Your utilities when moving
When should I switch utilities when moving house? Here’s everything you need to know about getting your bills set up
Broadband
Energy
Water
Council tax
Insurance
Phone
Foreign exchange
Credit building
Banking
Cleaning
Setting up utilities for a new home
The average UK mover spends 7 hours dealing with utility setup and admin.
Moving is stressful enough without juggling phone queues, researching suitable suppliers in your area and comparing deals for your new contracts.
To make things easier, we’ve outlined everything you need to know about setting up your utilities for your new home.
What utilities do I need to set up?
Energy
Register with the your new energy suppliers, choose a new tariff & set up billing.
TV & streaming
Register for a TV licence, and decide if you want a digital TV package.
Water
Let the current supplier know you’ve moved in and open an account.
Mobile & landline
Decide if you want a landline phone and sign up for a mobile plan.
Council tax
Register with the local council and claim any discounts or exemptions.
Insurance
Get cover for your home’s contents for protection against accidents and burglary.
Broadband
Choose a home internet package and book the installation or delivery.
Banking
New to the UK? An expat bank account may make managing your money easier
What information will I need?
To open your new utility accounts, you’ll need:
- Your new address
- Your move-in date
- Your contact details
- Your payment details
- Current & opening meter readings
Your first bills will take 4-6 weeks to arrive by post and will include an account number. Your supplier will ask for this to verify your new address, and you can use it to open online accounts for your services.
You may be asked for proof of address to register for services like a controlled parking pass. The easiest way to get this is from your local council, either by calling them or visiting their office.
Moving soon?
Save yourself 7 hours of admin & up to £397 on bills when you use our free service to setup utilities. Not sure where to start? – download our moving checklist
Setting up energy bills
Gas and electricity are usually left connected in the UK, so they should be available from the day you arrive. You’re responsible for taking opening meter readings and informing the current supplier of your move dates. This means they can bill you correctly, and you won’t be charged for any of the previous occupant’s usage.
Once you’re registered with the current supplier you can shop around for a better value energy tariff.
Opening meter readings
Your electricity and, if you have mains gas, gas consumption will be recorded by your energy meters. There should be opening meter readings included in your move-in inventory, but you should also check the meters yourself and take a photograph.
Differences between fixed & variable tariffs
Whether your tariff is fixed-rate or variable, you’ll always pay for the amount of energy you use. Under a fixed-rate tariff, your per-unit price and daily standing charge will stay the same for the length of your contract. Under a variable tariff, your prices will be adjusted every three months based on the energy price cap.
💡 Notify the current supplier
You’re required to inform the current supplier, even if you’re switching to another company.
💡 Take meter readings
Submitting your opening meter readings mean you will be charged correctly in your upcoming bills. Not sure how to take a reading from your energy meter? Take a look at our guide.
💡 Switch tariff to save money
You can save money by switching to a fixed-rate tariff priced below the energy price cap. Sign up to get a quote on energy plans.
Setting up water bills
You need to let your water company know when you move into a new property.
If you have a water meter, give your water company at least 5 working days notice so they can arrange a final meter reading. If you don’t give them enough notice you could be charged for water that’s used after you move out.
If you’ve moved to an area with a different water company, let them know. You may need the following information to register:
- Your address
- Move-in date
- Contact details
- Bank account information for setting up payment (direct debit is recommended)
Notify your suppliers as soon as you can
Setting up an account with the correct move dates and opening meter readings ensures you don’t pay for anyone else’s water usage.
💡 Metered or unmetered?
Metered properties pay for the amount of water they use, unmetered properties pay based on an estimate.
💡 Accessing your meter
Some water meters are inaccessible to the public – your supplier will come and take a reading every six months or so.
💡 Sewage charges
Your sewerage might be supplied by a different company to the one that supplies your water. This means you could get a separate bill – or your water company might include sewerage charges on their bill on behalf of the sewerage company.
