Please help! Totally confused re: utilities

Bibbitybob

Morning all!

I received a call yesterday to say that I'm completing on the flat I'm buying next Friday :eek:

I want to set about starting to sort the utilities out but I'm getting myself into a right pickle now and wondered if someone would be able to help me make sense of it all.

Firstly - we are with Pipex on a BT line in the current house. I want to take the phone number with me and my ex (who is staying in this house) wants to change from Pipex to TalkTalk. I'm assuming we need to call BT and ask for the number to be transferred and a new number for this place, then the rest is just a case of leaving Pipex and starting a new contract elsewhere?

Secondly....Gas & Electric. My flat currently has a card meter because it was a rented property. I'd like to have this removed, but I'd also like to shop around for the best deal online. Is this possible? Or will I need to ring whichever company and ask them to remove the meter and then take whichever tarrif I can get over the phone? Can I do this before I move? Will I need to call the flat's current provider with readings or does the meter negate the need for this?

Sorry for all the questions, I'm just getting myself into a right pickle trying to work it all out. Hope someone can help

beecher

Can't help you with much but the first thing I'd do is find out what kind of contract you have with Pipex and how much notice you have to give them - it is likely to be 30 days. If you're taking the number and the Pipex account with you to the new place it'd be more straightforward I think.

http://bbs.adslguide.org.uk/postlist.php?Cat=&Board=pipex

is a good place to get more information on it.

There's a utilities section of the forum which might be more helpful with your other query - you might get more help there as your questions aren't really about mortgages.

Bibbitybob

Thanks for your reply - there's not a chance in hell I'm taking the Pipex account with me though, they've been a nightmare for the last 2 years! That account is in my ex's name anyway, so as far as I'm concerned that's more for him to deal with.

Didn't think to post in utilities, will do that now, thanks.

beecher

Bibbitybob wrote: »

Thanks for your reply - there's not a chance in hell I'm taking the Pipex account with me though, they've been a nightmare for the last 2 years! That account is in my ex's name anyway, so as far as I'm concerned that's more for him to deal with.

I suppose it'd be more straightforward to leave him the number as well - is that a possibility for you? I don't think you'd be able to port the number while it has an ADSL account on it in a different name, so you'd have to wait for at least 30 days to get the line free again.

poppysarah

Why so keen to take the number? I'd leave it. start afresh with it all.

Bibbitybob

Sorry, I should have said - the number is my business number and it'll be easier/cheaper to move the number than to change all my advertising!

poppysarah

Bibbitybob wrote: »

Sorry, I should have said - the number is my business number and it'll be easier/cheaper to move the number than to change all my advertising!

I bet after BT spend three weeks chasing it to be moved over, 5 weeks for broadband to be put on you'll be thinking it wasn't.

Good luck with it. They either go smoothly or not at all though.