Moving houses doesn’t need to be scary. Find out who your energy supplier is and how to get the best gas and electricity deals.
Moving houses can be quite exciting yet overwhelming. Maybe you’re going to live with a friend or a partner. You’re moving to a location you really like, or going to live independently for the first time. There’s a lot going on.
Amidst all this relocation, it is easy to forget the important things, like sorting out your gas and electricity. The last thing you want to do is move into a cold, dark home.
If you’re worried that you don’t have it all figured out, we’re here to help. Learn everything you need to know when moving houses, how to sort your energy supplier and get the best electricity and gas deals.
Are you a student looking to slash energy costs? Learn how to find the best student gas and electricity deals.
What do I tell my energy supplier when moving house?
Before you move house
Inform your energy supplier: In the build-up to your moving house, you need to let your gas and electricity supplier know that you’re moving. Give the firm at least 48 hours’ notice, or inform them well in advance.
Get the final bill: Tell your energy supplier the date of your move and your new address so they can send you a final energy bill. You’ll have 28 days to pay this.
Check for exit fee: Check if you need to pay an exit fee. In some cases, energy suppliers may waive it if you are moving house.
Do an energy comparison: Your energy supplier might ask you if you want to set up with them at your new property. You don’t need to give them an answer straight away. Do an energy comparison or consider fixing your energy.
If you’re renting, speak to the previous tenants: You should speak to the previous tenants about how much they typically pay each month for energy. This will give you an idea of how much you will or should be paying for your gas and electricity bills.
When you move house
Meter reading: Make sure you do a meter reading on the day you move out. This is not needed if you have a prepayment or smart meter. But this way, if your energy firm or landlord if you rent tries to get more money out of you, you know how much energy you have used.
After you move house
If you owe money: If you owe money to your energy supplier, this sum may be taken as a single direct debit payment. If you are in debt of more than £500, you won’t be able to switch your energy supplier. You will either need to clear your debt or transfer your current deal to the new property.
If you are owed money: If the final bill says you’re actually owed money, then claim this back quickly. But if you’re sticking with your supplier you could decide to leave it as credit in your account for your new place.
If your account is in credit: Check your bank account if you are due any refunds. This will happen if your account is in credit. In such cases, you should be automatically refunded the sum.
What do I tell my new energy supplier after moving house?
There is a lot of work to do when you get the keys to your new home. Sorting out your energy situation should be at the top of your moving house checklist.
Setting up gas and electricity in a new home is pretty straightforward. We’ve broken it down to the essentials for you. This means that you can focus on finding the best local takeaway or pub to visit.
But first things first…
Do a meter reading
The day you move into your new house, do a meter reading and submit it to your new energy supplier. This will make sure that you get an accurate first bill and pay only for what you have used.
When moving house, if you switch to a new energy supplier, you don’t have to inform your previous provider. Your new energy supplier will do that for you.
What if my house has a prepayment meter?
Setting up gas and electricity in a rented house can be trickier if the property has a prepayment meter.
If the landlord has included bills in your rental price, then it’s not a problem. But if it isn’t included, check out how a prepayment meter works.
For prepayment meters, you’ll need to arrange for a new top-up key or card to be delivered.
Try not to use an existing key or card, or put any money on the meter, until you’ve contacted the current supplier. Sometimes doing so runs the risk of paying extra for debts owed by the people who lived there before you.
If you need the heating on and can’t wait, be sure to tell the supplier when you get in touch and they should pay you back for any extra charges, as long as you can prove when you moved in.
What if my house has a smart meter?
If you have moved into your new house and it has a smart meter, check if it is working in smart mode. This means that your meter automatically sends readings to your energy supplier.
If it isn’t working in smart mode, you will need to take regular meter readings and send them to your new energy supplier. Find out how to read a smart meter.
How do I know what tariff I am on?
Your new supplier will most likely put you on a standard variable tariff. This is usually the most expensive energy deal.
As of now, it’s most likely that you are put on a standard variable tariff under the energy price cap set at £1,834 a year for a typical household’s use (under new Ofgem typical use figures) until 31 December 2023. If you want to switch, there are a handful of fixed deals in the market worth considering.
After getting your new postcode, energy supplier, and plan name, run an energy comparison to get the cheapest electricity and gas deals.
What if I can’t find my energy supplier?
When you move into your new home, you should contact the current energy supplier for the property to tell them you’ve arrived.
You should be able to get this information from the current tenants or your landlord. However, if you can’t get that info, this is what you should do.
- Electricity supplier – Visit Energy Networks Association and use the postcode tool to track down the right name.
- Gas supplier – Visit Find My Supplier, enter your postcode, or call the Meter Point Administration on 0870 608 1524. They should confirm who your electricity supplier is and issue you a 21-digit number. You need this number when contacting your supplier about your energy bill.
Once you know who your supplier is you can do two things:
- Contact your energy supplier: Let them know you’ve taken over the account. Give them a meter reading from the day you move in, to make sure you’re not being billed for more than you should be. Learn how to do an energy meter reading.
- Check your tariff: Ask them which tariff you’ve been placed on. And see if you could save by switching to a cheaper tariff.
Have a look at our best broadband deals if you are thinking about switching your broadband provider when you move.
Also, find out if energy prices will go down next year and if you could be paying less for energy bills.
What to do if you’re struggling to pay bills
If you need help with energy bills, speak to your energy supplier as soon as possible.
Under Ofgem’s regulations, your energy supplier must offer help if you can’t afford to pay your energy bills. This can be paying as much as you can, reductions, or giving you more time to pay.
You can also learn how to save money on energy bills if you’re trying to cut energy costs.
