Tips and Tricks for Transferring Utilities When You Move

It seems like there are a million little things you have to do when you move, so anything that will save time or make your life easier when it comes to transferring your utilities can be a big help. The following tips and tricks will not only help you get the job done faster and save you trouble, but some of them will even lower your utility bills in the process.

Disconnection: Out with the Old

• Go online or call the utility companies two to four weeks before you move to give them your disconnection date, and then check back with them several days before shut-off to make sure all the details are correct. Confirming that the utility company hasn’t made a clerical error could potentially save you a lot of heartache on moving day.
• Arrange to have your gas, telephone, cable or satellite, internet, home security system and electricity turned off on the day after you move. That will ensure you’re not moving in the dark and that you’ll have access to all the services until you lock the front door for the last time.
• Confirm whether you’re entitled to refunds for any of your utilities. This step alone can help lead to a lower utility bill — at least for the last one. If there are no refunds due you, ask whether there is an unpaid balance or disconnection fee so you don’t get a surprise bill after you’ve moved.
• Keep copies of your last utility bill and any notes about disconnection in a place where you can find them easily should something go wrong during the move.

Establishing Service: In with the New

• While you’re setting up new service, it’s a good time to consider new types of services that will lower your utility bills. For example, if you had traditional cable service, see if satellite TV will save you money or vice versa. The same goes for internet, home security system and phone service. There may be more options today than there were the last time you moved, so it pays to do some research to see which is best for your situation and location. The Internet makes it easy to lower utility bills because everything can be compared online. In fact, the process will actually make transferring some of your utilities even easier.
• As with disconnection, it’s a good idea to schedule the utilities in your new home two to four weeks before you move, and then confirm with them several days before they need to be turned on.
• Factor set-up fees into your overall utility bill, so you can calculate the total cost to move. If you’re able to lower your utility bills by getting short-term discounts, make sure to determine what the monthly amount will be when the bill inevitably goes up. That will give you the true picture of how affordable the service is.