Moving home is an exciting, yet daunting experience. Especially if you’re on a tight timeline or relocating across the country. Whether you're moving into your first home or you’ve moved around multiple times it’s easy to lose track of energy bills in the excitement of packing, moving and settling in.
To ensure you hit the ground running, here’s everything you need to know about your energy bills when it comes to renting.
The importance of setting up your energy bills promptly.
Taking the time to organise your energy bills early is a move you’ll certainly be grateful for taking. Setting up an account and Direct Debit with us means you’ll be on top of your payments and costs, so you can avoid potential late fees.
Understanding how much you need to pay for your energy, and when, means it’s easier to draw a clear picture of your monthly finances, allowing you to budget and avoid unexpected financial strains.
Key steps to get started with your gas and electricity bills.
Maybe you’re new to renting, or perhaps you’ve never had to pay for your energy (some people choose to have an all inclusive bill package, or their landlord pays for the energy).
Not to worry, we've outlined some key steps to get you started:
Taking opening meter readings.
Once you move into your new home it’s a great idea to take a photo of the energy meters at the property. More often than not there will be separate electricity and gas meters. However some homes run exclusively on electricity.
Sometimes the location of your meter(s) can be a little tricky to find, so if it’s not obvious try checking locations such as under the stairs, cupboards throughout the house and communal locations you may share with other tenants.
If you still can’t find your meter, photos and details of the meters in your tenancy agreement.
You’ve found the meter(s) and it looks like a smart meter? Great! The beauty of a smart meter is that it will send us your reading automatically, but in this instance make sure you snap a picture. There’s no need to worry if the meter(s) aren’t smart as we can get them installed at a later date. This time you’ll just have to take a meter reading yourself.
Once you’ve got a picture or you’ve written down your opening meter readings we can make sure that you are being charged only for the energy that you're responsible for - not the previous tenant’s energy.
What happens if I’m moving into a house with a prepayment meter?
If your new home has a prepayment meter you should contact the energy company that supplies the property as soon as possible. Let them know that you are moving in and when to ensure that you don’t get any additional charges for debt the previous owner owed.
If you have to put money in the meter before you’re able to let them know, make sure to mention this. As long as you can provide proof of your move in date they will be able to refund any additional charges that you had to pay.
For advice on how to top up and other handy tips check out our guide to prepayment meters.
You don’t need your landlord's permission to change the meter, so if you want to switch to a credit or Smart Pay As You Go (SPAYG) meter you can. In most cases you’ll need to pass a credit check with your supplier to change from a prepayment meter to a SPAYG or credit meter but if you fail the credit check you can request to put down a security deposit instead (at your supplier's discretion).
Contacting your energy supplier.
The next step is a crucial one, as there’s not really much point taking your opening meter reading if you don’t know what to do with it next.
Once you’ve got your reading, you need to contact your energy supplier. There’s no need to worry if you aren’t sure which company supplies your energy, all you need to do is ask your landlord. However if you’re still unsure it’s free to check online.
To find out who your electricity supplier is, you can call your local electricity distribution company. You can find out your local electricity distribution company online.
To find your gas supplier, you need to talk to the Meter Point Administration Service, either by using their online Find My Supplier search tool or calling them on 0870 608 1524.
If we already supply your energy that’s great, one of our friendly Energy Specialists can take you through the next steps and get an account set up for you.
Switching to E.ON Next.
Once you’ve figured out who your energy supplier is you may decide you want to switch (if you aren’t already supplied by us).
The good news is it’s really easy to switch suppliers, so if you want to join us you can in as little as one working day. There’s just a few things you can do to make the process as quick and easy as possible.
Find out how much energy you use. The easiest way to find out your annual energy use is by checking your closing energy bill from your previous property.
Head online and get a quote, and follow the simple steps.
Tips for managing your energy bills.
Effectively managing your energy bills is really important for a number of reasons, one being to keep track of all your payments and minimise the chance of getting an unexpected financial surprise such as a big bill.
There are lots of things you can do to keep your energy costs under control.
Budgeting for utility costs.
Creating a realistic budget for your energy costs is a great way to manage your household finances effectively and proactively. First you must understand your energy bill, and ask yourself questions like:
Am I on the right tariff?
Are the costs and standing charges adding up?
Once you’ve got to grips with your bill you can get a clear picture of your typical consumption, so you know exactly how much you need to pay. Or if your payment needs to change.
Monitoring usage and costs.
Taking a reading doesn’t just stop when you move in, you should continue to take monthly readings to help you manage the amount of energy you're using and see if you want to change your energy habits.
As mentioned previously, getting a smart meter means you won’t have to manually submit your reading. You’ll also have access to an in-home display (IHD) and app meaning you can track and change your spending easier and more efficiently.
Setting up Direct Debits.
Paying for your energy via Direct Debit (DD) isn’t just an efficient way to ensure you make your payments on time. It also means that you’ll be able to budget and control your finances easier. Predictable monthly payments give you an overview of how much you’ll have left after you’ve paid your energy costs.
Energy saving tips.
We’ve got loads of energy saving advice to help you get a better understanding of your energy costs and what you can do to keep them down, especially when renting.
Moving home comes with it’s fair share of challenges, but setting up and managing your energy bill doesn’t have to be one of them. Get a quote today and unlock a world of easier energy bill management.
If you need any more support contact us (we’re available from 8am-10pm, 7 days a week).