Utilities

You need to make calls in the week prior to closing to transfer utilities from the seller’s name to your own. Typically, you will be calling the phone company, the company providing electricity and natural gas to the home, the cable company, and a trash company. In our area, the transfer of sewer and water utilities will generally be handled by the title company. If you are building a new home and installing phone service for the first time, you should  probably call at least a month in advance. At closing, you need to verify that the seller has called to cancel their service with the utility companies. If they fail to cancel, some utility companies (particularly cable companies for some reason) may refuse to connect your service.