In short
Choose a plan and a retailer a few business days before you move, give them the new address and the move-in date, and they arrange the connection with Energex. If the power is already on at the property, the switch is paperwork; if it has been disconnected, Energex needs a working day or two and clear access to the meter. Tell your old retailer the date you leave so the final bill stops on that day.
Before you move
- Choose the plan first. A move is the one time nobody is transferring you from anything, so compare on your usage and pick the plan you want rather than taking the one an agent's connection service or a removalist's partner suggests. Every generally available plan is sold across the whole Energex area, so a move within it does not change the field.
- Give the retailer the new address, the move-in date and a contact. If the property has been vacant and disconnected, ask them to book the reconnection with Energex for a business day before you arrive, and make sure the meter is accessible and the main switch is off.
- Tell the old retailer the date you are leaving and a forwarding address for the final bill. Take a photo of the old meter on the day.
Lead times
A property with the power left on is connected to your account from the date you nominate, with no visit. A property that has been disconnected needs Energex to reconnect it, which the retailer requests on your behalf; allow a couple of business days, more if a visit finds the switchboard or the meter needs work. New builds and properties without a meter take longer and go through the builder or an electrician first.
On the first bill
- The plan and the rates are the ones you chose, from the move-in date.
- The opening read matches the meter on the day you arrived.
- The tariff suits the house. A new home with a smart meter may have come with a time-of-use or demand network tariff; check which, and compare. See do I need a smart meter.
- The controlled load is there if the house has electric storage hot water. If the tank is on the general rate, an electrician can move it.
Moving into a new suburb? The market for it, and what tends to decide bills there, is on electricity plans by suburb.
Quick answers
Can I take my electricity plan with me when I move?
Usually, within South East Queensland: the retailer moves your account to the new address on the same plan. A benefit period or a sign-up credit may not move with it, and the new home's meter and tariff may suit a different plan, so a move is a good moment to compare anyway.
How much notice does an electricity retailer need for a move?
A few business days is enough where the power is already on. A property that has been disconnected needs Energex to reconnect it, so allow a couple of business days before the move-in date and make sure the meter can be reached. Same-day connection is sometimes possible for a fee, but should not be relied on.
Sources
Official pages this answer relies on. If one of them changes, tell us and we will update the page.
- Finding your NMI · Energy Made Easy, Australian Energy Regulator
- Energy Made Easy · Australian Energy Regulator
- Residential electricity tariffs · Energex