First home - advice please

jessielicious

BF and I are just about to move into our first home. Do we have to set up gas & electric with whoever the previous owners had first before switching to the cheapest supplier, or can we get connected straight away with the cheapest? Similarly with the phone (although I know that's a different board), do we have to be connected by BT first and then change? Help, I've never done this before!

dave_dph

jessielicious wrote:

BF and I are just about to move into our first home. Do we have to set up gas & electric with whoever the previous owners had first before switching to the cheapest supplier, or can we get connected straight away with the cheapest? Similarly with the phone (although I know that's a different board), do we have to be connected by BT first and then change? Help, I've never done this before!

For your gas and electric you will have to register with the existing suppliers first of all. Once you have registered as the new occupant you can apply to switch to new suppliers of your choice.

Once again you will have to register with BT (unless you are going with cable) and enter a three months line rental contract (as long as a previous owner had a BT line). You can use other providers for your calls though during this time, including carrier pre-select providers.

Gal

It would be adviseable to take readings contact the existing suppliers with them so your not overcharged by any estimated start readings then swap supplier once you have it setup. At most you will be with them for 6 weeks. You will recieve a final bill that you will have to pay but after that you will then be with the supplier of your choice.

Norbert_Colon

I'm in a similar situation, and my existing electric supplier have told me that they can supply me at the new place from as soon as I move in, provided they have 3 weeks' notice.

In fact I'm a bit sceptical about whether that will actually be possible.

Phone-wise I'm told that I can have my existing line rental supplier at the new address without signing up with BT first, provided there is a phone line already installed, which there is.

I'm more confident about the phone position than the electric one.

Gal

Depends on the situation regarding the registration process. I mean the company I work for the range goes from 2 weeks (fastest registration I have seen) to 6 weeks which was more down to the original supplier not providing details of the meters in the property. The existing supplier can make it very hard if they want to.