Moving? Here… have a check list

Here… have some boxes. You’ll need these.

So I recently moved. By recently I mean three months and a bit ago, but that’s semantics and who wants to get into semantics right now. I’ve moved five times in my life. Two of those times was as an “adult” and two of those times was when I was really an adult. (The “adult” being a university student that still had all of her permanent addresses as her parents address… in hindsight I could have just said that two times were as a student… but that wasn’t nearly as fun as this.)

I don’t have tons of experience moving. I know many people who move almost every year, and they seem to have everything altogether. But they’re also not nearly as organized (read, obsessive) about all the details as I am. So, when I moved the first time as an adult (with my very own address and everything!) I went to the first place I knew that had advice for me.

If you said “the internet” congratulations. Give yourself a cookie… preferably of the chocolate chip variety, but make sure it’s milk chocolate because I really am not a fan of bitter sweet chocolate chips.

Unfortunately, I had a hard time finding a list of all the places that you need to contact when you move, which catered to the Quebec crowd. There were some Canadian specific lists that focussed on places like Calgary or Ontario, but nothing really for Quebec. And Quebec has a lot of taxes and rules about stuff. It could be that I was searching in the wrong language, but that moment in time is over and unless Doctor Who shows up, I can never relive it, so we’re just going to get to the point of this blog. Ok? Good.

As a result of my searching – and subsequent move – I have developed a list of all the legal places (and some not so legal places) that you need to change your address in the event of a move.

Here, have a check list

Cancel or Move Your Utilities & Etc

Most companies allow you to transfer your service to your new location, so if you are moving within the same city, you should do so to avoid those pesky start up fees. Stupid start up fees. They make everything expensive. Though you might also want to check to confirm that there is no fee or a smaller fee for moving a service – it could be that the fee is larger, in which case, stupid moving fees. They make everything expensive.

Phone, Internet & Tv 

Only you can know which company you have to contact, though I highly suggest you read the fine print on their website and find out how much time they need for you to cancel. When I was with Bell, I called to cancel two weeks before (to everyone else in the world, that was probably stupid, but to me it made sense. Also because I didn’t know I was moving until two weeks before. SURPRISE!) Bell told me they required 30 days notice and as such, I had to pay for a full 30 days. I was not happy with that, but I’m also a passive aggressive person so instead of arguing the charge I just complain about it every chance I get. Like right now.

Hydro

The people at Hydro Quebec are much much nicer. You can cancel with them 10 days prior to your move. And they won’t charge you more. They’ll be all like “thanks for your business, you’re awesome. Where are you moving? Do you need hydro? Here. No? That’s ok. We’ll keep your file open for up to 5 years after you move so that when you do need hydro again you won’t have to pay the admin fee we charge new customers because you won’t actually BE a new customer. But don’t wait too long… or we’ll forget about you!”

(For the record, I don’t know if 5 years is accurate. I know that I moved into my previous place in 2010 and then moved out in 2012, and my account still existed – same username/password and everything! To bad I had forgotten that information. Anyway, moving on…)

GazMetro 

If you have a gas stove (like I do now) you’ll have to cancel this as well. I don’t know how soon before because I’ve only just hooked it up and haven’t had to cancel it so if anyone knows the answer to this, please share in the comments!

Anything other service you have for your home

I don’t have a lot of services (don’t even have cable/satellite) so I don’t know what other types of services there are. But if they exist and you have them, you should cancel them.

Change of Address for the Legal & Not so Legal Places

Medicare/Driver’s License/Taxes

For those who are not in Quebec, you will need to research your own ways of doing this as I haven’t the faintest idea how you should go about this.

For those who are IN Quebec, we’re the lucky ones (does anyone else think of Bif Naked & their song when you say that? No? shame. It’s a pretty song. Google it. Better yet, click here.) Right, so, all of these and any other Provincial thing you have can be changed on the same place, which is the Service quebecois de changement d’adresse.

You will need your SIN and the amount entered on line 100 of your tax return in order to open a file/start the process. This is their way of validating that you are, in fact, who you say you are. You will also need all of the requested information handy while you change your address online. It’s all listed on that website. Go there.

Federal Government for Income Taxes  

The Federal Government isn’t as helpful… well, actually they are very very helpful and I’ve never had a problem. My issue is that I hate calling people. And the only way to change your address with the Canadian Government is to call them. The number is on your tax return.

They’re a bit more tricky when it comes to verifying your identity. They usually require the number on your tax return and possibly your SIN, though last time I didn’t have one or the other of those so they started quizzing me on past addresses. That was fun. You try remembering the mailing address of that dive you lived in 6 years ago. You can’t can you? See… fun.

Doctors Offices & Etc

If you have a doctor that you see on a semi-regular basis (read, at least once every year or so), you’ll need to change your address with them. Most of them are ok with you doing it when you visit next, but if you want to be overly cautious, call and ask. And you might want to schedule a check-up while your at it. Visiting your doctor can only be a good thing, even if it’s just because you get out of work for that morning.

Work

Speaking of work! If you like getting your T4s and getting paid in general, you should let your HR department know what your new address is. Just sayin’.

Cell Phone

You might be questioning why I have included this here and not with the other utilities & services. That is because you are not cancelling or moving this service, you’re just changing your address. And we have to keep things logical, ok? Good. Most cell phone providers allow you to update your contact information online, which is great for people like me who abhor talking on the phone.

Banks & Investment Guys

If you have online banking, you can easily change your contact information there. If not, you’d probably have to go in and talk to a teller.

My investment guy had me sign something saying I was changing my address. I expect yours will too.

Paypal account also requires your address – so don’t forget about Paypal!

Clubs, Online Stores & Other Affiliations

If you’re like me, and you probably might be just a little, you have signed up for things and created points accounts in a vast array of places. You should keep a list. It’ll be awesome. I keep one in Evernote (in fact, it’s in the same note as my moving check list, go figure!) where I jot down the websites I have plugged in my address.

If you don’t have a list, here are some examples that might help you along the way:

Transportation Websites: Via Rail/STM/Air Canada (though I don’t know if you can create a profile on Air Canada)

Car Rental Websites: Budget/Enterprise/etc

Retail Websites: Chapters/Amazon/Canadian Tire

Points Websites: Scene/Pharmaprix (Shoppers Drugmart)/Airmiles/Areopoints/Metro Points care/Walmart points cards.. etc. etc.

Club & Affiliation Websites: Quebec Writers’ Federation is the only one I can think of – add a comment if you can think of another!

Professional

Update your Resume! Do it now, before you forget and post it on Monster with the wrong address. That would be embarrassing.

Also, check your web hosting people to see if they need your new address. It seems everyone wants to know where you live nowadays!

Well, that’s the end of my moving checklist. Looking back, I realize that by adding comments to everything, I’ve made it less of a check list type list. But it really is a check list in my Evernote account. Mostly because I don’t have to write the notes to myself… they’re what I’m thinking!

If I’ve missed anything, let me know!