How to Set Up Electricity in a New Apartment Uk

The papernest team are with you every step of the way when setting up gas and electricity in a new home. Let's look at how to save money sooner by doing it right…

How do I set up gas and electricity in a new house?

When you move into your new house, your energy supply probably won't be at the top of your list of priorities. But setting up gas and electricity in your new home as early as possible can help you to save money and even reduce your household's carbon footprint.

That sounds like a good way to start life in your new home, right?

What happens with your gas and electric when you move house?

Steps to setting up gas and electricity in a new home

While you've got boxes to unpack, and favourite takeaways to find, spare a thought for your gas and electricity bill. As soon as you move into your new home, you're automatically placed on a "deemed contract" with whatever energy supplier the previous occupancy chose. This means that you're almost certainly paying more than you should be for gas and electricity in your new home.

When you're on a deemed contract, you're usually placed on the energy supplier's default variable tariff. This is usually one of their least competitively priced. The good news, however, is that it's open-ended. So you can switch to a new energy supplier without incurring early exit fees.

Let's face it, moving home is expensive. Not only can switching energy suppliers in your new home save you money now, it can continue to save you money for years to come.

Here are the first steps to doing it right…

Find the gas and electricity meters

The last thing you want is to spend money on energy that you haven't used. As such, you should track down your gas and electricity meters so that you can take a reading. It's also important to find out what kind of energy meter you have. What's more, taking regular meter readings will ensure that you're always accurately billed by your new supplier.

Your meter will usually be:

In the kitchen
In the main hallway
Outside in a meter cupboard or box

Find your meter numbers

Your gas and electricity meters have unique reference numbers. The reference number for electricity is called your MPAN (Meter Point Administration Number), while your gas meter's reference number is called your MPRN (Meter Point Reference Number).

Knowing these is not absolutely essential, but it can help the papernest team to identify your home's meters to make for a faster and easier switch.

These numbers are featured on your bill from the incumbent energy supplier. However, if you want to find out your MPAN and MPRN numbers before this, you can contact your Distribution Network Operator and Gas Transporter. These are the companies that manage the safe and efficient transportation of electricity and gas respectively to your home.

You can find your local DNO in the table below:

Region	Distribution Network Operator	Contact Number
North Scotland	Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks	0800 048 3515
Central and Southern Scotland	SP Energy Networks	0330 1010 300
North East England and Yorkshire	Northern Powergrid	0800 011 3332
North West England	Electricity North West	0800 195 4141
Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales & North Shropshire	SP Energy Networks	0330 1010 300
East Midlands & West Midlands	Western Power Distribution	0800 096 3080
South Wales & South West England	Western Power Distribution	0800 096 3080
London, South East England & Eastern England	UK Power Networks	0800 029 4285
Southern England	Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks	0800 048 3516
Northern Ireland	Northern Ireland Electricity Networks	03457 643 643

You can also find your gas transporter's contact details in this table:

Gas Transporter	Area	Contact Number
Cadent Gas	North West of England, West Midlands, East of England and North London	0800 389 8000
Northern Gas Networks	North East of England, Northern Cumbria, and much of Yorkshire	0800 040 7766
SGN	Scotland and Southern England	0800 912 1700
Wales & West Utilities	Wales and the South West of England	0800 912 2999

Your DNO and gas transporter can also let you know who currently supplies energy to your home. This important, as contacting them is an important part of the process.

How to deal with your energy supplier when moving house?

It's important to find out your new home's incumbent energy supplier as soon as possible. In order to find out how much you could save, it's important to know how much you're currently spending. As a nation, we're spending over £800 million more than we should on our gas and electricity according to the National Audit Office. You wouldn't want to be part of this statistic just for moving to a new home.

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Contacting your energy supplier for the first time

As soon as you find out who supplies gas and electricity to your new home, you should get in touch with them as soon as you can. Ideally, you should contact them over the phone. Let them know that you have taken over responsibility for the property's energy supply and that they should update their records accordingly.

Find out what tariff you're on

Find out from the incumbent supplier what default tariff you're currently on. Get the name of the tariff, the daily standing charges for gas and electricity, and the unit rates per kWh for the same. You might also want to ask them what other tariffs they can offer that would give you better value for money.

