Moving Tips 2025: The 5 Most Important Things You Must Do Immediately After Moving In

Moving means much more than just the sweaty packing and unpacking of countless boxes – it marks the beginning of a new chapter in your own four walls. The moving checklist for the period after moving in is at least as important as planning the move itself. While you're probably full of anticipation about furnishing your new apartment or house and filling it with life, several urgent bureaucratic and organizational challenges await that cannot be postponed.

The first days after moving in Germany can be decisive, as legal deadlines must be met, and important registrations after moving should be completed as early as possible to avoid unnecessary costs or legal problems. The good news: With the right preparation and a structured approach, the administrative part of the move can be managed without problems.

So that you can quickly settle into your new home and aren't surprised by sudden deadlines or missing connections, we have compiled the five most important and urgent moving tasks for you. You should ideally complete these points within the first two weeks after your move – this way, nothing stands in the way of a relaxed new start in your new home.

1. Register for Electricity – So Your Daily Life Works Immediately

Without electricity, nothing works in your new home – no lighting, no functioning devices, and no hot water if you have an electric heating system. That's why it's a top priority to take care of your electricity registration immediately after moving in.

When you move into a new apartment or house, there is often already a basic supply contract with the local electricity provider. However, this is usually more expensive than alternative tariffs on the market. Therefore, it makes financial sense to arrange a new electricity contract as quickly as possible.

How to proceed with electricity registration:

1. First, you should read and document the current meter reading of your apartment or house (preferably with a photo).

2. This value must be transmitted to the new electricity provider so that you only pay for consumption from the date of moving in.

3. After that, you can compare different electricity tariffs. Websites like Check24 or Verivox offer simple comparison calculators that help you find the cheapest provider for your region.

Once you've decided on a provider, you can complete the contract directly online. If you don't sign a new contract, you'll automatically be registered with the basic supplier, which can mean additional annual costs of several hundred euros. Therefore, it's worth acting quickly here.

2. Apply for Internet – So You're Quickly Online Again

Nowadays, a functioning internet connection is almost as important as electricity and water. Especially if you work from home or enjoy streaming movies and series, you should take care of an internet connection immediately after moving.

Transfer or sign a new internet contract?

If you already have a contract with an internet provider, you can check whether you can transfer it to your new address. Many providers like Telekom, Vodafone, or O2 allow a transfer, but the available technology in your new residential area may not be compatible. In this case, you'll need to choose a new tariff or even a new provider.

Important to know: Most internet providers need between two and six weeks to activate a new connection. Therefore, it makes sense to ideally take care of this 4-6 weeks before moving. If you don't have WiFi in the short term, you can use a mobile router or a mobile hotspot for the transition period.

A comparison on Check24 or DSLWEB helps you find the best and fastest internet tariff for your new apartment. Pay particular attention to whether your new location is already supplied with fiber optic – in this case, you could use significantly faster internet speeds of up to 1000 Mbit/s and thus be well equipped for the digital future.

3. Update Broadcasting Fee – So You Don't Pay Twice

Every household in Germany is legally required to pay the broadcasting fee (formerly GEZ) of currently 18.36 euros per month. This fee is charged per apartment, regardless of whether you actually use radio or television or how many devices you own. Therefore, after moving, you must update your registration with the ARD ZDF Deutschlandradio Beitragsservice.

How to update your broadcasting fee:

You can easily complete the registration or address change for the broadcasting fee online at www.rundfunkbeitrag.de. If you move into a shared apartment or move in with a partner, it's sufficient if one person pays the fee. In this case, you should check whether you can be exempted from the payment obligation.

Exemption possibilities from the broadcasting fee:

In certain cases, a complete exemption is possible:

• BAföG recipients (student loans)

• Recipients of social benefits

• People with severe disabilities

• Low-income households

If you think you might be eligible, you should inform yourself directly on the website of the broadcasting fee service and submit the appropriate documents.

To avoid double payments, it's important that you deregister your previous address and correctly provide your new address. Otherwise, you might end up paying for two apartments simultaneously – and then you'll quickly incur over 220 euros per year that you could avoid.

4. Register at the Residents' Registration Office – Legal Obligation Within 14 Days

According to the Federal Registration Act, you are obligated to register at the responsible residents' registration office within 14 days after your move. This residence registration is not an optional task but legally required! If you exceed this deadline, some cities may impose a fine of up to 1,000 euros – an expensive mistake that you can easily avoid.

How registration works after moving:

The first step is to make an appointment at the citizens' office or residents' registration office in your city. In many cities like Berlin, Munich, or Hamburg, it's hardly possible to register promptly without an appointment. Therefore, you should take care of this directly after moving in – ideally within the first week.

For registration, you need the following documents:

• Your ID card or passport (valid and original)

• The landlord confirmation that your landlord or property management must issue

• For married couples: possibly the marriage certificate

• For families with children: birth certificates of the children

Important: Once you've officially registered your new address, you should also inform important institutions such as banks, insurance companies, health insurance companies, and your employer about the change of address.

If you have children, it's also sensible to complete the registration at schools or kindergartens early. This ensures that important letters and documents continue to be delivered correctly and that your children can start without problems in the new facility.

5. Set Up Mail Forwarding – So No Important Mail Gets Lost

After moving, it can easily happen that important letters are still sent to your old address. To ensure that you don't miss any important mail, you should definitely set up a mail forwarding order with Deutsche Post. This service is one of the most important moving tips of all!

How to set up a mail forwarding order:

You can conveniently apply for the mail forwarding order online at www.deutschepost.de/nachsenden. You have a choice between different durations:

• 6 months for 26.90 € (as of 2024)

• 12 months for 35.90 € (as of 2024)

• 24 months for 50.90 € (as of 2024)

Pro tip: If you apply for the forwarding order online, you often get a discount compared to applying at the post office.

The forwarding order is particularly important for letters from banks, insurance companies, and authorities. Even if you've already provided your new address everywhere, it can take several weeks for all systems to be updated. The forwarding order helps ensure that no important documents such as tax documents, payment reminders, or insurance policies get lost.

Additional measures: In parallel to the forwarding order, you should update your address directly with important companies such as your health insurance or your bank. Some service providers even offer an automatic address update service in conjunction with the forwarding order, through which over 500 companies can be automatically informed about your move.

Conclusion: Moving Checklist for a Stress-Free Start in Your New Home

Moving in Germany brings many organizational tasks. To ensure a relaxed start in your new home and not miss any important deadlines, you should immediately take care of the following things:

The 5 most important tasks after moving:

1. Register for electricity – So you don't unnecessarily fall into the expensive basic supply tariff and can save up to several hundred euros annually

2. Apply for internet – So you don't go weeks without WiFi, which would be particularly problematic in a home office

3. Update broadcasting fee – To avoid double payments and save over 220€ per year

4. Register your residence – Legal obligation within 14 days, otherwise fines of up to 1,000€ threaten

5. Set up mail forwarding – So important letters, payment reminders, and documents arrive reliably

With this moving checklist 2025, you can organize your move without problems and ensure that nothing important is forgotten. If you complete these five points promptly after moving in, you can then concentrate on furnishing and designing your new home in a completely relaxed manner.

Tip: Create a schedule for the first two weeks after your move and plan a specific day for each of these five points. This way, you keep track and avoid unnecessary stress.

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