I have often seen people on the Facebook pages I have contributed to who are totally unsure about what to do when they move into a new (to them) property about getting utilities and other property dependent things registered in their name. Should Estate Agents/Property Managers/Landlords HAVE to supply information about who is the current supplier of these services? Would a simple card with spaces to fill in the details be helpful? Perhaps it could also have a space to fill in the electricity, gas and water meter readings (as well as telling the new occupant where those actual meters are). We bought this house almost 20 years ago. It had been taken in part exchange by a housebuilding company. We did not even have keys to the front door! The Estate Agent had only a key to the garage and the key to the conservatory on the back of the house. That was how we were able to even view the house. They had even taken every light bulb!! We guessed that our electricity was supplied by SSE because of their name being on the meter - fortunately, we were right. However, they were not supplying gas. Eventually, we found out that it was British Gas. Moving is stressful enough without having to turn detective!
People moving into a new home -what information should ALWAYS be supplied by Estate Agent/Landlord?
Best answer by Chris_OVO
Hey
Great post! I’ve moved this from the General section to Switching Suppliers and Moving Home because it's an important point. More can definitely be done to alleviate the stress of moving house.
From my experience, I once moved into a private tenancy where the landlord came by to explain how the boiler worked, how to reset the breakers, and handed me a top-up key and card. When I asked about the energy supplier, he mentioned he wasn’t sure, as he allowed the tenants to pay the bills themselves. Fortunately, I had just moved from my previous supplier, so I called them and asked, "What do I do in this scenario?" They were extremely helpful and looked up the information on the national database to find out who the current supplier was. They even assisted me in setting up a new account after taking over the supply.
Now, we have excellent tools like https://www.findmysupplier.energy/ and https://www.energynetworks.org/customers/find-my-network-operator to help identify suppliers for different addresses.
Ultimately, it comes down to understanding what you can and cannot do within the agreement itself. Having control over your suppliers is always better than depending on a managed account from a controlling party. This approach allows you to own the process from start to finish, ensuring that you get the best possible deal as you can shop around.
This is an interesting topice raised by Bendog. There is as far as I know no obligation on Estate Agents or Landlords renting out a property to supply this information. The person leaving should alway take a reading of all utilities to ensure their obligation for payments end when they vacate the property. Suppliing readings and supplier details is something that should become good practice even when the incoming party decides to switch suppliers. Knowing where you start from would be helpful to say the least. In all my time in flat management of over 25 years this is the one thing the property market has not introduced.
+4Hey
Great post! I’ve moved this from the General section to Switching Suppliers and Moving Home because it's an important point. More can definitely be done to alleviate the stress of moving house.
From my experience, I once moved into a private tenancy where the landlord came by to explain how the boiler worked, how to reset the breakers, and handed me a top-up key and card. When I asked about the energy supplier, he mentioned he wasn’t sure, as he allowed the tenants to pay the bills themselves. Fortunately, I had just moved from my previous supplier, so I called them and asked, "What do I do in this scenario?" They were extremely helpful and looked up the information on the national database to find out who the current supplier was. They even assisted me in setting up a new account after taking over the supply.
Now, we have excellent tools like https://www.findmysupplier.energy/ and https://www.energynetworks.org/customers/find-my-network-operator to help identify suppliers for different addresses.
Ultimately, it comes down to understanding what you can and cannot do within the agreement itself. Having control over your suppliers is always better than depending on a managed account from a controlling party. This approach allows you to own the process from start to finish, ensuring that you get the best possible deal as you can shop around.
+8- Super User
To be honest, if you are not restricted by a tenancy agreement then you just apply to a supplier to switch. Even if it's the same company you have to have your own contract in your name and you don't need to know who you are switching from.
The new owners of my late relative's flat just applied to switch and I got an email to say the supply is being switched. If you are not aware of this let us know immediately.
For a property sale, in general, the solicitors will handle transfer of information via the TA6 and TA10 forms that have to be completed by the seller. These tell you about the building in general and what the seller is leaving behind. The council will tell you about the Council Tax and services to the property. You contact a service provider for your phone/broadband. The TV Licencing authority will pester you with regular letters whether or not you need a licence.
In a managed building the managing company will tell you about the services that the building has, the rent and also maintenance charges.
Peter
Knowing where you start from would be helpful to say the least. In all my time in flat management of over 25 years this is the one thing the property market has not introduced.
The “knowing where to start” is really what I was meaning by suggesting this.
Again, going back to my own experience, finding the electricity meter was easy. It was in a box on the side of the house. We had not, of course, been left a key even for this(!), but they are easy to source. Finding the gas meter was a whole different ball game. We had to ask a neighbour who directed us to a brown hard plastic lid, level with the soil, under a layer of vegetation, under the window at the front of the house. Not wonderful having to kneel on frozen ground when you, as we did, move in December!
This was our third move and, both times previously, we had left as much information as we could about the location of utilities including the points at which water could be stopped from flowing inside the property and the location of the main water feed outside of the property. The first property was all electric, so we left instructions for the storage heaters and water boiler. Our second property, the gas and electricity meters were in a cupboard under the stairs. The boiler for the central heating was in the airing cupboard on the third floor. Again, we left instructions for everything.
From the point of view of Estate Agents, property management companies and landlords, getting cards printed nowadays is, relatively, cheap and could be used as a way to advertise themselves and other local businesses on one side of a postcard with spaces for the details for utilities and other services, such as the local council, bin collection days, etc. on the other side. Selling the advertising space could make these self-financing with, perhaps, some profits too!
+8- Super User
Sounds a good idea but have you thought how you are going to ‘sell’ this idea nationally?
Moving into the house we are in now I don't remember there being any issues. i just looked in every cupboard and into the loft space and just noted where everything was. For the rubbish collection we might have missed the first one but didn't miss any of the others. Some houses in our road had outside cabinets but our meters were located indoors.
For my late relative's flat we didn't leave any instructions. All the relevant property details were in the TA6 and TA10 forms. We left the manuals for any equipment in the flat and the IHD. When I went round today to exchange mail the storage heaters were keeping the place warm. The telephone line had been upgraded to broadband.
Peter
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