Change Utilities
Who is Responsible?
As a tenant you are required to set up the appropriate utility accounts in your own name before you occupy the property.
Depending on where you’re moving to, your current provider may not service your new neighborhood. Or you may be moving to another area of the country which may have different regulations and set-up processes for utility services. Many city and state websites will provide information for newcomers, including utility company and service provider details.
The best thing to do is to Google utilities in your new city. Most cities provide local services such as garbage pickup, sewer, water services and recycling as well. Electricity or hydro and gas options are usually supplied at the state level so best to check with your state’s website for more information. To locate a state website, go to www.usa.gov.
When Should I Call?
To be safe, it’s best to contact the new provider at least two weeks before your actual move-in date. While many utilities companies can do a three to five day turnaround, some will need at least a week to ten days in order to get things set up. Much depends on when you move – during peak moving season, such as summer months, the wait-time for services will be longer.
Click the button below to find the contact information for some of the major local utility companies.