Ideally, you should have a rough idea of your annual usage so they can suggest tariffs that would represent good value for your usage.

Make a note of what they offer you. But don't commit to anything just yet.

When should you cancel gas and electricity when moving?

It's important to notify your current supplier in your old home before you move. The latest you should do this is 48 hours before your moving day. You should also take a meter reading in your old house and report it to your supplier on the day you move out.

This ensures that the final bill you receive from your old supplier is accurate.

When buying a house when do you set up gas and electricity?

You can only set up gas and electricity for your new home when you are legally responsible for the property. But that doesn't mean that you can't get ahead by researching what suppliers and tariffs are available in your new home. The experts at Papernest are always on hand to find an energy tariff that will help you to make the best possible start in your new home.

Do I take my smart meter with me when I move house?

Unfortunately, you can't take your smart meter (or your in-home display device) with you when you move to your new home. The smart meter belongs to your old property. However, that doesn't mean that you can't get a brand new smart meter installed in your new home free of charge.

When selling a house when do you remove utilities?

If you're selling your property, all you need to do is contact your energy supplier 48 hours before (at the latest) you move out. Let them know your moving date, and give them a final meter reading when you move out. You'll receive a final bill at your new home within 6 weeks. They'll continue to supply energy to the property after you move out, until the new occupant switches to a new supplier.

Setting up gas and electricity in a rented property

If you're renting your new home rather than buying it, that doesn't mean that you can't benefit from cheaper energy by switching suppliers. Most landlords are permissive of allowing their tenants to switch energy suppliers. You can even switch to a smart meter or change from a prepayment meter to a standard credit meter in most cases. However, it's always a good idea to check the terms of your tenancy agreement, and check with your landlord as a courtesy before making changes that pertain to the energy.

The process remains exactly the same, whether you're renting or buying. The papernest team can guide you through every step of your switch.

How do landlords transfer utilities to tenants?

If you move into a rental property and your bills are in your landlord's name, they don't necessarily need to transfer the utilities to you. Simply contact the incumbent supplier and let them know that you have taken over your supply. Of course, it's always worth checking the terms of your tenancy agreement to ensure that you definitely are responsible for the property's supply.

How do I switch energy suppliers from a prepaid meter in a new home?

If you move into a property with a prepaid meter, there are still opportunities for you to save money. There are a number of prepayment specialists on the market like Boost and Spark Energy that may be able to offer you more favourable rates than you're currently getting. Don't worry, you don't have to trawl the market to find the perfect prepaid deal yourself. The papernest team can do all the heavy lifting for you.

Again, if you don't want to use a prepayment meter, you can usually change to a standard credit meter unless the terms of your tenancy state otherwise.

On the subject of prepayment meters, contact your incumbent as soon as you move in to request a new smart card or key. You don't want to acquire any debt that the previous occupant had incurred.

Can I take my fixed price energy plan with me when I move?

Possibly. If you're very happy with your current tariff and supplier, you may be able to switch to the same plan in your new home. However, even if you want to do this, you will still need to manually switch after moving to escape your deemed contract.

You should also note that you may not be able to pick up your fixed price energy plan when you move into your new home. For instance, if the new property only has electricity instead of gas and electricity, or a prepayment meter instead of a standard credit meter, you probably won't be able to take your plan with you.

Some suppliers will not charge you an early exit fee if you move home before your contract is expired, but it's a good idea to check with your supplier prior to moving. Any charges will be included in your final bill.

How Do I Set Up Gas & Electricity In My New Home?

How do you get gas and electricity quotes for first-time buyers?

If you're a first-time buyer, the process of moving into a new home can be even more bamboozling. You'll find that buying your first home involves more paperwork, meetings and professional services (from mortgage brokers to chartered surveyors) than you ever thought possible.

But don't worry about any administrative hassle caused by switching energy plans. The experts at Papernest manage your switch for you, so that you can enjoy cheaper energy in your new home without headaches or hassle.

What if I don't get accepted for direct debit bills by my new home energy supplier?

