First time buyer - energy confusion

Pebbles75

Hi 
Son is buying his 1st home. Completes tomorrow. 
Its a repossession property and empty. All water etc is turned off.
He needs to get it all reinstated.
2 questions
Is he able to choose any energy supplier? Will thry turn it all back on for him.
Also as a 1st time buyer should he just get a variable rate for now to fix straight away? I can't remember it's been years since I bought my 1st home! 
Thanks 

la531983

He needs to find out who the current supplier is, register with them first, and take it from there.

Make sure he takes photos of the meters with the readings on them as soon as he gets through the door.

WiserMiser

Don't rely on meter readings taken by the agent or vendor, read the meters yourself (including water, if fitted), take photos and send the readings to the incumbent supplier(s).

Make sure the gas reading is m3 or (100s) ft3, not kWh.

Scot_39

Pebbles75 said:

Hi 
Son is buying his 1st home. Completes tomorrow. 
Its a repossession property and empty. All water etc is turned off.
He needs to get it all reinstated.
2 questions
Is he able to choose any energy supplier? Will thry turn it all back on for him.
Also as a 1st time buyer should he just get a variable rate for now to fix straight away? I can't remember it's been years since I bought my 1st home! 
Thanks 

Is it turned off by owner - at internal - or actually disconnected by suppliers DNO / GDO for electric / gas in the extreme case ?

Use the postcode to search for current suppliers if any - see links for gas / electric on Ofgem below.  

Assuming their are meters in the property - someone will be liable for the standing charges - and there will be a deemed supplier who owns the supply.  You have to register with them first - before can move to supplier of choice.

So make sure he is aware of the date he became responsible and takes a full set of readings (ideally digital photos - and keeps them - for upto 6 years)  - remember all modern homes and around 50% of total have metered water these days so when contact local water company ask if metered and track that down - inside or out)

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/find-your-energy-supplier

Theres no real rush to fix - the savings over few weeks or even month or two whilst sort out other issues - are normally small.  

There are likely to be far higher priorities in a reposessed property - depending on the reasons (redecoration, no regular maintenance, dampness if left unhet etc etc).