Moving

Make your move easy and hassle-free!

Your entire moving home process with Selectra

  • Handy guides for buyers and renters
  • Help your energy, broadband and TV
  • Expert advice catered to your needs
  • Free PDF checklists to help organise your move

Your entire move in one call

1

Organise your move

2

Sort out utilities

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Get connected

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Enjoy your new home

Going through the moving process is both stressful and exciting. There are lots of things to worry about and getting all your furniture, energy, water, and people from A to B needs a lot of organisation. Luckily, we’re here to help with our comprehensive Moving section to make sure your move is as smooth and hassle free as possible!

open moving box

Ready To Move? Let’s Get Started!

If you’re all ready to move then it’s time to make sure you have a few things down before shoving everything in the back of a van and going to your new home. Planning your move will make moving in easier and straightforward.

How To Plan Your Move

Planning your move might look daunting at first with so much to remember but it will save you a lot of time and grief once you get going. Here are a few basic steps to sort out before you begin any moving:

  1. Know your moving date
    If you know when you’re moving, you can be sure to contact everyone you need to before your move. This includes landlords, utility companies, removal companies, so highlighting a definite date for your move will make everything clear from the get go.
  2. Labels and boxes
    Before you even start your big clear out, organise your household items into boxes and label them. Make sure you’ve got your kitchenware and bathroom accessories all separated out to make your unpacking a doddle.
  3. List potential problems
    Prepare a list of the typical problems that come up when moving such as making sure the electricity and gas meters are working, double checking for water leaks, and what type of broadband connection is at the property. This will help you avoid any costly surprises you might find on moving day.

Have You Done Your Checklist?

When leaving a rented property, it’s important to do a complete home checklist to cover everything that needs to be done in order to leave the flat or house. A checklist is also important because it can help avoid any awkward situations between you and your landlord that result in you losing part or all of your deposit!

handywoman with tape measure

Checking for Potential Problems

After moving house, you should check your home for potential problems. A quick walkthrough on your first day in your new flat or house will either give you peace of mind and allow you to deal with any problems straight away. Even though you’ve explored the place thoroughly, home maintenance issues have a funny way of waiting until the contract is signed and the movers have left before they reveal themselves.

  • Checking Your Home for Problems
  • Cracks in drywall or signs of stress in walls and ceilings
  • Water damage and dampness
  • Any potential problems with the plumbing or light fixtures
  • Signs of insect or other pest infestation
  • Any strange smells, which could be a sign of plumbing or water issues
  • You’ll also want to turn on all lights, fans, taps, the boiler and air conditioning if applicable to make sure everything is working.
handy man with a spanner

Addressing Home Maintenance Problems

So what should you do if you do find a problem? If you’re renting, you should contact the owner, landlord or property manager straight away. In the UK, renters are guaranteed certain rights, making many home maintenance issues the responsibility of the owner.

If you are the owner of your home, you’re responsible for its upkeep. That means you’ll either have to hire a professional or tackle the project yourself. If you opt to hire someone to handle an issue with your home, be sure to find a reputable technician with all applicable licences and permits, such as the Gas Safe Register.

Before you start researching a contractor, plumber, or electrician, do a bit of research online. You may be surprised by how easily some seemingly intimidating problems can be solved with limited technical skills. Youtube and other video tutorials can be extremely helpful.

lightbulb and gas flame

Sorting Out Your Gas and Electricity

The messiest part of moving is when you have to sort out your utilities. Electricity and gas, water and broadband are all essentials for your home and it’s best to have them set up on day one. Here are some tips to make sure you know exactly what to do and expect when moving.

When you move home, you will need to decide whether you want to keep your current energy provider or sign up with a new one. Either way, the first thing you will need to do is to get in contact with your provider and cancel your tariff or inform them of your move. If you want to cancel your contract, make sure you don’t have any exit fees to pay or debt to pay off.

