Setting Up Gas, Water, Electricity and Internet Utilities Before Your Moving Day

8 Most Common Household Utilities for Setting Up a New Home

If you have difficulty making up the list of utilities you will use in your new home, here are the eight most common ones to consider.

Water and Wastewater:

Every city government has a department responsible for water and wastewater services. You can get its contact information in the city council or search on the web. It is possible to transfer service to your name easily if you are a homeowner with a recorded deed for your home. It is enough to make an online application.

Gas:

Companies usually provide gas services, and you can set it up online or by phone if you wish.

Electricity:

It is better to turn to the largest providers of electricity in the area if you need to set it up to your name. You can do that online, by phone or going to the company office on workdays.

Garbage:

Depending on the state and city you live in, garbage collection can be a paid service or a responsibility of the city government that is free of charge for residents. Learn how it is in your new area before looking for a service provider.

Pest Control:

Pest control is part of federal utility services in some states. However, if it is an obligatory part of your utility bill, be ready to find a provider of this service too.

The Internet:

Most often, there are several providers of internet services within one city. First, analyze their offer and costs to find the most suitable variant personally for you. Then contact the provider to set up services.

Phone:

If you need a cable telephone at home, you need to turn to the providers of this service in the area you live in. To avoid laying a new cable, learn who was a provider of telephone services in your new home before you arrived and turn to this company.

Parking Permit:

A parking permit is included in utility bills only in some cities and states. However, you need to purchase it if you want to have two-hour parking during the daytime on the streets of the city you live in.

How To Set Up Utilities for a House

When moving, it is best to set up utilities individually. Start the process of moving utilities three weeks before the relocation day. This is because most utility providers require you to inform them ahead of time, especially if they need to set up the service manually. Below are ways to set up utilities in an apartment or before moving day.

Determine Who Your Providers Are

First, you need to create a list of utilities providers in the area you’re moving to. Chances are, the service company in your new location is different from the one you’ve been using. This is almost always the case where you are making a long-distance move. If you’re moving to a house you bought, check the city website for the details of the utility providers. If you’re renting or leasing, ask the landlord or property manager for a list of the home utilities to see if they use the same provider for water, natural gas, electricity, sewer, etc. Find out who your providers are three to four weeks before you move.

Contact Utility Companies

After identifying your utility provider, you need to contact them. Do this two weeks before you move. You may need to transfer your current house utilities to the one you’re moving to. If you cannot move the services, the next option is to cancel them.
If you’re transferring household utilities, contact your provider to request the move to your new address. Inform them of your relocation date and when to turn off service and turn it on at your new home.
When canceling, inform your provider of the exact date to turn off service and close your account. The third option is setting up utilities afresh. To do this, visit the company’s website you want to use. There should be info on how to set up utilities; if there isn’t, call them.
The company will ask for the address where you want to set up utilities, the date you want the service to start, and the mode of payment. Some companies may conduct a credit check before setting up utilities for a new house. So, find out what the service provider requires before starting the application process.

Check That Utilities Have Been Turned Off on Moving Day

Before closing the door to your old home, go through your utilities list again, and ensure everything has been turned off. The preceding applies to services like electricity, wifi, gas, and water. You might also call the company to verify the cancellation or transfer of the service.

Does Rent Include Utilities?

Generally, rent does not cover all your utilities, so plan and create a budget accordingly. After your landlord hands you a list of utilities for a house, check to see what the rent covers. Usually, it will cover a few of the bills, while you have to pay for the majority of it yourself.

How Much Is the Water Bill for an Apartment?

Utility bills are part of your monthly expenses, so they add to your overall cost of living. As such, you need to know how much the services cost. Suppose you live in an apartment. Budget about $100 to $200 per month for utilities. Those who own houses should budget around $400.
However, utility bills differ between states, with some states charging more than others. For a water bill, a person in Florida will pay $6, while the average water bill in California is $65.

How Much Is a Gas Bill for an Apartment?

Gas bills differ between southern and northern states, with the West Coast offering some of the lowest prices. However, most people use gas to heat their homes and cook; thus, their service provider may include additional fixed charges or taxes on their bill.
Also, the type of apartment you live in determines how much you pay for gas. On average, the gas bill for a one-bedroom apartment is $46 during the cold season, while a three-bedroom apartment is slightly above $61. In California, you may pay $34 for natural gas. However, the amount is the national average.

How Much Is Electricity for an Apartment?

Electricity is crucial in a home, so it’s little wonder many people ask how to set up electricity for an apartment and how much it costs. The typical American uses 41% of their home energy on heating and cooling and 35% on electronics.
Your electric bill depends on the number of people in your home, the state you live in, and the size of your house. For example, if you live alone in a one-bedroom apartment, you might pay $94 on average. In California, the monthly electricity bill is about $116. You can save on electricity bills by turning off your appliances when you’re out of the house and if they are not in use.

Tips to Reduce Your Utility Bills

People are always looking for ways to reduce the money spent on utility bills. Thankfully, here are several ways to do that.

Transferring Billing Responsibility:

No matter what utilities you need to set up, there is always a possibility to move the existing accounts if you have moved to another home within one city. In other cases, you will have to create new accounts, and it is a more time-consuming, costly, and painstaking task. So transfer utilities to avoid paying to set up new services and make additional deposits.

Comparison Service:

There are utilities like the internet and phone offered by different providers. If you analyze the offer of each of them, you will probably be able to choose the most profitable and, at the same time, savvy tariff.

Final Meter Reading:

Ensure that the final figures on the meter when you arrive coincide with one’s indicated in the bill you get. Otherwise, you will have to pay for the utilities used by someone else before you move in.

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