It’s no fun to move into a new home only to find out there’s neither electricity nor running water in that new place. What’s happening?
Transferring or changing home utilities when moving is an important task that people often forget to take care of due to the whirlwind of move-related activities.
Save valuable time! Transfer or change your utilities – electricity, water and sewage, gas, cable TV, Internet, telephone, waste removal, etc. – with ease by following these 10 simple steps.
Imagine the following relocation scenario: you finally arrive in your new home after a never-ending and exhausting move day, you flip the light switch in the hallway, and… nothing happens. What’s going on?
You assume the switch is broken, so you enter the bathroom and try to turn on the lights there. No luck. Well, how are you supposed to start unpacking in the dark?
While you’re in there, you try to wash your face and hands in the semi-dark bathroom. You turn on the faucets and no running water comes out. What’s happening?
Now you know that something is not right. In reality, the no-electricity-and-no-running-water mystery is not that hard to solve at all.
The bitter truth is that you simply forgot to transfer your utilities before the move.
Switching utilities when moving is no fun but it’s an important thing you just have to do to avoid the unpleasant post-move scenario described above.
It’s easy, really: just follow this moving house utilities checklist to learn how to change utilities when moving house in 10 simple steps.
Step 1. Create a list of utilities to change
Transferring utilities when moving is a logical step-by-step process that you’re expected to do before you move out of your current home.
Unlike the task of changing your address when moving that can also be completed after the move is over (although it’s not recommended), the failure to change utilities prior to your move-out day will result in unnecessary troubles when you arrive in the new residence.
What you need to do first is to make a list of all utility services you’re using in your current home. The most common ones you’re probably having at the moment are:
Electricity (Power)
Water and sewage
Gas
Internet
Cable TV
Telephone
Waste Removal
Home security, etc.
Then, include the name of the service provider next to each utility service and their contact info – their telephone number is usually enough.
This home utilities list will ensure that you’ve covered all of the bases and that no utility gets left out by mistake. Also, you need the phone numbers of the utility companies because you’ll need to call them up soon enough.
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Lower your monthly expenses by re-assessing the need to use all your utility services in your new home.
The second step to changing utilities when moving is to take a long, hard look at the list of utilities you’ve just created and think about whether you do need all of those services. Maybe there’s a service you’re not using much but you’re paying for anyway?
Moving house is the perfect opportunity to re-assess your need for the home utilities you’re enjoying. Obviously, electricity and water are must-keep services but it may turn out that you’re not watching TV as much as you thought you would. And if that’s the case, do you still need the premium package of TV channels – the one that also happens to be the priciest option too?
Think in perspective – your decision to cancel one or two utilities that you’re not really using will enable you to save money in the long run. And besides, you can always renew a canceled or stopped utility service after you’ve already settled in the new home.
On the list of utilities to transfer when moving, mark appropriately any services you’ve decided to disconnect and not reconnect in your new residence.
Step 3. Be well informed – transferring utilities or changing utilities?
Ok, you’re moving house and you know that your current utilities will need to be disconnected at your old place and then reconnected at your destination place. But the real questions here are:
Will you be able to keep the same utility service providers and thus transfer your utilities to the new address, still to your name?
Or will you need to find and sign up with different utility companies and thus change your utilities to the new address and to your name?
It depends.
If you’re moving locally (in-state moving), then you may remain in the same service area for some of your utility services. In such cases, you can keep your current service providers and you’ll only need to transfer the utilities to the new address. In most cases, that utilities transfer will mean you’ll retain the utility accounts and won’t have to pay a cancellation fee, a connection fee, and a deposit.
If you’re moving to another state (interstate moving), then the new area may not be serviced by your current utility companies. In those cases, you’ll need to change utilities – canceling them at the old place and setting them up at the new residence with new service providers. In most cases, that utilities change will mean you’ll owe a cancellation fee, a connection fee, and a deposit.
Step 4. Contact your current utility companies
When to call utilities when moving? As soon as you know your exact move-out and move-in dates.
The next step to arranging utilities when moving house is to actually contact each and every utility service provider from your list and inform them that you’re moving out soon.
When to notify utility companies when moving? You’re advised to give advance notice to your current utility companies at least three weeks before your move date to ensure that you get serviced on the dates you need.
Keep in mind that switching utilities when moving takes time, especially if you’re moving in the summer – the peak of the moving season. So, don’t wait until the last minute to call your current utility companies to schedule the changes. Instead, plan the utilities transfer ahead of time.
When to disconnect utilities when moving? As far as exact dates are concerned, your best option is to schedule the disconnection of your current utilities 1 day after you move out of the home and then arrange for their reconnection at the new place 1 day before you move in.
If you have trouble arranging the transfer or change of all your utilities in that tiny window of time, ensure that you’ll at least have water and electricity set up when you reach your destination.
When you call your current utility companies to schedule the cancellation or transfer of services (depending on the parameters of your home move), just ask them if there are any unpaid bills or fees you need to settle. If it turns out that there are such outstanding balances or fees, you’re going to need to pay them in full before or on the scheduled date of cancellation.
Remember to pay any overdue bills with your utility service providers because your account balance has to be at zero before your utility accounts can be effectively stopped or transferred. As you also know, unpaid bills could affect your credit score so as soon as you learn of any outstanding balances with the utility companies, don’t postpone paying up what you owe them.
In case you’re expected to receive over the mail a final bill to pay, don’t forget to give the corresponding service company your new home address so that you can receive that bill.
Step 6. Get back any utility deposits
Check with your current utility companies if you got any deposits with them. If you do, do your best to get them back.
