Apartment Utility Service Basics

If you were looking for Addison Apartments, you probably found many options to choose from. After selecting your new apartment and signing your lease, one of the very next steps that you will have to take before moving in is getting all your utilities turned on. If you’re moving on your own for the first time, this process can seem overwhelming. Here are a few basic tips to help you make this part of your moving process seamless:

What Do I Need

Some apartment communities provide some utilities to you as an amenity are already calculated into your rental rate. Sometimes water, sewer, and trash will be arranged and/or paid for by the apartment property management company. Other services, such as; phone, cable, internet, and electricity, are typically arranged and paid for by the renter. It will be important for you to be clear on what utilities you are required to pay for and arrange and what utilities will be provided by the apartment community. Also, you should find out from your apartment property management if there are other discounts and deals for preferred providers. This can help you save some money during what can be an expensive process.

Phone

In the past, the most efficient way to establish phone service was to call the phone company providing service to your apartment. However, there are now many more options for getting phone service. You can often bundle your phone and Internet service with your cable bill, for instance. If you’re already planning on getting Internet access, you can look into Voice over IP (VoIP) services, such as Vonage. A final option is to rely exclusively on your cell phone rather than getting a separate residential land-line. If you do get a residential line, you may want to use it for local calls only and reserve long-distance calls for your cell phone in order to save money.

Cable television

You will want to think about how many channels you want to pay for and whether your location will allow you to pick up satellite or cable TV. If you’re interested in getting satellite TV, you will need to check with your apartment management in order to ensure that a dish can be added to your apartment surroundings as needed. In addition, the landlord or community manager should be able to share with you if there are providers who will provide better or discounted services. Also, consider your own preferences and lifestyle. If you prefer to watch more movies, you may consider getting an unlimited rental account, such as those offered by services like Blockbuster and Netflix. If you are an avid football fan that wants to watch as many games as possible, service providers that offer the NFL channel may be a better choice for you.

Internet

Most people will have to choose between internet through a cable connection or through DSL, which is tied to your landline phone service. There are also now mobile options, such as those provided through wireless service providers like Verizon, Sprint and MediaFLO, may also be a good choice for you. Compare both the expense and personal convenience of the options available to you before settling on a provider.

Timing the Set-up

If you are able, you shoud plan to contact utility companies no later than two weeks before your expected move-in date to allow plenty of time for setup. In some cases, a deposit or credit check may be required, which could add to the time and money needed to get things up and running. Schedule activation for one to three days before the first night you plan to spend in your new apartment.

With a little planning, you will be all settled into your new apartment in no time. For more tips or to find out why our complaints are almost nonexistent, review hundreds of customer testimonials and other information available online.