The most useful thing you can do about energy on moving day is read the meters, at both the place you are leaving and the one you are moving into, and note the date next to each reading. That one habit stops you paying for gas and electricity that someone else used, and it settles almost every billing argument before it can start. Everything after that, working out who supplies the new house, closing the old account, deciding whether to switch, is easier once you have those numbers written down.
The short version. On the day, photograph every meter at both properties with the date visible. Give the closing readings to your old supplier along with a forwarding address, and give the opening readings to whoever supplies the new home. You will land on the existing supplier's default tariff at the new place, which is rarely the cheapest, but you are free to switch away with no exit fee because you never chose it. There is no rush to switch on day one; get settled, then compare.
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Read the meters on the day
Take readings at the property you are leaving as you head out, and at the new one as you arrive, ideally on the same day. A photo of each meter with a timestamp is the best record you can have, because it proves exactly where the account should start and stop. If a meter is a smart meter, note the figures shown on the in-home display or press the button on the meter itself to bring up the reading. Where a home has separate day and night registers, such as an Economy 7 meter, write down both. If you are unsure how to read the dials or which number to use, our guide to reading your energy meter walks through each meter type, and submitting meter readings covers how to send them in. Get this bit right and the rest tends to look after itself.
You land on a deemed contract
When you move into a home you are automatically supplied by whoever supplied the previous occupant, on what is called a deemed contract. You did not choose it, you did not sign anything, and the energy keeps flowing so you are not left in the dark. The catch is that a deemed contract is normally the supplier's standard variable tariff, which tends to sit among the pricier rates on offer. The upside is that because you never agreed to it, you can leave whenever you like without paying any exit fee. So treat the deemed contract as a temporary arrangement that keeps the lights on while you sort out something better, not as the deal you are stuck with. Contact that supplier soon after you move to set up an account in your name and give them your opening reading, otherwise the first bill may be based on an estimate.
Finding out who supplies your new home
If the seller or landlord has not told you who supplies the property, you can find out for free. For electricity there is an online Find My Supplier lookup that returns your supplier and your meter point number from your postcode and address. For gas there is a national meter number enquiry line that does the same over the phone. It is worth also noting down your meter point reference numbers while you are at it, the MPAN for electricity and the MPRN for gas, because you will need them to set up an account or switch, and they are printed on any bill once one arrives. Our guide to understanding your energy bill explains what those numbers are and where to find them.
Closing your old account the right way
Tell your old supplier you are moving as soon as you have a date, and give them the closing reading and a forwarding address so the final bill reaches you. Do this even if you are staying with the same supplier at the new address, because the two homes are separate accounts and each needs its own opening and closing figures. The supplier should send a final bill within about six weeks. Check it against your closing photo: the units billed should run up to your reading and no further. If the final bill is based on an estimate that looks too high, send them the actual reading and ask for it to be corrected, which is far easier to do at the time than months later.
Getting a credit balance back
If you pay by fixed monthly direct debit, there is a good chance you are carrying a credit balance when you leave, especially if you move in spring or summer after building up credit over the winter. That money is yours. Once the final bill is settled, ask for any remaining credit to be refunded rather than leaving it sitting with a supplier you no longer use. Suppliers are expected to return a credit balance promptly after a final bill; a clear closing reading makes that final bill accurate, which is another reason the day-one photo matters. If your direct debit has drifted well above what you actually use, our guide on whether your energy direct debit is too high shows how to check the maths.
When to switch, and why there is no rush
You do not have to switch on moving day, and it is usually better not to. Get the boxes unpacked, live in the place for a week or two, and get a sense of how much energy it actually uses, then compare tariffs from a settled position. Because the deemed contract carries no exit fee, waiting costs you nothing beyond the difference between the default rate and a cheaper deal for those first couple of weeks. When you do come to choose, the decision between locking in a rate and staying flexible is worth a bit of thought; our guide to a fixed versus variable energy tariff lays out the trade-off, and switching suppliers covers the mechanics. Keep in mind that even in a near-empty house you pay a daily standing charge on both fuels before you use a single unit, so an unoccupied first few days are not free.
Prepayment meters and moving in
If the new home has a prepayment meter, take a reading and note any credit or debt showing on the display when you move in. Any debt on the meter belongs to the previous occupant, not to you, so if you find the meter is in debt, contact the supplier to have it cleared and the meter reset to your name. Do not keep topping up a meter that is swallowing someone else's arrears. You can also ask the supplier about switching a prepayment meter to a standard credit meter once your account is set up, which usually opens up cheaper tariffs; our look at prepayment versus direct debit cost explains the difference the payment method makes to what you pay.
A moving-day energy checklist
- Both properties: photograph every electricity and gas meter with the date visible, including day and night registers on Economy 7 meters.
- Old home: tell your supplier your move date, give the closing reading and a forwarding address, and ask for a final bill.
- New home: find out who supplies it, set up an account in your name, and give them the opening reading.
- Note down your MPAN (electricity) and MPRN (gas) meter point numbers for the new property.
- Claim back any credit balance from the old account once the final bill is settled.
- Settle in first, then compare tariffs and switch away from the deemed contract when you are ready.
- Prepayment meter: read it, and report any inherited debt to the supplier so it is cleared from your account.
Common questions
What should I do about energy when I move house?
Read the meters at both homes on the day and photograph them with the date visible. Give the closing reading and a forwarding address to your old supplier, and the opening reading to whoever supplies the new home. You will start on the new property's existing tariff, which you can switch away from with no exit fee once you are settled.
Do I have to tell the energy supplier I am moving?
Yes. Tell your old supplier your move date with a closing meter reading and a forwarding address so they can send a final bill, and contact the new property's supplier to open an account in your name with an opening reading. Skipping this can leave you billed on estimates for energy you did not use.
Am I responsible for the previous occupant's energy debt?
No. Any debt run up before you moved in belongs to the previous occupant. If you take a meter reading on the day you move, that reading marks where your responsibility begins. On a prepayment meter, report any debt showing on the display to the supplier so it is cleared from your account.
Should I switch energy supplier as soon as I move in?
There is no need to rush. You land on a deemed contract with no exit fee, so you can take a week or two to see how much energy the home uses, then compare tariffs and switch from a settled position. Waiting a short while only costs the small difference between the default rate and a cheaper deal.
Will I get my credit balance back when I move?
If you pay by monthly direct debit and are in credit, that money is yours. Once your final bill is settled against an accurate closing reading, ask the supplier to refund any remaining credit rather than leaving it with an account you no longer use.