transferring electricity gas etc

[user1467297746]

all of a sudden our house purchase has gone thru - we are FTB

just realised we need to transfer Gas and Electricity and Water into our name!

will they just cut the power off on thurs??

Sorry if sound a bit clueless but we've just moved back to the UK as well!

No , when you collect the keys call the current suppliers ( should be on the enquiries paperwork) with the meter readings and your details. The vendor sound have already done similar to receive a closing bill.

If I were you, I would find out who the current suppliers in; call them; tell them what day you will be moving in; and call them when you arrive with your start meter readings. Do the same with water - if there is a meter find out where it is, you may need a torch, rag and ladle. It is preferable to do the meter readings with the outgoing resident to avoid squabbles.

Don't sign up for a fixed term contract, then you can transfer to a different scheme at a convenient time.

Also an idea to take photos of the meter readings on your phone.

You don't need to do it that day, but within the first week, giving them the move date and the reading.

The water one is always fun!

And dont forget Council Tax.

The difficult one is phone/broadband. I would find out who their supplier is, and then speak to your current supplier in advance of the move. Till now suppliers have tended to be really inflexible, not talking to each other, and getting needing BT to sort out the line, and not allowing you to port contracts to new addresses. (Search the internet for tales of frustration.) I ended up waiting practically two months for Plusnet to set up phone/ internet in a holiday rental, in an area with virtually no mobile coverage. NOW TV is a new discovery and so much more flexible. Indeed doing the sums for a property I am working on at the moment (again with awful mobile signal) it becomes worth while to set up phone/internet for the month or two until property is ready and relet.. once retaining my sanity was factored in.

re utilities: you take on the current supplier, then shop around at your leisure for a better deal. If you find the place on standard tariffs then sort it ASAP as those are expensive.

don't forget insurance and your post redirect.

thanks. will defo take pics of meters on phone.

we dont have any existing suppliers as we have just moved back to the Uk and staying with relatives.

torch I understand - but rag and ladle?

The property will have existing suppliers. You can take over those until you determine who might be best longer term.

Ladle because the meter is in a small pit in the pavement, may be full of water.

Rag because the glass window on the meter may be obscured by mud.

Slugs, ants, newts and other wildlife are also found.

I've some similar questions!

What if you are moving into a new build? There is electricity etc already there because they turned the lights and water on when they showed me around, so I guess there's an account at the developers, and I'd take that over on the first day I take possession?

But, I also have gas and elec in my name at a rented property. And since I'd want to have a couple of weeks to move out, I wouldn't want to cancel my accounts here until then - kind of need an overlap period. Will they let me do that?

(think I will also have complications for the same issue with things like broadband, contents insurance, won't I?)

It's all academic at the moment as I've not actually bought it, but I worry in advance how it all works! Everything online is geared up to people moving in and out on the same day. But I'm sure lots of people must have an overlap, if they are doing work/cleaning etc at a new place.

Utility companies are quite used to that. You can tell them in advance when you expect to move, and on the actual day, confirm it with the meter readings. An overlap is not unusual. They will look at your old account while credit-checking, in case they want you to pay a deposit or have a key-meter.

Until you have exchanged contracts, you won't have a planned move date. But contact them in advance for any paperwork or details required.

Thanks, that's useful. So I can still have accounts running at both places, from the first day that I take possession of the new flat, til the last day that I might want to leave the old rented house? (since I will be probably living there but gradually moving stuff over to the new flat myself, over a period of days/a week or two, and also have to organise cleaning etc after I move out).

Not sure how insurance works either if half your stuff is at one place and half at the other! Or whether you can have broadband running in two places (probably not for that one). Or car insurance (again probably not, so might have to pick official address/date for that one).

utility co's don't mind if you have two homes.

For example, I have a pied-a-terre in town, a place in Scotland, and I maintain another home near Heathrow. The costs are shared, so it's not much of a burden.

great, thanks. Now just have to work out how I'm going to afford everything!

BTW my London home needs doing up, but it won't cost me a penny. Some kind people are chipping in £6 a head.

Maybe 60 million people or so?