The Shift from Moving to Improving
New research reveals that the traditional pattern of moving up – or down – the property ladder is being replaced by a trend for staying put and adapting the current home to suit evolving needs.
According to The Way We Live Now 2025 report from B&Q, flexible working and multigenerational living are driving a major rise in DIY. Nearly two-thirds of families have remodelled their homes to accommodate changing needs, and many now see their current property as their ‘forever home’. A significant number have carried out or are planning major transformations, such as extensions or reconfigurations, while others are staying put due to financial pressures like mortgage affordability or lack of deposit. Meanwhile, confidence in DIY skills is on the rise, with most people now feeling capable of handling improvements themselves.
Homemover Data Matters More Than Ever
While many are staying put, there are of course still home movers —and as we know this group is crucial for marketers. Homemovers spend an additional £13 billion a year beyond the cost of purchasing their new home. That includes everything from furniture and appliances to utilities, insurance, and renovations.
For brands that rely on homemover income—from homeware retailers to broadband providers and financial services—it’s essential to capture homemover data early and accurately. There is a wealth of homemover data available for marketers, including a bespoke service from Royal Mail, which we touched on in our recent webinar with them. Those who can identify and engage with movers at the right moment are far more likely to win a larger share of this lucrative window of spending. For more information on this please get in touch as we can help connect you with the right business to meet your homemover targeting needs.
The Address Data Imperative
This shift in homemover behaviour represents a huge opportunity—and a challenge—for marketers. With fewer people moving, the traditional ‘homemover moment’ is becoming less predictable. That makes it more critical than ever to have clean, accurate, and up-to-date address data.
To stay ahead, brands must adopt best practices in data hygiene—this means regularly cleansing databases to remove duplicates, validating addresses against trusted reference files like PAF, and identifying goneaways or deceased records to avoid waste and compliance issues. Data should also be standardised and formatted correctly across systems to ensure seamless integration and campaign execution. Investing in proper data management not only improves ROI but also protects brand reputation and enhances customer experience.
Homemover Data Matters More Than Ever
While many are staying put, there are still thousands of people moving home every week—and for marketers, this moment remains critically important. When someone moves, they typically need to inform over 40 different organisations, from banks and broadband providers to loyalty programmes and subscription services. With so much admin, it’s easy for brands to get lost in the shuffle—resulting in lost customers, missed opportunities, and wasted marketing spend.
That’s why homemover data is so vital. It allows brands to keep track of their customers as they change address and re-establish their lives in a new location. Capturing and updating homemover data early means businesses can maintain continuity, deliver timely communications, and stay top of mind during this high-spend period—where the average homemover shells out an additional £13 billion a year on top of their property costs. For marketers, accurate homemover data isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a retention and revenue essential.
Clean Data. Smart Targeting. Better ROI.
Whether you’re targeting the movers or the improvers, your address data is the foundation of marketing success. Intelligent targeting backed by robust data hygiene will help you stay relevant, boost engagement, and maximise your marketing ROI.
We help marketers clean, maintain, and leverage their data—so they can deliver the right message to the right home, every time!
