How long does it take to connect gas?

Connecting electricity and gas when you move home should be fairly straightforward. However, it can be easy to miss a deadline or skip a step and end up with delays or in the worst-case scenario, no power on moving day.

There are three common scenarios to plan a new gas connection – moving to a home with an existing connection, switching providers in your current home or moving to a brand new home without a gas supply. The timelines for each of these are described below. Simply follow each of the steps to make sure your move goes smoothly. 

But remember, these timelines show the minimum time required for each step. If you know your moving date, you can always get ahead of the game and book your connection date early.

• Moving to a home with an existing gas supply OR switching providers

• Moving to a new home without an existing gas supply

Keep scrolling to the scenario that applies to you for more information about how to carry out each action.

Moving to a home with an existing gas supply or switching providers

An existing gas supply means the home has previously been connected to the mains supply, or ‘the grid’. It also means the service line bringing gas from the mains to the house is in good working order and doesn’t require any additional work or repairs.

Switching providers means that you are already residing in the home but are looking for a new gas connection with cheaper rates. We recommend comparing plans every 12 months to make sure you are still getting the best deal.

If either of these situations applies to you, then the good news is that these scenarios are the easiest to plan, with the least steps!

• Choose your provider – as soon as you know you are moving

The most important part of moving your utility services is choosing the best plan. This can save you hundreds of dollars each year, so you want to get started early and avoid having to rush the decision.

Some things to consider are:

• Do you want to stay with your current provider? You might be able to transfer your plan to avoid exit fees, but you need to check to see if they offer the same rates and discounts in your new area.
• Can you bundle your utilities? When looking at plans, you can often access savings by bundling your services. You need to consider your unique usage to decide if it will be cheaper to bundle your plans or have separate electricity and gas accounts.
• What are the energy needs of your new home? If you have different needs in your new home, then you might get better value from a new plan. This could be the case if you are moving to a bigger house, if you are going to start working from home, or if there is a swimming pool, underfloor heating, or other heavy-use items in your new home.
• Are there solar panels installed? Using solar energy to power appliances is a cheaper alternative to electricity and gas if it is available, but only if you find the right plan.

To take the hassle out of making the decision, please contact our gas experts on 1300 786 045 or enter your details online. In one easy phone call, our team can help you find the cheapest energy plan, connect your electricity and gas and even arrange your internet, pay tv, movers and cleaners to make moving day a breeze!

• Book your connection date – minimum 3 days before you move

Once you know your move-in date, you should let your chosen provider know so that they can book in the connection. For gas, this can take between 3 and 5 business days. You can arrange your connection as far in advance as you like, so it’s a good idea to let them know as early as possible. 

In a property with an existing power supply, you won’t need to be home for the connection. A technician might need to visit the site to take a meter reading to use as the starting point for your first bill. It’s a good idea to take a reading for your own records as well, in case there are any discrepancies on your bill.

After you move in, you should check your gas immediately and report any faults as there may have been an issue with the connection process.

If you are switching plans in your current home, you should find out if your current provider will charge you an exit fee. It might be worth staying with your current provider until the end of your contract to save money on fees, unless the new savings will outweigh the initial costs.

• Disconnect your current energy (if required) – minimum 3 days before you move

If you are moving from a home with the gas and electricity connections in your name, you should contact your current supplier and advise them of your move-out date. They will book the disconnection for you and send someone to take a meter read for your final bill. This will avoid you paying any excess charges for energy used after you move out.

If you use Move-In Connect’s free moving services, we can take care of all of this for you and book your new connections at the same time.

Moving to a new home without an existing gas supply

If you need to establish brand new property electricity and gas connections for a new build or a home that has never been connected to the grid, there are a few extra steps you need to be aware of.

• Install service line and gas meter – works complete minimum 20 days before you move

If you’re building a new home, talk to your builder about connecting gas to your site and let them know which appliances you would like to run with gas.

If there is a gas main in your street, your builder will lodge a request with the network distributor to install a service line or gas pipes to your property. If your street does not have gas mains, you might be able to connect to LPG (bottled) gas as an alternative.

The service line installation is usually the longest step in the process (up to 20 days) and must be completed before the meter can be installed. 

Once the service line works are complete, the distributor will arrange the meter installation. You should discuss with your builder if you have a preferred meter location so that they can incorporate this in the build and arrange it with the gas fitter and distributor.

Your gas distributor may charge a fee for service line and metering installation. This varies between distributors, based on where you live and the complexity of the work involved, although in many straightforward cases, it will be free. Talk to your builder or distributor to arrange a quote.

You can find the distributor for your new area in the table below:

• Choose your provider – as soon as you know you are moving

Once your distributor has installed the pipes and meter, you can choose the retailer you want to provide your gas. Unlike your distributor, customers in most states are free to choose their preferred gas supplier, which means you can shop around for the cheapest plan.

Although it can be hard when moving into a new home, try to consider your unique energy needs when looking for a plan. As well as low rates, you should look for other important features such as flexible payments, no lock-in contracts, no exit fees and rewards and incentives, such as pay-on-time discounts or credits and points to spend with partner companies.

Use Move-In Connect’s free comparison service to find the perfect plan. Call us on 1300 786 045 or enter your details here.

• Book your connection date – 20 days before you move (minimum 3)

Although 3 to 5 days notice is usually sufficient for a new gas connection, when you are setting up for the first time there can be unforeseen delays or issues, so you should allow up to 20 days if possible. 

As soon as you have chosen your provider, you should let them know your move-in date so there is plenty of time to deal with any problems that might come up and you don’t find yourself unexpectedly without a gas supply.

• Disconnect your current energy (if required) – minimum 3 days before you move

To avoid paying any unnecessary costs, make sure you contact your energy provider(s) to arrange for a final meter reading and disconnection at your current address.

Next steps

To move electricity and gas without the stress, give us a call on 1300 786 045 or enter your details here and one of our moving experts will do all the hard work for you!

Useful Links

How long does it take to connect electricity to my new home?

Energy retailers in Australia

How do I switch my energy provider?