Moving house? Move to better-value energy bills

Moving house is an exciting time, but it can also be pretty stressful.

Finding a good-value energy provider and planning for your new home can seem like just another thing to add to your to-do list, but it could end up saving you a lot of money in the long term.

Taking the time to find a suitable plan for your new home before you move means there is one less thing to worry about when you are in your new house – leaving more time for unpacking and settling in.

Why moving is the right time to switch

Energy charges can vary from suburb to suburb so just because you had a great deal in your current house doesn’t mean that the same provider will be the best option for your new neighbourhood … you’d be surprised how much your bills can change just by moving a few kilometres down the road.

How much you pay also depends on how much energy you use.

If you are moving to a bigger home, it’s very likely you will use more energy whereas if you are downsizing, hopefully your usage will decrease.

Increased competition among energy providers means many are offering generous incentives to entice new customers, making moving home the perfect time to take advantage of introductory offers.

You might find that your current provider will still be great value for your new property but at least you’ll know for sure and won’t be left wondering if there is a better deal out there.

Before you move

Ask for the meter numbers of the electricity and gas meters at your new property. Your real estate agent should be able to provide these in advance and it will make connecting services much easier.

Make sure you cancel your existing contract before you move out of your old home – you don’t want to get charged for energy you aren’t using.

Contact your current energy provider to arrange final meter readings and billing period closures.

Most will require around three to four business days’ notice to close and finalise an account. Also provide them with your new address so they can send any final bills.

Remember to keep gas and electricity connected until you have finished all the cleaning – you don’t want to get stuck trying to clean without hot water or electricity.

Take the time to shop around for a great value deal for your new home and make sure you have a copy of your latest bill handy so you can easily compare prices.

Happy with your current provider?

If you’ve compared other offers and decided that you are happy with your current provider, you can contact them to arrange gas and electricity to be connected in your new home.

Again, they’ll normally need three to four days’ notice although many providers do offer same-day connection if you are in a hurry.

Switching to a better offer?

If you have decided to go with a new provider at your new property, make sure your current provider understands you’re finalising your account rather than transferring it to your new home.

Contact your new provider and advise them of the date you would like the energy to be connected to make sure you aren’t left stranded without hot water, heating or lighting when you move in.

However, if you’d prefer to spend your time arranging the feng shui of your new home and not on the phone to different energy companies, you can speak to an energy expert at iSelect.

iSelect’s team of experts can do all the hard work for you and find you an energy plan that suits your needs and budget from their range of available providers and plans, allowing you time to focus on the more important things when it comes to moving house.

DISCLAIMER: iSelect does not compare all energy providers or plans in the market. The availability of plans will change from time to time. Not all plans available from our providers are compared by iSelect and due to commercial arrangements or service availability, not all products compared by iSelect will be available to all customer. Some plans and special offers are available only from our call centre. Other plans are available only from our website. Energy plans are available only for properties located in eligible areas of Victoria, New South Wales, South East Queensland, South Australia and ACT. Visit iSelect.com.au to view our range of providers.