📌 Key Takeaways

  • Three things to do on move-in day: (1) photograph and read the meters (electricity, gas and water readings + date); (2) find out who the current suppliers are; (3) open accounts in your name — otherwise you may face back-billing.
  • You are already using electricity and gas the moment you move in — this is called a deemed contract: until you contact the suppliers and open accounts, you are automatically charged at the existing supplier’s (usually more expensive) default rate. Open accounts as soon as possible.
  • Finding your electricity supplier: use Find My Supplier (enter postcode / building number) to look up your MPAN (Meter Point Administration Number) and supplier; or first use the Energy Networks Association to find your regional Distribution Network Operator (DNO) and ask them.
  • Finding your gas supplier: use Find My Supplier to look up your MPRN (Meter Point Reference Number) and supplier; or call the Meter Number Helpline on 0870 608 1524.
  • Finding your water company: use the Water UK postcode checker. ⚠️ You cannot switch your water supplier — it is a regional monopoly fixed by postcode; however you must still open an account in your name.
  • MPAN / MPRN follow the property, not your contract — they are the unique identifiers for a property’s supply points and do not change when you switch supplier.
  • You can switch energy; you cannot switch water: after moving in you can switch electricity / gas supplier or tariff (default rates are often more expensive); for water you cannot.
  • Emergency numbers: smell gas → 0800 111 999 (National Gas Emergency); power cut → 105 (free, connects to your local network operator).
  • Jurisdiction: this article focuses on England and Wales; suppliers in Scotland and Northern Ireland differ but the lookup process is similar. Related reading: Energy Bill Help and Warm Home Discount, Energy Bill Disputes and Ofgem Complaints.

When many Chinese residents first move into a rented property in the UK, they often get stuck on the same questions: “Which companies supply the electricity, gas and water to this property? How do I get the bills put in my name? Am I already running up a debt?” — especially when the landlord or letting agent has not handed over the details clearly and the previous tenant is unreachable.

The key concept to understand is: in the UK, water, electricity and gas are already being supplied the moment you move in. Until you proactively contact the suppliers and open accounts in your own name, you are on a deemed contract — automatically charged at the existing supplier’s default rate. If you do nothing, you may receive a large back-billed invoice when you come to move out.

This article walks you through everything step by step: what to do on move-in day, how to find out who supplies your electricity, gas and water, how to open accounts and take meter readings to avoid back-billing, what to do with a prepayment meter, whether to switch supplier, and key emergency numbers and common pitfalls. All official lookup tools and phone numbers are linked below.

⚠️ The most common misconception: “No bill has arrived, so I don’t owe anything” — wrong! Under a deemed contract, charges are accumulating the whole time. Open accounts and take meter readings within your first few days — this is the first step to protecting yourself.

Key official tools and resources:

1. Three Things to Do First on Move-in Day

Step What to do Why
1. Take meter readings + photograph them Record the electricity, gas and water meter readings with the date; take clear photographs for your records Draws a clear line between the previous occupier’s usage and yours, preventing you from paying for someone else’s consumption or being back-billed
2. Find out who the current suppliers are Use Find My Supplier / the Meter Number Helpline / Water UK to identify the companies currently supplying your electricity, gas and water (see below) You cannot open an account if you do not know who to contact
3. Open accounts in your name Contact each supplier, give your move-in date and the opening meter readings, and open accounts in your name Ends the ambiguity of the deemed contract and puts charges onto your own account from the correct date

📌 Tip: Ask your landlord or letting agent for a copy of the check-in inventory / check-in report, which often already records the meter readings taken on move-in day — this is valuable evidence.

2. What Is a Deemed Contract?

When you move into a property that already has an energy supply, a deemed contract is automatically formed between you and the existing supplier:

  • You do not need to sign anything — it takes effect the moment you use electricity or gas;
  • Charges are calculated at the supplier’s default (standard / deemed) rate — usually more expensive than a tariff you actively choose;
  • It continues until you open a formal account and (if you wish) switch supplier or tariff.

⚠️ What this means: a deemed contract protects the supplier’s right to charge you, not your right to save money. Open an account as soon as possible and consider whether switching to a better-value tariff makes sense (see Section 8).

