Southern Water Moving Home
When relocating to a property serviced by Southern Water, you must either register a new account or transfer your existing one. This guide breaks down the process for every kind of move - new customer, change of address, new tenant or closing an account - so you can focus on the packing instead of the paperwork.
Southern Water supplies drinking water to Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and West Sussex (note that Portsmouth itself is served by Portsmouth Water). It also handles wastewater services for most of Kent and East Sussex. If your new address falls outside these areas, you will need to close your Southern Water account and register with the local supplier instead.
How Do I Close My Southern Water Account?
You only need to close your Southern Water account if you are moving to a property outside the Southern Water region. If you are simply moving within the supply area, a change of address is enough - see the next section. You can close your account up to 30 days before or after your moving date, by phone or online.
Before calling, have the following details ready:
- Your Southern Water account number (printed at the top of every bill)
- The payment reference shown on your most recent bill
- A final meter reading, if you are on a metered tariff
- Your forwarding address so the closing bill can be sent on
To close your account, call 0330 303 0277 (Mon–Fri 8am–7pm, Sat 8am–2:30pm) or use the "Your Account" section of the Southern Water website.
Southern Water Change of Address
If you are moving within the Southern Water region, you do not need to open a new account - just tell Southern Water your new address. You can do this up to 30 days in advance of the move. Your payment method will stay the same, so any existing direct debit will simply continue against your new property.
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Account number | Printed on every Southern Water bill |
| Moving date | Can be up to 30 days in the future |
| Phone | 0330 303 0277 |
| Online | Via the "Your Account" page on southernwater.co.uk |
| Payment method | Stays the same at the new address |
Source: Southern Water moving home guidance.
Southern Water New Customer
If you have never had a Southern Water account before, you'll need to register with the moving home team. Online registration requires an email address; without one, you'll need to register by phone instead. You can register up to 30 days before you move in, which avoids any gap in billing.
Have the following ready before you start:
- An email address (for online registration)
- Your full name and contact details
- Your new address and postcode
- Your moving-in date
- Payment information to set up a direct debit
To register, call the moving home team on 0330 303 0277.
Water Hardness with Southern Water
Southern Water generally supplies very hard water, because the region's chalk and limestone geology leaves a higher concentration of minerals in the supply. If you notice limescale build-up on kettles, taps or shower heads at your new address, a water softener is worth considering - especially in hot-water appliances where scale shortens their lifespan.
Southern Water New Tenant
If you are renting, you'll usually need to register a Southern Water account in your own name by phone or online. Before you do, check your tenancy agreement to confirm who is responsible for the water bill - some landlords include it in the rent, in which case you do not need to open an account yourself.
Southern Water Landlord Services
Southern Water offers landlords a free portal called Landlord TAP (Tenants Account Portal) to manage changes in tenancy without phoning customer services each time. Once registered, landlords can:
- Add or remove properties from their portfolio
- Manage tenant changes - move-ins and move-outs
- Notify Southern Water of empty properties
- Report property sales or changes of management
Can You Change Water Supplier?
Although you can switch your gas and electricity suppliers, you cannot change your domestic water supplier. Your water company is determined by the postcode of your property, so moving house is the only way to end up with a different supplier. Business customers, however, have been able to switch since the non-household water market opened in 2017.
Deregulation of the household water market has been discussed for years but remains unlikely in the short term, particularly while the wider energy market is still recovering from recent crises.
Just Moved House and Don't Have Water?
If you've just moved in and the taps are dry, don't panic - the issue is often the internal stop tap, not the mains supply. Work through the checks below before calling Southern Water:
- Locate the main stop tap - usually under the kitchen sink, in a utility room or just outside the front of the property.
- Make sure the stop tap is fully open by turning it anti-clockwise as far as it will go.
- Turn on the cold tap in the kitchen and wait a minute for water to come through.
If you still have no water after those checks, call Southern Water on 0330 303 0368 to check for planned supply cut-offs or burst mains in your street.
Southern Water Moving Home FAQ
Useful Southern Water Guides
Looking for more than just the moving home process? Our companion guides cover Southern Water's contact channels, UK water suppliers in general and how bills are calculated - useful reading for anyone setting up utilities in a new home.
- Southern Water contact number - every published phone line, email and postal address
- All UK water suppliers - find the right water company for your postcode
- UK water bills explained - average costs, metering and how charges are set