Moving on July 1?Settle in sooner

In Québec, many residential leases run from July 1 to June 30, so a large share of tenants move on or around the same day. Trucks, movers and technicians all get booked up, and the people who plan ahead have a much calmer first week in their new place.

This guide covers the services that are easy to forget until you need them: internet, insurance, your phone plan and your alarm system. Use the timeline, then print the checklist at the end. The same plan works for a move at any time of year.

Your timeline at a glance

Six to eight weeks before: book the technicians

This is the window to book anything that needs a technician. Installation slots around July 1 are often tight, and waiting until late June can mean days or even weeks without home internet.

• Internet: check which providers and speeds are available at the new address, then book installation for moving day or as close to it as possible. Not sure what you need? See how to choose an internet plan.
• Access: the previous occupant often leaves on June 30, so ask your landlord or the seller whether a technician can get in earlier.
• Your current provider: if you're staying, ask whether they can transfer your service and whether there's a fee. If you're leaving, check your contract end date and cancellation terms.
• Alarm system: ask your alarm company whether your equipment and monitoring can move with you, or whether a new installation makes more sense.

Four weeks before: insurance and address

Tenant or home insurance. Call your insurer with the new address and your moving date. You want coverage in place at the new home from the day you get the keys. Your premium may change with the new address, the type of building and its security features. Renting? Our tenant insurance guide explains what a policy should include.

Change of address. Canada Post offers a paid mail forwarding service; setting it up a few weeks ahead means nothing slips through. Then list everyone who needs your new address: your bank, employer, insurers and subscriptions, plus government records such as your driver's licence, health insurance card and tax accounts. In Québec, some government services let you update your address in one place online, so check what applies to you.

Two weeks before: confirm and update

• Phone plan: update your billing address and check coverage at the new address if reception matters to you. It's also a good moment to see whether your data still fits; see how much mobile data you need.
• Hydro-Québec and other utilities: tell Hydro-Québec your moving date so the account at your old address closes and service starts in your name at the new one. Do the same for natural gas, if you have it.
• Internet: confirm the installation date, the time window and whether someone must be home. Ask what equipment to return from your old address, and how.
• Alarm: schedule the disconnection at the old address and the installation or reactivation at the new one. Give the monitoring company your new address and emergency contacts.

Moving week and after

Moving week

1. 1Pack a "first night" box with chargers, modem and router cables, toiletries, medication and important documents.
2. 2Photograph your old place once it's empty, and the new one before you unpack.
3. 3Keep valuables and anything irreplaceable with you, not in the truck.
4. 4Be home, or have someone there, during the internet and alarm installation windows.
5. 5Test the smoke alarms, and find the electrical panel and the water shut-off.
6. 6Change the default passwords on your new Wi-Fi network and alarm panel.

After you move

Give yourself a week or two to settle, then close the loop. Return old modems, TV receivers or alarm equipment before the deadline to avoid fees, and keep the receipt. Check your first bills at the new address for installation charges, prorated amounts and promotional pricing. Make sure your insurance policy shows the right address and start date.

A new home is also a good time to rethink security. Our guide to monitored vs DIY alarms can help you decide what fits.

Printable moving checklist

Print this list or keep it on your phone, and tick each item off as you go.

• Check internet availability and speeds at the new address
• Book internet installation for moving day or just before
• Confirm technician access with the landlord or seller
• Check contract end dates and cancellation terms for current services
• Ask the alarm company about moving or replacing your system
• Give your insurer the new address and moving date
• Confirm when coverage starts and what's covered in transit
• Set up Canada Post mail forwarding
• Update your address with your bank, employer and subscriptions
• Update your driver's licence, health card and tax records
• Update your phone plan's billing address
• Set Hydro-Québec and other utility dates for both addresses
• Confirm the internet and alarm installation windows
• Pack a first-night box, including modem and router cables
• Photograph the old and new homes
• Change default Wi-Fi and alarm passwords
• Return old equipment and keep the receipts
• Check the first bills at the new address