3. How to Find Your Electricity Supplier

Each electricity supply point is identified by an MPAN (Meter Point Administration Number) — it follows the property and does not change when you switch supplier. How to find it:

  1. Check old bills / the check-in inventory: the MPAN often appears in the top-left or bottom-right corner of an electricity bill;
  2. Find My Supplier: go to findmysupplier.energy, enter your postcode and building number, and look up the MPAN and current supplier;
  3. Distribution Network Operator (DNO): if the above does not work, use the Energy Networks Association to find your regional DNO by postcode and call them to ask who supplies the address;
  4. Contact the supplier directly: if you already know which company it is, you can call them with the address to obtain the MPAN.

📌 DNO ≠ supplier: the DNO is responsible for the cables and network (call them for a power cut — dial 105); the supplier is the company that bills you. They are different organisations.

4. How to Find Your Gas Supplier

Gas supply points are identified by an MPRN (Meter Point Reference Number) — a 6–10 digit number, sometimes prefixed with M — which also follows the property. How to find it:

  1. Check old bills / the label on the meter;
  2. Find My Supplier: go to findmysupplier.energy, enter your postcode and building number, and look up the MPRN and current gas supplier;
  3. Meter Number Helpline: call 0870 608 1524, give the address, and they can tell you the MPRN and current supplier.

📌 No gas supply? Many flats and new-build properties are all-electric and have no gas meter. This is perfectly normal — you only need to deal with electricity and water.

5. How to Find Your Water Company

  1. Enter your postcode into the Water UK postcode checker — it will return your regional water company and sewerage company (sometimes two different organisations) along with their contact details;
  2. You can also use CCW (Consumer Council for Water) for lookups and assistance.

⚠️ Key fact: you cannot switch your water supplier in the UK — it is a regional monopoly fixed by postcode, with only one water company per area. The only way to “change” is to move house. However, you must still open an account in your name, otherwise you may be back-billed for water used after you move in.

📌 Water billing: your water may be charged either as metered (based on actual use) or as a fixed charge based on the property’s rateable value (unmetered). If your property has no water meter, you can ask the water company to install one free of charge; paying by the amount you use is often cheaper, particularly for one- or two-person households.

6. Opening Accounts, Taking Meter Readings, and Avoiding Back-billing

  • When opening an account, give: your move-in date and the meter readings for electricity, gas and water taken on that date;
  • Keep evidence: the check-in inventory, photographs of meter readings, and the account-opening confirmation email / reference number from each supplier;
  • Back-billing rules: energy suppliers are generally not permitted to back-bill you for usage more than 12 months in arrears where they failed to bill on time through no fault of yours (back-billing protection) — but this only applies if you have properly opened an account. For more detail, see Energy Bill Disputes and Ofgem Complaints;
  • When you move out: equally, take meter readings + photographs + notify each supplier to close the account and issue a final bill, to ensure charges stop from your move-out date.

7. What to Do with a Prepayment Meter

If the property has a prepayment meter (where you top up credit before using electricity or gas — commonly via a key, card or app):

  • First use the methods above to find the supplier, then contact them to transfer the account into your name;
  • Ask for or arrange a new top-up key or card (the previous tenant’s may still be registered to their account);
  • Top up at an authorised outlet (such as PayPoint or Post Office) or via the supplier’s app;
  • ⚠️ Prepayment meters are often more expensive — you generally have the right to ask to be switched to a credit meter, particularly if your credit record is acceptable; customers in vulnerable circumstances can ask about the supplier’s assistance schemes.

8. Should You Switch Supplier or Tariff?

  • Energy (electricity / gas) can be switched: deemed / default rates are usually more expensive. Once you have opened an account you can compare options and switch supplier or tariff. Note: following the energy market crisis, the range of available tariffs is more limited and Ofgem’s price cap sets a ceiling — compare carefully before switching;
  • Water cannot be switched (see Section 5);
  • Vulnerable customers: register with your supplier’s Priority Services Register (PSR) (free) — this provides extra support for disabled people, older people, households with young children, people who do not speak English as a first language, and others (for example: bills in alternative formats, meter reading assistance, priority notification in a power cut);
  • For financial support and bill reductions, see Energy Bill Help and Warm Home Discount.

