1 in 10 home movers in the South East are forgetting to tell TV Licensing about their new address, a new survey has revealed. As well as failing to get in touch with TV Licensing, scatter-brained home movers are leaving crockery, dirty washing and even their pets behind.

To make sure they remain correctly licensed to watch television, TV Licensing is reminding home movers and renters in St Albans and the surrounding areas to update their details, whether they are moving in or moving out. Over the last year, TV Licensing has helped over 1.6 million UK home movers transfer their TV Licence from their old address to their new residence. Details can be changed up to three months before a move, either online at tvlicensing.co.uk/moving or by calling 0300 790 6112.

Martin Dyan, spokesperson for TV Licensing in London and the South East said: “Whether you’re buying or renting, moving house can be chaos and it’s all too easy to leave things behind, including pets! TV Licensing would like to remind ‘movers’ to take a few minutes to update their details. Home movers can update their TV Licence details quickly and easily online at tvlicensing.co.uk/moving at any time of day or night.”

Those moving in to a previously occupied abode should also prepare themselves for a new home bereft of basins and doors, as some previous occupants are making sure they take everything with them, including the kitchen sink.

The survey shows that 32 percent of home movers in the South East have had to deal with building rubble which had been left behind by outgoing occupiers. Other left items included undertaker’s trestles, potties and personalised egg cups.

The survey also revealed a range of items unexpectedly carried off by the outgoing occupants, with 47 percent of respondents in the South East having to cope with a new home without lightbulbs. Other problems included new owners having a burglar alarm going off with no way of switching it off, locked doors with no keys and an impossible-to-find water stopcock.

Mark Hayward, managing director, National Association of Estate Agents, said: “We see all manner of things left behind in houses, such as phone chargers and TV and internet boxes. It’s also very common that lofts are left unpacked and even pets are left behind. It goes without saying that it’s important to check you’ve packed everything into your final boxes before you leave the property, but legally – everything you leave behind becomes the property of the purchaser. To get around this, you should provide your lawyer with a final list of those things you’ll be leaving behind, to avoid losing items such as your phone charger to the new buyers.”