Moving house can be both a busy and stressful time. It can seem like there are a thousand and one things to think of for the physical moving process alone—before you even consider things like bills, utilities and other necessary admin.
In this blog post, we discuss when to notify your utility companies that you’re moving house, and the steps that you need to take to ensure that your old utility accounts are closed correctly, and that new ones are those with the best possible rates.
Notifying your current energy supplier
It is really important to notify the energy supplier at your current residence before you move out to let them know what’s going on. Whether the property is owned by you or a landlord, it is your responsibility to ensure that this is done correctly.
To avoid the chance of any problems on the day of moving, it is worth contacting your utility company at least 48 hours before you intend to vacate the property. In the conversation that you have with a member of the utility companies staff, you should detail the date on which you intend to move out of house and the address of your new property so that they know where they should send your final bill and closing statement.
Take meter readings
On the day of your move, you should take meter readings at your property, or organise for someone from the utility company to come and do this for you. You should always make a note of the reading, or take a photograph, for evidence if needed for future reference. What you do with this information will depend on whether you rent or own the property:
If you rent the property which you are vacating, then it is worth contacting your landlord to confirm that you have taken the necessary meter readings, and share the details with them.
Equally, if you own the home from which you are moving, then it is useful to leave the new occupants the details of the utility providers which you used in the property, along with a record of the meter readings which you have taken.
Notifying providers at your new house
When you have moved into your new home, it is just as important to notify your utilities company as it is when you leave your old property. If you don’t sort out the energy provider in your new home as soon as possible, you may end up being charged unnecessary costs due to being put on a higher energy tariff. For this reason, it’s worth making the time to contact the existing provider at your new property in the first couple of days.
Take meter readings
Even if the previous occupants of your new home have left you the meter readings that they took when they left, it is worth double checking these for in case of any discrepancies. Then, when you contact the previous occupant’s energy provider, you can confirm that these are all correct.
Energy provider
When you move into a new home, you will automatically be put onto a temporary energy tariff by the provider which supplied energy to the property before you moved in. The previous occupants should leave the details of all the providers that they used in the house, which will enable you to contact and inform them that you are the new occupants. However, if this information has not been left for you, it is up to you to find out who the supplier was and to contact them as soon as possible. In order to do this, you will need to enquire using the meter number helpline (08706081524) and the local electricity distribution company for your area.
Switching provider
Because the company that previously supplied the property will have you on a costly temporary tariff, it’s important to shop around to find a new energy supplier for your home. To find the best rates, you can turn to energy comparison and switching sites like Which?, who compile a list of the companies offering the most competitive rates on the market, and then switch you over to that provider.
When moving, it’s important to follow these steps to ensure that everything runs as smoothly as possible, so that you can begin to enjoy living in your new home.
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