Utilities on Moving Day: Setting Up Gas, Electricity, Water and Broadband

Utilities: The Bit People Get Wrong

Utilities are among the most practically important things to sort when moving house — and among the most commonly mishandled. People forget to give final meter readings at the old property and end up in billing disputes. They don't arrange broadband early enough and spend weeks with no internet. They assume energy supply at the new home is sorted when it isn't.

This guide covers each utility in turn: what to do at your old home and what to do at the new one.

Gas and Electricity

At Your Old Property

**Give final meter readings on moving day.** Before you leave the old property for the last time, read both the gas and electricity meters and photograph them with a timestamp. Email or submit these to your current supplier the same day. This protects you from being billed for energy used by the new occupants.

**Contact your supplier to close your account.** You don't need to give notice in the same way as a fixed-term contract — you're moving, which is a valid reason to close an account. The supplier will issue a final bill based on your meter reading. You're entitled to a refund if you're in credit.

**If you're in a fixed-rate tariff, check exit fees.** Some tariffs charge an exit fee per fuel if you leave mid-contract. Weigh this against the potential saving from switching. On a standard variable rate there are typically no exit fees.

At Your New Property

**Find out who the current supplier is before completion.** Your conveyancer should find this out as part of the purchase process. If you don't know, you can contact the relevant electricity distribution network (Electricity North West, UK Power Networks, etc.) for electricity, and call Xoserve (0870 608 1524) for gas.

**You automatically inherit the existing supplier.** On completion day, you become the deemed customer of whoever was supplying the previous owner. You're free to switch immediately.

**Take meter readings as soon as you get the keys.** These are your opening readings. Submit them to the existing supplier so you're only billed from the point you moved in.

**Switch supplier if it makes sense.** Use a comparison site to check whether the inherited tariff is competitive. Switching is straightforward and can save significantly on an uncompetitive standard variable tariff. You're not obligated to stay with the inherited supplier.

Water

Water is handled differently to gas and electricity. You can't choose your water supplier — it's determined by your location, and you're automatically the account holder for the address once you move in.

Contact the local water company (Anglian Water, Thames Water, Yorkshire Water, and so on depending on your region) and let them know you've moved in. They'll open an account in your name from your moving date. Give them an opening meter reading if there is a meter at the property.

If the property doesn't have a water meter, you'll be charged on the rateable value of the property — a flat-rate system. You can usually request a meter to be installed free of charge, which is often cheaper for smaller households.

Water and sewerage bills are typically charged annually or in instalments by the regional company. You can't switch, but you can request a meter, apply for a WaterSure tariff if eligible, or apply to a social tariff if on a low income.

Broadband

Broadband deserves particular planning because lead times are longer than any other utility.

**Arrange broadband before you move.** Contact an ISP as soon as you have a confirmed moving date. Lead times for a new connection — particularly if the property is moving to full-fibre (FTTP) from copper — can be several weeks. There's typically no way to speed this up significantly.

**Check what infrastructure is available at the new address.** Use Ofcom's broadband checker or individual ISP tools to see what maximum speeds are available. FTTP (full-fibre) coverage is expanding rapidly but is not yet universal.

**If you're leaving a contract early, check cancellation costs.** Some ISPs waive early termination fees when you're moving, particularly if they can't supply the new address. Others charge a pro-rated fee for the remaining contract months. Ask explicitly.

**Plan for the gap.** Almost every move involves some period with no fixed broadband — often one to four weeks. Use your phone's mobile data as a hotspot in the meantime. Check your mobile plan's data allowance and consider temporarily upgrading if the gap is likely to be long.

**Incoming providers at the new address.** If you're in a block of flats or new-build, there may be a single contracted ISP for the building. Check this before you sign up to a new contract with a different provider.

Landline Telephone

Most households no longer rely heavily on a landline, but if yours does:

Your landline number can often be ported to the new address if you stay with the same provider and the area code is compatible. If you're moving to a different telephone exchange area, you'll receive a new number. Discuss this with your current provider — they'll know what's possible based on the specific addresses involved.

Council Tax (Briefly)

Council tax isn't a utility, but it's often sorted at the same time. You need to notify your old council that you're leaving and your new council that you've arrived. See our dedicated guide on council tax when moving for the full process.

Practical Tips

Store all utility account numbers, suppliers, and opening meter readings in your Property Passport UK account alongside your completion documents. Having a clear record of who supplies what and at what rate is surprisingly useful when renewal time comes around, or if you need to query a bill.

Moving is a natural opportunity to review all your utility arrangements. The new address, combined with changing supplier or tariff, often produces meaningful savings for a few hours of administration.