Dossier ENGIE
Moving house with gas: when and how to cancel your contract and manage your meter
Cancelling your contract, reading your meter index, subscribing for your new home: moving house with gas involves several administrative steps to avoid any service interruption or unnecessary billing. Discover the key steps, timelines to follow, and best practices to move home with peace of mind with ENGIE.
Article summary
- When moving house with gas, the essential step is cancelling the gas contract for your previous home to stop any billing after you leave, even if the property remains connected to the distribution network.
- Closing the gas meter is not systematic: only an intervention by the network operator GRDF can physically cut off the gas supply, generally for vacant properties or for safety reasons.
- To cancel your contract, you must provide your supplier, via your customer area, with your departure date and the gas meter reading; with a Gazpar meter, the reading is carried out automatically.
- In your new home, it is recommended to subscribe to a contract at least 15 days before moving in to anticipate commissioning, especially if the gas has been cut off or if connection work is required.
- To simplify your move, ENGIE offers a dedicated gas offer that allows you to manage both the cancellation of your old contract and the opening of the meter for the new occupant in a single step.
You have decided to move house, and this change of address involves many administrative steps. You will need to update your address with various organisations such as your bank, your social security office, or the CAF (Caisse d’Allocations Familiales, the French family benefits office). But that’s not all: moving also involves steps with your gas supplier. ENGIE explains everything you need to know about your gas meter when moving home.
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Moving house with gas: do you need to close your meter?
While it is not always mandatory to physically close your gas meter when moving, cancelling your contract is essential when leaving a property.
Cancelling your gas contract or closing the meter: what’s the difference?
When moving, it is important to clearly distinguish between two concepts:
cancelling your contract, which means ending the agreement between you and your supplier. When moving, this is mandatory, as it marks the end of your responsibility for the property’s gas consumption.
- closing the gas meter, which is a technical operation carried out by the network operator (GRDF), consisting of physically cutting off the gas supply.
Why is cancelling your gas contract essential?
In practice, it is not the physical closure of the meter that protects you when moving, but the cancellation of your contract. Without it, you may continue to be billed for gas consumption even after you leave, if a new occupant uses gas in your place. On the other hand, cancelling your gas contract when moving allows you to:
stop all billing related to your previous home,
receive a final bill based on your actual consumption,
- transfer responsibility for the meter to the next occupant or the property owner.
When should the gas meter be physically closed?
A physical closure of the meter, carried out by GRDF, is not systematic but may be required in certain specific situations:
your previous home will remain vacant for a long period;
at the explicit request of the landlord or property manager;
for safety reasons (for example, during renovation work).
However, keep in mind that this is not your responsibility: when moving, the only step you need to take is cancelling your contract.
When should you cancel your gas contract when moving?
To organise the end of your contract smoothly and avoid any oversight, it is recommended to cancel your gas contract between 30 and 7 days before your departure. Although it is possible to cancel up until the day you move out, planning ahead remains the best solution to simplify the process, avoid the risk of overbilling, and ensure a smooth transition to your new home.
Moving house with gas: steps to follow
When moving from a property with gas, certain steps must be completed in sequence. Here are the key steps for a simple and efficient move.
Step 1: Cancel your gas contract
As mentioned earlier, cancelling your gas contract before moving is essential to avoid any billing after your departure.
To do this, contact your gas supplier online via your customer account, by email or by phone. You will be asked to provide:
the address of the property concerned,
your departure date,
- the gas meter reading (note that this is automatically collected if you have a Gazpar smart meter).
Step 2: Read your gas meter index
When cancelling, your supplier will ask for your gas meter reading to issue your final bill based on your actual consumption.
Good news! With a Gazpar meter, you do not need to take a manual reading. The smart connected meter automatically transmits your readings to GRDF, which then shares them with your supplier. Your final bill is calculated using this real data.
However, if your meter is not connected, you can provide your consumption index via your customer area, by phone, by post, or by email on the day of your departure.
Please note: if your meter is not accessible, inform your supplier. They will guide you on the steps to follow to ensure proper contract closure. A GRDF technician may need to intervene.
Once your cancellation request and meter reading have been submitted, your supplier will issue your final bill, usually within a maximum of 4 weeks.
What happens after cancellation?
Once your gas contract has been cancelled, your supplier issues a final bill based on your last meter reading. This bill settles your account: it may result in an outstanding balance to pay or, on the contrary, a refund if you have overpaid.