Finding Your Meters

You’ll need to locate your gas and electricity meters and take a meter reading to be sure everything is in order. If you find unexpected debt on the meter, you should contact your supplier to make sure you won’t receive bills for energy used by former tenants. You should also find your MPAN and MPRN. You’ll need to know these reference numbers when calling your current or potential future energy suppliers.

What is an MPAN or MPRN? Your Meter Point Administration Number (MPAN) and your Meter Point Reference Number (MPRN) are numbers that identify where your electricity and gas supply enters your property. They are like special addresses that are unique for each property to help energy suppliers provide the right home. Your MPAN is for your electricity and your MPRN is for gas.

Check out our MPAN and MPRN guides to find out more!

It’s possible that you’ll need to set up a new gas or electricity connection in your home if it is a brand new construction. You’ll need to contact your local Distribution Network Operator (which is not the same as your energy supplier). They’ll quote you a price for setting up the line, but you can contest that price if it seems too high.

Making the Switch

Remember, if you decide to switch, it will take between 14 and 21 days for the switch to take place and you will have a 14-day cooling-off period to change your mind. If the energy supply at your previous property was in your name, you should receive a final bill from your previous company within 6 weeks. If your account was in credit, the supplier will issue you a refund.

water bill with tap

Setting Up Your Water Bill

Unlike your gas and electricity, you can’t choose your water supplier. Each region has a different provider and who provides your water and sewerage services depends on your postcode. When moving home, you will need to make sure you’re moving to an area with a different water supplier or if it’s the same one.

Double check your water meter reading! When you move into a new property with a water meter, make sure you make a note of the reading as soon as you move in. This will help you avoid paying any debt that you don’t owe.

When moving home to a new area, you will need to check to see whether your property is unmetered or metered. If there isn’t a water meter, your bill will be based on the rateable value of the property. If you have a water meter, you will be billed on your consumption. You can request your new water company to come and install a water meter for free when you set up your new water bill.

If your water supplier is the same, all you need to do is to call them up and tell them you’re moving home. The supplier will put you in contact with the changing address team and they will update your details so you keep the same account and bank account information. If you are moving out to a new area with a different water supplier, you will need to close your account and settle any outstanding bills you might have.


Find Your Water Supplier!
broadband router

Getting Connected with Broadband

The broadband line for your house or apartment is most likely already connected. If it isn’t, some broadband providers will connect you with a line for free when you sign up for a broadband plan. If your provider doesn’t provide that free service or if you don’t want to sign up for a plan, you’ll have to pay a fee, which is generally around £130.

If you already have a broadband provider and don’t want to make a switch, contact them directly to confirm that they provide service in your new region. If they do, you should be able to transfer your same plan and service without any problem. You might have to pay a moving home fee between £20 to £60.

Watch out for exit fees! If you are switching broadband providers and still have time on your current contract, you will probably have to pay an exit fee.

Generally in the UK, getting broadband service also requires a landline (a non-mobile phone line). Luckily, providers generally sell a combined package of landline, broadband service, and TV.

As well as price, the most important thing in terms of choosing broadband is speed. Luckily, we’ve made it easy for you to be sure you’re getting lightning fast internet with our broadband speed test tool.


TV

Do I Need a TV Licence?

The TV Licence has been a controversial topic for many years with the possibility of its cancellation in the balance. However it is still important if you want to watch live TV broadcasts and access BBC services such as BBC News, BBC iPlayer, and BBC Sport. Knowing the rules and conditions of the licence is complicated so we’ve created a series of guides to help guide you through what it all means.

If you are found to be watching live broadcasting without a TV Licence, you can receive a hefty fine from TV Licencing. If you are a student and have moved into new university accommodation, you must have a TV Licence of your own in order to watch TV.

There are also numerous different TV packages available, with different features including on-demand TV and streaming services included in your TV package that you can watch without a TV Licence!


Learn more about the TV Licence!
document

What About Council Tax?

