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Electricity & gas · Switzerland
Checked 2026-09-27

📦 Moving house in Switzerland: what do I do about electricity and gas?

The short answer

Moving is a common moment for billing mistakes. Read the meters on both days and tell your supplier in time.

📜 The rules in Switzerland

The market

Households and small firms using under 100 MWh a year cannot choose their electricity supplier: they are in the basic supply (Grundversorgung) of their local grid operator. Full opening is planned with the EU electricity agreement (signed March 2026, now in parliament). Gas has no specific law yet.

Official source: elcom.admin.ch · Checked 2026-09-27

Switching supplier

Households cannot switch electricity supplier; only customers using more than 100,000 kWh a year have market access. For gas, the Competition Commission ruled in 2020 that small customers may in principle choose, but there is no nationwide framework; a gas supply act (GasVG) was consulted in 2025.

Official source: bfe.admin.ch · Checked 2026-09-27

🪜 Step by step

  1. Tell your supplier in advanceGive the moving date and your new address, and ask whether your contract can move with you.
  2. Read the metersTake dated photos of all meters on the day you leave and the day you arrive.
  3. Check the new homeFind out which grid operator serves the new address and whether the supply is connected.
  4. Check your final billCompare the final bill with your photos. Any credit must be refunded.

📇 Who to contact

Strompreis-Webseite der ElCom officialCompare electricity and gas offersBefore you switch, or when your price goes up🔗 www.strompreis.elcom.admin.ch
Eidgenössische Elektrizitätskommission ElComSupervises energy companies and explains your rightsFor information, and to report a company that breaks the rules📞 +41 58 462 58 33🔗 www.elcom.admin.ch

❓ Questions

Can I take my contract with me?

Often yes, within the same country. Otherwise moving usually lets you end it.

What if the supply is off at the new home?

Contact a supplier or the grid operator to have it connected.

Who pays for energy between tenants?

The person on the contract pays until the move is reported. That is why the meter reading matters.

📎 Sources

Checked: 2026-09-27

🧭 Is this still correct?

We check this information carefully, but phone numbers, websites and rules change — and sometimes we get something wrong. Spotted a mistake or a change? Let us know below.

🔗 Also useful

🔄Switching supplier→📈Price increase→🧾Wrong or high bill→💸Can’t pay the bill→🏚️Supplier went bust→

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