The Basics of Switching Utilities When Moving
Changing utilities when moving is just one more thing that can make your move miserable. Fortunately, as with all areas of moving, if you plan ahead, the entire process can be much easier. The key is to what to do and when to do it. There is nothing worse than getting settled into your new home and finding out that you still owe your utility companies a few hundred dollars. There are can be a variety of reasons for this, however they all come back to poor planning. Here is a quick overview of what you need to consider when changing utilities when moving.
1. Scheduling Your Disconnection. One of the most common mistakes that people make is that they do not plan ahead in regards to shutting off their water, cable, electricity, etc Every company has their own policies about how much warning you need to give them, however if you call them 2 weeks prior to your move-out date, you should be giving them plenty of time. There is no reason to have to pay for an extra week of services, just because you didn’t plan ahead.
2. Getting a Final Reading. If possible, you need to get a final reading on the same day that you are moving out. Keep in mind that they will cut off your services directly after your reading, so if you are not moving out till later in the day, you may not want them to cut off your electricity at 9 am. Additionally, make sure that you are there when they do their final reading. This will not only ensure that it will get done, but it will also allow you to get a copy of the final reading for your own records. Getting copy is an excellent way to protect yourself from having to pay extra fees because they company didn’t actually disconnect anything (which happens more often than they would like to admit).
3. Always Leave a Forwarding Address. It is important that your utility companies are given your forwarding address. Simply doing a standard change of address with the post office isn’t always enough. By doing this, you will be able to receive your last bill immediately and avoid additional charges. You will also be able to quickly receive any refunds or get back any security deposits that you had to make.
4. Save Contact Information. It is also important that you bring important contact information with you when you move. There is nothing worse than trying to contact a utility company, but not having an easy way to get their contact information. The easiest way to do this is to simply bring some previous bills or a local phone book with you on your move.
In a nutshell, these are the 4 basics of changing utilities when moving. You must contact your utility companies a few weeks in advance to schedule a shut-off date and final reading. You need to get a copy of the final reading after the person does it. Always make sure that they have your forwarding address and also that you have a way to contact them. If you follow these 4 steps, it will be easy to make sure that changing utilities when moving is another source of stress during your move.