BC Hydro is the main electric distributor in British Columbia, serving 1.8 million customers in most areas around the province. It is imperative to notify BC Hydro when changing addresses and move your service at your new location, to make sure you’ll have electricity, hot water and/or heating in your new home! In this article, we guide you through the different ways you can change your address with BC Hydro.
The process of changing your address depends on whether you are moving your electrical services for a home or business.
Residential customers
If you’re moving your home electrical service, you have two options:
- Online through your BC Hydro account.
- By calling BC Hydro Customer Service at 1-844-741-0371
- Monday to Friday: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Saturday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Closed on Sundays and holidays.
You will have to provide the following information:
- Your move-in and move-out dates for each address
- Your new address
- A phone number where BC Hydro can reach you
- If you are renting, your landlord’s name and phone number
If you haven’t already signed up for a MyHydro account yet, you can do so here and manage your BC Hydro profile whenever you want.
Commercial customers
If you’re moving your business electrical service, you have two options to transfer service locations:
- Online by filling out a Move Your Service request.
- By calling BC Hydro Customer Service at 1-844-741-0371
- Monday to Friday: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Saturday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Closed on Sundays and holidays.
You will need to provide:
- The old service address
- The new service address
- A contact phone number
- If you’re renting, the landlord’s name and phone number
What you should know!
- For both residential and commercial clients, there is a $12.40 + GST charge for all new accounts and moves. You will see this charge on your first BC Hydro bill after moving.
- For commercial customers, new accounts may be required to provide a security deposit. If needed, you will receive an invoice and the deposit will be due within 10 days of the invoice’s mailing date.
- For commercial customers, some new accounts may be required to provide a rental or purchase agreement for proof of tenancy or ownership. If proof is actually needed, BC Hydro will contact you.
- If you opt for calling BCHydro, here is a little tip if you want to avoid long wait times on the phone: call at times other than between 9 a.m. and noon, and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. as these are usually the busiest times!
When do I have to change my address with BC Hydro?
It is required to inform them of your new address preferably well before your move-in date, up to one month in advance, if possible. That way, you will be sure to have electricity when you move in and prevent any issues occurring with your service.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I am moving out of British Columbia?
If you are leaving the province, you can cancel your electrical service with BC Hydro. Similarly, the process differs depending on whether you’re moving your home service or business service.
Residential customers:
If you want to cancel your home electrical service, you can do so online through your BC Hydro account. You will need to provide:
- A forwarding address
- A phone number where BC Hydro can we reach you
- The date you want BC Hydro to cancel your service
Commercial customers:
If you want to cancel electrical service to your business electrical service, you can close your business account by filling out a Cancel Service to Your Business request. You will need to provide:
- The older service address
- A forwarding address, which includes a postal code
- A contact phone number
If you had multiple accounts opened with BC Hydro for different locations, you can cancel your service and close the accounts by submitting a Close Multiple Accounts request. Take note of the following information when you are filling out the request:
- If your service locations only differ by unit/suite number (e.g.: an office or a residential tower), you need to enter multiple unit/suite numbers separated by commas (29, 30, 32) or by dashes for consecutive numbers (24-32).
- If you have unique service locations, or multiple move-in dates, you need to fill in a different service location section for each. You are allowed to fill in up to 10 per form.
For both residential and commercial customers, note that the final bill is produced after the move-out date. This means that if your payments are pre-authorized, BC Hydro will withdraw the final payment from your account four days after the creation of the invoice.
Finally.
Lastly, we mentioned in the beginning of this article that notifying BC Hydro of your change of address is an important task you need to do before moving. Another integral task you have to take on, if you are living in the province of British Columbia, is to notify Health Insurance BC to ensure your Medical Services Plan (MSP) is updated.
