Moving House Gas Connection: Your Start-to-Finish Checklist

Moving house gas connection jobs are easiest to manage as two separate addresses with two separate dates. The new property needs the right account and supply arrangements. The old property needs a clear end to your responsibility. Booking one does not necessarily complete the other, even when you stay with the same retailer.

Quick answer

For a moving house gas connection, arrange the new address and the old account separately. Confirm whether the property has mains gas, whether supply is active, and when access is available. Book with the retailer ahead of moving day, request written confirmation and check any connection, final-read or disconnection charges.

Moving house gas connection: identify the job first

There are three common situations. Gas is already flowing and you need an account from your move-in date; a property has a mains gas connection but supply needs reactivation; or the property needs new infrastructure. These are different jobs with different timing and potential charges.

The Energy Made Easy moving guide recommends checking arrangements with the retailer, including meter readings and whether the existing plan can be used at the new address. Do not order a standard move-in and assume it covers building a new gas connection or repairing an appliance.

Ask the owner, agent or building manager what fuel serves the cooktop, heating and hot water. A home may have an electric cooktop but gas hot water, or a building may provide central hot water under a separate billing arrangement. The appliance list helps establish what service you actually need.

Two to three weeks before: collect the property details

As soon as you know the move date, gather the full address, unit number, date you receive access and the date you become responsible for utilities. If settlement, tenancy commencement and physical moving day differ, tell the retailer. The day the removal truck arrives is not always the correct billing start date.

Locate the meter if you can do so safely and lawfully. A photo of its identification and reading can help resolve ambiguity, especially where several meters sit together. Ask the agent to confirm which meter belongs to the unit rather than selecting one by guesswork.

Check for access restrictions: locked gates, building communications or plant rooms, pets, renovation works and restricted appointment hours. If the service requires attendance, somebody may need to provide access. Ask whether the retailer needs the property occupied or an adult present, rather than assuming every move is a remote account change.

Compare the new address before carrying the old plan across

Your old retailer may be able to supply the new home, but that does not make its previous rates portable. Network area, address eligibility and current offers can change. Request a new written quote and compare it with other available options using a realistic usage estimate.

If the new home has different appliances, your old annual MJ total may not be a good forecast. Moving from gas heating to electric heating can sharply alter the balance between supply charges and consumption. For a lightly used connection, our guide to gas plans for low usage explains why fixed charges deserve attention.

Use CompareUs gas comparisons as a starting point and confirm the selected retailer’s final terms. Keep temporary joining credits separate from the ongoing cost. A move is busy enough without having to remember an incentive condition that was not written down.

Book the new service and ask specific questions

Give the retailer the address and required date, then ask it to confirm the service status. “We have received your request” is not the same as “supply is confirmed for this date”. Request the expected activation or connection date, any appointment window and the conditions that could delay completion.

Ask which fees may apply. A network service charge, special meter read, after-hours attendance or new connection can differ from the retailer’s ordinary account-opening process. A no-exit-fee retail contract does not mean every physical network service is free.

Origin’s connection guidance distinguishes an established property with existing infrastructure from a first-time network connection. When reading any retailer’s moving promise, check the fuel and eligibility carefully. A next-day electricity statement should not be treated as a blanket promise for gas.

Arrange the old account separately

Tell the existing retailer the date your responsibility ends and provide a forwarding email or address for the final bill. Ask what final meter reading is needed and whether there is a fee. If your lease ends after you move out, confirm the correct account end date rather than leaving it to assumption.

Keep access available until any required read or service visit is complete. Do not leave the retailer with an instruction that depends on keys you have already handed back without arranging access through the agent. A missed read can result in estimates or additional coordination.

If you are keeping both properties for a short period, record the overlap. Paying supply charges at both addresses may be legitimate during that time. The goal is not to force the dates to match; it is to ensure each account reflects your actual responsibility.

Your two-address worksheet

Save the worksheet with your tenancy or settlement paperwork. If several people are helping with the move, one person should keep the retailer confirmations together. Otherwise it is easy for two people to make conflicting requests or for each to think the other closed the account.

If supply is inactive or the house is newly built

An inactive service may require more than creating an account. Ask the retailer whether network attendance, a safety check or licensed gas work is needed and who is responsible for arranging it. Do not try to overcome a lock, seal or warning tag yourself.

For a new build, establish whether the gas main, service line, meter and appliances are all installed and approved. A connection quotation can include work outside the ordinary retail signup. The builder, distributor, retailer and gasfitter may each have a role, so ask for the dependency that determines the next step.

Before committing to new gas infrastructure, consider the property’s available electric alternatives and any applicable local building rules. This guide does not establish whether a new connection is permitted for a particular development. Confirm that with the relevant authority and qualified project advisers.

Moving day: check confirmation, not just the flame

Confirm the retailer’s booking status before relying on gas for hot water or heating. If an appliance does not work, the cause could be the supply, appliance controls or an equipment fault. Contact the appropriate retailer, distributor or licensed technician rather than attempting repairs.

Take an opening meter photo if the meter is safely accessible. Note the date and which address it belongs to. A photo is supporting evidence, not a guarantee that the retailer will use it as the official opening reading. Keep the retailer’s accepted process as the reference.

If you notice a gas smell, stop treating the problem as a moving inconvenience. Move away from the suspected leak, avoid ignition sources and follow the distributor’s emergency instructions from a safe place. For an immediate emergency, call emergency services. Safety takes priority over completing a connection checklist.

Check both first bills after the move

The old property’s final bill should reflect the agreed closing period, final reading or estimate, charges and any credits. The new property’s first bill should show the correct address, start date and accepted rates. A short first billing period may look different from the regular cycle without being wrong.

Check concessions and payment settings separately at the new address. Do not assume they have transferred because the retailer’s brand stayed the same. If a direct debit remains on the old account, establish whether it is collecting a legitimate final balance or continuing unexpectedly.

Use the gas cost calculator to understand consumption charges, but use the bill’s actual rate blocks for a detailed reconciliation. If the opening read or service dates look wrong, raise them early and keep the booking confirmation handy.

Avoid these three expensive assumptions

First, do not assume the agent arranged your retail account. Unless there is a confirmed arrangement, make your own booking. Second, do not assume supply working means it is being billed correctly in your name. Third, do not assume leaving the old house ends the old account automatically.

If you only want a new retailer at the same property, use the gas switching guide instead. Being precise about whether you are moving, transferring, reconnecting or building a new service helps the retailer book the right work and explain the right costs.

Sources and review

The CompareUs Editorial Team checked Energy Made Easy and Origin’s connection guidance on 27 September 2026. Lead times and fees vary by property and service requirement. The planning timeline is a practical recommendation, not a guaranteed minimum notice period or a promise of connection by a particular date.