Changing your Address and Adding New Services for your New Apartment

Back to Real Estate Learning Center

Apartment renters and home owners alike never realize how much mail they receive or the level of services they get until they have to move into a new residence. From junk mail and mass mailings to bills and magazines, people receive several pieces of mail each day that they often take for granted. As well, services ranging from cable television to electricity in apartments rely on updated information by customers to ensure efficient customer service. Because of the importance of maintaining updated information, apartment renters should consider the change of address process an integral part of moving from one apartment to another. Apartment renters may feel that simply changing their address with the United States Postal Service will get the job done. However, forwarding services are only available for certain types of mailings and have other limitations that make it an unreliable option. Renters should make individual mailings and change address through online account systems before heading to their new apartment.

Renters should consult with individual companies before they send out change of address forms. In many cases, there are electronic forms or online account access for customers to make the change of address process much easier. The first place renters should go to change their address is their local post office, which offers an efficient change of address process. The mail forwarding process lasts for a year per address changed and allow renters to receive first class mail and other small envelopes at their new apartment.

After changing addresses at the post office, renters should then change their address with the variety of companies that they receive mail from. Sending out simple change of address notices to friends, families, and business associates can make correspondence a lot simpler at the new apartment. Renters should also change their address with any credit card or financial companies with which they have accounts. Credit card companies are not very forgiving for late payments caused by moving to a new apartment and changing addresses with banks can help protect renters from identity theft. Finally, any magazines or newspapers received at the old apartment address should be changed well ahead of time to the new address. Sending a change of address thirty days in advance of moving to all of these groups will help make the moving process much simpler.

Along with mail, renters should change their address with the variety of services they receive in their rental units. For those moving from one apartment to another, figuring out whether their phone service is available at their new apartment should be step one. If the services are the same for both old and new apartments, a change of address is needed by calling or mailing a notice to the phone company. As well, cable and satellite television services can differ from community to community or state to state. Renters should consult these companies to figure out the best transition of services from one location to another. Often, cable technicians need to come in to set up boxes and other hardware at the new location. Finally, changing addresses and switching services with the local electric company is essential to a successful move.

The process of moving from one apartment to another is a great opportunity to add more services to your cable, telephone, and electric services. Cable television companies are beginning to offer broadband Internet service to customers at an affordable rate. While renters have a cable technician coming to their new apartment, it is a good time to invest in additional services. As well, phone companies offer Internet and wireless phone services for their customers at a discounted rate depending on where they live. Finally, apartment renters who are on the move can save money with a variety of energy billing plans.

Back to Real Estate Learning Center