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Water setup

Sort your water bill when moving into a new home

Short answer

In England and Wales you cannot choose your water company: find yours by postcode, register the date you became responsible and give an opening reading for any meter. Check whether your rent includes water. Metered bills charge for use plus fixed charges; unmetered bills use the home's rateable value. Tell your old company too. In Scotland most water charges come with council tax; Northern Ireland has no separate water bill.

Updated

  • 2

    Companies that can bill one home: one for water, one for sewerage

  • 5 working days

    Notice to give when you leave a home with a water meter

  • £0

    Usual cost of requesting a household water meter in England and Wales

Water supplier finder

Find your water supplier by region or company area

Household water suppliers are typically tied to where you live. Select your region or known company area to get the supplier and the correct website.

Not sure which company covers your exact postcode? Use the official checker to confirm your provider.

Open Water UK postcode checker

The checker is run by Landlord TAP, a separate company, as noted on Water UK's page.

Selected supplier details

Select an area above to show the supplier details and website.

Some homes, especially on newer developments, are served by smaller local NAV providers. If results differ, use the postcode checker and your tenancy/sale documents as the final source.

Company areas come from CCW's list of water companies and each company's own website, read on 13 October 2026.

Check the water company and other bills for your new address

Pick your new address to confirm which company supplies its water and see that company's average bill this year, beside the council tax, energy and broadband for the same home.

You pick your exact address on the next screen. Nothing is priced before that.

England, Scotland and Wales. The water figure is the company's average bill, not a meter reading for this home.

You cannot shop around for water, so setting it up comes down to the right company, the right date and, if there is a meter, the right reading. This guide covers those three, how you will be charged, and what to check if you rent.

Who is my water supplier at a new address?

You do not pick a water company. The address decides it, so the only job is finding out which one serves the property.

  • Ofwat: household customers are not able to change their water supplier or sewerage provider, and the company that supplies your property depends on where you live.
  • Water UK's checker takes a postcode and returns the water and wastewater provider for it. CCW, the Consumer Council for Water, points to the same checker.
  • Water and sewerage can come from different companies. Citizens Advice says you could get a separate sewerage bill, or your water company might include sewerage charges on its bill on the sewerage company's behalf.
  • Some sites are served by a NAV, a company Ofwat has approved to provide water or sewerage services to specific sites instead of the usual company for the area.
  • If the checker does not list your address, Water UK suggests asking a neighbour, your estate agent or the property developer.
Sources (5)

How do I set up a water account when I move in?

Five steps for England and Wales. If the home has a meter, the reading is the one that matters most.

  1. 1

    Find the company for the new postcode

    Enter the postcode in Water UK's checker. It names the water provider and the wastewater provider, which can be two different companies.

  2. 2

    Give notice at the home you are leaving

    If your old home has a water meter, give that company at least five working days' notice so it can arrange a final reading. Otherwise you could be charged for water used after you move out.

  3. 3

    Read the meter on move-in day

    If the new home has a meter, take a reading as soon as you move in so your first bill is accurate. Meters are usually outside in a chamber, on the footpath or in the garden, or indoors, for example under the sink.

  4. 4

    Tell the water company you have moved in

    Check the company's website for how to tell it you have moved in, and give it the date and your reading. If you are staying with the same company, give it your new address.

  5. 5

    Check the first bill

    Check that it starts from the date you moved in, uses your reading if there is a meter, and shows whether sewerage is billed by the same company or separately.

Sources (2)

Will I pay by water meter or rateable value?

It depends on whether the home has a meter, and the move itself can settle the question.

  • In England and Wales, metered bills depend on recorded use. Most unmetered bills use the property’s historical rateable value, which is not its current sale price or council tax band.
  • A metered bill includes usage charges and standing charges. If a requested meter cannot be fitted, ask the company whether an assessed charge is available instead of the usual unmetered charge.
  • If the new home already has a meter, you pay metered charges and cannot switch to an unmetered bill. Citizens Advice adds that you cannot ask for the meter to be removed.
  • A water company can install a meter when you move in, but not if you have already had an unmetered bill for that property. It tells you when you report the move.
  • Moving into a new build? A meter is usually fitted already, and it may not be possible to remove it. CCW says all new houses have had to have one since 1990.
  • If you think a meter would cost less, ask the company about a free installation and its trial period. Check whether you would be allowed to return to unmetered charging; compulsory metering and an existing meter can remove that choice.
Sources (7)
Water meter or rateable value: which costs less?

