Application to transfer an electricity or water account

Published byDocMuse

When an owner or tenant changes, the account is transferred so that the new occupant is not billed for someone else's consumption and the old one is not billed for consumption after leaving. The key field is the meter reading on the transfer date: that is what divides the two bills. It is signed by both account holders.

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Common questions

Why does the meter reading matter so much?

Because it divides the two bills. Everything up to the reading recorded belongs to the old account holder, everything after it to the new one. A transfer with no reading taken means the new occupant inherits someone else's consumption, which is almost impossible to unpick afterwards.

Can I transfer the account without the previous holder?

Usually not. The application is signed by both, because the transfer affects the obligations of both sides. If the previous holder cannot be reached, the supplier has a separate procedure for that and will ask for proof of ownership or of the tenancy.

What if there are old debts on the account?

The debt stays with whoever incurred it, but an unpaid liability on the property often blocks the transfer itself. Check the state of the account before moving in — that is cheaper than discovering it after the first bill.

I am a tenant — should the account be in my name?

Not necessarily, but it is cleaner. If the account stays with the owner, the utilities go through them and are settled between you; in your name, you pay directly and answer directly. Whichever you choose, write it into the tenancy agreement.