Explore Energy

Are you moving into a new house and unsure how to connect the electricity and gas? Don’t worry – we make the whole process easy to understand.

We’ll take you through all you need to know about disconnecting and connecting energy utilities when moving houses, how long the process typically takes and what you need to know about your electricity and gas connection when moving interstate.

What do I need to do when moving into a new house?

There are two main steps to connecting and disconnecting your electricity and gas when moving.

  1. Cancel your existing connections. You will need to disconnect your old home’s gas and electricity supply.
  2. Organise a new electricity and gas connection. Your new home may not be automatically connected to the power supply.

Step one: Tell your energy service providers that you’re moving

Your energy provider (also known as energy retailer) typically handles disconnections when you’re moving house. Before moving out of your current home, you’ll need to call your provider so they can disconnect your electricity the day after you move out. By doing so, you’ll avoid paying for electricity at your old place.

If you have a combined electricity and gas plan, your provider will also disconnect your gas. If you have a separate gas-only plan with another provider, you’ll need to contact them separately so they can disconnect it when you move.

Step two: Organise a power connection at your new house

Give your energy provider at least 5 business days’ notice before you move. Generally, you should arrange for your energy to be connected the day you move in, provided no one is already living there. In doing so, you can have power the moment you walk through the door. It’s best to contact your electricity and gas providers either by phone or online. Be sure to let them know your moving date, new address and on what date you will need your energy connected by.

It’s also worth noting that you don’t necessarily have to sign up for the same energy provider you used in your old home when you relocate; in fact, they may not even be available in your new area. Moving houses can represent a fresh start, and you might even find that changing to a new energy plan is more suitable for your new house and energy usage.

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Quick tips for energy connection when moving house

  1. If you live with housemates and the energy bill is in your name, you need to organise who’ll be the new account holder before moving out. To transfer the account over to them, contact your energy provider prior to moving house.
  2. Ensure there is clear and safe access to the meter (or meters, if you have electricity and gas) at your new house – this is essential when your energy provider is organising the connection to your home.
  3. On moving day, write down the meter reading for your old and new home. Doing so will show you if your provider is charging you the correct amount for your usage.

What do I need to be aware of when moving interstate?

If you plan to move interstate, you should first be aware of how energy rules differ across Australia. This is because the energy sector is uniquely regulated by the states and territories, so you need to understand what energy rules exist in your area.

For example, New South Wales (NSW), Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Victoria (VIC), South Australia (SA) and South East Queensland (QLD) enjoy full retail competition, as the energy sector in these states is deregulated. Deregulation means the government has opened the market to competition, so you’re free to choose your energy provider. Full retail competition effectively puts the power of choice in your hands and gives you free rein to switch and compare energy providers.

However, in regional Queensland and Western Australia (WA), energy regulations are different. Here, the state governments regulate the energy sector by determining the prices, which means customers can’t choose their energy provider (with the exception of Perth, which has deregulated gas). However, as energy can cost more for providers to service regional areas, energy regulation keeps customers in these locations from being charged overly inflated prices.

Full retail competition exists in the Northern Territory (NT) and Tasmania (TAS), but your choices for providers are limited compared to other deregulated states.

Usually, prices will be notably different when moving between a regulated market and a deregulated market, or even between deregulated markets. As a result, your energy costs may change depending on where you decide to live.

Learn more about Australia’s energy regulations.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to connect electricity and gas?

Some energy providers can sort an electricity connection in a single business day, while others may need two or more business days to connect; gas connections typically take a few days. Electricity and gas can only be connected on business days, not on weekends or public holidays.

If you need an urgent connection for gas or electricity, you should contact your provider as soon as possible. But you may have to pay a fee to expedite a same-day connection service. Alternatively, if you’re moving, you can compare energy plans online and we may be able to find you a better deal.

Does it cost extra to connect electricity when moving houses?

Depending on your contract, when you connect electricity to your new home you may need to pay a connection fee. Your provider will include these fees in your next bill at your new property. These fees differ between providers and energy plans, so it’s important that you check your options and compare energy providers to make the most of your budget.

When will I get my first electricity or gas bill after I’ve moved in?

Electricity bills generally arrive quarterly; however, if you have a smart meter or have the option in your plan, you could receive bills monthly. The first electricity bill you’ll receive after moving will be from your previous provider for the energy you used at your previous address.

