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Croatia

The general list plus what comes on top in this country: deadlines, offices and customs.

63 tasks · General checklist

Contracts and authorities

17 weeks before
Notice period: at least three months for an open-ended lease
The Housing Rental Act sets a floor of three months; the contract may give you more, never less. A fixed term follows the contract.
14 weeks before
Give notice in writing and keep proof it arrived
A registered letter with return receipt is the safe route. Notice by message counts only if the landlord confirms it.
13 weeks before
Arrange viewings for the next tenant
11 weeks before
Sign the new lease
10 weeks before
Deposit: usually one or two months, no statutory cap
The amount and the way it comes back are what the contract says. Photograph the flat on the day you get the keys.
9 weeks before
Arrange the handover date for the old flat
6 weeks before
Cancel internet and TV contracts
6 weeks before
Book a van for the cellar and small items
4 weeks before
Book time off for moving day
4 weeks before
Lease: written, notarised and reported to the tax office
The landlord reports the lease to the tax administration. Without a registered contract the tenancy is hard to prove, and you will need it for residence registration and for school.
3 weeks before
Draw up the list of address changes
2 weeks before
Update contents and liability insurance
7 days before
Cancel the standing order for the old rent

Packing and decluttering

5 weeks before
Get moving boxes
5 weeks before
Get packing material
4 weeks before
Set a decluttering day per room
3 weeks before
Move the cellar and attic ahead of time
2 weeks before
Pack seasonal and rarely used things
10 days before
Pack the workspace
5 days before
Pack the kitchen, defrost the fridge
2 days before
Pack the first-night box
2 days before
Keep the toolbox separate

Old home

9 weeks before
Declutter: sell, give away, dispose
6 weeks before
Clear out the cellar and attic
4 weeks before
Book a bulky waste collection
7 days before
Factory-reset the smart home devices
1 day before
Read and photograph the meters
7 days after
Clean the old place for the handover
10 days after
Sign the handover protocol, count the keys
4 weeks after
Track the return of the deposit

New home

6 weeks before
Book the electrician and tradespeople
6 weeks before
Check mounting points: shower rail, lamps, curtains
4 weeks before
Order the internet connection
4 weeks before
Decide what to buy new
2 weeks before
Draw a furniture plan per room, take measurements
2 weeks before
Electricity: transfer the customer on the meter
The transfer form needs the reading and the signatures of both the old and the new customer. The distribution operator runs the meter, the supplier bills it.
7 days before
Test the internet connection
7 days before
Water and gas: transfer at the local utilities
Both are municipal and differ from town to town. In a block of flats the water often runs through the building account.
1 day before
Handover record: meter readings, keys, photos
An annex to the lease, signed by both sides. Without it the deposit is hard to get back.
1 day after
Record and report defects on moving in
3 days after
Label the doorbell and letterbox
7 days after
Set the smart home up again
7 days after
Meet the neighbours and the property manager

Moving day

13 weeks before
Fix the moving date
9 weeks before
Book the moving company
2 weeks before
Reserve parking outside both buildings
2 weeks before
Reserve the lift at both addresses
10 days before
Arrange care for children and pets
3 days before
Move the plants separately
3 days before
Plan bikes and bulky items separately
On moving day
Food and drink for the helpers
On moving day
Final walk-through of the old flat

After the move

3 days after
Building representative: reserve fund, lift, moving hours
Report how many people live in the flat, because water and some services are split per person. The house rules set the quiet hours.
7 days after
Set up mail forwarding
7 days after
Waste: sign the declaration on how you use the service
Since the waste reform every household signs a declaration with the utility, and the bill follows the bin size and how often it is emptied.
10 days after
Register your residence within 15 days
Report the new address at the police administration or online. Temporary residence is reported when you stay somewhere longer than three months.
2 weeks after
School: residence decides the catchment
Primary schools admit by catchment area. The residence registration is the proof, so do that step first.
2 weeks after
Tell the bank, employer and insurers
2 weeks after
Update subscriptions and delivery services
2 weeks after
ID card: apply for a new one within 15 days
The card carries your address, so a move means a new card. Apply once the residence registration is done, not before.
2 weeks after
Broadcasting fee: report the new household to HRT
The fee is charged per household with a receiver. Report the move so you do not pay for two addresses, or for one you left.
2 weeks after
GP: register with one near the new address
You sign a statement at the new practice and the health insurer follows. Do it before you need a prescription or a referral.
2 weeks after
Vehicle: report the address change within 15 days
The registration document carries the owner's address, and the change has its own deadline.

In the app: when setting up the move or under Tasks → Template. Everything can be deselected; a template is a suggestion.

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The checklists in this guide are compiled with care, but without guarantee of completeness or currency. Deadlines and responsibilities change. The information of the respective authority or contracting party is authoritative.