You don’t set up gas and electricity from scratch, because your new home already has a supplier: you tell your current supplier you’re leaving, read the meters on the day you go, and tell the supplier at your new home that you’ve moved in. Broadband is the one to start early, because a new service at a new address can need an engineer visit or new equipment.
Here’s the order that keeps it simple.
Before you move
- Tell your gas and electricity supplier you’re moving. Citizens Advice suggests at least 48 hours’ notice, plus a forwarding address for your final bill.
- If you’re on a fixed energy deal, ask whether you can take it with you. Your supplier might let you keep it at your new home without a fee; ending it early can mean an exit fee.
- If you have a smart meter, check it’s working in “smart mode”, which means it sends readings automatically. If not, you’ll need to take a final reading yourself.
- For broadband, Ofcom’s broadband and mobile checker shows which networks and speeds you can get at your new address. If you’re changing provider, cancel your current contract and arrange a start date for the new service in time for your move. Check first whether you’re still in contract, as leaving early can mean early termination charges.
On moving day
Read the gas and electricity meters at your old home on the day you leave, and at your new home on the day you arrive. A quick photo of each meter gives you the reading and the date, which helps if you ever disagree with a bill. If you have a smart meter, leave its in-home display behind for the next people.
If your new home has a prepayment meter, contact the supplier straight away and try not to top it up until you have. Otherwise you risk paying towards debts left by the people who lived there before you.
Once you’re in
Contact the current supplier at your new home to say you’ve moved in. You’ll start on their standard tariff, so once you’re settled it’s worth comparing deals: you can switch tariff or supplier from the day you become responsible for the property, and a new supplier should switch you within five working days. Your old supplier will send your final bill within six weeks, and you’ll have 28 days to pay it.
If your dates don’t line up
Sometimes the keys to the new place come later than you leave the old one. If that happens, we can hold your furniture and boxes in the meantime. Our minimum stay is two weeks, standard access is 6am to 10pm seven days a week, and you can get a price online or call us on 0800 2545585.
Related questions
- Self storage when moving house: the complete guide
- How long does it take to move into a storage unit?
- What actually happens between exchange and completion
Further reading
- Citizens Advice: Moving home, dealing with your energy supply
- Ofcom: Moving home? Top tips for keeping connected
- Ofcom: Switching broadband provider