9. Emergency Numbers and Safety

Situation Number
Smell gas / suspected gas leak 0800 111 999 (National Gas Emergency Service, 24 hours) — open windows, turn off the supply at the meter, do not switch any electrical items on or off, leave the property, then call
Power cut 105 (free, automatically connects to your local electricity distribution network operator)
Energy consumer dispute / assistance Citizens Advice consumer helpline 0808 223 1133
Water problems / complaints Contact your water company first; if unsatisfied, contact CCW

10. Related but Different: Don’t Confuse These with Utilities

  • Council Tax: this is not a supplier bill — you must register and pay it separately to your local council; low-income households may be eligible for a reduction. See Council Tax Reduction.
  • Broadband / telephone: these are not inherited from the previous tenant — you choose and sign up with a new provider yourself (unlike energy, where a deemed contract exists).
  • TV Licence: watching live television or BBC iPlayer requires a separate TV Licence and is unrelated to your energy supply.
  • “Bills included” tenancies: some house shares and student lets include water, electricity and gas in the rent — check your tenancy agreement first to confirm who is responsible before deciding whether to open accounts. See Official UK Renting Guide.

11. Common Questions and Pitfalls for New Chinese Residents

  • “No bill has arrived, so everything is fine” — under a deemed contract, charges are accumulating the whole time; open accounts and take meter readings within your first few days.
  • Paying for the previous tenant’s usage — if you open an account without first taking meter readings, you may end up being charged for consumption left behind by the previous occupier. Take readings first and report the correct move-in date readings.
  • Deposit deducted for “utility charges” — equally, take readings, settle all accounts and keep evidence when you move out; for deposit disputes see Tenancy Deposit Protection.
  • Thinking water can also be “shopped around” — water is a postcode-based monopoly and cannot be switched.
  • Topping up a prepayment meter on the wrong account — confirm that the key or card has been transferred to your account before topping up.
  • Language barriers — opening accounts and making enquiries can largely be done online; if you need extra help, register for the Priority Services Register or seek bilingual assistance.

Circle Vision Foundation Services

Circle Vision Foundation (CVF) provides practical assistance to new Chinese tenants in the UK with setting up utilities:

  • Supplier lookup assistance — helping you use Find My Supplier, Water UK and the Meter Number Helpline to identify your electricity, gas and water suppliers
  • Account opening and meter reading guidance — bilingual explanation of the move-in account-opening process, avoiding the pitfalls of deemed contracts and back-billing
  • Back-billing appeals — helping you invoke the 12-month rule to challenge improper retrospective charges from suppliers
  • Switching from prepayment to credit meter — assistance with applications to change meter type and access to vulnerable-customer support schemes
  • Priority Services Register (PSR) registration — registering older people, disabled people and non-English-speaking residents
  • Bill dispute referrals — working alongside Energy Bill Disputes and Ofgem Complaints

Contact us:

📌 Jurisdiction / Data Version Note

  • Scope: this article focuses on energy and water supply set-up in England and Wales; suppliers in Scotland and Northern Ireland differ, but the lookup process (Find My Supplier, Water UK, Meter Number Helpline) is the same.
  • Rules version: based on Ofgem energy retail rules (deemed contracts, back-billing, price cap, Priority Services Register) and the regional monopoly structure for UK water supply (as at June 2026).
  • This article is not legal advice — it is an explanatory practical guide; for specific disputes please consult a professional adviser or Circle Vision Foundation (CVF).

Version & Responsibility:

  • Jurisdiction: England & Wales (primary)
  • Data sources: Find My Supplier (findmysupplier.energy), Water UK, CCW, Energy Networks Association, Ofgem, Citizens Advice, gov.uk
  • Last verified: 2026-06-03
  • Published by: Circle Vision Foundation (England & Wales registered charity no. 1209727)
  • Feedback and corrections: if you find that rules have changed or a fact is incorrect, please email [email protected] and we will verify and update within 14 days.

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