Moving house is one of the most stressful things you’ll ever do. Between packing, booking vans and trying to remember which box has the kettle in it, energy admin is often the last thing on people’s minds. But skipping it can cost you money, leave you without supply, or worse, put your family at risk in a property with unsafe meters and appliances.
This UK moving house checklist covers everything you need to do, from a few weeks before moving out to your first days in the new place – including the energy safety admin most moving home guides skip.
Follow this guide to help ensure you’ve covered the key legal, financial and above all, safety considerations.
Here's the full checklist at a glance, then the detail on each step below.
Before You Move
- Notify your current supplier, at least 48 hours before, ideally 1 to 2 weeks, and provide a forwarding address before you leave.
- Take a final meter reading the day you hand over the keys.
- Close your account when moving out and await your final bill.
When You Move In
- Find all meters and take meter readings, day one.
- Check meters for signs of tampering, day one.
- Identify who supplies the property, day one to first week.
- Check the meter type, smart, prepayment or standard, day one.
Energy Safety Checks
- Locate the consumer unit, day one.
- Locate the gas Emergency Control Valve and check for leaks, day one.
- Test smoke alarms and CO detectors, day one.
- Check the boiler and gas appliances, day one.
- Homeowners, book a gas safety check and EICR, first week, if certificates not already provided by the seller.
- Know your reporting routes if you suspect meter tampering.
Who to Inform
- Register or switch energy supplier, day one to first week.
- Cancel existing and set up new Council Tax, first week.
- DVLA, HMRC, DWP, electoral roll, TV licence, banks, insurers, GP, early on.
If You're Renting
- Confirm you’ve received the Gas Safety Certificate, before or at move-in.
- Confirm you’ve received the EICR, before or at move-in.
- Know your rights, including switching, billing, meter safety and access, and energy-saving improvements.
Before You Move: Energy Admin to Sort
There are a few things to do when moving house before the van even arrives.
Getting this right before moving day means less chasing, fewer disputed bills and no nasty surprises from your old supplier.
Notify Your Current Energy Supplier
You need to know who to inform when moving house.
When you have your moving home date, aim to give your energy supplier at least 48 hours’ notice before you leave, though a week or two is better. This gives them ample time to process your request and ensures a smooth handover.
Let your energy supplier know the date you’re moving home, and your new address so they can prepare your final bill. You can usually do this online, by phone or through your supplier’s app.
If you’re on a fixed tariff, it’s worth checking whether your supplier will let you carry it to your new address. Some do, some don’t, and if you have more than 49 days left on a fixed deal and choose not to transfer it, your supplier may charge an early exit fee.
Take a Final Meter Reading on Moving Out Day
You need to take a meter reading when moving house.
Before you hand over the keys, photograph every meter: gas, electricity, and water if applicable. Make a note of the readings and submit them to your supplier the same day.
This is your protection against being billed for energy the new occupants use after you leave. A timestamped photo on your phone is all the evidence you need if there's ever a dispute.
If you have a smart meter, your supplier should receive readings automatically, but taking a manual photo as backup is still a sensible precaution.
Close Your Account and Pay Any Final Bill
When moving house, don’t forget about bills. Your old supplier must send your final bill within 6 weeks of you moving out.
If you’ve been overcharged or are in credit, they must refund you within 10 working days of issuing that final bill. If they miss either deadline, you may be owed compensation under Ofgem’s Guaranteed Standards. Citizens Advice offers guidance on what to do if you think your previous supplier owes your money.
When You Move In: Immediate Energy Checks
This part of the moving house checklist covers what to do the moment you get the keys, the first few things that take minutes but can save you significant hassle.
Follow this new home checklist and do these on day one to protect yourself legally and financially.
Find the Meter(s) and Take a Reading Straight Away
Before anything else, locate all the meters in the property and photograph the readings. Submit them to the property's existing energy supplier as soon as possible. This is the single most important thing you can do to protect yourself from being billed for someone else's usage.
Meters can be in a few different places depending on the property type:
- In houses, look in the kitchen, under the stairs, in a hallway cupboard, or outside in a white meter box on the wall.
- In flats, meters are often in a communal area on the ground floor, labelled by flat number. If yours isn't labelled, ask your landlord or property agent.
- If you still can't find it, ask your landlord or estate agent.
