Moving out of any property is never an easy process, but as a tenant, there are extra things you’ll need to consider before you hand over your keys. Our moving out checklist below gives you an overview of everything you need to do before you move out, and some top tips to make the process run more smoothly.
All our Landlords are Vetted
All our Landlords are vetted for several important reasons that help protect our tenants, ensure legal compliance, and maintain housing standards. Here's a breakdown of why vetting landlords is important:
Identity and Ownership Checks
Verify that the landlord is who they say they are and that they have the legal right to let the property.
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✅ ID Verification: Passport, driving licence (check name matches Land Registry or mortgage docs).
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✅ Proof of Ownership:
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Land Registry Title Deed (you can obtain this online for £3).
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Mortgage statement (if applicable).
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Deed of Trust (if ownership is via a trust or multiple parties).
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✅ Company Ownership: If the property is owned by a company, check:
Mortgage Consent (if mortgaged)
Check if the landlord has permission from their lender to let the property.
1. Legal Compliance
Ensure the landlord provides all necessary certificates:
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✅ Gas Safety Certificate (CP12) – renewed annually.
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✅ EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) – valid for 5 years.
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✅ EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) – must be E or above and valid for 10 years.
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✅ Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms – installed and working.
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✅ Legionella Risk Assessment (not legally required but recommended).
2. Fit and Proper Landlord Checks
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In some areas (especially in England and Wales), landlords must obtain a licence through schemes like:
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Licensing often includes a “fit and proper person” test to weed out landlords with a history of:
3. Property Standards and Safety
4. Protecting Tenants
5. Deposit Protection Compliance
6. Landlord Insurance
Check that the landlord has adequate landlord insurance, not just standard home insurance
7. AML (Anti Money Laundering)
Anti-Money Laundering (AML) checks are a legal requirement under the Money Laundering Regulations 2017 (as amended)
Find all your relevant tenancy documents
As soon as you have decided you’re moving, you must find and review all the documents relating to your tenancy, including:
- Your tenancy agreement along with any attachments or renewals
- Any information from your deposit protection scheme (if applicable)
- Written agreements with your landlord you’ve made during your tenancy
- Any contents insurance documents
- Your move-in inventory report
- Copies of your EPC and Gas Safety Certificate
- Receipts for your rental payments
- Receipts for utilities, repairs and maintenance work you’ve paid for
- Contracts with utilities companies linked to your rental address
- Any communication you’ve had with your landlord and lettings agents including letters, emails and texts
Once you have found the relevant documents, you can find out how to properly end your tenancy, what your notice period is and how to cancel or transfer any utilities or services relating to this address.
Check if your deposit is protected
When you rent a property, you will usually be asked to pay a tenancy deposit which landlords of private renters are legally obliged to protect. This is part of the government backed tenancy deposit scheme (TDP).
It’s important to check whether your deposit is protected by the TDP as soon as possible, in case there is any dispute at the end of your tenancy regarding the return of your deposit.
Inspect the property
You need to inspect the property using your move-in inventory to see if any damage has occurred during your tenancy. You should also make notes and take photographs of any problems during this process.
Once you have completed your inspection, find out which items are deductible from your deposit, and which are the responsibility of your landlord. Even if your deposit is protected by the TDP, your landlord can still take some money to cover the costs of any destruction however, this should only be on a ‘like-for-like’ basis.
Contact your landlord
At least two months before you move out, you need to contact your landlord and notify them that you want to end your tenancy.
For periodic tenancies, you will usually have to serve one months’ notice before moving out, whereas for fixed term tenancies you will have to pay your rent until the end of your tenancy agreement, unless your landlord is happy to end your tenancy early.
It’s important to consider your tenancy type when arranging your move from one property to another.
Change of details for utilities and other services
After settling the end of your tenancy with your landlord, you need to contact your utilities and service providers to find out how to cancel or transfer your subscription to your new address.
At least two months ahead of your moving date, contact the following:
- Letting agent
- Local council (you might need to contact two different councils depending on if you’re moving to a different area)
- Council tax
- Gas and electricity suppliers
- Water company
- Landline and broadband provider
- DVLA
- HMRC
- Your employer
- Bank and credit card providers
- Insurance and pension providers
- Schools or universities
- Doctors and dentists (you may need to find new ones if you’re moving out of the area)
- Any other subscriptions which use this address
It might also be worth setting up a Royal Mail redirection service for the first few months after your check-out date.
