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Connect and Disconnect Your Electricity and Gas When Moving House
Connect and Disconnect Your Electricity and Gas When Moving House
Written by
Rachel Gregg
Edited by
Ellie Garran
Reviewed by
Julia PaszkaCompare Electricity & Gas Plans
Save time and effort by comparing a range of energy plans with iSelect
Why is it important to organise electricity and gas before moving house?
Long story short
It’s worth sorting out your energy before the move
Organising your electricity and gas early, at least a week in advance, means no problems come move-in day, and gives you time to compare and switch providers.
Be prepared for connection and disconnection fees
Most distributors charge a fee for switching your power on or off. These will appear on your energy bill even if you’re sticking with the same energy provider.
Make moving day run smoothly
Making sure the way to your meter is clear for your distributor means a straightforward connection and a powered-up home on moving day.
Why is it important to organise electricity and gas before moving house?
No one wants to walk into their new home without the lights on. With so much to organise (and probably a few boxes already lost in the chaos), it’s easy to forget about connecting your electricity and gas. But sorting it out early (at least a week or two before move-in day) can save you a lot of headaches. It also gives you a good chance to think about the energy plan you’re on and whether it’s still working for you.
While it’s easy to stick with the same provider out of habit, moving is a great time to see what else is out there. Especially when it could mean a potentially better deal for your bills. You might find that the plan for your old home doesn’t fit quite as well for your new one, especially if you’ll have a different distributor. The good news is that switching isn’t as hard as we all think it is. We can help you make a quick comparison, and then, once you’ve chosen a plan, we’ll take care of the switch. That means, when you rock up to your new home, everything will be powered up and ready to go.
How do I disconnect and set up my electricity and gas when moving?
When you move house, there are a few different ways you can handle the switcheroo. It all depends on whether you’re changing plans, and whether you opt to go it alone or get some help.
Switching plans simply with iSelect
Moving house is a full-time job, and comparing energy plans doesn’t need to be another job to add on top. Instead of doing all the hard work yourself, iSelect can help you get all the information together for a quick comparison for your new home. From there, all you need to do is select the one you want, then we’ll take care of all the admin – disconnecting your old place, setting up your new account, and making sure your lights are on when you walk through the door. That way, you get all the benefits of switching, without having to lift a finger.
Switching plans by yourself
If you’ve got the time (and patience), you can take on the task of comparing and switching by yourself. You’ll need to start by researching different energy providers, comparing quotes, and narrowing down your shortlist. Once you’ve got your winner, you’ll need to call them up and set up your new account with them. This means getting all your paperwork in order, like your ID, new address, contact numbers, move-in date, and more. Then it’s time to call up your current provider and say goodbye for good. Make sure you let them know your disconnection date, pay any associated fees, and sort out a final reading for your last bill.
Same plan, different home
If you’re moving houses and like the plan you’re with, that’s perfectly fine! Sometimes, even after comparing, you might find that your current energy plan still works for your usage habits and new location. In that case, all you need to do is call your provider to give them your new address and confirm when you’ll need the power connected to your new place (and disconnected from your old one). Just remember to ask about any fees you’ll need to pay for disconnection or connection.
Signing up for your first plan
Moving out of home for the first time? Welcome to adulthood and a lifelong stream of bills. Before you can start using power, you’ll need to find a provider that matches your needs. You can choose to do the legwork yourself and add it to your already long list of things to do, or iSelect can do the heavy lifting for you. We can help you compare from a range of plans and policies, either online or over the phone. Once you’ve picked one to your liking, our team will sort out the setup, so the power in your new place is ready to go. All you need to do is tick that box off and move on to the next one in your growing list.
Helpful tip
When you’re arranging for your energy to be switched over, double-check that your move-in and move-out dates line up perfectly. You’ll want your old place disconnected right after you’ve moved out, and your new home connected right before you move in. Otherwise, you could end up paying two bills at once, or worse, unpacking boxes in the dark. It’s also worth checking any notice periods or connection fees up-front, so there aren’t any surprises when your first bill rocks up.
Julia Paszka
General Manager – Utilities
How long does it take to transfer power to my new house?
It usually takes about one to five business days for your power to be connected, which shouldn’t cause any problems come moving day if you’ve given your provider at least a week’s notice. If you’ve left it to the last minute, most providers offer urgent or same-day connections. Each provider will have different cut-off times, but for most, if you call up before midday, there’s a good chance your power will be connected by the following day.
Are there fees to connect or disconnect my electricity plan when moving house?
Most providers will charge you disconnection and connection fees. These fees are determined by your location since they’re charged by your distributor, but they’ll appear on your provider’s energy bill.
