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How to connect electricity to a new home
Step 1: Check for any exit fees on your existing energy plan
Check your current electricity or gas plan for exit fees if you plan on switching providers during the move.
This information can be found on a plan’s energy fact sheet. On the results page of Canstar’s energy comparison platform, you can access this sheet by clicking on the ‘basic plan information’ prompt under each plan.
Step 2: Inform your existing provider of your moving-out date
Notify your current provider as early as possible before moving. You can set up a new connection up to 90 days earlier. Doing this ensures your plan is transferred to your new home on time or your account can be closed on your moving date.
If you need to transfer your account into someone else’s name, contact your provider and inform them before moving.
Step 3: Compare electricity plans
Moving homes is an opportunity to compare energy plans and switch providers for a better deal. Using Canstar’s energy comparison platform, you can find some of the best electricity or gas deals for your new address.
Step 4: Ensure safe access to your meter
If possible, ensure there is clear and safe access to the meter at your new home. This will help your energy provider when they are organising a new connection to your home.
Step 5: Read your meter at your old home
Write down the meter readings at your old and new homes on the move-in and move-out dates. That way, you can tally those readings against your power bills, ensuring you aren’t being billed the wrong amount.
Connecting electricity when moving
If you’re keeping the same provider and plan
In this case you’ll need to transfer your electricity account from your current property to your new address.
- Confirm with your retailer that the new property is connected to the grid. If the property has been vacant for some time or is newly built, its power supply may have been switched off. In this case, it may take a few extra days to set up a connection, which could incur additional fees.
- If your new location is connected to the grid, give your retailer a call and share your new address and move-in date; you can also do this online through your retailer’s customer portal.
- Transferring your account information to a new rental property can typically be done in one day and generally comes with no fees.
If you’re staying with the same electricity retailer, your contract will typically carry over to your new premises.
However, if you live in Queensland (QLD), New South Wales (NSW) or Victoria (VIC), you should also check whether you’re moving to another distribution network. If you are, then your current electricity contract can’t be carried over to your new home.
If you’re switching energy providers and plans
Switching energy retailers when moving homes is fairly straightforward:
- Contact your current provider and inform them you’d like to close your account on your move-out date. You will continue to receive electricity and/or gas until your move-out date passes.
- If you’re moving from a rental property, you don’t need to disconnect the energy supply. Usually, the retailer will automatically transfer the property back to the energy account of the real estate or landlord.
- After you’ve cancelled your old plan, sign up at your new address with your new energy retailer, commencing from the date you move in.
Make sure you’ve done your research before signing up so you know which tariff and plan best match your needs.
Connecting electricity to a newly built property
If your home is newly built, it will need to be connected to the electricity grid for you to access power. This is done by:
- Submitting a connection application form to the electricity distributor servicing your area.
- The distributor will then dispatch a technician to your home to first complete the connection and later to install a meter. In most cases, the electrician, builder or contractor involved in your home’s construction can do this for you before moving in.
- Your electricity distributor may charge a connection fee, which will vary based on location, not your choice of electricity retailer. However, you’ll still need to pay for connection costs, and the process may take several business days. It is recommended to have a connection finalised days before your move-in date.
If you urgently need power, you can request a same-day connection from your provider. There can be a cut-off time for same-day connections, which is usually before midday on a weekday. If you miss your provider’s cut-off time, your connection may be pushed to the next business day.
In some circumstances, you may be eligible for an urgent connection after hours or over the weekend. Urgent connections usually incur additional fees, so it’s best not to leave your energy connections to the last minute.
Connecting electricity with solar panels
If you are moving into a house that has solar panels installed, you can switch to a solar-specific energy plan and take advantage of solar feed-in tariffs (FiTs).
Solar FiTs are a credit you receive for feeding your excess solar into the grid at times of high demand.
When comparing energy plans with solar-specific plans, a higher solar FiT could mean higher base electricity rates. Our guide on solar FiTs explores the important things to consider before committing to a solar-specific plan.
Connecting electricity when moving interstate
If you’re moving interstate, it is important to note whether the state you are moving to is regulated or deregulated.
In a regulated energy market, energy pricing and competition are controlled and set by the state’s government to protect consumers from overpaying for electricity. In a regulated energy market, you can’t choose your plan or provider.
The following states are regulated:
- Western Australia
- Northern Territory
- Regional QLD
In a deregulated energy market, residents can enjoy full retail competition and freely choose their preferred energy plans and providers.
The following states are deregulated:
- NSW
- Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
- VIC
- South Australia (SA)
- South East Queensland (QLD)
QLD, NSW and SA customers are protected by the Default Market Offer (DMO), a price cap for standing energy plans. The DMO also acts as a reference price for comparing market offers. The Victorian equivalent is the Victorian Default Offer (VDO).