It’s important that you pay off any outstanding balances with your utility companies so that you can get your current home utilities turned off properly for a clean slate and a fresh start in the new apartment or house.
Holding up your end of the bargain is an essential step in the moving house utilities checklist but your utility companies should do the same. Many utility service providers require a deposit to be paid at the time of activation of a service or services. And chances are that you’ve also paid a deposit when you first moved into the home you’re about to leave soon.
Speak with your service providers about getting back the utility deposit or any possible refunds. The truth is that as long as you have paid your bills regularly, have not had any unpaid bills, and have returned any rented equipment, you should qualify for reimbursement of that deposit.
Give your new address to the service companies in case they need to send you a check by mail after you move out.
Step 7. Find utility service providers in your destination
Of course, one essential step when changing utilities when moving is to get into contact with the proper utility service providers in the new town or city you’re moving to.
If you’re renting, then your landlord should be able to tell you what service providers are available and whether or not some of those services are included in the rent or not. When moving into an apartment, then the building management (property manager) should provide you with a list of the utility companies that are preferred or exclusive for that particular building.
On the other hand, if you’re moving into a single-family home, then the real estate agent, the neighbors, or the previous owners can give you more information about which utilities service that very home.
Keep in mind that some states have deregulated services when it comes to electricity and natural gas, meaning that you’ll have a choice of multiple service providers and service plans – something that’ll give you significant negotiation power before you sign up with a particular service company.
Step 8. Contact your new utility companies for more info
Follow this moving utilities checklist and you shouldn’t have any problems with setting up the utilities in your new home.
How to set up utilities in the new home?
After you’ve gathered sufficient information about the utility companies in your new area, it’s time to contact them and see what they can offer you. Make a short list of important questions to ask them, especially when you do have to choose between several service providers for one utility service.
Here are some of the more important questions to ask potential utility providers in the town or city you’re moving to:
What are the charges for setting up a service?
Will you need to pay a deposit when starting up a utility service? If yes, how much is that deposit and how do you get it back if you decide to move out?
Will someone need to be present at the home when the utilities are switched on?
Do they offer discounts or special deals for first-time customers, students, or seniors?
Don’t forget to ask the last question too – after all, it’s important to keep your post-move expenses to a minimum, especially in the very beginning.
Step 9. Be present during the new-home service activation
Once you’ve contacted the utility companies in the new town or city, request the exact date and times you or somebody else will need to be at your future home to meet the utility service personnel. In most cases, service personnel will give you a time range of 4-6 hours (for example, from 8 a.m. to noon, or from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.) for their arrival instead of an actual time.
It’s best if you yourself can be there in person when the representatives of the utility providers make an appearance in the new residence. However, that is often impossible, especially during a cross-country move.
If you can’t be there when the utility services are scheduled to be turned on, ask a friend, a neighbor, or the landlord to be there as your representative in case of any unexpected issues or tough questions.
Step 10. Do a final meter reading before you move out
Do one final reading of your utility meters before you move out.
The final step to moving utilities when moving house is to have your current service providers come to the residence you’re leaving and conduct one final official reading of the electric, water, and gas meters just before you move out for good.
Keep the meter reading reports in a safe place. You could need those reports as evidence in case an unexpected utility bill should make its way to your new home, claiming that you still owe money to a service provider even though you were clearly out of that home during that period.
As double insurance, it’s a good idea to take photos of those meter readings before you move out. If possible, turn on the date stamp feature of your camera too.
Transferring and changing utilities when moving is not a complicated task but it does require a bit of planning to get it right. Follow the detailed steps of the moving utilities checklist above for a quick and painless utilities transfer procedure.
I like your suggestion to use moving as an opportunity to evaluate the utilities and providers you use. I’ll be moving for work soon and could easily use this chance to switch electricity providers. Thanks for sharing the helpful tips on transferring utilities!
I wish I had read this before moving to our new house in Jacksonville. When we got there, there was no running water in the house and my wife was so furious, blaming me for it. It took us a few days to fix the problem but it was rough, I’d never wanna go through that again.
In most cases the buyers and sellers need to get together and should be allowed to talk to each other before the closing dates not just go through their relastate agents, because in most areas you have to apply for services before moving you move into a place, they have to run your credit and all that to make sure you can qualify. This is something the relasate agaents should be aware of in their area not wait until closing happens. Its not right for the seller to be left with the task of making sure the uilties are left on for the buyer when the buyer has agreed to put them in their name at the time of closing, but their is also steps the buyer should take before the closing to assure they are ready to go with the utilities so they will not be any interuption in services
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I like your suggestion to use moving as an opportunity to evaluate the utilities and providers you use. I’ll be moving for work soon and could easily use this chance to switch electricity providers. Thanks for sharing the helpful tips on transferring utilities!
I wish I had read this before moving to our new house in Jacksonville. When we got there, there was no running water in the house and my wife was so furious, blaming me for it. It took us a few days to fix the problem but it was rough, I’d never wanna go through that again.
In most cases the buyers and sellers need to get together and should be allowed to talk to each other before the closing dates not just go through their relastate agents, because in most areas you have to apply for services before moving you move into a place, they have to run your credit and all that to make sure you can qualify. This is something the relasate agaents should be aware of in their area not wait until closing happens. Its not right for the seller to be left with the task of making sure the uilties are left on for the buyer when the buyer has agreed to put them in their name at the time of closing, but their is also steps the buyer should take before the closing to assure they are ready to go with the utilities so they will not be any interuption in services