Buying a flat - utilities

krajab

Hope some of you can give me a few tips on this.

I'm completing on a flat soon, along with my wife. I have the details of the vendors' current utilities providers. Is it best for me to call them up and have them switched to my name? It would seem obvious that I should just shop around for the best deals, but I want things to go smoothly and I'm not sure which providers supply which areas.

At the moment they have:
electricity: EDF
gas: Powergen
water: Thames Water
telephone: Talk Talk

I'm guessing I should just call those up and have them switch things to my name. The other thing is, we don't need a landline now. Eventually we'll have one for broadband, but should I just let it get disconnected, or is it best to keep one connected to save on reconnection fees?

Sorry if these are all really obvious questions; haven't been in the UK for long and this is our first place we're buying here!

Internet cookie in advance for whoever answers

G_M

Shop around for your preferred supplier, then call them!

If you will want the BB in the near future, keep the line.

clutton_2

i think you have to register with the current suppliers in your name before you can change to someone else - switching takes a few weeks.....

you will need to read the gas and electricity meters on the day you move in and phone EDF and Powergen and give them the numbers you have read so that they can start your new supply at the correct numbers....

Fire_Fox

You should run a search, we have had the same query many times before. Have you read the articles on the main MSE site about cheapest suppliers, switching and cashback?

You can't just switch an account to your name, the old account will be closed by the vendor and then you will need to open a new account when you take ownership of the property. You will have to open a new account with the same energy provider ('deemed contract') and can then switch at your leisure, water you are stuck with as there is only one company in each area; be sure to ask the energy supplier to be taken off the standard (expensive) tariff immediately.

Phone and broadband you can sign up to whomever you wish on your first day. I can recommend PlusNet for phone and broadband - good service and cheap with it, plus cashback available. The line will probably not get disconnected only the contract, so there will be a dialling tone but you won't be able to make outgoing calls. If you have a dialling tone you won't need to pay a reconnection charge, you can dial 17070 to find out what the line number is and use that to reconnect for free.
http://www.broadbandchecker.co.uk/

krajab

Thanks very much Fire Fox, that's exactly what I was looking for.

I tried a search but my search terms were a bit...awkward so apologies if you're repeating what you've said 50 times before.