Whether you own a property or rent, you will need to pay Council Tax wherever you live. Council Tax is a local tax rate that is collected by your local council. The rate you pay will depend on which Tax Band your property falls in based on the value of the property you live in.

You’ll need to officially notify a few different places of your new address. This is an essential part of relocating, as without an official change, you could miss mail, have trouble registering for local services and even have legal problems in the future!

  1. HM Revenue and Customs - You must inform HMRC of a change of address to ensure your tax records are kept up to date correctly.
  2. Council Tax - You’ll also need to update your local government listing. Visit your local gov.uk website for your region to find the appropriate form.
  3. Electoral Roll - You need to re-register to vote with your new address.
  4. Department of Work and Pensions - This is if you are receiving money from the government such as a pension.
  5. DVLA - Your driving licence lists your address and should reflect where you currently live. Update your licence with your new address as soon as possible.

Notifying your employer, bank, credit card provider, gym and any schools or universities you or your children attend is also necessary in case they need to contact you. Don’t forget to update your friends and family!


Find out more about Council Tax
health insurance case

Thought About Home Insurance?

If you’ve just bought or started renting a new property, it’s important to protect it from any possible damages in the future. If you’re a homeowner, your house or flat is almost certainly the most valuable thing you own, and it’s vital that you protect all the belongings inside your household with home insurance.

If you’re a homeowner, you will have a condition in your mortgage for building protection that covers costs due to damage and repair of the building itself. However this doesn’t cover items within your home so it’s vital for both homeowners and renters to take out contents insurance. This policy will cover valuables in your home, such as art, jewellery and collectables, from all sorts of damage or theft.

You can also get emergency cover and insurance if you are a renter. If you have an emergency and your landlord isn’t available, there are packages available to give you access to help as soon as you need it!

Boiler Cover

Boiler cover insures your home for any costs due to a boiler breakdown, maintenance or other problems. Any concern about the cost of boiler cover pales in comparison to how much it costs to replace a boiler written off by an overlooked issue. Boiler cover can shoulder repair costs and prevent serious issues down the line.


Get Your Home Insured Now!

How To Settle Smoothly in the UK

If you’re planning on moving to the UK, either for love or to study, you need to know what type of visa you need and your rights as a resident in the UK. Also, if you come from an EU country, you will need to know how Brexit affects your status here and what you need to do to make sure your residency continues!


Check out our Moving to UK guides!

Local Moving House Guide

moving truck

To make your move go as smoothly as possible, you can check out our Local Moving House Guides. Start by choosing your county, or the county you're moving to, from the list below:

About Selectra's Service

Who Are We?

Selectra was created in 2007 by Aurian de Maupeou and Xavier Pinon. Initially, the aim was to help French customers save on their energy bills following reforms that opened the French gas and electricity markets to competition for the first time in 60 years. Selectra UK opened in 2017 to help customers in the UK sign up to home energy and broadband deals. You can read more about the history of Selectra and our values here

Our Mission

Getting the best deal on household expenses such as energy, internet, TV and insurance isn’t always easy. Clear information can sometimes be difficult to find, comparing offers is often a time-consuming hassle, and just getting through to someone on the phone can be a challenge. Here at Selectra, we help you sign up to energy and broadband deals without hassle.

We strive to provide a one-stop site for people who are interested in signing up to a different energy or broadband provider. We are convinced that looking for a cheaper deal shouldn't be a hassle, and therefore aim to make the process simpler by saving people time and money by offering them customised quotes from our partners. On our website, we aim to provide clear information about energy and broadband products. We work closely with select providers in the UK in order to ensure great service to our users.

Frequently Asked Questions about Selectra's service

Is Selectra's Service Free of Charge?

Customers can visit the Selectra website and call our Energy and Broadband teams for free. Our service is free to use for customers because we receive commission from our supplier partners for connecting them with new customers. This process does NOT affect the price for the customers. The commission we receive does not influence the recommendations that we provide to you. It is of utmost importance to us that our customers have a positive experience and are satisfied with our services.