Do I pay the water bill if I rent?

Usually, but check before you open an account, because some rents already include it.

  • Citizens Advice: tenants either have a water bill in their own name or pay for water as part of the rent, which is particularly common for council tenants. Check your tenancy agreement if you are not sure.
  • If you pay your landlord for water rather than the water company, you are being resold water, and you should not be charged more than the water company would charge, plus a reasonable administration fee.
  • Landlords and letting agents in England and Wales can give water companies the details of whoever is responsible for the bill through Landlord TAP, the service Water UK points them to. Ask whether yours has, and check the account starts on the day your tenancy does.
  • Check the dates on any backdated bill. Citizens Advice says a bill covering a previous tenancy, or a time you did not live there, goes to your landlord.
Sources (2)
Setting up bills when renting: the full guide

Do you set up a water bill in Scotland or Northern Ireland?

Not in the same way. The steps above are for England and Wales.

  • Scotland: most household water and sewerage charges are collected by the council alongside council tax and linked to the council tax band. Many discounts also apply to water, but Council Tax Reduction does not necessarily remove water charges. Check the water and sewerage lines on your bill.
  • Northern Ireland: domestic water charges are deferred, and the Department for Infrastructure pays NI Water a subsidy in place of household contributions.
Sources (4)

Your water bill at a new address, case by case

If your new homeWhat it means for the bill
Has a water meterRead it on move-in day. You pay by the meter and cannot switch to an unmetered bill.
Has no meterYou are charged on the value of the property. The company may fit a meter when you move in, unless you have already had an unmetered bill there.
Is a new buildA meter is usually fitted already, and it may not be possible to remove it.
Includes water in the rentYour landlord pays the water company, and should not charge you more than the company would, plus a reasonable administration fee.
Is in ScotlandWater and sewerage are on your council tax bill, collected by the council.
Is in Northern IrelandDomestic water charges are deferred.

Water bill questions when you move home

How do I find out who my water supplier is?

Enter the postcode in Water UK's supplier checker. It shows the water provider and the wastewater provider for the address, which can be different companies. If your address is not listed, Water UK suggests asking a neighbour, your estate agent or the property developer.

Can I choose my water supplier?

No. Ofwat says household customers cannot change their water supplier or sewerage provider, because the company depends on where you live. What you can sometimes change is how you are charged, by asking for a meter.

Do I need to set up a water account when I move in?

In England and Wales, yes if you are responsible for paying the water company directly. Give your responsibility date and an opening reading if there is a meter. Check whether rent includes water first. Most Scottish homes pay through the council tax bill; Northern Ireland households have no separate domestic water account to pay.

Can I have the water meter removed if I move into a metered home?

No. If your new home already has a meter, you pay metered charges and cannot switch to an unmetered bill or ask for the meter to be removed.

Do tenants pay the water bill?

Usually, either in their own name or as part of the rent. Check your tenancy agreement. If your landlord charges you for water, they should not charge more than the water company would, plus a reasonable administration fee.

How much notice do I give my old water company?

If your old home has a water meter, give at least five working days' notice so the company can arrange a final reading. Otherwise you could be charged for water used after you move out.

Finish water setup alongside the rest of the move

The renter guide explains every bill in a first rented home. The rest cover the bills water is usually set up with.

Start here

Setting up bills when renting

Recommended

The first-time renter guide: what each of the five bills is, who charges it, and what drives the price.

Official references

Keep the water bill with the rest

Pick your new address above to see its water company and the other bills for the move. Register with the company directly; if you share the home, Taupia can split the bill and track who has paid.

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Cite this page

Taupia. "Sort your water bill when moving into a new home". Last updated 20 October 2026. https://taupia.com/move-home/water-bill-setup