Setting up your gas and electricity in your new home when moving

When you’re moving home, make it really easy to set up your gas and electricity supplier by following our step-by-step guide. There’s no getting away from the fact that moving house is a bit of an upheaval – but at least the usual utility bill transfer hassles will be a thing of the past! 

Before you move

1. Your first step is to contact your current electricity and/or gas supplier. You can choose to close your account, or with some suppliers, you may be able to transfer it to your new address. 
2. Take a meter reading on your last day in your old home, as your existing supplier may need it.
3. Tell your existing supplier your new address. That way they can send you a final bill, refund anything that’s owed, and (if needed) manage the transfer of your current contract.

What do I need to cancel when moving house?

You’ll likely need to cancel all your existing utility contracts when you move. These could include:

• Gas
• Electricity
• Water
• Broadband
• Landline

Don’t forget to also contact your local authority to tell them you’re moving, so they can update your council tax information and send you a final bill. 

If you don’t want to take your TV license with you to your new address, you’ll need to cancel that too.

We've put together a comprehensive house move checklist, so you can see at a glance all the things you need to focus on at key points during the moving process.

On moving day

We know there’s enough to do on moving day – but there’s one more really important task to add to your to-do list: make a note of meter readings at your new home. 

Doing this will mean your first bill will be as accurate as possible. It won’t take long, and it’ll be one less thing to worry about down the track.

To help you make sense of what could well be an unfamiliar-looking meter, we’ve put together a handy guide to reading your new meter.

After you move

1. Once you’re in your new place, remember to first pay the final bill for your old house when it arrives at your new address
2. Next, check your bank account for any refunds. If your account is in credit, you should get a refund automatically. If you end up owing money to your old supplier, this may be taken as a single Direct Debit payment. If you’re more than £500 in debt, you’ll either need to clear or reduce the debt ahead of your move, or transfer your current deal to your new home. 
3. Have a read of your energy performance certificate (usually left by the seller/landlord), which contains helpful advice on how to improve your new home’s energy efficiency.

[]https://www.ovoenergy.com/guides/energy-guides/fixed-energy-tariffs

How to set up gas and electricity after you move

Here’s a rundown of how to set up your utility bills after you’ve moved. Just work your way through the steps below, and you’ll have your energy supplier sorted in no time. If only you could say the same about all those other important jobs you no doubt still need to do!

1. Find out who supplies your energy

If you’re not sure who already supplies gas and/or electricity to your new home, we can help! First of all, read our guide to help you figure out which energy company supplies your new home. 

You can also find out who’s supplying your electricity by calling your local Meter Point Administration Service. And find out who supplies your gas by contacting the Meter Number Helpline on 0870 608 1524. 

2. Find your meters

Next, find your new meter(s) and take gas and electricity meter readings so they’re ready when your supplier asks, along with your meter numbers (see below).

3. Find your meter numbers

Both gas and electricity meters have a supply number, which is unique to your home. You’ll need these numbers when you contact your supplier to set up your account.

The gas supply Meter Point Reference Number (MPRN) is usually 6 to 10 digits long. You can find it on your energy bill – and if you don’t have a bill, you can request your MPRN from the Meter Point Administration Service.

Learn more about MPRNs in our handy guide

The electricity supply Meter Point Administration Number (MPAN) is 21 digits long. It’s also on your energy bill, but contact the supplier if you don’t have one handy.

4. Stick or switch?

Once you’ve moved into your new home, your electricity and/or gas supplier will need a few details before they can set up the right account. 

What usually happens is that you'll automatically be placed on a standard variable contract with the company that’s been supplying it up until your move-in date. Be aware that this can often be quite a bit more expensive than choosing your own fixed-term plan. 

Once you’ve weighed up the pros and cons, you can then decide if you want to stay with the same supplier or switch to a new one.

Take a little time to do some research to find the best energy deal. Having access to the internet when you move in is a great time-saver. These days it’s much easier to get an energy quote online than over the phone. 

Key things to consider include whether to go for a fixed or variable plan, the benefits of renewable energy, contract lengths, exit fees and company reputation.

Switching gas and electricity suppliers when moving home

Switching energy suppliers is super-easy and could save you money. What’s not to like?! First, check out our guide to switching energy suppliers – which covers what to look for, which plan to choose and how to start the ball rolling.

If your new home is supplied by another company but you’d like to join OVO, we’d love to have you! Simply get a quote and switch online – it only takes a couple of minutes.

Here are 4 reasons for picking us as your supplier of choice:

1. Our Planting Promise

Every year, we plant 1 million trees in the UK¹. Its our Planting Promise

2. Get a treat for sharing

When you refer a friend and they join OVO, we’ll treat you both to a £50 Gift Card. Win win!

3. Make a saving

You could save up to £250² on your energy bills with us!

4. Award-winning experience

With an OVO smart meter, you’re getting the latest technology to help you fight the climate crisis. And you’ll also get the best installation experience, as voted in the 2020 Uswitch Energy Awards.

Ready to join OVO?

Now you know the details of how to set up your energy supply when moving home, is it time to make OVO your electricity and/or gas supplier?

Check our wide range of plans suitable for you and see how much you could save now.

If OVO is already the current supplier at your new home

If your new home is already supplied by OVO, great! We can get your account set up right away on our home move page. We’ll need to know: 

• The full address and postcode of your new home
• The date you moved in
• Your full name
• Your date of birth
• Your phone number (either mobile or landline)
• Your email address
• Your Direct Debit details
• The meter readings from when you moved in (if possible)

To get set up, call us as soon as possible after moving in on 0330 303 5063.

What to do if your new home has a prepayment meter

If your new home has a prepayment meter, the estate agent or landlord should have the key or card to top up the meter, as well as operating instructions.

It’s worth knowing that you may not get the best tariff on a prepayment meter – so if you’re buying the property, find out whether you can move to a standard credit meter. And if you’re renting, ask the landlord if you can switch to a standard credit meter, so you can pay bills every month or quarter.

Check out our comprehensive guide to prepayment meters

FAQs

• Can OVO start supplying energy on the day I move into my new home? We’ll start supplying you around 21 days after your move in. Your welcome letter or email will let you know the exact date that we’ll start supplying you. Just occasionally, we may run into unexpected problems and have to push that date back a bit. If so, we’ll let you know right away and keep you posted about any new dates. You can also track your switch in your online account.
• Will there be energy in my new home even though OVO hasn’t started supplying it yet? Yes. The previous company will still be supplying energy. 
• I’m going to pay by monthly Direct Debit for my OVO energy. How do I pay my current supplier until you take over my supply? About 6 weeks after we’ve taken over your energy supply, the previous supplier will send you a bill, based on the final meter readings you’ve sent them. They’ll tell you whether you can pay by cheque, card or bank transfer. You’ll get your first OVO bill around 6 weeks after we start supplying your energy.
• What do I do if I have a smart meter in my old/new home? If you have a smart meter, you can find more information in our guide about how to switch energy suppliers with a smart meter.
• I’m moving home. What do I do with my In-Home Display (IHD)? If you’re moving house, please leave your IHD at your old home, so the new householder can benefit from it. Remember, your current IHD only works with the smart meter at your old home, so it won’t work if you remove it. Please leave it somewhere easy to find for whoever’s moving in.

Visit our Moving Home page for any other questions related to the moving home process

¹OVO Energy plants 1 million trees across the UK each year with its tree planting partners, The Conservation Volunteers and the Woodland Trust. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, so planting trees helps to slow down climate change.

²Savings based on the average estimated annual cost for new OVO customers compared to their current supplier & tariff.