The cheapest energy plans will often require you to pay by Direct Debit each month. Energy suppliers operate on razor-thin margins, and can encounter difficulties with their cash flow. They like to incentivise customers to pay by Direct Debit to ensure that they always have a fixed amount coming in every month.

But if you owe a lot to your previous supplier or have a very poor credit rating, your new supplier may not allow you to pay in this way. Offering to pay a deposit can demonstrate a show of good faith and convince suppliers to let you pay by Direct Debit. And enjoy the cheaper rates that come with this method of payment.

How do I make an energy switch in a new build?

In most cases, setting up gas and electricity in a newly-built home is no different from setting up utilities in any other kind of property. The only difference is if your new build property does not yet have a connection to the National Grid.

Your local DNO and gas transporter will be able to arrange new connections. However, this can take around 6-8 weeks, so you should check if there is an active connection prior to moving in. New connections cost around £1,800 although this depends on your DNO and property.

Setting up gas and electricity in a new home checklist

As you can probably see, there are a few things to consider when setting up gas and electricity in a new home. Which is why we've compiled this handy checklist of what you need to do before, during and after your moving day.

Before you move

Contact the papernest team and let us start comparing energy tariffs for your new home. Even if you're sure you'd rather stay with your current supplier, it's still definitely worth seeing what else is available on the market.
Make sure that your new home is connected to the national grid. The time and expense necessary to set up a new connection may complicate your move.
Notify your current supplier is aware of your move no less than 48 hours before your moving day.
Try to find out who supplies energy to your new home as soon as possible, and take a look at the rates for their default / variable tariffs so you know what you'll be paying.

On moving day

Take a meter reading before you leave your old home and report it to your supplier. It might also be worth taking a photo just to be on the safe side.
Leave a note for whoever moves into your old home, letting them know who supplies energy to the property.
Leave a forwarding address / contact details in case your last bill from your old supplier is sent to the wrong address. Also in case the new occupant needs to know anything else about the property.
Take a meter reading at your new home as soon as you move in, and report it to the incumbent supplier to ensure that they bill you accurately.

After you move

Contact the incumbent supplier and ask them your current energy plan and rates if you haven't already.
You may want to call the papernest team one more time to ensure that the recommendation we provided before you moved is still the best energy tariff for your new home.
Find out your home's MPAN and your MPRN to make it quicker and easier to switch suppliers.
Once you've chosen a new energy plan, we can et the ball rolling for you, and manage your switch on your behalf. Your switch will be complete within 15 days. After which you'll receive a final bill from the previous supplier.

Let the papernest team find the perfect energy plan for your new home

Are you ready to find the perfect energy plan for your new home? Get in touch with the experts at papernest today. We can find the perfect gas and electricity tariff to meet your needs, and manage your switch from end-to-end. So you can enjoy cheaper energy faster and stop wasting money on a deemed contract.

Call us today on 0330 818 6225 to find out more.

We're available from 8am to 6pm.

FAQ

How do I find out who supplies electricity to a new home?

The best way to do this is to contact your area's District Network Operator and Gas Transporter. They can also tell you your unique meter numbers (MPAN for electricity, MPRN for gas). You can find their contact details in the table above.

How do I set up gas and electricity for the first time in a new build?

As long as there's an active energy connection, setting up your utilities in a new build is much the same as in any property. However, if you need to set up new connections for electricity or gas, your DNO and Gas Transporter can do this.

How do I cancel my energy contact?

All you need to do is notify your energy supplier of your move 48 hours before your moving day. They will send a final bill to your new home within 6 weeks. To escape your deemed contract in your new home, you don't need to cancel anything. Just switch to a new plan and let Papernest and your new supplier take care of the rest.

Who should I notify when moving home?

Aside from notifying your energy supplier, you may also want to contact the following as soon as you move in:

Your local council
Your water company
Your broadband / phone/ TV provider
Your local GP's surgery and dental practice
Your employer / your children's school

How to Set Up Electricity in a New Apartment Uk

Source: https://www.papernest.co.uk/energy/moving-house/setting-up-gas-electricity/