How to change your address and forward mail
Moving soon and worried about letting the right people know? It’s important to update your address and details before you move to avoid overdue bills or lapses in service.
There’s plenty to prepare when you move house. Everything from finding a removalist through to packing and cleaning will top your list, but one thing that often gets lost in the noise is notifying businesses and organisations that you’ve changed your address.
When you move, it’s important that you bring everything with you – even your mail! You want to ensure that everything from final bills and payments to credit cards and subscriptions come to you, not whoever has just moved into your old rental.
So how do you remember who to update? A simple tip is to pay attention to the companies sending you mail regularly in the lead-up to your move, but this won’t cover everyone. You could be missing less frequent communications from equally important companies that also have your former address stored.
Why it’s crucial to change your address or redirect mail
If you have time leading up to your move to update your details with different organisations, that’s perfect. The more, the merrier! But if you’re like most people and short on time, redirecting mail will ensure important bills and communication won’t be sent to your old property for months on end.
Mail that’s not delivered to the intended recipient can lead to account suspensions or. even worse, identity theft. If you’ve rented before, you’d be used to getting mail intended for previous tenants – try not to become that person!
Investing a little time (and money, where necessary) to redirect your mail now could save you many headaches in future. Thankfully there are a number of simple ways to submit a change of address notification or redirect your mail.
From friends and family through to government agencies, the electricity provider and GP, here’s a go-to list to get you sorted.
>> Arrange for Australia Post to redirect your mail
Australia Post will let you redirect eligible mail and parcels for 1, 3, 6 or 12 months. You can add up to 6 names to your application and opt-in to notify selected banks, insurers, energy providers and telcos of your new address.
Tip: Change your mail redirection or mail hold if you’re in self-isolation or quarantine. If you’re unable to visit a Post Office in person to extend, change or cancel your existing service, contact Australia Post online for help.
You can apply for mail redirection through Australia Post online or pick up and complete a redirect form in-store.
Once you’re organised, any mail addressed to your old property will be re-addressed with a sticker and delivered to your new home.
>> Change your address with the Electoral Commission
You’re eligible to enrol at your new address once you’ve lived there for at least one month. When you move house, you must update your details on the electoral roll to avoid being removed from the roll and unable to vote.
You are eligible to enrol at your new address if you’re an Australian citizen or eligible British subject, are aged 18 years or over, and have lived at your address for at least one month.
To update your details through the Australian Electoral Commission, you’ll need one of the following: Your driver’s licence, an Australian passport number, or have someone who is enrolled confirm your identity.
You can update your details online, complete and print a PDF form and return it to the AEC, or pick up a form at an AEC office and return it to the AEC.
>> Update the Department of Transport
If you’ve changed your address, it’s a legal requirement to notify Driver and Vehicle Services (Department of Transport). Check with your state/territory DoT website to complete a form online, or find contact details to let them know in writing.
Once you’ve notified the DoT about your change of address, you’ll be sent a change of address label in the mail, which should be affixed to the back of your driver’s licence or Photo Card in the space provided. Check with your relevant DoT to see what is most relevant to you.
YOUR CHANGE OF ADDRESS CHECKLIST
Finally, contact everyone you know. Even if your mail is being forwarded, this isn’t a permanent solution. People and companies still won’t know you have moved, so you must inform them of your new address.
Remember that while some companies may be informed by a change of address service, there will be many others that won’t.
Originally published by rent.com.au
