Following the recent spike in house sales, Gretel warns homeowners on the move not to lose track of their financial products

As the latest property statistics highlight a rise in the number of sales being agreed at the start of 2025 - currently 9% higher than in 2024 - Gretel, the leading platform for finding lost assets, warns that frequent house moves is a major factor in consumers losing track of their financial assets, including pensions, bank accounts, and insurance policies.

55% of Gretel users who find a lost account or policy now live at an address which is different to that which their financial provider has on file for them, meaning they had forgotten to inform them at the time of their move.

Rightmove forecasts property completions to rise to 1.15 million homes this year, with a notable increase in UK property completions in March 2025, driven by buyers rushing to complete transactions before the stamp duty changes took effect on April 1.

According to Gretel’s research, most adults will move home multiple times during their lives, increasing the likelihood of losing touch with financial accounts(2) amounting to £89 billion across the UK

• 23 million adults (44%) have moved house 1-3 times.

• 14 million adults (26%) have moved house 4-7 times.

• 8 million adults (15%) have moved 8 house or more times.

Address changes often result in missed communications from banks, pension providers, and investment firms, making it difficult for individuals to manage their money effectively.

Gretel urges homeowners and movers to take proactive steps to prevent financial disconnection:

• Update financial institutions: Inform banks, pension providers, and insurers of any address changes immediately.

• Keep a financial checklist: Maintain a list of all financial accounts and review it regularly.

• Use financial tracking services: Platforms like Gretel help individuals reconnect with lost or forgotten financial assets, ensuring their money doesn’t get left behind.

Duncan Stevens, CEO of Gretel, commented: “Moving home is an exciting milestone, but it’s also one of the easiest ways to lose track of your finances. In the UK alone, £89 billion remains unclaimed across banking, pensions, and investments. With millions of people expected to move house in 2025, it’s more important than ever to keep personal information up to date and use tools like Gretel to track down any lost assets.”

For more information or to reconnect with lost financial assets, visit www.gretel.co.uk.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. Gretel proprietary customer data April 2025

2. Rightmove statistics 2025 housing market forecast: 5 things you need to know | Property news (https://www.rightmove.co.uk/news/articles/property-news/housing-market-forecast-2025)

3. Decade-high choice to benefit Spring buyers who miss stamp duty deadline - Rightmove Press Centre (https://www.rightmove.co.uk/press-centre/decade-high-choice-to-benefit-spring-buyers-who-miss-stamp-duty-deadline)

4. Based on a nationally representative survey of 2003 UK adults in 2020 by Opinium Research

About Gretel:

Gretel is the UK’s leading free online hub, helping consumers find and reconnect with lost financial accounts, including savings, pensions, ISAs, and investments. With millions of pounds in unclaimed assets, Gretel makes it easy for individuals to take control of their finances.

Unlike other services, Gretel continues searching for lost assets even after users sign up, flagging new accounts as they are identified.

Gretel has won awards for its innovative use of cutting-edge technology. Acting as a one-stop shop, it simplifies the process of finding and recovering lost assets, reconnecting people with money they might have overlooked due to life changes like marriage, moving home, or changing jobs. Importantly, Gretel is completely free to use, ensuring customers keep 100% of what’s rightfully theirs.

For further information contact: Louise Ahuja - louise@louisebcomms.co.uk

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