Understanding Renter Electricity Rights
- ✅ Full authority to choose your electricity supplier
- ✅ Same rights as homeowners
- 🚫 Landlord cannot restrict this right or require a specific supplier
- 🏠 If electricity is included in rent — landlord controls supplier choice
- 💰 If landlord bills you separately — they still control supplier choice
When the Utility Account Is in Your Name
- 🛒 Shop for competitive rates — compare all available suppliers
- 📝 Enroll with any licensed supplier
- 🔄 Switch suppliers anytime — following normal contract terms
- 🚫 No landlord involvement in your supplier decisions
- 🌰 Ohio: Apples to Apples
- 🔑 Pennsylvania: PAPowerSwitch
- 🏛️ Massachusetts: State comparison sites
- 📊 Compare rates based on actual usage — apartments often use less than homes
- 📅 Match contract length to lease term — avoid fees if you move early
When Your Landlord Pays Electricity
- 🚫 Cannot independently choose a supplier for accounts in someone else's name
- 💬 Ask your landlord if they've shopped for competitive rates
- 💰 Suggest cost savings that could prevent rent increases
- 🤝 Some landlords pass savings to tenants through lower rent
- 🔧 Discuss individual metering — benefits both parties
- 🎯 Suggest efficiency incentives — reduces overall building costs
Master-Metered vs Individually-Metered Buildings
- 📊 One meter for entire property
- 🏠 Landlord pays utility and distributes costs through rent or separate billing
- 🚫 Tenants CANNOT choose suppliers individually
- 🏗️ Common in older buildings
- 📊 Separate meters for each unit
- ✅ Tenants establish personal accounts
- ✅ Full supplier choice freedom
- 🏗️ Standard in newer construction
Aligning Electricity Contracts with Your Lease
- ⏰ 6-month contracts — flexibility for uncertain housing situations (rates slightly higher)
- 📈 Month-to-month variable — maximum flexibility but exposed to market fluctuations
- 📅 12+ month contracts — best rates if you plan to stay long-term
- ⚠️ Lease ends in 10 months but you sign 12-month electricity contract
- 💰 Result: Early termination fees if you move
- ✅ Match contract to expected tenancy
- 🔄 Verify transfer policies if you might move within same utility area
- 📄 Read cancellation policies regarding move situations
Setting Up Electricity When Moving Into a Rental
- 🏠 Service address — complete address of your new rental
- 🪪 Personal identification — driver's license or state ID
- 📋 Social Security Number — for credit evaluation
- 💰 Limited credit history may require higher deposits
- 📄 Letters of credit from previous utilities may waive deposits
- 📅 Request service day before lease starts — ensures power on move-in
- 🔄 Previous tenant not disconnected? — utility coordinates meter transfer
Handling Electricity When Moving Out
- 📅 Lease end date — your service stop date
- 📬 Forwarding address — for your final bill
- 🔄 Moving within same utility area — contract typically transfers
- 🚫 Moving outside utility area — contract usually terminates (check for fee waivers)
- 📸 Take meter reading photos — documentation for disputes
- 🏠 Notify your landlord of service end date — they may need building service between tenants
- 💵 Settle final bill promptly — prevents collections issues
Energy Saving Tips for Renters
- 💡 Use LED bulbs — in lamps and fixtures you control
- 🔌 Unplug devices — eliminate phantom power draw
- 🔋 Use power strips — easily disconnect multiple devices at once
- 🌡️ Adjust thermostat — if you control heating/cooling
- 🌀 Use fans first — before turning on AC
- 🪟 Report drafty windows/doors — weatherization benefits both parties
- 💰 If you pay electricity — habits directly reduce your bills
- 🏢 If landlord-paid — your conservation helps keep rent lower for all residents
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my landlord prevent me from choosing my electricity supplier?
If the electricity account is in your name, your landlord cannot prevent you from choosing any licensed supplier. Your electricity choice is completely independent of your lease agreement. If the account is in your landlord's name, they control supplier choice regardless of who ultimately pays the cost.
What happens to my electricity contract if I move before it ends?
If moving within the same utility service area, you can usually transfer your contract to your new address. Moving outside the utility area typically ends contracts. Many contracts include move provisions waiving early termination fees when relocating out of the service territory. Check your specific contract terms or contact your supplier before moving.
Should I choose short or long electricity contracts as a renter?
Match contract length to your expected tenancy. If your lease is month-to-month or you might move soon, shorter contracts or variable rates offer flexibility. If you expect to stay a year or more, longer contracts lock in rates and often offer better pricing. Consider contracts that align with or are shorter than your lease term.
Do I need my landlord's permission to change electricity suppliers?
No, if the utility account is in your name, you need no permission from your landlord. Your supplier choice is between you and the supplier. You don't need to notify your landlord about supplier changes. However, if the account is in your landlord's name, you have no authority to make supplier changes.
Can I get electricity in my name if my rental has landlord-paid utilities?
Generally no. If the building is master-metered or the landlord established the individual meter account, you cannot create a separate account for the same service address. The building's meter configuration and existing account arrangements determine your options. Ask your landlord if transitioning to tenant-paid utilities is possible if you prefer controlling your own electricity costs.
About the author
Consumer Advocate
Brad moved from California to Texas in 2009 and got confused by electricity shopping—something that didn't exist where he came from. That confusion led him to build ComparePower.com. At ElectricRates.org, he's applying the same approach to Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts.
Topics covered
Sources & References
- PUCO - Consumer Rights (Public Utilities Commission of Ohio): "PUCO outlines tenant rights for electricity service and supplier choice in Ohio"Accessed Jan 2025
- PA PUC - Consumer Information (Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission): "PA PUC provides information on tenant utility rights and electricity choice"Accessed Jan 2025
Last updated: December 10, 2025
