Closing on House - When to switch utilities?

HI - I've gone sale agreed on a property and just about to close the sale shortly (after a lot of effort !)
Anyhow, I now have the MPRN and GPRN from estate agent. When do I need to get readings? Do I leave that til the day I move in or do I need in advance in order to setup utilities?

Also for broadband, I don't have the UAN as yet and there's an account still active on the line and I'm being told it will take a week or two, to setup.. Would this be the case if I go with same provider (in this case Sky)?

Any advice appreciated !

The day you get your keys and step through the door, read the meter, take a picture also. Then set up your new electricity account with whoever you choose! Just keep that reading & photo to make sure you don't get a bill through the door for usage before you actually closed on the house.

It's the broadband that might take a while to sort. From memory of buying & selling a couple of times recently, the account holder is the only one that will be able to close the account (that might take 30 days to close then), then you'll need to start again to have a new BB connection - but whoever you choose to go with will see there's an active line and won't be able to do anything until that is closed. I had that on my last sale...we closed the FTTH fibre account, but Eir told us it would be 30 days before the new owners would be able to set up their own account & have things running. Electricity is easy to sort, broadband isn't!
But Congrats!!

In my experience utilities providers don't quibble over small differences in readings given by outgoing and incoming occupants.

They have some materiality threshold and below that it's not worth their while chasing people down.

Hi - planning to close next week . Should I ask estate agent to get readings now or can I ring these in once I have the keys?

I have MPRN/ GPRN but no readings.. Also is it easier to stay with existing providers to minimize risk of disconnection or ok to switch at this time?

Thanks !

dubdub123 said:

I have MPRN/ GPRN but no readings.. Also is it easier to stay with existing providers to minimize risk of disconnection or ok to switch at this time?

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You can switch. There is no risk of disconnection if you move to a new provider within a reasonable timeframe.

dubdub123 said:

Hi - planning to close next week . Should I ask estate agent to get readings now or can I ring these in once I have the keys?

I have MPRN/ GPRN but no readings.

Click to expand...

Why not take a photo of the meter readings as soon as you move in so you have a permanent record which could then be be sent the utility companies if necessary. (Energia asked me for these recently after I had made an expensive error while sending in my electricity meter readings online!)

NoRegretsCoyote said:

You can switch. There is no risk of disconnection if you move to a new provider within a reasonable timeframe.

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OK great. seller is with Bord Gais and ideally I'd like to switch to Electric Ireland (seems to be best value so far). Can I just phone in the reading myself once I'm in the house? Or will Electric Ireland need some lead in time do you know?

Thanks !

Shirazman said:

Why not take a photo of the meter readings as soon as you move in so you have a permanent record which could then be be sent the utility companies if necessary. (Energia asked me for these recently after I had made an expensive error while sending in my electricity meter readings online!)

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Good idea. I'm not sure if I should contact Electric Ireland in advance, in case I need to setup anything or if they will need the readings. I can ask estate agent to get readings I'm sure, but just in case it's missed.

Just trying to make sure everything goes smoothly

From memory, if you switch supplier through bonkers or switcher, I think that they simply ask you to input the current meter reading(s).
I'm pretty sure that it's the same if you deal with the new supplier directly.

dubdub123 said:

OK great. seller is with Bord Gais and ideally I'd like to switch to Electric Ireland (seems to be best value so far). Can I just phone in the reading myself once I'm in the house? Or will Electric Ireland need some lead in time do you know?

Click to expand...

That's what I did.

If you are a new customer it can be a forty-minute phone call to get set up. They have to read you a long script about how if you don't pay you can get cut off, etc, etc

I am considering ordering Vodafone broadband (following moving house) and it will take couple of weeks to arrange setup. If I order online today and change my mind, can I cancel in advance of engineer coming to the house, without being charged a fee?