Moving House

[Reg]

Can you help please.

We move from one french house to another in 3 weeks.How do we arrange to have the meters read as we move out

[jamesg]

When we bought our house, we called at the EDF and Water offices with the seller on the takeover day and gave them the readings.   At the same time we gave them the RIB for direct debit and had the accounts transferred to us.   In the UK it took 2 years to get it all up and running, but here it was instant.

If they are too far away I imagine a letter would do the same.

[tel]

[quote user="jamesg"]In the UK it took 2 years to get it all up and running, but here it was instant.

[/quote]

In my part of the UK it was 'Instant' too.  So I don't know why yours took 2 years.  There has been a well established procedure in the UK for as long as I can remember - Notify the Utilities of the moving day, read the meters and tell them the readings when you leave the property, New occupiers read the meters on moving in then you get billed for the consumption upto the day you left.  I have had no problems in the last three UK moves.

[jamesg]

Hi tel,

This was in North Wales.   It was a new house and our water bill turned out to be from next door's meter and vice versa, we eventually got a £400 refund.   The electric bill with our name was addressed to two doors along with their reading.   The gas bill was not from our meter reading either and we were pursued by debt collectors for refusing to pay their overcharge.

Finally the direct debits took ages to be operated correctly.

After we left there we again had the debt collectors after us for the final gas bill, even though they had taken the payment by direct debit.   They were running up our UK mobile phone bill while we were in France.   In the end they apologised and sent a compensation cheque.

[cooperlola]

If your immobilier is worth his/her salt (and you pay them enough, let's face it), they will help you to sort this.  Give them a call and they'll probably arrange the calls-out for you.

[Will]

They will probably need your bank details and other information to set up the account - in our area you have to give your full financial and life history before EDF will even speak to you, but the local water company will do things much less painfully.

[tel]

Hi James

I think the problem in the UK is too many providers of utility services, I am old fashioned so still use British Gas, for both gas and electricity, fortunately my water is not metered (1935 property) I think problems arise when you change to one of the many providers who don't want to let the account go.

Regards