How to Transfer Utilities to Your New Apartment

The utilities in your apartment are the unspoken hero that makes your life go. If you’re moving and planning to transfer utilities to a new address there are a few steps you need to take to ensure your utilities are all sorted out once you’re settled into your new home

Transfer utilities or change utilities?

It’s easy to get these two confused. If you are staying in the same area and keeping the same utility providers, transferring utilities over to the new apartment shouldn’t be too difficult. If you're making a long distance move to a new state or cross country, you’ll need to seek out new providers. Your new landlord should be able to point you in the right direction. If switching providers, make sure to keep records of payment and the contact information from your previous providers.

To learn how to transfer utilities from one address to another, follow the steps below.

How to Transfer Utilities in 4 Steps

1. Make a list

Write out a list of everything that you are paying for at your current apartment. Keep a record of the name of the provider, their contact information, and your account numbers. Also, taking note of how much you are paying for each utility is also a good practice and will help with budgeting out your new apartment. This is also the perfect time to take a step back and look at what you're paying for. Are you really getting your money’s worth paying for the premium cable package? Evaluate if the costs are worth the benefit for each of your utilities.

There also may be some utilities that you are not responsible for paying in your current apartment that you may be in charge of covering in the new apartment. It’s common for landlords to cover things like water and sewage. If you are personally responsible for getting water and sewage up and running at your new home, you will have to go through the city or county to do so.

Be sure to check with your new landlord and check your lease details to see what you will be personally covering and what is included in your rent. Your landlord should also be able to give you a good estimate of how much your total utility bill is going to be. If you need something to help keep track of utility costs, check out our apartment checklist.

2. Give notice

Before you move out, get in touch with your providers ahead of time. The most important step to transfer utilities is this quick phone call. So be proactive and get it done as soon as possible. This will make the process easier for both parties, so try to contact within two weeks of moving out at the earliest. Let them know of your move out date and pay off your remaining balances. When giving notice of the move, give them your new address and your move-in date. Ask them to have your current utilities turned off one day after you move out of your old apartment, and turned on one day before you move into your new apartment.

3. Pay off bills

Make sure to pay off the final balances of any bills due in your old apartment before you move out. Call and ask to see if you have any outstanding balances. Unpaid bills could hurt your credit score, so double check. Make sure the utility companies have a forwarding address in case anything else comes up.

4. Conduct meter readings

Before moving out, make sure to conduct a final meter reading (if applicable). This can be helpful for your personal records in case any disputes or billing issues arise. Return any additional equipment you needed for cable or internet service and turn off everything before leaving if instructed to do so.

Once you are moved in and your utilities are activated, take a quick scan. Make sure everything is running well and there are no issues with any of your appliances. Take care of any issues as soon as possible so you can start enjoying your new home.