What to do with your energy supply when moving house

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Moving out of your old home

1 – Contact your current provider

Make sure that you notify your current energy supplier by ringing them at least 48 hours before you move. To avoid being stuck on hold on tedious phone calls you can also notify them on online chat services, which can be found on your provider's website.

You will have to tell your supplier the date that you are moving and the address you plan to move to, which will be for your final bill.

2 – Take a final meter reading

Take a note of your meter readings on your last day in the property. This is to prevent your supplier overcharging you. Pass the information onto your supplier and after the move you will be billed accordingly. The company may send a member on their team to do the reading for you, but more often than not you will be told to do it yourself.

If you are in rented accommodation, make sure that you pass the meter readings onto your landlord as well.

To save the new occupants of the house time you can also provide them with details about your current energy provider.

3 – Provide a completion address

Make sure you give your supplier a forwarding address so that your final bill can be sent to the new property. Remember to pay this within 28 days or you could face a fine.

Moving into your new home

1 – Find information about your new energy supplier

It is important once you move to find out which energy company supplies your new house.

You will immediately have been placed on a ‘deemed contract’ with the energy company that was supplying the house before you moved. These contacts are on average around 80% more than that of a negotiated contract.

Take gas and electricity meter readings in the new property and call the existing energy supplier. If the estate agent or previous residents never told you the gas supplier’s name, then either call the meter helpline number on 0870 608 1524 or use the ‘Find my supplier’ online service. To find who supplies electricity to the property you can also contact the local electricity distribution company.

If you are renting your new home, you should check and see whether you can switch energy supplier as a tenant first before switching; you might not be allowed to under your tenancy agreement terms.

2 – Read the Meters

Make sure this is done on the day that you move into the property, as you are responsible for the bills on the day you take ownership of it. Ring the current energy supplier and give them your details, the move-in date, and the meter readings. They will then set up a contract with you and put you onto their standard tariff.

3 – Get the Best Deal

Shop around and compare energy prices to find the best deals available. Many people are put off changing suppliers as they fear the hassle caused in doing so, but the whole process is actually very straightforward and can save you lots of money on your gas and electricity bills. To get started on this, enter your postcode in the box below and click start comparing.