Follow This Easy Guide For Setting Up Electricity in a New Build

Improve convenience and save money on your energy bills by being proactive in setting up electricity in a new home

Follow This Easy Guide For Setting Up Electricity in a New Build

So, you’ve secured the new-build property of your dreams. A blank page on which to write a new chapter of your life with the people who mean the most to you. The last thing you want is to start life in your new home by getting ripped off on your electricity bills.

You’ve likely already heard about the current energy market crisis. If you’re on a variable tariff, you may even have noticed your energy bills rising exponentially in 2021. But that doesn’t mean you have to settle for unnecessarily high electricity prices in your new home. As your trusted local electrician, we wanted to help new movers out with this easy guide for setting up electricity in a new build.

Does my new build home already have an energy supply?

Unless you’re building your own home from scratch, your new build should already have an energy supply and meter. If you’re building your own home, you’ll need to contact your local Distribution Network Operator (DNO) to arrange a new connection to the National Grid. This can take months and cost several thousand pounds, so needs to be factored into your timeframe and budget.

In most cases, however, your home will have a working energy supply from the day you move in. The problem is that you’ll most likely be paying over the odds for the energy you use. Take these steps to ensure the best possible prices from the day you move in.

Find out who will supply electricity to the property

The energy experts at Switch-Plan recommend that your first step should be finding out which energy company supplies power to your new build, Especially in a climate where suppliers are going bust everywhere you look. Your local Meter Point Administration Service (MPAS) will be able to identify your new home’s incumbent energy supplier. This will help you to see what you will pay for energy in your new home with the incumbent supplier. Inevitably, they will put you on their standard variable plan as soon as you move in.

They can also supply you with your MPAN and MPRN numbers for your electricity and gas meters. Having these on hand can make for a faster and easier switch.

Start making plans before moving day

Before you move, carry out a price comparison to see what tariffs are available for your new home. You are unlikely to be able to move your current tariff to your new home, especially if you’re on a fixed-rate energy plan.

Given that energy prices are likely to rise again along with the Energy Price Cap in early 2022, you may want to opt for a fixed-rate plan that insulates you from even higher prices. Alternatively, if you want to keep your options open, choose a variable-rate deal.

Before comparing prices, make sure you have a clear and accurate idea of your household’s energy usage, as this will ensure that you receive accurate quotes that will match your bills.

Switch as close to your moving day as possible

It takes no more than 21 days to switch to a new energy supplier. Although this is an impressive turnaround, it means that you can’t afford to dilly-dally. The longer you wait, the more you’re likely to waste on a needlessly expensive deemed contract.

Get your new supplier to install a smart meter

Finally, the last thing anyone needs is to waste money on expensive and inaccurate estimated bills. These are based on historical usage data, which likely won’t correlate with your household usage. Especially in a newly-built home.

After switching plans, get your new supplier to install a smart meter as soon as possible. This transmits your usage data directly to the supplier. So you can be sure of accurate bills every month!