If you’d like to learn more about how regulation and deregulation affect each state’s energy market, you can visit our state-based guides below:
- Compare energy NSW
- Compare energy VIC
- Compare energy QLD
- Compare energy WA
- Compare energy SA
- Compare energy NT
- Compare energy ACT
- Compare energy TAS
Connecting gas to a new house
Connecting natural gas to a new property is similar to electricity:
- You will need to confirm if you have access to natural gas at the new property. If the house is on a mains gas network but doesn’t already have the necessary piping to set up a connection, you may be able to organise one.
- Notify your natural gas retailer of your new address and required connection date. Retailers will often need between three and five days to set up a new connection – longer if you need a new meter. Natural gas connection fees vary, but can increase if work needs to be done to the property’s gas infrastructure. This is a distributor charge, meaning you can’t avoid it by switching gas retailers.
When will your new and old energy bills arrive?
Providers generally have flexible billing options, meaning you can receive monthly billing.
If you don’t opt in to this, you should receive the first bill for your new house within three months of moving.
Your old bill may only arrive weeks after being disconnected, but it will cover the final portion of the billing period before you moved.
Moving house with a utility connection service
What is a utility connection service?
A utility connection service acts as a middleman between you and the internet, electricity and gas utility companies.
These services help you compare and switch providers as part of your move and are generally a free service.
Utility connection services are opt-in only, but you can still choose to compare and switch providers on your own.
Pros and cons of using a utility connection service
Utility connection service pros:
- Conveniently connects services to make moving easier
- Allows you to see plans for different utilities in one place
- Switch plans and providers without needing to contact companies individually
- Service is free.
Utility connection service cons:
- Limited range of plans from only a handful of utility providers
- Limited disconnection services, meaning you may have to contact your current providers to disconnect utilities
- Plan prices may be higher for the service provider to receive a commission.
Moving house energy plan fees
9 energy fees to be aware of
Energy fees vary across different retailers, distribution networks and energy sources. Some customers are not charged any fees at all.
Be sure to check specific details with your energy retailer before signing up. Most hidden fees can be found on a plan’s energy fact sheet. This is called a Basic Product Information Document (BPID) in NSW, QLD and SA, and a Victorian Energy Fact Sheet (VEF) in VIC.
You can access a plan’s energy fact sheet on the results page of our comparison platform by clicking the ‘more plan information’ prompt below each plan.
1. Connection fee
A connection fee is the standard move-in fee for new properties needing to be reconnected to the energy grid. Connection fee prices will vary between providers and states.
An electricity connection fee will vary but typically ranges between $10-$130. Keep in mind that retailers may charge more for manual or special meter reads and wasted time visits.
A gas connection fee is usually cheaper than electricity, sometimes ranging from $8-$68.
Embedded networks, or private electricity networks that supply multi-tenanted residential buildings, typically have a fee of around $66.
2. Disconnection fee
A disconnection fee is charged when you move out and your home needs to be disconnected from the power grid.
These charges can be anything from $110 to $130, depending on the retailer and location.
Embedded electricity disconnections can also cost around $66.
3. Dishonour fee
Where a customer agrees to pay their bill via direct debit, they must make sure adequate funds are in the designated account on the payment date. If there is insufficient money, a dishonour fee will be charged.
This fee will vary depending on the provider, but usually sits between $7.50 and $20.
4. Cheque dishonour fee
If a customer pays their bill via cheque and that cheque bounces, a dishonour fee may be charged.
This fee is usually a flat rate of between $9.50 and $15, though some providers charge more if a cheque is dishonoured via Australia Post.
5. Late payment fee
Failing to pay your bill by the due date may incur a fee of $10 to $50.
In addition, customers on certain deals may lose their pay on time discount and end up paying more on their next power bill.
6. Account establishment fee
Some electricity retailers may charge a fee to new customers for setting up a new account. This fee is fortunately small but it’s important to check for before switching to a new retailer.
7. Exit fee
Some market contracts will charge an exit fee if a customer leaves the contract within the first one or two years.
Exit fees are fairly uncommon. However, they can prove costly if you aren’t aware of them. Always check exit fees before signing an electricity contract.
8. Credit card payment fee
If you pay your bill using a credit or debit card, you may be charged a fee between 0.27% and 1.5% or more of the amount paid.
Credit and debit card fees are quite common and could be significant for customers who often receive large bills.
9. Paper bill fee
If you prefer to have a paper bill mailed to you, you might have to pay a fee of about $2. However, some major retailers have now scrapped paper bill fees.
