I got the keys, bought some dishes and a drying rack and assumed the difficult bit was over.

Then the letters started arriving. Council Tax. Energy accounts. Broadband questions nobody had warned me to ask. Moving into your first flat comes with a surprising amount of admin, and most people discover it one mildly panicked task at a time.

Save this checklist for moving week:

**On day one**

* Photograph every room, mark existing damage on the inventory and email any corrections to the landlord or agent.
* Photograph the gas, electricity and water meters. Include the serial numbers, readings and date.
* Find out who currently supplies the energy, then contact them to put the account in your name. You can switch later if you pay the bills yourself.
* Test the smoke alarms and locate the stopcock, fuse box and boiler controls.

**During the first week**

* [Register for Council Tax](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/start-paying-council-tax). Living alone may qualify you for a 25% discount.
* Check available internet speeds using [Ofcom’s broadband checker](https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/coverage-and-speeds/ofcom-checker) before choosing a contract.
* [Register to vote again](https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote) using your new address. It does not update automatically.
* Update your bank, employer, insurance, GP and delivery accounts.
* Tell the DVLA. Your licence, V5C and vehicle-tax Direct Debit are separate updates.
* Consider a temporary [Royal Mail Redirection](https://www.royalmail.com/personal/receiving-mail/redirection) so important post does not disappear into your old hallway.

The glamorous side of independence is choosing your own furniture. The useful side is making sure someone else’s electricity bill does not become yours.

No One Gave Me a Checklist When I Moved Into My First Flat