Moving involves many tasks that go far beyond simply packing boxes. One of these is changing your address or switching electricity providers. What may sound like a bureaucratic hassle is often a real opportunity to save money in the long run and optimize your contract.
After all, moving isn’t just about changing your address and place of residence; it also opens up new legal and technical options that you can take advantage of. In this article, you’ll learn how to switch your electricity provider quickly, easily, and in compliance with the law when you move. We’ll also explain why the special right to cancel is important and what has changed as a result of the new regulations in 2025.
When you move into a new apartment or house, you often wonder whether your current electricity provider can continue to serve you there. In many cases, this isn’t possible or simply doesn’t make sense. There might be a cheaper provider in your area. You might have the opportunity to switch to green energy or significantly reduce your costs. In any case, it’s worth taking a look at your contract.
What’s more, moving is one of the few times when you can terminate your contract even outside the regular term. This is made possible by what’s known as the special right of termination.
When moving to a new apartment or house, you can often cancel your electricity contract early. To do so, you must notify your provider of the move in a timely manner—ideally at least six weeks before your planned move-out date. If you have a basic service contract, a two-week notice period is usually sufficient.
It’s also important to note that the special right to terminate applies especially if the provider cannot deliver service at your new address or if the terms of the contract change significantly. In any case, you should submit your notice of termination in writing and, ideally, include your meter number and move-out date.
An important change concerns the technical process of switching providers. As of June 6, 2025, a new technical requirement is in effect in Germany (and throughout the EU): Switching electricity providers must now be technically completed within 24 hours on weekdays. This means that as soon as you sign up with a new provider, you no longer have to wait days for the switch to take effect.
It’s important to note that this change only affects the technical processes in the background—specifically, the coordination between the electricity provider, the grid operator, and the metering point operator. As a customer, this will give you a clearer idea of when your new provider will officially take over your service.
To switch providers quickly, you’ll need your MaLo ID. This is the market location number that uniquely identifies your new meter location. You can obtain it from your utility company or find it on your electricity meter. Once you provide this information to your new provider, the switching process can begin—it’s simple, secure, and won’t interrupt your service.
First, you should check whether your current contract is still active and what the notice periods are. Then, compare offers in your new area. In many cases, you can switch providers online. You’ll need to provide your new address, move-in date, current meter reading, and—if possible—your MaLo ID. The new provider will usually handle the cancellation of your old contract for you. Nevertheless, it’s a good idea to double-check yourself to make sure all the information was submitted correctly.
When you move out, you should record the meter reading and provide it to your previous provider. The same applies when you move into your new apartment: here, too, you should record the meter reading and provide it to your new provider.
If you fail to sign a new electricity contract in time, the local default provider will automatically take over your service. This default service is often significantly more expensive and less flexible than other plans. While you can switch away from it at any time, you may end up paying unnecessarily high costs for a few weeks.
In addition, billing issues or even duplicate deliveries may occur if the old contract was not properly terminated.
Switching electricity providers when you move is more than just a chore. It’s an opportunity to take advantage of better rates, gain more control over your usage, and avoid the stress of unexpectedly high bills.
With the new regulations taking effect in 2025, moving is easier than ever. Once you’ve signed up, everything is handled within a day. And if you plan your move with Intermove, we’ll be happy to help you keep track of all the organizational details—including utilities, contracts, and deadlines.
This way, your move will not only be a fresh start in terms of your living situation, but also a sensible step financially and logistically.
Global Move Management
Parsdorfer Weg 10
85551 Munich / Kirchheim
Germany