Transferring or Disconnecting Utilities

How to alert your service providers when moving house in Germany...

Gas and electricity

Contact the gas and electricity companies; many offer an online facility (in German) for disconnecting (Abmelden). Check the website of the relevant supplier. Most will have customer service centres or customer advice lines with staff who speak some English and can assist with the completion of the necessary forms.

  • For an alphabetical list of all electricity suppliers (Stromanbieter) in Germany: Click here
  • For a list of gas suppliers (Gasanbieter) in Germany: Click here

Water

Water costs are generally levied with the rent as part of the additional rent costs (Nebenkosten), so the landlord will usually deal with transferring contracts. Private customers (home owners or tenants of a single occupancy building) should contact their water supplier as detailed on their water bill.

Telephone and Internet

To disconnect or transfer telephone and Internet services, inform the provider at least a week in advance of the move. It is advisable to check the terms and conditions of respective individual telephone and Internet providers well in advance of any move. Some contracts have a minimum period which prevents the customer from terminating the contract before a certain date.

Disconnection of Deutsche Telekom (T-Com) lines can be arranged:

  • online (in German)
  • in person by visiting a T-Punkt customer service centre. To find a local branch: Click here (in German)
  • by calling Tel: 0800 330 1000

The following information is required:

  • Customer number
  • Bank details
  • Old and new address
  • Name of the former subscriber at the new address (if possible)
  • Disconnection date at the old address
  • Connection date at the new address

Existing telephone numbers can be transferred to a new address within the same area. If moving to a different district or out of the area and the existing phone number cannot be retained, T-com offers a service giving the new number to callers calling the old number for a four-week period.

TKS disconnection requires one month's notice and will terminate at the end of a calendar month. The pre-paid deposit is usually retained for payment of charges for the final month.

  • TKS customer hotline 
    Tel    : 01804 857 762 (hotline is available Monday to Friday 08:00-21:00 and weekends 10:00- 21:00 
    email

If moving to a new property with no telephone:

Those moving into a newly constructed property that does not yet have a telephone connection can contact a special T-Com service:

  • Tel: 0800 330 1903
    Open: 08:00-18:00 Monday to Friday
  • For a checklist of all documents required including site plan, construction plan and confirmation of ownership: Click here (in German)