Guide for Transferring Utilities During Home Relocation
Moving Into a New Home: A Guide to Managing Utilities
When you move into a new home, it's important to understand how your utilities will be managed. Here's a helpful guide to getting started:
1. Understanding Your Initial Tariff
Upon moving into a new home, you will be automatically transferred onto a standard tariff with the property provider [1].
2. Managing Your Energy Bills
Unpaid energy bills are the responsibility of the previous owners, not you [1]. To receive a new bill after moving, inform your energy supplier about the move and provide a meter reading. If you have a water meter, give the company at least five working days' notice for a meter reading [1].
3. Identifying Your Utility Providers
To find out which utility companies supply gas, electricity, and water for your new home, you can take several steps. First, ask the current occupants, landlord, or letting agency for the names of the existing gas and electricity suppliers. This is often the quickest way to identify who currently provides energy to the property [2].
Second, check the utility meters at the property (meter serial numbers) and confirm with the suppliers if needed, especially in cases like flats where meters may sometimes be mixed up [2].
Third, contact the local utility providers directly. For electricity and gas, many areas allow you to check and switch suppliers easily by entering your ZIP code on providers’ websites [1][3].
For water supply, contact the local water utility company serving the area. For example, in San Jose, the water service is provided by San Jose Water [4]. Water utilities are usually regional or municipal and can be identified by checking local government or utility websites.
Lastly, use online comparison tools or guides for moving house utilities, which can help you confirm current suppliers and explore better options for switching [2].
4. Back-Billing Rules
If you don't get an accurate gas or electricity bill for over a year, back-billing rules limit the supplier's ability to send a bill for energy used more than 12 months ago [1].
5. Providing Your New Address
Remember to provide your new address to the water company when leaving your current home [1].
6. Considering a Supplier Switch
You may also consider switching suppliers for a better deal [5]. It's a good idea to consider switching once you're in a new home to ensure you're getting the best deal [5].
By following these steps, you can manage your utilities effectively when moving into a new home.
- To efficiently manage the utilities in your new home, take the time to understand the initial tariff set by the property provider.
- To receive new energy bills after moving, inform each utility supplier about your move and ensure to provide a meter reading.
- Identifying the utility providers for your new home can be accomplished by asking the current occupants, landlord and letting agency, confirming meter serial numbers, contacting the local providers directly, or using online comparison tools.
- Keep in mind back-billing rules that limit suppliers from sending bills for energy used more than 12 months ago.
- Remember to provide your new address to the water company when leaving your current home, to avoid disruptions in service.
- As you settle into your new home-and-garden lifestyle, consider using a guide to explore energy-efficient home improvement projects like improving the insulation on the roof, updating the heating system, or even building a kitchen extension, to help keep costs down and reduce your environmental footprint.
