Moving Home with Octopus Energy

Moving home with Octopus Energy

Moving to a new house involves a lot of paperwork, and sorting out your energy supply is a task you need to get right early on. If you are already an Octopus Energy customer, you can usually take your account with you to your new address. However, the exact steps depend on the type of meter you have, the tariff you are on, and who currently supplies the property you are moving into.

Octopus Energy is the UK's largest domestic energy supplier. Standard tariffs are usually straightforward to transfer, while specialised smart tariffs for electric vehicles, solar or heat pumps can require extra checks. Some EV tariffs can move if the new property meets their eligibility criteria, but Intelligent Octopus Go requires you to re-apply after moving.

This guide explains how to move an existing Octopus account, what to do if you want to join them at a new address, and how to make sure your final bills and credit balances are handled correctly. For a complete guide to the general legal and administrative steps of changing address, read our full moving home energy checklist.^[1]

How to move your Octopus account

If you want to stay with Octopus Energy when you move, the easiest way to tell them is through your online account. You do not need to call them unless your situation is complicated. You can give them your moving date and your new address ahead of time. On the day you move out, you will need to provide final meter readings so they can close your old account accurately.

What happens next depends on who supplies your new home. If Octopus already supplies the new property, they will simply open a new account for you from the day you move in. You will start paying for the energy you use from that date.

If another company supplies the new property when you become responsible for it, you initially have a 'deemed contract' with that supplier. Contact it with your opening meter readings and moving date, then arrange the switch to Octopus. The existing supplier bills you for energy used before the switch completes.

What happens to smart tariffs when you move?

Many Octopus customers use smart tariffs designed for specific low-carbon technology. Tariffs like Intelligent Octopus Go offer very cheap off-peak electricity for charging an electric vehicle, often around 8p per kilowatt-hour. Other tariffs are built specifically for homes with solar panels, home batteries, or heat pumps.

Some smart tariffs can move with you if your new property meets their eligibility criteria. Fixed-term tariffs can also transfer with the same prices and end date. However, Intelligent Octopus Go and Intelligent Octopus Flux cannot move automatically: you must remove the old devices from your account and re-apply after moving in.

If your new home does not have a compatible smart meter, you will need to arrange one before joining a tariff that requires half-hourly readings. Availability depends on the property and appointment capacity. From 1 July to 30 September 2026, the Ofgem price cap limits standard-tariff unit rates and standing charges in Great Britain; at Ofgem's typical consumption values, this is equivalent to £1,663 a year for a Direct Debit household.

Closing your old account and final bills

To close your account at your old address, you must provide final meter readings on the day you move out. It is always a good idea to take a clear photograph of the meter face showing the numbers. This gives you proof of your exact usage in case the new tenant or owner disputes the figures later.

You are only responsible for the energy used up until the day your tenancy ends or the day you legally sell the property. If you move out a few days before your tenancy officially ends, you are still responsible for the standing charges and any energy used until the final day of your contract.

Keep your Direct Debit active until Octopus has issued and settled the final bill. It can then collect any amount you owe or return credit to the payment source it holds. Once the account is settled and any refund has arrived, cancel the mandate with your bank if it is still active.

Credit balances and compensation rules

Because most households pay a flat monthly amount for their energy, it is common to build up a credit balance during the warmer months. When you close your account, this money belongs to you and must be refunded.

Ofgem, the energy regulator for Great Britain, has strict rules about how quickly suppliers must handle this process. When you move home or switch away, your supplier has six weeks to issue your final bill. Once that bill is sent, they have 10 working days to refund any credit left on your account.

If Octopus misses these deadlines, the £40 compensation payments should be added to your account automatically. You do not usually need to apply for them.

In many cases, you will not have to wait that long. Octopus recently updated its payment systems, moving millions of accounts to a platform called GoCardless. If you request a refund of your credit balance through the Octopus app, the money can now reach your bank account in one to two days. This is much faster than the old five-day standard, making it easier to free up your cash during an expensive home move.

Moving into a property supplied by someone else

If you move into a home that is not supplied by Octopus, you will inherit the previous supplier. As mentioned earlier, this creates a 'deemed contract'. You cannot avoid this step. You must find out who supplies the property, contact them, and give them your opening meter readings.

Once your account with the existing supplier is open, you are free to switch to Octopus Energy. You can do this by going to the Octopus website and signing up as a new customer. If you have a friend who is already with Octopus, you can use their referral link during this setup to get a £50 credit added to your new account.

The existing supplier will normally place you on a standard variable tariff while the switch completes. In Great Britain, its unit rates and standing charges are subject to the Ofgem price cap. The switch happens in the background: your supply continues and nobody needs to visit to change the pipes or wires.

It is important to remember that energy debt follows the person, not the property. If the previous occupant left without paying their bills, you are not responsible for their debt. Giving the supplier your opening meter readings proves exactly when you became responsible for the energy use.

Dealing with prepayment meters at a new home

If your new home has a prepayment meter, the process requires a bit more attention. Traditional prepayment meters use a physical key for electricity or a card for gas, which you take to a shop to top up.

When you move in, you should never use the old tenant's key or card. If they left debt on the meter, any money you top up might be used to pay off their old debt instead of paying for your energy. You must contact the supplier immediately to register as the new occupier and ask them to send you a new, clean key or card. They can also tell you how to wipe any existing debt from the meter screen so you start with a clean slate.

If the property has a smart prepayment meter, the process is much easier. You do not need to go to a shop. Once you register with Octopus, you can use their smart prepayment mode to top up your meter directly through the Octopus app on your phone.

If you would rather pay by monthly Direct Debit, ask Octopus whether it can change the meter from prepayment to credit mode. What is possible depends on the meter and your circumstances, and Octopus will explain any eligibility checks or work required.

Contacting Octopus Energy

Most home moves can be handled entirely online. Using the online portal is the fastest way to give your dates and meter readings, and it avoids waiting in a phone queue.

However, if you are moving into a home with a prepayment meter, if there is a problem with the previous tenant's debt, or if you need to arrange a smart meter installation for a new tariff, you may need to speak to someone directly.

When you contact them, have your account number, your exact moving dates, and your latest meter readings ready. This will help their team resolve your issue much faster.