Moving house is when most people think about energy for the first time in years. The process is well-defined, but few people know the steps - which leads to energy bills for someone else's usage, months on the wrong tariff, or lost credit.
This moving house energy guide covers what to do at your old and new address - and how five major suppliers handle energy when moving house in the UK.
What to Do at Your Old Address
Tell your energy company as soon as you know the move-out date. The legal minimum is 48 hours' notice, but most suppliers prefer two weeks.
Tell your supplier
Give them your move-out date and new address. If you have a fixed tariff, ask whether an exit fee applies - most suppliers waive the exit fee when moving house.
Photo all meters on the day
Take photos of every gas and electricity meter on moving day. Show the reading and the date. These meter readings when moving house set where your final energy bill ends and the next person's begins.
Submit readings and wait for the final bill
Submit your final meter reads straight away. Keep paying by direct debit - the final energy bill moving house arrives in 7-10 working days. If you are in credit, the refund follows.
If you do not tell your supplier: You could keep paying energy bills at the old home until someone else takes over. Credit refunds can take months to sort out.
What to Do at Your New Address
The energy supply is already running. You are on a deemed contract - a default standard variable tariff from whoever supplied the old occupant. Your new home energy bill will be higher than it needs to be until you act. Your gas bill and electricity bill are both on the most expensive rates.
Locate and photo the meters
Check the kitchen, hallway, or outside meter box. Photo all readings before you use any energy.
Identify the current supplier
Check the TA6 property form from the solicitor. If you do not have it, use findmysupplier.energy (gas) or contact your local DNO (electricity).
Register as the new occupant
Give the supplier your move-in date and opening readings. This stops you being billed for the old occupant's usage.
Compare and switch
You can change energy supplier when moving house from day one. Compare deals and switch energy supplier straight away to cut your energy costs. A switch takes 17-21 days.
Prepayment meters: Do not top up before calling the supplier. Old debt on the meter could pass to you if you add credit first.
Worth checking: your MPRN prefix. If it starts with 74 or 75, your gas comes via an Independent Gas Transporter (IGT) network. This means higher standing charges and fewer supplier choices. Common in new builds from the 2000s. See our piece on the home mover energy trap for the full picture.
Five Suppliers Compared
How do Octopus Energy, EDF, E.ON Next, British Gas and Fuse Energy handle moving house? Here is what matters for your energy bills when moving house.
| Feature | Octopus | EDF | E.ON Next | British Gas | Fuse |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notification channel | Dashboard, phone, email | MyAccount, phone, chat, email | Dedicated move portal, phone | Online account, phone, webchat | App / web only (no phone) |
| Preferred notice period | 17 days | 10-14 days | Move day or after | 48 hrs minimum | 48 hrs minimum |
| 24/7 availability | ✗ Weekdays only | ✗ Mon-Fri limited hours | ✗ Standard hours | ✗ Standard hours | ✓ 24/7 via app |
| Fixed tariff transfers | ✓ Yes (check Intelligent tariffs) | ✓ Yes (unless meter-type conflict) | ✓ Explicitly advertised | ✓ Permitted, confirm terms | ✓ Protected tariff moves |
| Exit fee on move | ~ Usually none - confirm | ~ Not auto-waived - check | ~ Clear balance before leaving | ~ Unlikely but not explicit | ✓ Never - contractually explicit |
| Separate fuel notifications? | ✓ Single process | ✗ Must notify gas + electricity separately | ✓ Single process | ✓ Single process | ✓ Single app flow |
| Smart meter advantage | Near-instant account with SMETS2 | Auto reads - no manual submission | Recommend manual reading anyway | Standard process, weak billing score | Required for TOU tariffs |
| Final bill timeline | 7-10 days | Within 6 weeks (usually faster) | Standard timeline | ~10 working days | ~10 working days |
| Citizens Advice rank (Q4 2025) | 3rd / 16 | 13th / 16 | 5th / 16 | 14th / 16 | Not yet ranked (<25k accounts) |
| Trustpilot score | 4.8 ★ | 4.8 ★ | 4.5 ★ | 4.3 ★ | 4.7 ★ |
What Stands Out
EDF: You must tell them about gas and electricity separately. Miss one and you get an incorrect final bill. No other supplier on this list works this way.
E.ON Next: Strong customer service and the most relaxed notice window - contact on moving day or after. Less pre-processing from the supplier, but less stress for you.
British Gas: Ranks 14th out of 16 on Citizens Advice and scores 1.4/5 on billing accuracy (Q4 2025). Keep records of every communication via your online account.
Octopus: With a SMETS2 smart meter, your account can show correct readings within hours of moving in. The most proven home move energy process overall.
Fuse: Handles the entire move in a 3-minute app flow with no exit fees - but has no phone support at all.
The Bottom Line
The system works. The failures that cost people money come from not acting on day one - and sitting on a deemed contract long term while paying for energy at the highest rates.
Take meter photos. Tell your energy company. Register at the new place. Compare deals and switch. That is the entire process.
For more on what drives your bills after you settle in, see the April 2026 price cap and our guide to rising network charges. If your new place has a prepayment meter, see our guide to the UK energy debt crisis.