Do I need to tell my energy supplier I'm leaving the premises?
Yes, and in writing. Until the supplier is told, the account stays in your name and the bills keep coming, whether or not you are in the building. Give as much notice as you can, provide closing readings on the day you leave, and ask for a final bill to a forwarding address.
Last reviewed 2 September 2026 by Utilities Made Simple · independent, whole-of-market, supplier-paid — how we are paid
How much notice
Suppliers generally ask for a period of notice before a move — commonly around a month, though it varies by supplier and contract. Give what you can. A retrospective notification is accepted, but it takes longer to process and disputes are more likely because the readings are reconstructed rather than recorded.
What to send
- Account number and site address.
- The date you are vacating.
- Closing readings for every meter, photographed with serial numbers.
- A forwarding address for the final bill.
- The incoming occupier's details if you know them — it speeds everything up.
What ending liability does not do
It does not end the contract term. If you are part-way through a fixed contract, a termination fee may still apply for the unexpired period, and that is a separate conversation — see can I leave my business energy contract early? Ask about it at the same time as giving notice, not afterwards.
Checking the final bill
Compare the closing readings on the bill with your photographs, check the rates match your contract, and check the standing charge stops on the right date — typically 45–65p a day a day, so a few weeks of overrun is real money. If it is wrong, say so before you pay it; final bills are much harder to reopen once settled.
Ask an energy specialist
If your question is not answered above, send it to us. A specialist answers personally, normally within one working day. No sales call, no obligation — and if the answer is "your deal is fine", that is what you will get.
Want this checked against your own bill?
Email a recent bill to info@utilitiesms.co.uk and a specialist will check your rates, VAT, levies and contract end date against the live market — free, usually the same working day. If your deal is already good, we will tell you to keep it.