Does Selectra work with all the suppliers on the market?

Selectra doesn't work with all the suppliers on the market. We offer a selection of products from a carefully selected panel of suppliers. We choose the providers we partner with based on a number of criteria including: customer service, green credentials and value for money.

Energy Partners
Energy Providers Broadband & Mobile Providers Home Assistance Providers
EDF Energy Origin Broadband BeSmart
British Gas Pop Telecom  
Bionic Direct Save Telecom  

How long does switching take?

It usually takes on average between 15 and 17 days to switch electricity and between 16 and 18 days to switch gas suppliers. Customers always have a 14 day cooling-off period after confirming an agreement with a new energy supplier. During this time, they can change their mind before the switch takes place. After this 14 day period has passed, it should take no longer than a week for the switch to go through.

Will there be an interruption in my supply when it switches?

You can rest assured that there will be no break in your gas or electricity supply when you switch energy supplier. You will not experience any sort of power cut during the switch, and no one should have to come to your property to replace any meter, pipes or cables.

Can I switch energy provider if I am in debt with my current supplier?

Switching in debt on a credit meter: If you have been in debt with your current energy company for more than 28 days, you must pay off the debt to be able to switch. If you try to switch energy suppliers without having cleared debt, the current company may block your switch. If you've been in debt with your supplier for less than 28 days, it is still possible to switch, and any owed amounts will be added to your final bill. If you’re unable to pay off the debt, contact your energy supplier and ask them to set up a repayment plan. Your plan could be weekly, fortnightly or monthly, and it will be arranged to best suit your financial situation. Once you have set up a repayment plan, you will then be able to switch energy suppliers. This could save you money in the long run by allowing you to go ahead and switch to a more affordable energy tariff, instead of having to wait until you’re able to pay off the debt completely.

Switching on a prepayment meter in debt: If you're paying off an energy debt on a prepayment meter, you can still switch to another supplier, provided you owe less than £500 for gas and electricity. You have the legal right to do so under the 'Debt Assignment Protocol', meaning your new supplier assumes the debt and you repay them instead, according to the terms of your new contract.

I am renting. Can I still switch energy supplier?

Yes, tenants can choose the energy suppliers at the property they are renting. Unless your landlord is paying your energy bill, you get to decide what company you pay to supply gas and electricity to your home. Even though you have the right as a tenant to switch energy suppliers, you may still want to check in with your landlord before you make the change.

Will my smart meter stop working if I switch?

It is possible that older smart meters might lose those smart functionality if you switch to a different energy supplier. The meter would still function — it would just operate as a traditional meter and you would be required to submit meter readings manually. If you’re worried about your smart meter losing its smart functionality, contact the provider you want to switch to and ask. The new supplier may even be able to install a new smart meter for you for free or update your existing one to make it compatible.

What to Do If You Find Misleading or Incorrect Information in Our Content

At Selectra, we always strive to provide the most accurate information. We have an in-house content team that aims to offer the best experience on our website. You can read about our authors and content team here. All the content on our site is believed to be accurate at the time of publishing. However, due to changes in prices and suppliers over time, there may be inaccurate or outdated information on some of our pages.Please inform us of any inaccuracies you may find, by contacting us at our email. Your feedback will help us provide the best experience to all our users.

Disclaimer

Selectra provides all content on its websites in good faith. Selectra shall have no liability for the accuracy of the information found on the website due to changes in prices or information over time. The information presented on the website does not constitute the basis for a contractual agreement or quote. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected]

Our policies

Privacy Policy

Your right to privacy is important to us as we want you to feel safe and comfortable using our website. Please read about our Privacy and Cookies Policy here.

The services and products mentioned on this website may only represent a small selection of the options available to you. Selectra encourages you to carry out your own research and seek advice if necessary before making any decisions. We may receive commission from selected partner providers on sales of some products and/or services mentioned within this website. Our website is free to use, and the commission we receive does not affect our opinion or the information we provide.