Check the Meter for Signs of Tampering
Moving into a property with a tampered meter is more common than most people think. Energy theft costs the UK an estimated £1.4 billion every year. If someone has interfered with the meter at your new property, you could unknowingly be living with dangerous wiring or a compromised gas supply. Don't assume it's someone else's problem to spot.
As an essential part of the new home checklist, look for the tell-tale signs of illegal meter connections and bypassing of a meter:
On the meter:
- Numbers not visible, not moving, or running backwards.
- Loose wires or unusual wiring.
- Burn or scorch marks on the meter casing.
- Sparks coming from the meter or wiring.
- Crackling or hissing noises around the meter.
- Wires that don’t lead back to the fuse board or trip switch panel.
- Pipes that have been bypassed, or look out of place, or the use of rubber tubing.
- The smell of gas around the meter.
- Signs of overheating such as smoke, burning smells or leaking bitumen.
In your new home:
- Sparks from multiple sockets and switches.
- Electric shocks from multiple appliances, taps, the bath or shower.
- Meters locked away.
- The smell of gas.
- A prepayment meter that doesn’t need topping up.
- Gas flames that are bigger than you would expect.
If you spot anything suspicious, do not touch the meter. Contact the existing supplier of the new property. If you think there is a gas leak, leave the property immediately and call the National Gas Emergency number on 0800 111 999.
Identify Your New Energy Supplier
The property will have an existing energy supplier. Until you agree a contract for a particular tariff or switch energy supplier, you'll be on what's called a deemed contract, which typically sits on a standard variable tariff. You're not locked in, and you can switch at any time without paying an exit fee.
To find out who supplies the property:
- Check any post addressed to "The Occupier" left at the property.
- Ask your solicitor or estate agent, or check the TA6 form from the sellers.
For gas, use the Find My Supplier tool at findmysupplier.energy or call the Meter Point Administration Service on 0870 608 1524 (calls charged at 7p per minute plus your network access charge).
For electricity, use the Energy Networks Association postcode search to find your network operator, who can then confirm your supplier.
Once you know who supplies the property, you don't have to stay with them. Moving house is one of the best moments to compare tariffs. There are no exit fees on a deemed contract, and with Ofgem's current rules, a switch typically takes around five working days to complete.
Check the Meter Type – Smart, Prepayment, or Standard?
Knowing what type of meter you've inherited matters. A smart meter sends readings to your supplier automatically. A standard credit meter means you'll need to submit readings manually. A prepayment meter means you pay for energy in advance, usually via a key or card.
If you've moved into a property with a prepayment meter and would prefer a credit meter (or vice versa), contact the supplier to discuss your options. If you're moving from a property with a smart credit meter to one with a prepayment meter, your existing fixed tariff may not transfer, so check with your supplier before assuming continuity.
Our guide tells you everything you need to know about smart meters in 2026.
Energy Safety Checks for Your New Home
You need to carry out energy checks when moving house.
These energy checks get overlooked in the chaos of moving day, but they're one of the most important things to do, especially in older properties or rentals. An unfamiliar property means unfamiliar risks. Give yourself an hour on the first day to go through these properly.
Locate the Consumer Unit (Fuse Box)
Your consumer unit, more commonly called the fuse box, controls the electricity supply to the whole property. Find it on day one. It's usually in a hallway, under the stairs, in a cupboard, or in a garage.
If a circuit trips, this is where you'll reset it, and if you ever need to cut the power completely, for example if you spot exposed wiring or a shock hazard, this is where you isolate the supply. Most consumer units are labelled by circuit, so take a moment to check which switch controls which room, rather than guessing in the dark if something goes wrong.
Locate the Emergency Control Valve and Check for Leaks
The gas Emergency Control Valve (ECV) lets you shut off your entire gas supply in an emergency. Find it on your first day so you're not searching for it in a panic.
In newer homes, it's usually in the external meter box. In older properties, try under the stairs, beneath the kitchen sink or in a garage. The valve itself typically has a yellow or red handle. To close it in an emergency, turn the handle so it sits at 90 degrees to the pipe.
Natural gas is odourless in its raw form, so energy suppliers add mercaptan, a harmless chemical that produces the distinctive rotten egg smell you associate with a gas leak. If you notice that smell anywhere in the property, treat it as an emergency.