Here’s a look at what disconnection and connection fees could look like depending on where you live and where you’re moving.
What should I do on moving day?
The day’s finally here. Your boxes are packed, the movers are here, and you’re starting to question your packing process. But before you give the movers that ‘A-OK’ to get going, there are a few little things you need to tick off to make sure your new energy connection happens smoothly.
Check your main switch
Before 7 am on move-in day, make sure that the electricity meter in your new place is switched off. If it’s left on, it could delay your energy connection, and no one wants to spend their first dinner in their new home eating a candlelit takeaway dinner.
Keep your meter clear
If you’ve got a smart or digital meter, your connection can be switched on and off remotely. But for older electric or gas meters, you’ll need someone to physically come over and switch things on (or take a reading) for you. Making sure gates are unlocked and the pathway’s clear can help your energy get turned on ASAP.
If you live in QLD or NSW, someone will need to be home for the switch-over. For everyone else, it should be fine to leave the property while it’s being sorted.
Wait for the OK from your provider
There isn’t an exact timeframe for when your power will switch on, so patience is key. While you can test it yourself by switching your meter on, this could disrupt things. The best bet is to wait until you get a text from your provider to let you know the connection is all done and dusted.
Frequently asked questions
What if I’m moving interstate?
If you’re moving interstate, you could be moving into a whole new electricity market. Some states (NSW, ACT, VIC, SA, and south-east QLD) give you the option to choose from market retail plans (the ones you see advertised from your provider), while others have standing offers, which are set by the government. Not every provider is available nationwide, which gives you a great opportunity to compare in the state you’ll soon call home. Even if your provider is still available at your new address, their plan might not be the best fit for your new postcode. So, while you’re doing research for your new suburb, take a quick minute to compare energy plans.
What if I’m moving into a new house?
If you’re moving into a shiny new home, you’ll need to make sure that you’re connected to the main gas and electricity lines. This should be organised by your builder during construction and can take around 10 to 20 days. This timing shouldn’t matter too much, since it should all be done while your home is still being built. You’ll just need to set up a new account with an energy provider of your choosing once it gets closer to move-in day.
What if I’m moving into an apartment with an embedded network?
Apartments sometimes work on embedded networks, which are privately owned electricity networks. Embedded networks are usually operated by the building owner or an external network manager, who buy power in bulk and send it through to their residents.
If you’re on an embedded network, you still have the right to choose your own electricity provider – it’s just a bit more complicated:
- First of all, not all retailers provide electricity to people in embedded networks.
- Then, if you do manage to find a different retailer, you still have to pay the embedded network owner (or building owner) for any network-related costs, which means you might get two bills instead of one.
- And even then, you might have to replace your meter to be able to sign up with the retailer of your choice.
What if I’m moving into a rental property?
If you’re moving into a rental, your utilities will likely already be connected. But it’s best to check with your landlord or real estate agent. Since your utilities are linked to your name, not your landlord’s, you’ll still need to set up your own energy account. You can either stay with your existing provider and let them know your new address, or switch to a new provider.
What if I’m moving into a house with solar panels?
If you’re moving into a home with solar panels, the process won’t change too much. You’ll still need to be connected to the main grid (for the times when your panels aren’t working or your battery is empty), which means you still need a provider. But you’ll likely find that your old energy plan won’t work for your new solar-powered home. Having solar panels means that the energy plan you choose can make a big impact on your bills. When comparing, you’ll need to look at factors like time-of-use tariffs (rates that change depending on the time of day) and feed-in tariffs (what you’ve paid for excess solar energy). This will help you find a plan that’s designed with solar in mind.
Make your next energy move a simple one
If comparing energy plans and policies sounds about as fun as unpacking that truck full of boxes, we get it. But checking in to see whether your current energy plan deserves to come with you to your new abode can really go a long way. Taking a few minutes out of your day to see what else is out there could help make the move a little lighter on the wallet. With iSelect, we can help you compare from a range of energy plans and providers to see which one might make the best sense for your new place. It’ll only take a few minutes out of your day. Alternatively, you can make a call to our energy comparison experts at 1800 664 532.
Get started on comparing energy plans today!
Save time and effort by comparing a range of energy plans with iSelect
iSelect does not compare all energy providers or plans in the market. The availability of plans may change from time to time, depending on who iSelect’s providers are and what plans they make available to iSelect. Not all plans made available from iSelect providers may be compared by iSelect either due to commercial arrangements, area or availability, so not all plans or providers compared by iSelect will be available to all customers. Some plans and special offers are available only from iSelect’s contact centre or website. Energy plans are available only for properties located in eligible areas of Victoria, New South Wales, South East Queensland, South Australia and ACT. Click here to view iSelect’s range of providers.