Start a few days before you move
Connecting electricity at a new home is straightforward, but timing matters. Aim to organise it at least three to five business days before you move in. Same-day or next-day connections are sometimes possible but can attract higher fees, and leaving it to the last minute risks moving into a dark, powerless house.
You do not need a technician to visit in most cases — if the property already has a meter and the power has simply been disconnected between occupants, your retailer can usually arrange a remote or standard reconnection. You choose a retailer and plan, tell them your move-in date and the new address, and they coordinate the rest with the local network.
What you will need to set it up
- New address and move-in date
- The retailer needs the exact supply address and the date you want power connected.
- NMI (National Meter Identifier)
- A unique number identifying the connection point. It is on any recent bill for the property; the retailer can look it up if you do not have it.
- Identification
- Proof of identity to open the account in your name.
- Meter access
- Ensure the meter is accessible on connection day (gates unlocked, dogs secured) so any required visit is not wasted.
- Final read at your old place
- Arrange to close your old account with a final meter read on move-out day so you are not billed for the next occupant.
Setting up your connection, step by step
- Choose your retailer and plan before you move — do not just default to whoever supplied the previous occupant.
- Contact them at least 3–5 business days ahead with your new address, move-in date and (if you have it) the NMI.
- Close your old account with a final meter read for your move-out date so the final bill is accurate.
- Confirm the connection date and any connection fee, and make sure the meter will be accessible.
- On move-in day, check the power is on; if not, call your retailer promptly with your account and address details.
Do not just accept the default plan
Moving is the easiest time to end up on an expensive plan. Many people simply connect with whatever retailer is convenient, or stay with their current retailer at the new address, without checking whether the plan is competitive for the new home — which may have a different network area, different tariffs and different usage.
Because you are opening a new account anyway, there is no switching effort to save and no exit fee to worry about — it is the perfect moment to compare. Upload a recent bill to EnergySorted and it will cost plans across every AER-listed retailer against your usage, so you start in your new home on a plan that actually suits it, rather than a default that quietly overcharges you.