Moving house is stressful enough without having to worry about what happens to your energy bills on moving day. If you’re organised and have read up on what you need to do, it is not complicated at all. It may even be that you don’t change anything other than your address with your current supplier. So, give the following article a read and you’ll have everything that you need to know in order to get your family to your new home with no worries at all!
Before you move
Before you move, you are obligated to give your provider a call with at least 48 hours notice, informing them that you are going to be moving to another address. This is a simple process and can now alternatively be carried out via online chat if your provider offers this service. At this point, we’d also advise you to provide your supplier with your new address as you’re going to have to communicate this at some point down the line anyway.
On your last day in your current property, you are required to take a meter reading and keep the details of it. It is possible that your current supplier will ask you for this to avoid crossover between you and the new tenants. Alternatively, it is possible that they will request a time when they can actually come and carry out the meter reading themselves to save you the hassle. We say hassle, but in reality, taking a meter reading is extremely quick and simple. If you don’t know how, click here for how to reading your electricity meter and here for gas .
If you haven’t done so already, as pointed out in the first step, before you leave your current property, you will need to provide your current supplier with your new address. This is so that they can send you your final bill and refund any balance that you may have on your account.
After you move
So, after you move, you’re going to need to pay your final bill from your previous property that will be delivered to your new address, as indicated in the previous section. If you notice any potential errors that could have been caused by a crossover in tenancies, give your supplier a call and make sure they have the correct meter reading. You might also find that you have received any outstanding balance that was on your account, which will be like a kind of rebate.
If you are in dispute with your energy company regarding money that they perhaps owe you, visit the Energy UK website to find information about the claims process and support.
Who is my new supplier?
When you move into your new property, the previous tenants should have left details of the supplier, perhaps in a letter or in a list of information about your new house. This information is also sometimes left with the estate agent, with which you’ll need to be in contact to retrieve these details. If none of these apply, however, do not fret. It isn’t difficult to find out who supplies your property. You’ll need to give your distribution network operator a call to find out your electricity supplier and your local gas distributor to find out your gas provider. More often than not these two suppliers will be the same, but just to be sure it is definitely worth contacting both distributors to be sure. Find out who your distributors are here.
Remember, you are responsible for your new property’s energy supply from the moment that you become the legal owner. It is also likely that upon moving into your new house, you’ll have been reverted to the current supplier’s standard variable tariff, which is usually the most expensive, so don’t sit around on it for too long; time is money!
Can I keep my old supplier?
Yes. Keeping your old supplier can sometimes be easier as it can only usually takes a change of address. If you are currently on a fixed tariff and thinking about moving house, this is generally not a problem, as most fixed tariffs are transferable; you’ll just need to give your supplier a call and arrange the switch. You should, however, make sure you’ve done a full comparison of the market to see if there is a cheaper option for you when you move house. You may find that for your new home, another deal may suit you much better, meaning paying an exit fee if you’re in a fixed contract may still work out cheaper. Bear in mind too that if you’re moving to a different part of the country, prices with certain providers will change too. This is due to distribution and static charges that are in place in certain areas of the country. For example, Npower prices in Yorkshire are much cheaper than they are in Merseyside, so you’d likely want to switch and find a more suitable deal.
Switching suppliers
In most cases, you’re going to want to switch to another company and/or tariff. As mentioned above, when you move into your new home it is likely that you will be on the most expensive tariff that the company has to offer on the basis that whoever moves in will not take the time to switch. This is not you! You’re going to beat the energy companies and line your pockets with more cash. So, in order to do this, you’re going to want to speak to a comparison company. This will be a simple process in which you’ll provide them will all the new info about your new property and they’ll do the rest of the work. Simple.