Best way is to sign up to a new electricity and gas retailer and they’ll pretty much do the rest for you. As long as your property is not on an embedded network (typical only for large apartment complexes), moving house is a great time to compare options and get a better deal. Don’t forget to also disconnect your old electricity and gas provider.

Remember to give as much notice as possible – we typically recommend at least three business days. Some retailers can connect your electricity and gas with one business day’s notice but it may require more effort and possibly additional charges. However, if you need a meter installation (typically when you are moving into a new property) the process can take more than 10 days so it’s always better to get it done well ahead of the day you move in.

There’s not really any difference between getting your utilities connected at your rental property compared to a property you’ve purchased. The only time it is different is where utility costs are included in your rental agreement or when you’re moving into a large apartment complex with an embedded network. Otherwise, the steps are really the same: 1. Choose your preferred energy provider and set-up an account for electricity and gas. 2. Arrange the connection date and time with your provider. 3. Read your meter when you move in to ensure accurate billing. That’s it!

Exciting – a new house! If connecting electricity or gas to your property for the first time, you will need to contact your local distribution company and arrange for the physical connection of your new home to the network. These are the companies that manage the poles, pipes, network and grid that gets the electricity from the power plant to your home. Once connected, you will need to choose an energy retailer and sign up for a plan. It shouldn’t be too hard but it does take time for a new connection. We recommend starting the process a couple of months before your move in date.

You can either choose to have a separate retailer provide your gas account, or you can bundle the two services. It pays to shop around given at different times in the market it can be cheaper to bundle and at other times it can actually be more cost effective to split the two services.

The easiest way is to use a comparison service like Happly. Once you enter the address you are moving to, Happly will show you available providers in your area. From there, you can compare the providers in terms of price, customer service, reviews and other features. If you’re not sure which one to go for, feel free to call us – we can walk you through the various options.

It’s a personal decision and there’s no hard and fast answer – things like pricing, customer service and feedback should all be factored into your decision. That’s why, comparing a bunch of utilities providers that can assist with getting you connected makes the decision so much easier.