Carbon monoxide (CO), which can be produced by faulty gas appliances, has no smell at all, which is why CO alarms are essential for every home. Symptoms of CO poisoning include:
- nausea or sickness
- dizziness
- drowsiness, tiredness and general lethargy
- headaches that worsen over time
- impaired mental ability and confusion
- chest or stomach pains
- shortness of breath and difficulty breathing
- pink skin and bright red lips in severe poisoning cases
Over 40 people in the UK die every year from carbon monoxide poisoning, and many more suffer long-term organ damage. A detector is a vital bit of kit to protect you and your family against this risk.
If you suspect a gas leak, go outside into fresh air immediately, open doors and windows if it is safe to do so, and call 0800 111 999 immediately. Turn off the gas at the emergency valve, unless the meter is in a basement or at the LPG bulk tank or storage vessels. Don’t turn any power or light switches on or off, use any appliances that could cause a spark, or light any sort of flame.
Do not re-enter the property until a Gas Safe registered engineer has confirmed it is safe.
Check Smoke Alarms and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
If your home has any gas appliance, a carbon monoxide detector is a must. Around 85% of UK homes use gas, so the odds are, yours does too.
Carbon monoxide is a risk you need to be aware of. It has no smell, no colour and no warning signs of its own. It's only produced when gas doesn't burn properly, usually because an appliance is faulty, poorly maintained or is not receiving gas at the correct pressure. A detector is the only thing standing between you and a build-up you'd otherwise have no way of noticing until it's already made you ill.
Test every alarm in the property on day one. For smoke alarms, press and hold the ‘Test/Hush’ button for 5-10 seconds until the alarm sounds loudly. This tells you it is working correctly.
For CO alarms, press and hold the ‘Test/Reset’ button for 5-10 seconds. The alarm should emit a loud, rapid sequence of beeps, usually 4 to 6 times, and flash its indicator lights, confirming it is working properly.
Replace the batteries if needed, and test all alarms in your home at least once a month.
If you're renting, your landlord has legal obligations here. Under the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022, which apply in England, landlords must:
- Install at least one working smoke alarm on every storey which contains a room being used as living accommodation, including bathrooms and toilets.
- Install a carbon monoxide detector in any room used as living accommodation – including hallways and landings – that contains a fixed combustion appliance, such as a gas boiler or log-burning stove (gas cookers are excluded from this requirement).
- Repair or replace any alarm that you report as faulty.
Local authorities enforce these rules and can fine landlords up to £5,000 for non-compliance. If your rented property is missing required alarms, tell your landlord in writing. If they refuse to act, contact your local council's environmental health team.
Scotland and Wales have similarly robust requirements for smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, under the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 (Tolerable Standard) as amended, and the Renting for Home (Fitness for Human Habitation) (Wales) Regulations 2022.
If you own the property, the same standards are a sensible baseline.
When buying alarms, look for the British Standard Kitemark, and check CO alarms meet BS EN 50291. If anyone in your household is elderly, disabled, or on a low income, your local Fire and Rescue Service may offer a free Home Fire Safety Assessment, including free alarms. Check their website to apply.
Check the Boiler and Gas Appliances
A visual check takes minutes and can flag problems before they escalate. Look for:
- yellow or orange flames instead of a strong blue one on gas hobs or fires
- black marks or sooty staining around a burner or appliance
- excessive condensation near gas appliances
- pilot lights that keep going out
- the boiler pressure gauge sitting outside the 1 to 1.5 bar range when the heating is off
If anything looks off, do not use the appliance. Call a Gas Safe registered engineer to check it. You can check an engineer's credentials at GasSafeRegister.co.uk before letting anyone into your home to work on gas appliances.
Never attempt to fit, fix or move gas appliances such as boilers, cookers or fires yourself, as you could cause a leak or something worse.
If you're buying the property, ask the sellers or estate agent for a recent Gas Safety Certificate. If you’re renting, landlords have an obligation to provide a valid Gas Safety Certificate.
Homeowners: Book a Gas Safety Check and EICR
Neither a gas safety check nor an EICR is a legal requirement if you own your home, but both are strongly recommended when you move into a property you don't know the history of.
