Don’t forget to transfer utilities when moving long distance

When you are organizing your relocation, you are probably worrying about free moving boxes and where to find them, how to pack everything, etc. Usually, most people are worried about their moving-related tasks and they do not pay attention to anything else. However, you should not forget to transfer utilities when moving long-distance. It is definitely one of the most important tasks when moving house. No one wants to spend their first days in a new house without hot water, electricity, and the internet. Therefore, make sure to deal with this aspect of your relocation as well. 

Make a list to transfer utilities when moving 

Usually, you will remember to do everything if you make a list. It is quite satisfying to complete all the tasks written on your list. Even if you are not a big fan of making lists, it would help to have everything written down in one place. So feel free to browse through Master Moving Guide for tips on how to do it. In the meantime, here are all the services and utilities you should transfer when relocating. 

• Electricity 
• Gas 
• Water 
• Sewer 
• Internet 
• Landline telephone 
• Home security 
• Trash 

When should you transfer everything? Generally, you should start transferring your utilities at least two weeks in advance. However, if you are doing a last minute relocation, you might not have two weeks before your moving day. Then, you should do it as soon as you find out. Sometimes, transferring utilities might take longer than expected because you have to contact different companies. You might even need to change some providers. 

Contact all the services providers 

As mentioned, you should make a list of all the utilities that you need to transfer. However, this is not everything. You should also organize all the information that you have. Usually, you will have different providers for various services used. You should also include all the names and contact information of all the service providers. Generally, calling two weeks in advance is more than enough. However, some utility services need an installation appointment. It would be a good idea to call even earlier, around one month before your moving day. This should be around the same time when you are searching for long distance movers. These utilities would include cable and internet, security system, etc. For this reason, if you need to make an appointment, make sure to do it on time. It would be uncomfortable to live in a house without access to the internet.  

Transfer utilities when moving – electricity and gas 

When you want to disconnect your gas and electricity, you should consider doing it a day or two after the move. This way, the lights will be working in case you need to come back or have someone take items from your house. However, this is only applicable if you can access your old house after the moving day. Similarly, you should connect the gas and electricity a day or two before you move into your new house. Again, when you enter your new house, you can use turn on all the lights. If you are moving during the summer with cheap movers, you will want to turn on the AC. It is going to be impossible to survive the move during the summer without the AC. The same applies when moving during the winter. It is going to be much more comfortable to enter the warm house. 

Arrange the water and sewer service and the HOA 

You should see with your new city what to do about water and sewer. Usually, you will need to contact a person in charge of these services a few weeks before your move. You can find this person in charge at the city’s public utility office. While you are busy transferring all the utilities, you can also read about packing hacks for moving. In addition to this, if you are moving to a community with an HOA, you should see if HOA covers utilities in your neighborhood. This means that your HOA may cover the basic utilities such as water, gas, sewer, and trash pickup. Furthermore, it can be it was more convenient if you pay one monthly bill to the HOA instead of five or more separate bills to various utility companies. 

Transfer utilities when moving and update your address 

When you are calling all the utility service providers, you need to give them your new address. This way, you will receive all the future bills at your new address. When you are doing this, it is also a good idea to change your mailing address with USPS. This is quite easy to do. You need to visit the official website of USPS and select the date of your moving day. From this day on, all your new mail will be arriving at your new address. In addition to this, you should also update your new address on your ID, driver’s license, passport, and any other important document. Don’t forget to go to your bank and also update your address there. On the same note, you should also visit your new doctor, a new school for your children, and also find a new vet for your pets. 

Pay all the overdue bills 

When you need to transfer utilities when moving, also don’t forget to pay all the overdue bills. When you are calling the utility service providers, you can ask if you are owing something or not. In case you do something, you should pay before you move. This can potentially hurt your credit score if you leave it unpaid. In addition to this, before your moving date, someone from the utility service providers should come to your house and conduct a final reading of all the utilities. Mostly, this would include gas, electricity, and water. If you receive some unexpected bills after you move into your house, you will have proof of the meter reading reports and that you paid everything.