Moving in together involves a lot of decisions that have nothing to do with whether you should do it. Whose broadband contract runs out first. Whether to get joint contents insurance. What to do about council tax. None of it is particularly romantic, but all of it needs sorting.
This is the practical checklist. You can deal with it in an afternoon if you have it all in one place.
Before you move in
- Tenancy or mortgage. If you're renting, both names should be on the tenancy agreement if you're both responsible for the rent. If one person is buying, understand what this means legally and financially before you move in.
- Contents insurance. Check whether you both have existing policies and whether they can be combined. Single-household contents insurance is usually cheaper than two separate policies.
- Utilities. Know who currently holds the contracts. Both names can usually be added to utility accounts — this matters if the relationship ends and you need to prove you're a customer.
- Council tax. If you're moving into a property that currently gets a 25% single person discount, notify the council when the second person moves in. You'll owe the difference.
In the first month
- Take meter readings on the day you move in and keep a record with the date.
- Update your address with banks, DVLA, HMRC, your GP, and any subscriptions.
- Add the new address to your driving licence if it's different from your current one — it's a legal requirement.
- Find out where the stop tap is, which fuses are in the fuse box, and what the boiler pressure should be. Write it down.
- Check the smoke alarms work and note when the batteries were last changed.
- Get the emergency contact numbers for any appliances included with the property — boiler, washing machine if it's the landlord's, etc.
Things that cause arguments later
Most financial friction in shared households comes from unclear expectations, not bad intent. Worth discussing early:
- How are bills being split — 50/50, proportional to income, one person pays and the other transfers?
- Is there a joint account, or are you keeping finances separate?
- What's the plan if one person loses their job or wants to stop working?
- If you're renting, what happens to the tenancy if the relationship ends?
None of these are fun conversations. They're much easier to have before you're already in the situation they describe.
What to store together from day one
The information that both of you should know and both of you should be able to find:
- Landlord or letting agent contact number
- Boiler service record and engineer contact
- Broadband provider, router password, and account number
- Contents insurance policy number and claims number
- Energy supplier and account numbers
- Council tax reference
- Emergency plumber or property maintenance contact
Roost was designed for exactly this point — two people, one household, all the admin in one shared place. Both people can see it, update it, and find things without asking the other person. It's free to start.