What did you do initially when you relocated to your present house? After the strains and difficulties of moving, did you unpack some boxes, order takeout, have a celebratory drink, or just pass out? Have you considered locating your new utility providers?

A great deal of the difficulty and anxiety that comes with moving may be avoided with little advanced planning, particularly if you’re a 1st time buyer.

Your access to gas and electricity is a prime example. You may take a lot of steps before the actual move to make sure your bills are organized and to start setting up gas and electricity in your new house.

It might be difficult to find a new home to live in, whether it’s a house, apartment, or room in a house share. If you are renting, you may also have to deal with landlords in addition to estate brokers. The to-do list that you have before, during, and after moving into a new house might appear to be an infinite flight of stairs that never ends.

Unfortunately, there is still more that has to be done, like figuring out who your utility providers are. It’s still worthwhile to do because it can wind up saving you money over the long haul.

It is quite easy to ignore smaller issues, such as utility bills and suppliers, during the thrill, anxiety, and frenetic turmoil of moving into a new house, but doing so is necessary to guarantee that you are simply spending for the electricity you have consumed and to receive the best bargain.

According to Ofgem data

According to Ofgem data, those who rent are far less likely to look into switching energy providers. According to Ofgem’s research, more than three-quarters of renters (77%) have never changed their energy provider, and almost one-fifth aren’t even informed that it is feasible to do so while a tenant.

These statistics demonstrate that when it comes to knowledge regarding utility connections, supplies, and expenses, property owners, agencies, and consumer groups are keeping tenants in the dark. People are frequently misled into thinking that their landlord determines the utility provider they use.

In rare circumstances, a landlord may choose a default energy provider in the lease agreement. However, if they are personally in charge of paying the bill and it is in their name, renters are still technically allowed to change providers after moving in.

It is not feasible to transfer suppliers if the lease or tenancy agreement is in the name of the homeowner or rental agent.

The great news for renters is that you often have the legal right to choose and transfer energy providers in order to locate the offer that best matches you and your energy use. The average household can save up to several hundred pounds.

The most effective technique to move homes

Although I will be focusing a bit more from the perspective of the roughly 9 million renters in the UK who pay energy bills, it is also pertinent to and helpful for house owners.

Be careful to leave a message with the names and phone numbers of (all) your utility providers so that your landlord, prospective renters, or the new owners can reach you. This one measure can help to greatly simplify the transition for the new owner.

It will go much more smoothly for the new inhabitants at your former house if you take a few additional moments to write down any meter readings, phone the energy suppliers to inform them that you are moving, and provide those readings.

Noting down the readings from your gas and electricity meters and then contacting your energy supplier need to be among your first tasks after shifting into your new house. Two things will result from informing the electricity provider.

In the first place, it will make sure you are not spending on energy consumed by the homeowner, landlord, or former renter in between leases. Furthermore, it implies that you are not getting billed and could even be overpaid due to projected billing.

Challenging at times

Tenants might find it challenging at times to do this. Figuring out who is providing your services may not be easy if the former occupier did not leave a message with the names of the utility providers with who the property is linked and if the landlord or realtor is not informed of the supplier.

It might be challenging to locate your power provider. The energy network in the UK is divided into distribution areas, each with a separate distribution business. These distributors maintain track of the energy provider for every property.

Simply phoning your power distributor and asking for your supplier information will reveal your electrical provider (see here for a nationwide list). They will want information about your home and something found on your power meter known as a Meter Point Administration Number (MPAN).

Meter Number Helpline: 0870 608 1524 is a dedicated number to contact to discover your gas provider, making it simpler to locate gas suppliers. Again, your MPRN number is required for calls, which cost 7p for every minute.

If your new house has a prepayment meter, then what?

If your property has a prepayment meter, perhaps the estate agency or landlord will be ready to give you the key or card you need to recharge it plus directions on how to utilize it.

Prepayment meters are typically installed in rental buildings or for clients who have had trouble paying payments in the past.

Prepayment meters are not likely to offer the greatest rates, so if you’re purchasing the house, see if you can switch to a conventional credit meter. Request your landlord if you may convert to a conventional credit meter if you’re renting so you can pay your expenses each month or every three months.

Keep in mind that when you shift in, you are not required to continue on the same kind of prepayment meter pricing. You may lower your costs by using an energy channel to locate the prepayment rate that is suitable for your consumption.

Final note

Find My Supplier is an online resource that serves as an alternative to the M number hotline. In case the hotline is unreachable, open your internet browser and search for “Find My Supplier”.

Once you are aware of your energy provider and your current tariff, you may compare energy providers and plans using a comparison site, such as to ensure that you are getting the best bargain possible given how much energy you consume at home.