Ben Brading 5 min read

Dealing with your business water supply when moving premises

As businesses evolve, a need to move premises often arises for upscaling, downscaling, or adopting a hybrid working model.

There are many factors to consider when organising a move. To assist, we’ve prepared a quick guide to managing your business water supplies when transitioning between properties.

💡The regulator, Ofwat, permits any business moving out of a property to cancel their business water tariff without incurring exit fees. This process is known as a ‘change in tenancy’.

Moving premises | Business water guide

Our guide is divided into three sections: what to do before you move, our advice for the day you hand in your keys, and steps to take after you’ve moved into your new commercial property.

Before your move date
During the move
After your move

Preparing to move out of your commercial property

All business water contracts are associated with specific properties identified by a Supply Point ID (SPID).

Business water rates are regional and depend on your business water meter size, making it impossible to transfer water tariffs from one property to another.

Therefore, it is necessary to cancel your business water contract when you have a fixed move-out date.

Each water supplier maintains a move-out form on their website. We recommend searching “[business water supplier name] moving out” to find it.

Your supplier will usually request:

Your customer reference number
Supply Point ID (SPID)
Current business address and postcode
Your move-out date
New business address and postcode
The landlord’s details (if applicable)
Company name
Company registration number
New occupier’s full name
New occupier’s email address
New occupier’s phone number

If you have a fixed water contract with your current supplier, they usually request additional documentation to prove that your business is relocating.

They will typically ask for one of the following:

Tenancy agreement
Lease agreement
Completion statement
License to trade agreement
Letter from estate agents/letting agents (on company-headed paper)
Letter from your landlord (on company-headed paper)

💡 We recommend giving your supplier as much notice as possible about your move, ideally more than four weeks.

On your move-out date

We recommend taking a final water meter reading on the date you move out of your property and photographing the front of the meter for your records.

Inform your water supplier’s customer services team about the meter reading you have taken. Your water supplier will use this meter reading to issue your final business water bill.

Even if you have a smart water meter that automatically transmits meter readings, we still recommend taking a manual reading and photographing it as a precaution.

Before leaving the property, ensure all taps are turned off, and the stopcock valve is closed. For guidance on locating this valve, refer to our article on business water pipes.

💡 Some properties may not have a water meter. If this is the case, the charges on your business water bill will be either assessed or calculated based on the property’s rateable value.

On your move-in date

When you receive your new set of keys, we recommend locating your new water meter and taking a reading. Again, it is advisable to photograph the front of the meter.

💡 A water meter is usually found in a water box on the pavement outside your property. For a photographic guide on locating your meter, refer to our business water meter guide.

If your new property has been empty for a while, we recommend running all taps and other outlets for two minutes to mitigate the risk of legionella growth in your water fittings.

After your move

Upon moving, you will start paying for water under a default business water tariff, a type of deemed contract.

You should receive a paper bill from the property’s current water supplier within the first few months after moving in.

Upon receiving your first bill, we recommend using the details on the bill along with our business water comparison service to find a more economical fixed water contract.

💡 The average British business can save 20% on default water rates by switching business water suppliers to a competitive fixed water tariff.

What do I do if the water supply has been disconnected?

A water supplier may disconnect a property if it has been vacant for an extended period or if there are outstanding bills.

If you arrive at your new property and discover that the water connection has been disconnected, you should:

Locate the property’s water meter and note the meter number.
Enquire with the previous occupier or use our who is my business water supplier service to identify your business water supplier.
Contact the supplier, provide your address and meter number, and request reconnection.

Please be aware that reconnection may incur a charge.

💡 For temporary water supply options, please visit our page on business water interruption.