Which bills do I close when I move out?
Short answer
Give your energy suppliers at least 48 hours' notice of your leaving date, and tell your water and broadband providers too. On moving day, read every meter and photograph each reading with the date. Close your council tax account, redirect your post and update or cancel your TV Licence. Expect a final energy bill within 6 weeks.
Updated
48 hours
Minimum notice Citizens Advice says to give your energy supplier
6 weeks
When your old energy supplier should send your final bill
10 days
Working days to refund any credit after the final bill
The bills do not stop when the van leaves. Each provider keeps charging the address until it hears from you, and a final bill is only as good as the reading behind it. This checklist covers energy, council tax, water, broadband, the TV Licence and your post, in the order to do them.
How do I close my gas and electricity accounts when I move out?
Tell each supplier your leaving date, read the meters on the day, and give a forwarding address for the final bill.
- Tell your electricity and gas supplier you are moving. Citizens Advice says to give at least 48 hours' notice.
- Read your meters on the day you move out and give the readings to your supplier. Keep a note of each reading and the date you took it, in case you disagree with the final bill.
- Photograph each meter too. Shelter suggests taking photos of final meter readings on the day and sending them to the energy company.
- Give your supplier a forwarding address so it can send the final bill. Citizens Advice says you will have 28 days to pay it.
- Have a smart meter? Check it is working in smart mode before you move. If it is not, take a final reading yourself and send it in.
- Leave the in-home display behind for the next people who live there.
- On a fixed tariff you might be charged an exit fee for leaving early. Ask your supplier whether you can keep the tariff at your new home, as some let you without a fee.
Sources: Citizens Advice: moving home, dealing with your energy supply (read 13 October 2026); Shelter England: deposit deductions for unpaid rent and bills (read 13 October 2026)
When will I get my final bill and any credit back?
The deadlines are guaranteed standards, and a supplier that misses them might owe you compensation.
- Your old supplier should send your final bill within 6 weeks. Ofgem's licence rules require suppliers to take all reasonable steps to send a final bill or statement within 6 weeks of the supply ending.
- If you are in credit, Citizens Advice says the supplier must refund you within 10 working days of sending the final bill.
- Miss either deadline and the supplier might owe you compensation. Ofgem says the guaranteed standards payment rose to £40 from 2 January 2025.
- Prepayment customers are owed a final bill too. In May 2025 Ofgem announced that Good Energy would pay former prepayment customers after failing to send them final bills.
- Ofgem says your supplier will contact you if there is money in your account when it closes, so keep your contact details up to date.
- Cancelled your Direct Debit before the final bill arrived? Ofgem lists that as a reason to check a closed account for credit.
Sources: Ofgem: Good Energy decision on final bills for former prepayment customers (May 2025) (read 13 October 2026); Citizens Advice: moving home, dealing with your energy supply (read 13 October 2026); Ofgem: check if you have money in a closed energy account (read 13 October 2026)
How do I close my council tax account when I move out?
Council tax follows the address, so the council needs to know when you leave as well as where you go.
- England and Wales: GOV.UK says that if you move to a new property or a new area, tell your local council or the council for the new area you have moved to.
- Scotland: mygov.scot says you need to tell your local council if you move into or out of a property. Cancel your Council Tax account for the property you leave, and register for Council Tax at the new one.
- Keep the council's confirmation of your leaving date with your final meter readings.
- Old and new tenancies that overlap raise the question of which home you pay for. Our guide to council tax when moving house covers it.
Sources: GOV.UK: start paying Council Tax (England and Wales) (read 13 October 2026); mygov.scot: registering for Council Tax (read 13 October 2026)
How do I close my water account when I move out?
Who you tell depends on where you live.
- England and Wales: let your water company know when you plan to move, and where to. Its website explains how.
- If you have a water meter, give your water company at least 5 working days' notice so it can arrange a final meter reading. Without enough notice you could be charged for water used after you leave.
- Scotland: the cost of water and sewerage is included in your council tax bill and collected by your local council, so the council tax step covers it.
- Northern Ireland: domestic water charges are deferred, and the Department for Infrastructure pays NI Water a subsidy in place of household contributions.
Sources: Citizens Advice: moving home and water bills (read 13 October 2026); mygov.scot: public water and sewerage services (read 13 October 2026); NI Water: 2026/27 charges (read 13 October 2026); Department for Infrastructure: water charges (read 13 October 2026)
What do I do about broadband, the TV Licence and my post?
- Broadband: Ofcom suggests checking whether your current network is available where you are moving to.
- If you are changing broadband provider, Ofcom says you need to cancel your current contract and arrange a start date for the new service in time for your move.
