Setting Up Electricity and Broadband

Here are a couple of silly questions: how do you set up contracts for electricity and broadband in England?
We're moving into a rented flat in August, and I was wondering how it's done.

Do I just call up any electricity company and tell them we want to subscribe?

Re: broadband, do I need a landline for this? Will I be able to set them/it up by just phoning up the companies/company?

Yes, you'll definitely need a landline for internet, broadband or otherwise. It's best to shop around and see which companies service the area you'll be living in rather than just plumping for the first one that comes along.

As for the electric, ours was already on and all bills had been put into our names by the time we actually moved in.

Do I just call up any electricity company and tell them we want to subscribe?

Yep, you just phone them up and tell them you are moving into this property on X date and need to have the service put into your name.  Dont say 'subscribe'... they will be like, 'wot?!' 

You might not have a choice who your provider is for some of your utilities. 

For the most part, people tend to have BT for their land line and then shop around for the best broadband they can get. Often you can get package deals that include broadband, digital or satelite tv/long distance and international calls.

As for gas/electric, you should have choice there, too. Go to USwitch.com to see who the best providers are in your area. However, as you don't have records for how much you use in a month, you won't be able to use their comparison system to it's fullest. Even if your flat is currently empty, one of the gas/electric companies will be listed as a current provider (your estate agent should be able to tell you who it is). It might be best to stick with them for a couple months unless you are certain they are more expensive than other providers. For example, British Gas is pretty much understood to be more expensive than anyone else right now.

There are some other threads on here about various utility providers, too.

Just an aside, really...

I changed over our phone line and a few other things just after we moved in.

THEN I happened to read our rental contract.   Amongst  the 13 pages of nonsense were clauses prohibiting changing the providers and the phone number.

Oops.

Thank you for the advice, everybody!
I had a look at uswitch at work (doesn't seem to work on my mac..), and it seems really great.
And now I'm up to speed  with the logistics!

Keep the helpful tips coming, I'm grateful for all of it.

Just an extra

In some areas of the UK you DONT need a landline telephone line to have broadband.

Around the Slough, Windsor, Maidenhead, Woking areas there is Wireless Broadband. Look at a company called http://www.mynow.co.uk/

I've tried their service a couple times on their try it out deal, becuase of where my home is, I don't get a decent enough signal, so I've stayed on a landline/ADSL service. However, one of my ex managers had it at his place and was getting excellent results/performance.

I do know that somewhere around the Kent area there is a trial of Broadband over a WiMax connection/service. It's mainly a trial I think, but a longterm type thing. If you're in that area check that out.

Also take a look at all the forums on www.adslguide.org  there is one for wireless ISP's

I think there's others around the country so have a little look around.

hope this helps!

Cheers! Dennis! West London UK!!

When transferring the electricity account, you might also want to check which tariff scheme is in use.   There's a basic tariff with standing charge and so-much per unit at all times, plus various night-discount schemes such as Economy 7, which involves a higher standing-charge but gives you lower per-unit costs at night. 

If you're not using enough power at night to reach the break-even point, it could end up being more expensive than the standard tariff.  It's all become rather complex though, as some utilitities have scrapped standing charges altogether, so it needs looking into carefully for the best tariff.

A landline would not be required at all if you get your broadband from a cable provider. 

We have been in Edinburgh for 6 weeks now. When we moved in the rental agency made the switch for electricy and gas for us.  I was able to set up 10mg broadband without getting a landline, but all the cable tv services seem to require one so we haven't gotten cable yet. Mmy wife and i both use a cell and see no reason for a landline. I don't like the idea of paying for one just to get cable, oh well.

What company are you using for internet, Skippy?  Every single one I looked into (except NTL which uses cable) requires a landline for the internet.

Sorry it took me so long to reply.  I am using telewest broadband.