If the prospect of moving house is giving you a headache, then don't worry, you're not alone. Moving house is considered to be one of the most stressful events you'll have to go through, so let us help you save time and money when you need it most with our easy-to-follow home movers' guide.
Your gas and electricity
Buying a new home can be incredibly expensive - according to propertyfinder.com, the cost of moving has more than tripled in the last 10 years. Your gas and electricity may not be an immediate consideration- but with a little forward-thinking, you could save yourself hundreds of pounds.
What happens if I don't do anything about the gas and electricity supply at my new house?
The previous occupier of your new house should inform their gas and electricity supplier that they're moving away. The gas and electricity supplier will then put the property onto one of their 'standard' energy plans where you have to pay by cash or cheque. These plans are some of the most expensive around, so avoid them when you can.
What can I do?
1) Take your supplier and plan with you. It may be that you want to take your current gas and electricity supplier with you to your new property, especially if you have a competitive fixed rate that you don't want to lose. All you have to do is contact your existing supplier and let them know that you're moving - tell them you want to continue to be their customer and they will guide you through the rest. Make sure you are totally clear that you want to take your current energy plan with you to your new property - otherwise your supplier may treat the request as a switch and place you on their 'Standard' plan when you move. If you are unable to move your plan to your new property, ask your supplier what they can offer you as an alternative. Once you have the details of the new plan, come and compare it against other available plans to see if you can get a better deal. If you're moving to a different part of the country you may find your price will change, as gas and electricity suppliers operate a regional pricing structure. Each supplier does have a different process for home movers, so simply contact them directly to find out more.
2) Inherit the supplier at your new home. You can find out from the vendor or the estate agent who the current gas and electricity supplier is for the property you're moving to. Once you have these details you can call the supplier directly and arrange to be moved onto a cheaper plan immediately. Remember, if you don't contact them you'll be placed on their 'Standard' plan and pay much higher prices for your gas and electricity.
3) If you don't know who the current supplier for the property is you can find out. If the previous occupiers of your house haven't left you any information about the gas supplier, simply contact the Meter Number Helpline on 0870 608 1524. To find out who supplies the electricity to your new home, contact the local electricity distribution company - you should be able to get the number from the local phone directory under 'Electricity'.
You'll soon start receiving your new gas and electricity bills. Once you've settled into your new home, you'll start to get a better idea of your energy usage. This is the perfect time to review your gas and electricity bills, and if necessary, switch to a cheaper plan or supplier.
What if my new property has a prepayment meter?
If your new property has a prepayment meter installed, you need to decide if you would like to keep it or have a standard credit meter installed. If you keep the prepayment meter you can still switch your energy plan via uSwitch, but prepayment is the most expensive method of paying for your energy. If you would like to have a standard credit meter installed, contact the current energy supplier and arrange an installation date through them. Providing you are not in debt to the energy company, this shouldn't be difficult to organise.
I haven't had a bill yet - can I still compare?
If you've just recently moved but haven't had a bill from your supplier yet - you can still compare prices at uSwitch. Simply select your supplier from the list as normal. Then, when we ask for your monthly spend, you can select the option of having 'no details handy' from the drop-down box. Once selected, we'll ask you a few very quick questions about your property so that we can estimate your energy usage. We'll show you all the available plans with the annual cost based on the information you've given us.
If you haven't moved yet, then take a look at our list of 20 top tips for moving house.