Ask about water and electricity before collecting the keys. You'll need to know whether the accounts stay with the owner, who receives the bills and how any change of holder is arranged. Getting that agreed while the agent or owner is still involved is easier than chasing account details after you've moved in.
Get a recent bill for each supply
Ask for water and electricity bills showing the supply address, account details and identifiers. For electricity, the CUPS identifies the supply point. Ask where the meters are and take photos of the readings on move-in day.
Get the owner or agent to acknowledge those readings. A close-up of some numbers is less useful if you can't show which meter belongs to your home.
Agree whose name goes on the accounts
If you're taking over the water contract, providers commonly ask for ID, the address, your rental contract and bank details. Use the local provider's current requirements; a neighbour's experience isn't always the same process.
If the owner keeps the accounts, agree how you'll receive the actual bills and when you'll pay them. A fixed monthly estimate needs a clear way to reconcile what you paid with what was used.
Arrange the change with the provider
With the latest bill and rental contract in hand, contact the relevant provider and ask for its current change-of-holder requirements. Confirm what the owner must supply, any charges and when the change takes effect. Send bank details through the provider's confirmed channel.
Check whether the existing bills are up to date and record who is responsible for charges before your move-in date. If there are unexplained arrears, have the owner and provider clarify them before agreeing to take responsibility. Keep the opening readings and confirmation of the account change together.
Before you go ahead
- You have a recent water and electricity bill.
- You can identify your meters and have recorded the readings.
- You've agreed who holds each account and who pays the bills.
- Any required account change has been confirmed with the provider.
- You've saved the provider's contact details for faults and billing questions.
Common questions
Can a tenant put water in their own name?
Providers commonly accept a rental contract as evidence of the right to use the home, but the precise requirements and owner's cooperation vary by service.
Who pays old utility debt?
Do not assume responsibility for unexplained arrears. Record opening readings and ask the provider and landlord to separate previous consumption before changing the account.
Sources and further reading
Official information checked on 12 October 2026. Rules and procedures can change; verify the live source for your exact circumstances.