover suppliers
How can Bill Removalists Sydney
help?
As we’ve mentioned, changing your address can
be stressful. When you have a team of professional movers handling the process,
however, this is all made much easier. Bill Removalists Sydney has years
of experience and a well-trained team to make sure every box is
ticked and your possessions are moved safely.
Contact us today for a no-obligation quote and
let’s take care of your move with ease.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have any more questions about your
move checklist, you’ll find some more answers via this section:
What is the best way to notify
of an address change?
This will be dependent on the organisation you
are notifying, but most will offer a quick solution to let you update your
details online efficiently. If this is not the case, a quick phone call should
be all it takes. In cases where documentation is required to support the
update, you may need to contact the company via fax or post.
Why should I change my address
when I move?
For some entities, like loan companies, your
details must be correct and updated as part of your agreement with the
business. In all other cases, it is important to have the correct details on
file for contact and postal requirements. While you can redirect posts, this
will be a temporary fix, and you will need the right address moving forward to
keep up with any vital correspondence.
Who needs to know when you move?
From health insurance providers for insurance
payments to the phone company for billing purposes and more, there is a range
of organisations that will need to know about your new location. We recommend
making a list or using the helpful checklist from Bill Removalists above to
ensure you cover all the necessary bases.
Meet The Author - Bill Chen
Before 2008, Bill was working with a local removalist company in Sydney and was witness for a number of deformities and wrongs in the working of the company. Observing the atmosphere, a thought came to Bill’s mind that he could do much better if he were the owner of the company, by offering a fully transparent service to the clients with a friendly and trustworthy staff and no hidden fee structure; and thus, in 2008, AAA Bill Removalists Sydney was formed with just one truck and only Bill as staff. Even if Bill Chen began the company as just one man, the company grew fast. The operation expanded beyond the Sydney suburbs and to the surrounding cities: Wollongong, Wagga Wagga, Albury, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Coffs Harbour, Canberra, Newcastle, Melbourne, Brisbane, and other.