Setting up council tax
Council Tax funds essential services like rubbish collection, the fire brigade, libraries, schools and more. The amount you pay is based on the value of your property, with every home being placed in a Council Tax band from A to H.
To set up Council Tax billing, you’ll need to reach out to your new council with the details of your move. This includes your full address, the date you became responsible for the property and your contact details. You’ll receive an opening bill by post that will include a unique property reference you can use to set up your payment.
What is council tax band based on?
Your Council Tax band is based on the 1991 value of your property, including any changes that have been made to the property since then and adjusted based on inflation. If your home was built after 1991 it’s band is assigned based on what it’s value would have been.
Tax reduction & exemption
If you’re a student, or if you live alone, you may be eligible to council tax discounts. Read more about discounted council tax in the UK.
💡 Notify your current council
You must inform your new Council that you’ve moved in as soon as possible.
💡 Get your opening bill
Your first bill will include a unique reference number you can use as proof of address.
💡 Apply for discounts
Full-time students are exempt from Council Tax, and sole occupants receive a 25% discount.
💡 Set up billing schedule
You can pay your Council Tax bill in a single annual payment, or in ten or twelve monthly direct debits.
Setting up broadband & TV
With electricity, gas and water, you can simply turn up to your new house on moving day and take over the existing utilities. It’s not quite as straightforward with broadband and TV.
Getting a new connection set up can take as long as four weeks. Different suppliers are available in different areas, so you’ll need to do some research on what your options are at your new address.
Once you’ve chosen the supplier and package that’s right for you, book your installation to get connected.
Cancelling your broadband without a fee
Switching suppliers when you move can be a great way to save on your bills and get better service. Read our guide to find out how to cancel broadband contracts with the UK’s biggest suppliers including Sky, Virgin Media, BT and Hyperoptic without exit fees.
No fibre available?
Some homes in the UK still don’t have access to fibre broadband and are left with internet too slow for video calling, working remotely and more. Fortunately, alternatives like mobile broadband offer super-fast speeds without needing a physical network to connect to.
💡 What speed do you need?
Broadband packages range in speed from around 30 mbps to 900+ mbps. The speed you need depends on what you’ll be doing and how many people will be sharing the connection.
💡 Find the best deal
Save time and energy researching the different broadband options at your home by using our free service to have one of our experts compare for you.
💡 Bundle and save
Some of the UK’s biggest broadband providers also offer TV and mobile services. You can score huge discounts by combining plans.
💡 Do I need a TV licence?
A TV Licence is a legal requirement if you watch or record any live broadcast TV services. This applies if you’re watching on a TV, phone or any other device. Read more here
How much is the average UK utility bill?
Monthly utility bills for a household vary wildly depending on the size of the home, the number rof occupants and the household’s habits.
Even the cost for a single service like broadband covers a huge range, with packages in 2024 ranging from £25 a month up to more than £60 a month.
Your bills for energy will be based on consumption, while your bill for water will be based on either consumption or your property size.
Estimate your utility bills with our calculator
To make things simpler, use our utility bill calculator. Just input a few details about your property and we’ll estimate your annual cost for energy, water and TV licence. You can also check your council tax bill estimate here (London).
Other services to set up when moving
Contents insurance
Almost 50% of tenants in the UK don’t have contents insurance, despite the average home’s contents being worth £35,000. Without insurance, a home emergency will leave you struggling to replace your possessions while handling a crisis.
Get covered in a flash on a flexible plan created to fit your needs from Urban Jungle, with no hidden fees, ever.
Banking & FX
Are you moving to the UK? From opening a bank account to securing the best currency exchange rates, moving internationally presents plenty of financial hurdles. Luckily, there’s support available to make it simple to get the most from your money.
Get in touch or sign up to receive personalised advice on foreign exchange and more from our partner Halo Financial.
Never stress about moving again
Some services like broadband can take up to 2 weeks to get connected. Get everything arranged early so you’re up and running from day one.
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