John Thomas
REALTOR
ABR, CCREC

The Moving Force, Inc.
Re/Max Greater Atlanta
1585 Holcomb Bridge Rd
Roswell GA 30076
770-650-9300
888-398-8479

How to Move Your Utilities

A Primer on How to Stay Connected

A hassle-free move is largely a matter of remembering the details, and dealing with utilities well in advance of moving day can help insure anyone's peace of mind. Nobody, after all, wants to relocate across town or country only to find the phone dead and lights out.

When disconnecting services in one location and resuming them in another, there are a few simple rules to follow. While gas, electric, phone and cable companies each have their own lead-time for disconnect/connect notification, a good rule of thumb is to contact their customer service departments at least two weeks prior to the move.

On your day of departure, be sure to keep those lights burning, the heat going and the phone working until you've waved the movers goodbye and locked the front door. Arrange to have those same services up and running at your new residence at least a day before you move in. A few more points to keep in mind when vacating the premises:

Final Reading:

Have your utility companies and/or town do a final reading of the gas, electric and water meters. Make sure to get and keep a copy of your bill or report.

Forward Your New Address

Supply companies with a forwarding address where they can send final invoices. If you don't, you could be surprised down the road with unnecessary late fees and unfortunate credit circumstances.

Pay the Piper

Pay any overdue bills.

Get Your Money Back

Collect any refunds or utility deposits. Many people forget that they may have served up a substantial chunk of change months and sometimes years back - depending on how long they've lived at their most recent address.

Bring Important Numbers and Addresses With You

Take along your local phone directories, in case you need to make contact again with your old neighborhood.

Establishing service in a new location is usually a quick and painless procedure. With just a few advance phone calls, services can be up and running before you arrive. In some instances, however, such as a history of delinquent payments, a deposit may be required of the customer before service can be turned on. When moving from out-of-state or switching companies in-state, identification (such as a driver's license) may also be required. A good way for a customer to avoid service snags is to ask former service providers for letters that confirm a satisfactory payment history. Regardless, it's always a good idea to contact utility company service representatives and discuss your situation well before the big move.

Unless you're bent on cable television in a house that hasn't been wired for it, or you require additional telephone lines, there are usually no additional costs incurred when moving into your new home. In fact, you might have an opportunity to save a few bucks by taking advantage of television, Internet and telephone services that are "bundled". By purchasing all three services from the same company, the customer can often realize a significant discount.

Finally, water and sewer service can be arranged directly through the appropriate town or city department. The same holds true for garbage pickup and recycling, the cost of which is usually rolled into the property tax bill.