This bill could take a couple of weeks to arrive after you move and will cover the time from the start of the last quarter to the day you disconnected. It’s a similar case for gas bills where these are issued quarterly – except in VIC, where gas bills arrive every two months.

The billing period between different addresses is not necessarily the same. When you receive an electricity or gas bill, you will be able to see the billing period listed somewhere on the page. After you move into your new home, the first bill could take anywhere from 10 to 100 days to arrive. The billing period is already in place when moving into a new home, so you slot into the existing cycle rather than starting at the beginning of a new billing cycle. Therefore, your first bill is from your move-in date to the end of the existing 90-day cycle.

What if I’m moving into a rental property?

Connecting electricity and gas is essentially the same for both rental properties and new homes. The only difference is that some rental properties may include the cost of electricity and gas in your rent payments; you can find this information in your rental agreement.

In that case, you only need to organise a disconnection at your old place, as your landlord will sort out the energy connection at the rental property.

What if I’m moving to a place that has solar panels?

Solar panels are a renewable energy source that may save you money on your power bills. This is because, by generating electricity directly from the sun, you reduce the amount of power you need from the local grid (where power is wired to your home from power stations). Having solar panels also means you can take advantage of feed-in tariffs, where you get paid by your state or territory’s government for the excess electricity you generate from your solar panels and feed to the grid.

When you tell your energy provider that you’re moving houses, let them know if your new home has solar panels; your provider may be able to put you on a new contract with a feed-in tariff.

How do I connect a newly built home for the first time?

If you’re building a new home, you’ll need to organise a new connection from your house to the grid.

To do this, the energy distributor in your area will need to be contacted. Energy distributors manage the poles, pipes, network and grid that transports electricity from a power plant to your home. However, you don’t need to contact them yourself. The builder of the home (either the owner or a construction company) can contact your chosen retailer (or the distributor directly) on your behalf. The retailer will then organise the connection with the distributor for you. You may then need to pay to help cover the cost of extending the grid and connecting your new home, which can take several business days.

Another method is to find an electrical contractor capable of connecting you to the electricity network. Usually, they can even submit a connection application for your new home on your behalf.

What if my new home has gas appliances?

Should your new address have gas appliances (like stoves, ovens and water heaters), you’ll also need to organise a gas connection when moving. Here’s what to think about when moving to a house with gas appliances:

  • If you’re new home uses LPG cylinders, you’ll need to check what size cylinders are connected and organise a replacement if they are empty.
  • If you’re connected to natural gas and had it at your previous property, consider whether you want to stay with the same provider. They may be able to offer a combined gas and electricity plan, depending on the location of your new home; however, combined plans aren’t necessarily the cheapest option available.
  • You could switch to a new provider who offers both electricity and gas – our free energy comparison service makes this easy.

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Meredith O'Brien

Meet our Head of Energy, Meredith O’Brien

As the Head of Energy at Compare the Market, Meredith understands that Victoria’s energy market is quite unique compared to the rest of Australia. She strives to make gas and electricity as easy as possible for Victorians to understand and get the most out of their energy plans.

Meredith has six years within the energy industry, following 15 years of experience in financial services and is currently studying a Master of Business Administration. Meredith is a dedicated customer advocate who is passionate about empowering Australians to find the right products to suit their needs by removing the confusion from comparing.

Meredith’s top tips for connecting utilities

  • Plan ahead and arrange for an electricity and gas connection at your new property at least 5 business days before your move-in date. Don’t forget that you usually can’t get your energy connected on the weekend.
  • If you have left your energy connection to the last minute, you can still arrange a same-day or next-business-day connection, subject to the time of day you call.
  • Don’t forget to contact your current energy retailer to disconnect your electricity and gas, so you aren’t charged for any usage after you have moved out. Even though you have moved, you’ll receive a final energy bill from your current energy provider.
  • When moving house, you may see connections fees for your electricity and gas; this fee is applied as a once-off to your first respective electricity and gas bills.

Explore your options and compare today!

Whatever your reason for switching, connecting and disconnecting your energy is a straightforward process. What’s more, you could save big on your power bill by weighing up your options early and changing to a new energy provider when you move into your new home.

Ready to compare competitive plans that may help your budget? Compare energy providers by supply charges, usage charges, discounts and more today.

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