How to set up utilities when you move
Set up utilities two to three weeks before moving day: ask the landlord which services are in your name, then contact the electric, gas, water and trash providers for the new address and schedule each to start on your key date. Book internet installation early, since slots fill up. Schedule the old address to stop the day after you leave, and take meter photos at both places.
About 20 minutes to learnEveryday skill
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How to do it
- Ask the landlord which utilities are included in rent and which you must open in your name.
- Find the providers for the new address from the landlord or the city's website.
- Call or go online to open each account, with your ID and the exact move-in date ready.
- Book internet installation as soon as you have a lease, and ask whether a technician visit is needed.
- Schedule service at the old address to end the day after you move out.
- Photograph the meter readings at both places on moving day.
- Save each account number and customer service line in one note.
Common mistakes
- Calling for internet the week you move and waiting two weeks for a slot.
- Stopping the old service on moving day, then packing in the dark.
- Being billed for the next tenant's usage because no one read the meter.
Quick self-check
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Teach this to someone
A one-page sheet for showing a friend, a roommate or a kid: what to say, what to show, and one question to check it landed.
Teach: How to set up utilities when you move
What to say
Set up utilities two to three weeks before moving day: ask the landlord which services are in your name, then contact the electric, gas, water and trash providers for the new address and schedule each to start on your key date. Book internet installation early, since slots fill up. Schedule the old address to stop the day after you leave, and take meter photos at both places.
What to show, in order
- Ask the landlord which utilities are included in rent and which you must open in your name.
- Find the providers for the new address from the landlord or the city's website.
- Call or go online to open each account, with your ID and the exact move-in date ready.
- Book internet installation as soon as you have a lease, and ask whether a technician visit is needed.
- Schedule service at the old address to end the day after you move out.
- Photograph the meter readings at both places on moving day.
- Save each account number and customer service line in one note.
The check question
Ask: When should you book internet installation?
Related skills
- Who to tell when you change your address
- How to pack for a move
- How to make a budget
- Every skill in Renting and Moving
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Last reviewed . First published .