Moving to a new home soon? You might have made all the necessary arrangements such as separating items to move, booking professional movers in NYC, etc.
But, wait!
Have you planned for transferring your utilities? Not! Do it as soon as possible. Because as a responsible person, you don’t want your family to spend their first week without electricity, water, etc.
So, plan to transfer your utilities before you start packing your household items for the move. And if you’re a senior who wishes to get expert assistance during your moving process, then you may consider hiring senior moving and packing services.
But, where should you start? What’s the complete process for transferring your utilities? Read on for more information.
6 Tips For Transferring Your Utilities
Get Organized
Firstly, you need to collect information about your current utility service companies. Utilities include gas, water, electricity, security system, cable, etc. It’s good if you create an excel sheet on your personal computer for utilities. Write down the name of the company, contact number, and other details. Usually, utility companies operate in several states, thus there are chances you may get services from the same providers in your new home. If you’re planning to change any utility service provider, add such details in the sheet.
Notify Your Utility Companies in Advance
Your utility service providers can’t know about your relocation if you don’t tell them. So, notify them, and make sure you do so in advance. You have already collected the contact details of the providers in the previous step. Start calling them one by one. In case a utility service provider requires any installation appointment, make sure you call them at least 45 days before the move.
When scheduling disconnect dates, make sure you do so one or two days after the moving date. Thus, your lights, water, and other important utilities will be still working, just in case, you need to get back to your old home to pick up things left behind. If you’re moving locally, make sure you schedule gas, electric, and water connections a day before the move.
Pay All The Bills
Do you like receiving calls and emails from utility companies regarding bill payment, especially when you’re busy arranging important items in your new home? Of course not!
Before leaving your current home, make sure you have paid all overdue bills. Call them one or two days in advance, and ask if you owe anything. Online payment is the most convenient method to pay bills, ask your utility companies if they accept online payments.
Make a List of Utility Companies in New Location
This is another important task to do before moving is to check utility companies in your new location. Use the internet. Google “utility name_companies in city_name.” You will get a wide range of results. Check online reviews, and add details of the top-rated companies in an excel sheet. Then, visit each company’s site, compare their services and prices, and select the best one.
However, it’s important to check if your homeowner’s association (HOA) covers basic utilities. If so, get more details. Why you need to check this? Because it’s good to pay a single bill for different utilities than paying different bills for each one.
Update Your New Address
This is very important. When you call utility service companies for scheduling connection requests, make sure you provide them your new address. Thus, you will no longer receive any bills in your old home.
Moreover, it’s good to change your mailing address on the United States Postal Service. You can easily visit their site and submit the address change request. You can even select the date when you wish to start forwarding the mail.
Final Meter Reading & Energy Audit
You are moving to a new home, thus you should disconnect your utilities before moving. When utility companies visit your home for final readings, make sure you note the readings in a personal notebook. This will help you avoid unexpected bills.
After moving to your new home, hire a technician to perform a home energy audit. Thus, you can ensure everything is working in good condition, and get the necessary repairs to avoid any problem later on.
Bonus tip for homeowners To reduce stress on the moving day, make sure you pack everything in advance. Clean your home to make it look like the one you moved in. Get maid cleaning service in NYC to save your valuable time. Buy a moving insurance policy to ensure a safe delivery of your household items in your new home.
In conclusion, moving involves a lot of planning. Setting up utilities is one of the important tasks in the to-do list before moving. Thus, before hiring a moving company in New York City, packing household items, etc., make sure you transfer utilities first. Know your current utility service providers and notify them about your relocation at least two months in advance. If you are thinking of changing some utility companies, schedule installation visits at your new home before moving. Pay all your utility bills in advance and note down the final meter reading to avoid unexpected bills in the future.