Organise your move
If possible, when organising your move try and get your tenancies to overlap by a few days to make it easier for you to clean your old property. Once you know your moving date, schedule your final inspection with your landlord and start looking into end of tenancy cleaning companies and removals services if you plan on using either of these.
Packing and cleaning
In the weeks leading up to your move, start the process of packing and cleaning. This is a good opportunity to put away any seasonal items and discard anything you don’t use or won’t need in your next property.
To make the cleaning process easier, deep clean each room as you go, so that on the day of your final inspection you only need to do a final sweep through.
Things to take care of on moving day
Aside from coordinating the move itself, there are several things you need to be aware of on moving day.
At your old property you need to:
- Check you haven’t left anything vital or taken anything you shouldn’t.
- Take readings of gas, electric and water metres (you might also want to photograph these for future reference).
- Shut down all main valves (gas and water) and ensure all appliances are switched off.
- Lock all windows and doors.
- Photograph the property as evidence of the moving out condition.
In your new property you should:
- Photograph the move in condition.
- Check the move-in inventory and flag any issues.
- Test your smoke alarms.
- Check the gas, power and water are working.
After your move
The main things to do after you move are:
- Go to the final inspection with your old landlord or letting agent and return the keys.
- Request a deposit return from your landlord or letting agent (if you have problems with this and your deposit is protected, contact the deposit protection scheme).
- Speak to your new landlord about protecting your deposit.
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Request copies of the gas safety certificates, EPC and other relevant documents.
Let us help you find your next home
If you’re looking to end your tenancy, talk to our experts and let us help you find your next home.
We have a range of services and products designed to make renting your next home a simple and convenient process
- Friendly and knowledgeable staff wanting to help you find your next home
- Tenancy agreements
- Safety checks
- Energy Performance Certificates
- Routine inspections to ensure everything is in good condition
- Energy Performance Certificates
- Tenant/Landlord app to help you raise any issues with maintenance and repairs
- Transparent and honest communication
Start your property search by clicking here
See Our Tenant Fees Below:
Before the tenancy starts
(payable to Belvoir Luton ‘the Agent’)
Holding Deposit: 1 week’s rent
Deposit: 5 week’s rent
During the tenancy
(payable to the Agent)
Payment of interest for the late payment of rent at a rate of 3% above base.
During the tenancy
if permitted and applicable
- Utilities – gas, electricity, water and sewerage
- Communications – telephone and broadband
- Installation of cable/satellite
- Subscription to cable/satellite supplier
- Television licence
- Council Tax
Other permitted payments
Any other permitted payments, not included above, for breaches of contract or under the relevant legislation including contractual damages. These may include reasonable costs or losses incurred for loss of keys, security devices and changes to the tenancy agreement or early termination, if the Landlord agrees they can be made, up to the permitted limits.
Fees
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Fee |
Explanation |
| Default fee for late payment of rent |
see explanation |
Chargeable from 14 days arrears calculated on the interest at 3% above Bank of England base rate on the late payment of rent for each day that the payment is outstanding. |
| Loss of a key or other security device |
see explanation |
Landlords and letting agents can charge a tenant a fee to cover the cost of replacing the lost key or security device (e.g. fob, electronic device for garage doors / security gates). |
| Payment on variation, assignment or novation of a tenancy |
£50 |
When a tenant has requested it, landlords and letting agents can charge to vary, assign or replace a tenancy. Fee charge £50 |
| Payment on termination of a tenancy |
see explanation |
Landlords and letting agents can require a tenant to make a payment for an early termination (surrender) of the tenancy agreement at the tenants request. |
| Company application fee |
£100 |
£100 |
You should be aware that the need for a guarantor may not become apparent until your referencing (including references for any joint tenants) has been completed, therefore any guarantor referencing fee(s) will only become payable should a guarantor be required
Tenant Protection
Propwel is a member of Propertymark, which is a client money protection scheme, and also a member of The Property Ombudsman, which is a redress scheme. You can find out more details on our website or by contacting us directly
Propwel is a member of Propertymark which means we have Client Money Protection, Professional Indemnity Insurance and a designated client bank account.
We are also members of The Property Ombudsman
We Hold client money protection through Propertymark.
RECENT TENANT LEGISLATION
Recent legislation, such as the Renters' Rights Bill, introduces reforms aimed at enhancing tenant protections, including banning no-fault evictions and capping advance rent payments. While these changes benefit tenants, they may pose challenges for landlords, especially those renting to students who often rely on paying several months' rent upfront due to the lack of UK-based guarantors. The advance payment ban could effectively bar them from securing tenancies, potentially impacting landlords' rental income stability.