- Check your contract's minimum term before you cancel. Our guide to broadband exit fees when moving house covers what leaving early can cost.
- TV Licence: GOV.UK says you can update your address on the TV Licensing website when you move, or cancel your licence and apply for a refund there.
- Post: Royal Mail's Redirection service sends your mail to a UK or overseas address for 3, 6 or 12 months, from £45.00. Redirected mail is processed as Second Class.
Sources: Ofcom: moving home? Top tips for keeping connected (read 13 October 2026); GOV.UK: TV Licence (read 13 October 2026); Royal Mail: redirect your mail (read 13 October 2026)
Can my landlord take unpaid bills out of my deposit?
Only when an unpaid bill has cost the landlord money, according to Shelter's guidance for England.
- Shelter: your landlord can only withhold your deposit for unpaid bills if it has cost them money.
- Your landlord cannot keep your deposit just because you have not paid your final energy bills. That debt is owed to the energy company, not the landlord.
- Unpaid bills might still delay the return of your deposit, so try to get up to date before you leave.
- If you disagree with a deduction, your deposit protection scheme offers free dispute resolution.
- This is Shelter's guidance for England.
Sources: Shelter England: deposit deductions for unpaid rent and bills (read 13 October 2026)
Who pays for energy after I leave and before the next tenant arrives?
You usually pay until 2 days after you told the supplier you were leaving. Citizens Advice's guidance stops there.
- Citizens Advice says you usually need to pay for energy until 2 days after you told the supplier you were moving. Shelter gives the same 2-day window.
- If you contacted the supplier the day before you moved, or after you had moved out, you might have to pay for some energy used after you left. Telling it early keeps that window short.
- If a bill charges you for more than 2 days after you told the supplier, contact it and ask why.
- You should not have to pay for energy the next occupier uses after they move in. Ofgem says a deemed contract normally starts when someone moves in and uses energy without agreeing a contract.
- Citizens Advice does not say who pays while a home stands empty after your 2 days. Ask your landlord or letting agent in writing who takes the account over from your leaving date, and keep the reply.
Sources: Citizens Advice: check if you're responsible for paying an energy bill (read 13 October 2026); Shelter England: bills in a shared house (read 13 October 2026); Ofgem: guidance on deemed contracts (November 2023) (read 13 October 2026)
In what order should I close my bills?
Six steps from listing your bills to checking the final ones, so nothing keeps charging an address you have left.
- 1
List every bill in your name
Energy, water, council tax, broadband, mobile and the TV Licence, plus any bill your housemates pay towards. Note each account number and how to contact the provider.
- 2
Give notice and set your end dates
Tell each energy supplier at least 48 hours ahead and give a metered water company at least 5 working days. Check your broadband contract before you cancel or move it.
- 3
Read and photograph every meter on moving day
Photograph each reading with the date showing, and send the readings to each supplier that day.
- 4
Give forwarding details and redirect your post
Give each provider your new address for the final bill, and consider a Royal Mail redirection so final bills and refunds reach you.
- 5
Close council tax and update your TV Licence
Tell the council your leaving date, and update or cancel your TV Licence on the TV Licensing website.
- 6
Check the final bills and claim any credit
Expect a final energy bill within 6 weeks and any credit within 10 working days of it. Compare each bill with your photos before you pay.
Sources: Citizens Advice: moving home, dealing with your energy supply (read 13 October 2026); Citizens Advice: moving home and water bills (read 13 October 2026); GOV.UK: TV Licence (read 13 October 2026)
How can Taupia help when I move out?
- Taupia keeps your energy, broadband, mobile and water bills in one place, so the list of accounts to close is already written.
- In a shared home it splits the final bills between housemates and tracks who has paid. It never moves money itself.
- At your next home it compares energy, broadband and mobile deals, including energy from 19 suppliers covering around 90% of the GB market, and switches once your household approves.
- Council tax and water stay with the council and your water company. Taupia does not set up council tax or switch water.
- Taupia is free.
Do energy suppliers send the final bill faster than the rules require?
Some say they do. The table below sets out what six suppliers say on their own help pages.
- EDF says it can usually send your final bill within a week of your move. ScottishPower says you should get yours within 14 days of the date you tell it you are moving out.
- E.ON Next says a credit refund normally takes about 10 working days, and can take longer for a large balance.
- Octopus and OVO both say they pay £40 if a final statement takes longer than 6 weeks, or a refund longer than 10 working days.
- Notice windows differ too. EDF takes move-out notice from 14 days before your move to 90 days after it, while E.ON Next asks you to tell it on the day or as soon as you can after.
- With no final reading, British Gas estimates one. ScottishPower may use the next occupier's opening reading, and EDF gives you five more days before it estimates.
