Which utilities to set up first, and which are already on
Prioritise electricity and internet, since these almost always require a new contract in your name and internet has the longest lead time. Gas matters only if your home uses it for heating or cooking, which varies widely by country and even by building. Water is frequently the simplest: in many apartments it is included in service charges or handled by the municipality, so you may only need to register rather than choose a provider.
A practical first step is to ask the landlord or previous tenant which utilities are bundled into rent and which you arrange directly. In many countries the prior occupant simply closes their account and you open a new one at the same meter, so confirming whether the supply is currently live (and under whose name) saves you from being double-billed or from arriving to a disconnected property.
The exact information providers ask for on the call
Have your address, move-in date, ID, meter number, and a meter reading ready before you call, plus a local bank account or IBAN. The meter number is printed on the meter itself or on a previous bill, and giving an opening reading on the move-in date is what stops you paying for the prior tenant's usage. For internet there is usually no meter, but providers will ask for the address to check which lines and speeds are available.
Payment is the step that catches newcomers out. Many providers, especially in Europe, set up billing by direct debit (SEPA in the eurozone) and may be reluctant to activate service without a local or compatible bank account. Opening that account is often worth doing before the utility calls; if you don't yet have one, ask whether card payment or invoice-by-mail is allowed as an interim arrangement, as policies vary by provider.
Choosing a tariff and what activation timelines look like
Compare tariffs on the contract basics — fixed versus variable rate, contract length, and any standing charge — rather than headline per-unit prices alone. In deregulated markets you can usually pick your electricity or gas supplier, while in others the local utility is effectively the only option. For internet, the deciding factor is often which technology actually reaches your address (fibre, cable, or DSL), so the available speed can matter more than the brand.
Timelines differ by utility and country, so ask for a specific activation date during the call. Electricity and gas at an existing, live meter can sometimes switch to your name quickly, whereas internet often involves scheduling a technician or shipping a router and can take noticeably longer. Because these calls go to local-language hotlines using country-specific terms for meters, tariffs, and connection types, doing the call in the local language — directly or via an agent — tends to be the difference between a smooth activation and a misunderstood account.