A Gas Safe registered engineer can confirm your appliances, boiler and flues are working safely, and an Electrical Installation Condition Report gives you a professional assessment of the wiring and consumer unit. If the sellers or estate agents haven’t provided you with up to date certificates, booking both in your first few weeks means any hidden issues, such as an ageing boiler or faulty wiring get caught early rather than discovered the hard way.
Who to Inform When You Move House
Energy suppliers are just one of many organisations to notify. Here's the full checklist of everyone else who needs to know you've moved house.
Energy Suppliers: Old and New
Tell your old supplier you've left, with a final meter reading. Register with the existing supplier at your new address, even if you plan to switch to a different one. There's no exit fee to worry about on a deemed contract, as covered above.
Council Tax, DVLA, and Other Essentials
Contact your local council to cancel your existing Council Tax and set up at your new address. You'll need your account number, moving date and new address. They'll send you a final bill, and you may be owed a refund if you were paying in credit, or need to clear any outstanding balance. Find your local council here.
It's also worth checking your new property is in the right council tax band, since valuations can be decades out of date. If neighbouring properties of a similar size are in a lower band, it's worth investigating.
You'll also need to update your address with:
- DVLA, for both your driving licence and vehicle registration (do this after the move, as you may need your current licence for van hire)
- HMRC, especially if you receive any tax credits or benefits
- Department for Work and Pensions, if applicable
- the electoral roll, so you remain registered to vote at your new address
- TV Licensing, to transfer your licence to the new address
- banks and credit card companies
- car and home insurance providers
- investment accounts and pension providers
- broadband, mobile, and TV subscription providers
- your local GP
Moving Into a Rented Property: Your Extra Checks
Renters have additional rights around energy that homeowners don’t face. Here's what to check and what you're entitled to ask for.
Ask Your Landlord for the Gas Safety Certificate
Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, your landlord must provide you with a copy of the current Gas Safety Certificate (commonly called a CP12) before you move in. This is a legal requirement. The certificate confirms that all gas appliances, fittings and flues in the property have been checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer within the past twelve months.
If you move in and a new annual check is subsequently completed while you're living there, your landlord has 28 days from the date of that check to give you the updated certificate.
If your landlord cannot produce a valid certificate, put your request in writing. If they still fail to provide one, you can report them to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or your local council's environmental health team.
Ask Your Landlord for the EICR
Landlords must have an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) carried out at least every five years by a qualified person. You're entitled to a copy within 28 days of the test if you're an existing tenant, before you move in if you're new, or within 28 days of asking for it if you're a prospective tenant.
If your landlord can't produce a current EICR, request it in writing.
What to Do If You Suspect the Meter Has Been Tampered With
If you see any of the signs listed in the meter tampering section above, do not touch the meter. Do not attempt to investigate yourself.
If you smell gas or think there is a gas leak call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 immediately. If you see any sparking or smell any burning at the electricity meter or main fuse, call your electricity networks emergency number 105.
Who you contact next depends on who is responsible for paying the bill. If you suspect your landlord has tampered with the meter and your bills are included in your rent, report it anonymously through Stay Energy Safe on 0800 023 2777 or via the online form.
If you are responsible for paying the energy bill directly, and it looks damaged or tampered with, contact your energy supplier directly instead. They're best placed to investigate and make it safe.
Know Your Rights as a Tenant
A few things worth having on your radar:
- If your name is on the energy bill and you pay the supplier directly, you have the legal right to switch suppliers. Your landlord cannot unreasonably prevent this, though you should check whether your tenancy agreement includes any restrictions. You may also be liable for an early exit fee if you are on a fixed tariff and have more than 49 days left on your existing contract. It’s best to check with your supplier.
- If your landlord charges you directly for energy, they are legally prohibited from making a profit on it, meaning they cannot charge you more than they paid for it. You have the right to ask for evidence of the actual charges from the energy company.
- You have a legal right to a safe, accurate, and working meter. If your meter is faulty or inaccessible, you can contact your energy supplier directly without your landlord's permission.
- In England and Wales, tenants have a legal right to request consent from their landlord to install energy-saving improvements. Landlords cannot unreasonably refuse, provided the tenant is securing funds to cover the cost.
There's a lot to consider, but work through this moving house checklist properly and you'll know exactly what to do when moving house, from your first meter reading to your last box unpacked. Get your energy safety checks right on day one, and everything else falls into place.