• Midlands-based home movers are meticulous about planning their moves in advance, while those in Wales and the South West are happy to leave everything to the last minute, according to new research commissioned by Royal Mail Redirection
  • Home movers in the Midlands book the removal company (38%) a month before their move date and take out a Redirection (35%), update their gas and electrical suppliers (34%) and change the details on their TV licence (33%) a week prior
  • In contrast, home-movers in Wales and the South West were in their new home for over a month before they arranged for WiFi to be installed (10%) and up to two weeks before updating their pension providers (18%), employers (15%) and bank/building society (8%) with their new address putting themselves in danger of their mail falling into the wrong hands
  • From a gender perspective, men updated the insurance company (36%), mobile phone provider (26%), pension provider (25%) and gym membership (8%) 15-30 days before moving. While women waited seven days after the move before changing their details with the bank or building society (19%)
  • In general, home movers update gas/electricity supplier (64%), let family and friends know new address (62%) and buy cleaning products (56%) ahead of a move
  • While changing their address on their driver's licence (52%), with bank or building society (47%) and TV licence (44%) all happen after they've settled into their new home
  • Worryingly, over three quarters (77%) of home movers admitted that they didn't update their gym membership with their new address details at all. A further two thirds (66%) didn't change their magazine subscriptions, while nearly half (40%) didn't change their online shopping accounts meaning that personal details, magazines and even shopping would still be going to their old address

Midlands-based home movers are meticulous about planning their moves in advance while those in Wales and the South West are happy to leave everything to the last minute, according to new research commissioned by Royal Mail Redirection.

Home movers in the Midlands organise key tasks such as booking the removal company (38%) a month before their move date. When the move is only seven days away, they take out a Redirection (35%), update their gas and electricity suppliers (34%) and change the details on their TV licence (33%).

In contrast, home movers in Wales and the South West admitted that they had been in their new home for over a month before they arranged for WiFi to be installed (10%) and up to two weeks before updating their pension providers (18%), employers (15%) and bank/building society (8%) with their new address. Over a quarter of home movers in the region (28%) didn't take out a Redirection until five days after moving, leaving their important personal and financial details at risk of falling into the wrong hands.

From a gender perspective, men updated the insurance company (36%), mobile phone provider (26%), pension provider (25%) and gym membership (8%), 15-30 days before moving. On the other hand, women waited seven days after the move before changing their details with the bank or building society (19%). Surprisingly, one in ten (10%) women admitted to booking a removal company 8 to 14 days after their move date.

Jim Conning, Managing Director of Data Services, at Royal Mail, said: 'I know from personal experience that moving home is a stressful time, especially as you get closer to the move date. There can be as many as 30 companies and suppliers to tell, not to mention thinking about how you are physically going to move your furniture and personal items.

'While updating service providers such as banks and pensions companies or taking out a Redirection can seem like a small task, they are the only way to protect yourself against your personal information falling into the wrong hands leading to identity theft.'

In general, home movers across the country prioritised updating gas/electricity supplier (64%), letting family and friends know of a new address (62%) and buying cleaning products (56%) before a move. While they changed their address on their driver's licence (52%), with bank or building society (47%) and on their TV licence (44%) after they had settled into their into new home.

Worryingly, over three quarters (77%) of those questioned admitted that they didn't - at any point before, during or after the moving process - update their gym membership with their new address details. A further two thirds (66%) didn't change their magazine subscriptions, while nearly half (40%) said they didn't change their online shopping accounts meaning that personal details, magazines and even shopping would still be going to their old address.
Ends
For further information, contact:
Rebecca Maund
0207 449 8246
rebecca.maund@royalmail.com

Notes to editors
The research was undertaken by ICM who questioned 1,920 recent home movers.

About Royal Mail plc
Royal Mail plc is the parent company of Royal Mail Group Limited, the leading provider of postal and delivery services in the UK and the UK's designated universal postal service provider. UK Parcels, International and Letters ('UKPIL') comprises the company's UK and international parcels and letters delivery businesses operating under the 'Royal Mail' and 'Parcelforce Worldwide' brands. Through the Royal Mail Core Network, the company delivers a one-price-goes-anywhere service on a range of parcels and letters products. Royal Mail has the capability to deliver to more than 29 million addresses in the UK, six days a week (excluding UK public holidays). Parcelforce Worldwide operates a separate UK network which collects and delivers express parcels. Royal Mail also owns General Logistics Systems (GLS) which operates one of the largest ground-based, deferred parcel delivery networks in Europe.

Royal Mail Holdings plc published this content on 27 October 2016 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein.
Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 27 October 2016 14:31:09 UTC.

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