Sources: British Gas: moving home (read 13 October 2026); EDF: I'm moving out, how do I close my EDF account? (read 13 October 2026); EDF: when will I get my final bill when I move home? (read 13 October 2026); EDF: when do I give a final meter reading when I move home? (read 13 October 2026); E.ON Next: moving home (read 13 October 2026); Octopus Energy: what if I'm moving house or have just moved in? (read 13 October 2026); Octopus Energy: guaranteed standards of performance (read 13 October 2026); OVO: moving home (read 13 October 2026); OVO: guaranteed standards of performance (read 13 October 2026); ScottishPower: moving home (read 13 October 2026)
How do six energy suppliers handle a move-out?
| Supplier | When to tell them | Final bill and refund |
|---|---|---|
| British Gas | Tell it your address and moving dates. Its help page sets no minimum notice. | Sent once you have moved out and the account is closed. With no final reading, it estimates one. |
| EDF | In MyAccount, from 14 days before your move up to 90 days after it. | Usually within a week of your move. A reading on the day is best; after five more days it sends an estimated final bill. |
| E.ON Next | On the day of your move, or as soon as you can after it. | Worked out from the final readings you send. Credit is refunded automatically, normally in about 10 working days. |
| Octopus Energy | As early as you can, though telling it after you have moved is fine too. | Final statement within 6 weeks of your move-out date, and credit refunded within 10 working days of it, or £40 compensation. |
| OVO | In My OVO, with your move-out date, a reading for that date and your forwarding details. | Final statement within 6 weeks of you telling it. Credit is refunded automatically, or it pays £40 if that takes more than 10 working days. |
| ScottishPower | Online or by live chat, with your move-out date, final readings and new address. | Within 14 days of the date you tell it. With no reading, it may use the next occupier's opening reading, or an estimate. |
Questions about closing your bills when you move out
What bills do I need to cancel when I move out?
Tell your gas and electricity suppliers, water company, council, broadband provider and TV Licensing, and redirect your post. Give energy suppliers at least 48 hours' notice and read every meter on the day you leave. In Scotland, water is collected with council tax, so the council covers both.
Do I need to give my energy supplier notice before I move out?
Citizens Advice says to give at least 48 hours' notice. Some suppliers take later notice: EDF accepts it from 14 days before your move up to 90 days after, and Octopus says telling it after you have moved is fine. Early notice keeps the final bill accurate.
How long does it take to get a final energy bill after moving out?
Your old supplier should send it within 6 weeks and refund any credit within 10 working days of sending it. If it misses either deadline it might owe you compensation, which Ofgem says rose to £40 in January 2025. Some suppliers are quicker: EDF says it can usually send one within a week.
What happens if I forget to take a final meter reading?
The supplier estimates it, or may use the next occupier's opening reading. EDF gives you five more days after you leave before it bills on an estimate. Send a dated photo as soon as you can, and ask for a corrected bill if the estimate is too high.
Can my landlord keep my deposit for unpaid bills?
In England, Shelter says only if the unpaid bill has cost the landlord money. Your landlord cannot keep your deposit just because your final energy bill is unpaid, because that debt is owed to the energy company. Your deposit scheme offers free dispute resolution if you disagree.
Who pays the energy bills when a house is empty between tenants?
You usually pay until 2 days after you told the supplier you were leaving. Citizens Advice does not say who pays after that while the home is empty, so ask your landlord or letting agent in writing who takes the account over from your leaving date.
Do I need to redirect my post when I move?
It helps, because final bills and refunds go to your forwarding address. Royal Mail's Redirection service covers 3, 6 or 12 months, from £45.00, to a UK or overseas address. Redirected mail is processed as Second Class.
Finish the move on both sides
Guides for the bills you are closing and the home you are moving into.
Start here
Forgot your final meter reading?
RecommendedHow suppliers estimate a missing final reading, and the evidence that gets it corrected.
Move-in bills checklist
Every bill to set up at the new home, and when to act on each.
Council tax when you move house
Closing one account, opening the next, and what happens when tenancies overlap.
Broadband exit fees when moving house
Whether to move your broadband or cancel it, and what leaving early costs.
TV Licence when you move
Transfer, refund or cancel, depending on who you will live with next.
Housemate moving out: the bills handover
When one person leaves a shared home and the others stay on the bills.
Check for money in a closed energy account
How to reclaim credit left behind on an old supplier account.
Moving out of a shared home?
Taupia splits the final bills between housemates and tracks who has paid, without moving any money. At your next home it compares energy, broadband and mobile deals and switches once your household approves. It is free, and nothing changes without your approval.