Are you moving into a new build home? If you’re the first person to live in your new house or flat, it’s vital to make sure the essential services are up and running before you arrive.
Here’s our guide to setting up your brand new home quickly and easily, so you can get settled as soon as possible.
Stressed about moving? Set up all your utilities in 5 minutes
What counts as a new build home?
A new build home is a property that is either recently constructed (within the last few months) or that is still being built when it is sold or rented. Crucially, it’s one that has never been lived in before. Around 11% of first-time buyers opt to buy new-build homes rather than take on a previously occupied property.
Why new builds often face utility problems
There are many advantages to moving into a new build, such as brand new appliances, a clean slate for decoration and no property chain to potentially delay or derail your plans. However, brand new homes also come with their own issues – especially when it comes to utilities.
As the property has never been lived in, the essential services might not yet be registered, or even set up in the first place. If you’re planning to move into a new build property, make sure you’ve covered all of the utility setup before moving day.
Setting up gas and electricity
When moving into a new build home, the gas and electricity will already be connected and working – but this doesn’t mean the set up is complete. While the home was being constructed, the builders would have set up an energy supply for the construction on what is known as a ‘deemed tariff’.
This is an energy tariff for professionals and business users, and is much more expensive than a domestic energy tariff for normal residents. As soon as you have access to the meter serial numbers at your property, whether that’s move-in day or when you are given the property inventory ahead of the move, contact the current energy supplier to register as a domestic customer. You can then start comparing energy tariffs to see if you want to switch to another supplier.
How to get broadband in a new build home
Unlike gas and electricity, broadband internet is not usually already active when you move into a new build property. Instead, you will need to arrange for the internet provider of your choice to connect the property to their network.
This might be as simple as activating a socket that was installed in the property when it was built – or as complicated as arranging an engineer to run cable underground and through an external wall, into your home. There can be a delay of several weeks before an engineer appointment is available, so start organising your broadband installation as soon as you have confirmed the full address of the new property.
Registering for water and Council Tax
Both your water supplier and local authority (council) are determined by where you live, so there’s no need to shop around and compare suppliers.
Your clean and waste water services will already be connected and working when you move in, and you simply need to find the right supplier for your area and register with them.
Your Council Tax account number is used for everything from applying for a local parking permit to registering your children at a new school, so it’s important to register as soon as possible. Once you have confirmed your new address and move-in day, reach out to your local council by phone, online or in person.
Other utilities in your new build home
The services we’ve outlined above are the most essential, but there are other utilities you might want to arrange before you move into your new build home. These include:
Television
If you plan to watch live broadcast TV at home, you must have a TV licence. If you’re looking for a live TV package, you can also book your activation before you move in. Since TV provider Sky has moved to delivering TV services over your internet connection, there’s no longer any need to install an external satellite at home.
Insurance
Home and Contents insurance cover you during the moving process, as well as during the move, so it makes sense to arrange cover ahead of the move. You can compare providers online yourself, or reach out to an insurance broker for a more comprehensive policy search.
Cleaning
Want to keep your new home looking as good as the day you move in? Professional cleaning services are surprisingly affordable and make a huge difference for time-pressed households.
