How To Set Up Utilities When Moving in Together

Moving in with your significant other? It’s important to figure out who will set up the utilities in your new home, as this task needs to be done in a timely manner — something Christine H. from Florida learned the hard way.

“I was moving out of my apartment and into a house with my partner, and I had so much to do during moving week that I forgot to cancel my old account with the electric company,” she explains.

“I ended up doing it a few days after we moved, but the apartment’s maintenance team must have already started cleaning and renovating the unit because when I got my final electric bill, it was almost three times what it normally cost! The management company wouldn’t refund me, either, because it was my responsibility to cancel the services.”

It’s equally important to set up your new utility accounts ASAP. In fact, many landlords won’t give you the keys to your new digs without proof that the utilities have been transferred to your name.

If you’re wondering whether to put both you and your partner’s names on utility accounts, there are several compelling reasons to do so. For one, you’ll both be financially responsible for the bills and able to make changes to the account if needed. Further, utility bills are often used as proof of residency if, for instance, you’re changing the address on your license, which you’ll both need to do after you relocate.

It might seem like an unimportant task, but setting up — and, when applicable, canceling — utility accounts should be high on your moving to-do list. Taking care of this task right away will ensure you and your partner start your life together on the right foot.