When Should You Sign an Energy Contract? Checklist + Switching Guide

Energy Contract for Your First Home

Are you moving into your first home? Congratulations! You’ll need an energy contract as soon as you get the keys. It’s a good idea to set this up before you receive the keys to your new home.

How far in advance can you sign an energy contract?

With most suppliers, you can sign a contract anywhere from three months to two weeks before you receive the keys. With some suppliers, you can do this even earlier. Is it still a while before you get the keys? Then set a reminder in your calendar.

It’s best not to wait too long to set up your new contract, because if you need to arrange a new contract on short notice, you’ll have to submit an urgent request or face expensive fees from the grid operator.

Check when you can sign your first contract

Energy Contract When Moving

If you’re moving, you’ll need an energy contract for your new address. Depending on your situation, there are several options:

You have a fixed-term energy contract and are transferring it to your new home.
You have a variable-rate contract and are signing a new contract.
You are signing an energy contract for the first time.

Read more below about arranging an energy contract when moving.

With most suppliers, you can sign a contract anywhere from three months to two weeks before you receive the keys. With some suppliers, you can do it even earlier. Is it still a while before you get the keys? Then set a reminder in your calendar.

Don’t wait too long to set up your new contract, because if you forget, you’ll have to arrange a new contract on short notice (with an urgent request). Otherwise, you’ll face high costs from the grid operator.

Check when you can sign a new contract

Switching Energy Suppliers

Do you want to switch energy suppliers? With most suppliers, you can apply for a new contract as early as 3 months before your current contract expires. However, this varies by supplier. Enter the end date of your current contract below, and you’ll immediately see if you can switch yet.

Make sure to clearly indicate the switch date in your application, and that you don’t switch too early before your end date has passed. If you switch too early, you’ll be charged an early termination fee. If you’re currently on a variable-rate contract, the notice period is only 30 days, or 5 days with an increasing number of suppliers.

Check if you can switch

Situation Switch to new supplier Moving

End date current contract

Enter a valid date

Sign up	Switch from	Signing up possible?
14-90 days until move	90 days	Enter date
2-90 days until move	90 days	Enter date
16-365 days until move	365 days	Enter date
14-30 days until move	30 days	Enter date
1-90 days until move	90 days	Enter date
1-180 days until move	180 days	Enter date
14-30 days until move	30 days	Enter date
1-365 days until move	365 days	Enter date
1-180 days until move	180 days	Enter date
30-365 days until move	365 days	Enter date
1-90 days until move	90 days	Enter date
1-120 days until move	120 days	Enter date
1-90 days until move	90 days	Enter date
2-90 days until move	90 days	Enter date
1-90 days until move	90 days	Enter date
14-30 days until move	30 days	Enter date
2-88 days until move	88 days	Enter date
3-88 days until move	88 days	Enter date
14-90 days until move	90 days	Enter date
2-34 days until move	34 days	Enter date
1-90 days until move	90 days	Enter date
1-180 days until move	180 days	Enter date
1-60 days until move	60 days	Enter date
3-90 days until move	90 days	Enter date

Switching energy suppliers is very easy to do online and can save you tens of euros per month. Read all about switching energy suppliers on our energy switching page. By entering your postal code and house number, you can also immediately find out which energy contract is the best choice for you.

Signing an Energy Contract for Your First Home

When you move into your first home, you’ll need an energy contract. In most cases, you’ll have to arrange this yourself by signing up with an energy supplier as a new customer. Use the comparison tool to see which energy suppliers you can sign up with and what your monthly bill will be.

Energy contract for a new-build home

For a new-construction home, you can apply for an energy contract as soon as the address is known to the energy companies. This is usually well before the home is ready for occupancy, but it’s a good idea to check with the contractor or landlord. If the address isn’t known yet, you won’t be able to sign an energy contract.

If you’re moving into an existing home, this isn’t a problem. Your new address will already be known to the energy companies, and you can arrange a new energy contract well before the date you receive the keys.

Your first home is a rental or you’re moving into student housing

Even if your first home is a rental or you’re moving into a room, you’ll need an energy contract. To do this, apply for an energy contract as a new customer. Sometimes energy is included in the rent (all-inclusive rent): in that case, the landlord will arrange the energy contract.

Signing an Energy Contract When Moving

If you’re moving, there are several options available. You can either transfer your existing energy contract to your new address or sign a new energy contract.

Transferring a fixed-term contract

If you currently have a fixed-term energy contract that hasn’t expired yet, you can transfer this contract to your new home. This is because an energy contract is personal and not tied to your home. You can notify your energy supplier that you’re moving and provide your new address. Once your fixed-term contract expires, you can choose a new fixed-term contract. The term of your existing contract will not change.

Tip: If you are still within the term of a fixed-term contract, it is not a good idea to cancel your existing contract: you will then have to pay an early termination fee. In all other situations, it is a good idea to sign a new fixed-term contract.

Variable-rate contract: sign a new fixed-term contract

Do you currently have a variable energy contract, for example because your fixed energy contract has expired? You can transfer this to your new home, but signing a fixed energy contract is often a better choice. The rates for fixed energy contracts are often lower than those for variable contracts. Additionally, fixed contracts often offer welcome bonuses for new customers.

Your old variable contract has a 1-month notice period. Contact your old energy supplier yourself to cancel your old contract; this is not handled by your new energy supplier when you move. Use the date you hand over the keys to your old home as the cancellation date.

No energy contract yet: sign a new contract

Don’t have an energy contract yet? For example, because you’re renting an all-inclusive apartment or because you’re moving to the Netherlands from abroad? Then you can sign an energy contract for your new home. You can arrange this three months before you receive the keys to your new home.

When signing up, indicate that you are applying for a move. For the start date, enter the date you receive the keys to your new home. You can find an affordable energy contract using the energy comparison tool.

What happens if I forget to sign a new contract?

Don’t panic! You won’t suddenly be left without gas or electricity. You’ll receive a letter from the grid operator (such as Stedin, Liander, or Enexis). The letter will state that you need to find a new energy supplier as soon as possible; in the meantime, you’ll pay an extra-high rate directly to the grid operator. So it’s important that you take action quickly.

Urgent Energy Application

Some suppliers allow you to submit an urgent request. With an urgent request, energy delivery can begin sooner than the usual minimum 14-day period. Not all energy suppliers offer this option.

Enter your moving date and use our tool to see which energy suppliers allow you to submit an urgent application. With an urgent application, energy can be supplied within two days. Submitting an urgent application itself is free of charge. However, the energy supplier may ask you for a security deposit.

How do you submit an urgent request?

You can arrange an urgent application by signing up and then adjusting the start date in the customer portal. You can also contact customer service, who will then move the start date up. With an urgent application, you do waive the legal 14-day cooling-off period.