Moving home - a question re supplies

GustyGardenGalaxy

Out of interest, when moving home from 'a' to 'b' I assume that the usual procedure is as follows:

a) Both homeowners notify the gas and electric companies the date that they are moving

b) The companies amend their records accordingly and billing commences from the new date.

Are the gas and electricity supplies EVER terminated during the process, even briefly? For example, when the owners notify the suppliers that they are moving, would supplies ever be terminated from that date and then recommenced if the billing is, for example, being handled by another supplier?

I'm asking this for the benefit of my mother who is only moving half a dozen miles. She is moving from a house to a bungalow (no landlord, no mortgage, etc). The gas and electric in the bungalow that she is moving to is handled by one supplier (Southern Electric) and her current house is handled by Atlantic Electric and Gas.

Thanks

keith1950

Although you could just read the meter yourself I would recommend arranging for a meter reader to call on the day you move out/in. As they usually use contract companies to read meters it could actually be the same company that would visit both houses.

Faber_2

Ideally both parties would call their supplier on the day they leave with meter readings, their forwarding address (for their final bill to be sent on) and the person moving ins name.

That would keep it very simple, although sadly doesn't happen too much (I work for an energy company). The new persons account would start on the same day and reading as the leaving person's account closes to.

Where someone wants to change their future property to their desired supplier they can call up and instigate this a few weeks before moving, although it is a good idea to let the current occupiers know this as they will get a 'sorry you're leaving' letter from their supplier!! The change of supply process takes 4-8 weeks so is in no way instant and the person in their new property can expect a final bill from the previous person's supplier before getting billed by their chosen supplier.

Companies should still be able to do a 'change of tenancy' on an account marked for change of supply, my company certainly do and it is important this is handled correctly by the customer.

In some cases those moving out expect the people moving in to ring the supplier on the day they arrive to give a reading and a forwarding address for the those that have left. This can go wrong if someone has applied to change supplier and doesn't realise it takes a number of weeks so the previous occupier ends up receiving a bill that covers usage a number of weeks, or months, since they left the property!!

GustyGardenGalaxy

Thanks for those useful pieces of information.

In this case, given that my mother is with Atlantic Electric and Gas in her existing house, should she stay with them or move over to Southern Electric (who currently provide electric and gas to the bungalow that she hopes to move to)?

Which is the simplest and easiest route to take and least likely to cause my mother any problems?

Also, would the electric or gas supply be terminated in any property at any time during a move, even temporarily?

macman

No it is not terminated. The change of supplier is simply a billing change-your electricity still comes from the same DNO, regardless of supplier.
If the supply were disconnected, then the new occupier would have to pay for a reconnection.
There's no point in her switching supplier at her existing address. She will be in a deemed contract with SE at the new address from the date of entry, and as soon as she has reg'd with them on day one she can commence a switch if she wishes to, which will take 4-5 weeks.

t0rt0ise

To put it simply. She needs to call her old supplier (Atlantic) at the old house with a final meter reading, then call the current supplier (Southern Electric) at the new house with a start reading and give her details. Don't rely on the previous occupier doing anything as they often don't. After she's in and signed up she can look around and see if she wants to change suppliers or tariffs.

Don't forget to do the same for water, especially if she's on a water meter.