Author: Brian January 17, 2022

Guest Post by Alex Sanchez

Moving to a new home and setting up your electricity connection doesn’t need to be a dreadful experience, even if it’s your first time moving houses.

To ensure that the move will be a smooth process and that you’ll have an electricity connection right away and you’re not paying too much for it, figure out early how you’ll set up the utilities in your new home.

Do it in addition to planning how you’ll pack and transport your things.

Read on below to learn what to do to ensure that everything about your electricity connection is ready and in its optimal state in your new house before you move out of the old one.

Take A Final Meter Reading Before Moving Out

First, let your current energy supplier know that you’re moving. Ideally, do it before your move date, at least 48 hours in advance.

Note that some electricity plans have an early exit fee, so make sure to ask your current energy provider about it.

Also, don’t forget to take a final meter reading on your move-out day.

Take note of the reading, then arrange for your final bill to be sent to your new address.

Make sure to claim the money owed by the electric supplier to you if your energy account is in credit, though.

Compare Energy Plans When Switching To A New Energy Provider

Unless you’re happy with your current electricity company and decide to stay with them because they’re able to provide energy where your new home is, it’s best to compare energy plans when switching electricity companies.

Doing so will help you find a cheaper deal for your new house.

It’s also true when connecting electricity to a home that has never had an energy supply before.

After finding the best plan for you, sign up with your chosen energy provider online or over the phone.

Do it before your planned moving date.

Make sure, though, that your chosen supplier knows when you’re moving into your new place.

That way, the activation and starting point for your first bill will be your move-in date.

Comparing energy plans isn’t only helpful when switching to a new energy provider.

If you’re moving to a new house and decide to continue working with the current electricity supplier, you’ll be put on a standard variable tariff.

It’s usually the most expensive contract or plan they’re offering.

That’s why you need to compare the price for each available tariff and call the energy company of your new home as soon as possible.

Switch To A Smart Meter For Your New Home

Aside from moving from one provider to another, consider switching to a smart electricity meter for your new home, too, if you haven’t tried it yet.

It’s a significant technological upgrade from the standard electric meters – the analog ones that require manual reading – and provides greater benefits.

So, what sets the smart meter apart from standard electric meters?

It can send readings to your supplier automatically.

In addition, a smart meter also gives you, the homeowner, a deep understanding of your power utility by providing you with updated usage information.

Homeowners can use the data flow provided by a smart electric meter to identify strategies for reducing power use and controlling electricity bills.

If you’re moving to a house that already has a smart meter installed, make sure that the meter is working in ‘smart mode’ fine.

Replace A Prepayment Meter With A Credit Meter

Prepayment meters, especially the smart prepayment meters, are part of the latest generation of electricity meters.

With a prepayment meter, you’ll have to pay upfront for any electricity usage.

Replacing the prepayment meter in your new house with a normal one will be beneficial primarily because it eliminates the risk of running out of electricity if you fail to top your account up regularly.

More billing options are also available to homeowners using a credit meter instead of a prepayment one.

Those are some reasons why most households prefer the regular meters over prepayment meters, not to mention the former being the more affordable choice.

What if I’m moving to a rental property, you may ask.

Unless the house is under a communal meter, you have every right to switch to a credit meter.

Yes, you don’t need to ask permission from your landlord to do that.

Just make sure, though, that you don’t put any money on your prepayment meter before contacting the rental property’s current energy supplier.

That’s to avoid the risk of paying extra for the previous tenant’s debts.

Have A Meter Installed In Your Newly-Built Property In Advance

It will take a while to install electricity meters in houses that have never had a connection before.

That’s why you have to request an installation and connection well in advance.

That way, you can be sure that your property already has an energy supply during your move-in day.

Conclusion

If you keep the things discussed above in mind, moving to a new home and setting up your electricity connection won’t be as stressful as you think.

Just don’t forget to take a final reading of your electricity meter and settle any dues before moving out.

Also, don’t forget to inform your energy provider of the exact location of the house where you’ll move in to ensure that you’ll receive your final bill.

Furthermore, it will be helpful to compare electricity tariffs or plans before deciding to switch to a new electricity supplier or stick with your current provider.

However, whether you’re switching to a new energy supplier or not, consider replacing your existing meter with a smart credit meter to maximize power saving.

Finally, when moving to a newly-built house, request an electricity meter to be installed at least a week before your move-in day.