The final bill is generally sent within 2 to 4 weeks after cancellation, allowing time for your supplier to receive your final consumption data from the network operator.
What should you do for gas in your new home?
Before moving into your new home, remember to subscribe to a new gas contract at least two weeks in advance to avoid any gas interruption. The steps to follow differ depending on whether your future home is already connected to the gas network.
Your new home is already connected to gas
If your future home is already supplied with gas, you simply need to subscribe to a new gas contract before moving in, ideally at least two weeks in advance and with the supplier of your choice.
Good to know
Would you like to stay with ENGIE? Simply complete our online ENGIE moving form to handle everything in one go:
close your contract for your previous home,
subscribe to a contract for your new home.
When subscribing, either online or by phone, your future supplier will ask for:
the address of your new home,
meter information (delivery point) and the name of the previous occupant if you know it.
Depending on the situation, opening the gas meter may be required, especially if the gas was cut off after the previous occupant left.
To find out more, consult our guide on opening a gas meter.
Your new home is not connected to gas
If your future home is new or has not yet been connected to gas, you will need to submit a connection request to GRDF. Please note: this process can take several weeks, depending on the configuration of the property and the work required.
Once the connection has been completed, you can subscribe to a gas contract with ENGIE. ENGIE will then request the commissioning of the meter so that gas is available when you move in.
How much does moving house with gas cost?
Is closing a gas meter free?
For individuals, early termination of a gas contract is free of charge. Whether you are moving or simply changing supplier, the administrative closure of the contract does not incur any fees.
Only certain professionals may be subject to termination fees.
Note
If you change supplier without moving, for example to benefit from a gas price better suited to your needs, your only action is to subscribe to a new contract: your new supplier will automatically handle the cancellation of your previous contract.
Possible costs related to moving house with gas
Although cancellation is free, moving with gas may involve costs in certain situations, mainly related to commissioning gas in your new home.
Gas meter commissioning, charged when the gas supply has been cut off and needs to be restored upon your arrival.
Intervention by GRDF, required if a physical opening or closure of the meter is necessary (vacant property, non-communicating meter, safety reasons).
These fees are set by GRDF, meaning they are the same regardless of your supplier, and will appear on your first bill.
Moving house with gas: mistakes to avoid
To ensure your move goes smoothly and without unnecessary costs, here are some mistakes to avoid:
Leaving your gas contract active after your departure: as long as your contract is not cancelled, you remain legally responsible for the property’s gas consumption, even if it is used by a new occupant.
Forgetting to read your gas meter: without a departure reading, your final bill cannot be based on your actual consumption.
Assuming that moving automatically cancels your contract: only switching supplier at the same address leads to automatic cancellation. When moving, you must take action yourself.
Waiting until you move in to subscribe to a new contract: you risk having no gas on arrival and having to wait for commissioning.
Moving house with gas: key takeaways
Cancel your old gas contract to stop any billing after your departure.
Read your meter index on the day you move (or check automatic transmission with Gazpar) so your supplier can issue an accurate final bill.
Plan ahead and subscribe to your new gas contract so you can benefit from it as soon as you move into your new home, without interruption.
Remember: it is the cancellation of the contract—not the physical closure of the meter—that ends your responsibility.
Do I have to cancel my gas contract before leaving my old home?
Cancellation is not legally mandatory, but it is an essential step. If you do not cancel your contract, you remain responsible for the gas consumption of your previous home even after you leave. The next occupant could therefore use gas at your expense.
When should I inform my energy supplier when moving?
It is recommended to act in two steps:
For your new home (subscription): act at least 15 days before your move-in date to ensure gas is activated on time.
For your old home (cancellation): contact your supplier no later than the day you leave (after taking the meter reading).
In practice, you can usually handle both steps at the same time by contacting your gas supplier.
How do I turn on the gas in a new apartment?
You cannot turn on the gas yourself. Commissioning is carried out by the network operator (GRDF) after you have subscribed to your contract. You must:
Subscribe to a gas contract with a supplier (such as ENGIE).
The supplier sends the commissioning request to GRDF.
A GRDF technician is not always required, especially if the gas was not cut off for the previous occupant and a Gazpar meter is installed. However, in a new home, a technician visit will be mandatory.
How much does it cost to close a gas meter?
Cancelling your gas contract is always free for individual customers. You will only receive your final bill based on your actual consumption up to the day you leave.
