Moving day feels like the finish line. In practice, it is the start of a short, important window. The first month in a new flat is when defects are easiest to get fixed, connections are easiest to correct, and misunderstandings about charges are easiest to resolve — because the handover is recent, the developer or previous owner is still engaged, and every reading and receipt is still to hand. A little method in that month saves months of chasing later.
Week one: connections, meters and keys
Start with utilities. Confirm that electricity, gas where applicable, and water connections are in the new occupant's name or properly transferred, and record the opening meter readings for each, with the date, in a notebook or photograph. If a reading looks wrong, or a meter is not working, raise it immediately rather than after a bill arrives based on an estimate.
Check keys and access together: flat keys, mailbox, parking, rooftop or common-area access, lift access where applicable, and any security or intercom codes. Test them all in the first days, not when a guest or a delivery is waiting. Keep a spare set somewhere safe, and note who else holds a set.
At the same time, walk the flat with fresh eyes. Open every tap, flush every toilet, switch on every light and fan, test door locks and window latches, and run the kitchen and bathroom fittings. Note anything that drips, sticks, rattles or does not work. This is the beginning of the defects list, and it is far more persuasive when it is dated to the first week.
The defects list: write it down, send it in writing
A defects list is simply a dated, written list of everything unfinished or faulty in the flat — a cracked tile, a leaking tap, a door that does not close, paint defects, a non-working socket. For a newly built flat, send it to the developer in writing within the period the agreement allows, and keep a copy. For a resale flat, raise defects with the seller or agent promptly, and check what the agreement actually covers, since a resale purchase rarely carries the same rectification promise as a new build.
Be specific: room, item, problem, and a photograph where helpful. "Bathroom tap leaks" is harder to dispute than "plumbing problem". Ask for a written acknowledgement and a date for rectification, and follow up in writing if that date passes. Verbal promises made on moving day are easily forgotten; a dated list is not.
A defects list written in week one is a request; the same list written in month six is an argument.
Building registration and records
Next, make sure the building knows you. Register with the building management or residents' association, provide contact details, and confirm the flat's parking allocation, service charge account and any building rules — on waste, common areas, renovations, pets where applicable, and use of shared facilities. Ask how service charges are calculated, when they fall due, and what they cover: lift, generator, security, cleaning, water and common electricity are typical items, but the mix varies by building.
Keep a file — physical or digital — for the flat: the purchase agreement or tenancy agreement, handover papers, receipts for booking and instalments or rent, utility transfer papers, meter readings, the defects list and its acknowledgement, and service charge receipts. This file is dull to assemble and invaluable later, whether for a loan question, a resale, or a dispute about charges.
Service charge: understand it before disputing it
Service charges cause more new-resident friction than almost any other item, usually because the new occupant never asked what they cover. In the first month, ask for the current charge, what it includes, whether any arrears from a previous occupant remain attached to the flat, and how increases are decided. If the building has a residents' committee, learn how it works and who to contact about lift, water or security problems.
Paying on time matters too: a building's services depend on collective payment, and a new resident who queries a charge is heard more readily if their own payments are up to date. Query in writing, with the bill and the question clearly stated, rather than by withholding payment without explanation.
Settle in, deliberately
Finally, use the first month to learn the flat itself: which rooms get morning light, where damp appears after rain, how the water pressure behaves at peak hours, and which neighbours or caretakers to contact in an emergency. Introduce yourself to the caretaker and immediate neighbours — in an apartment building, those relationships are practical infrastructure, not just courtesy.
Moving well is not about unpacking quickly. It is about leaving the first month with connections in your name, readings recorded, defects listed in writing, building registration complete, and a file that proves all of it. A household that does that work early can then enjoy the flat, instead of spending the next year correcting its paperwork.
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