Landlords could have to tell energy suppliers when tenants move in or out. Here is what the plan says
The government and the energy regulator Ofgem have set out a plan that would give landlords a new job at every change of tenancy: telling the energy supplier when a tenant moves in or out. It appears in "Energy debt circuit breaker", a joint strategy on household energy debt published on GOV.UK on 28 October 2026.
This is a plan, not a new law. The strategy says the government will take new powers "when parliamentary time allows", so nothing changes for landlords today. Here is what was announced, in plain English.
What the government has said
The strategy says the government will introduce legislation to reform the home moves process, "placing a new obligation on landlords to provide timely and accurate information to their supplier when tenants move into or out of a property".
It also says: "Where neither the tenant nor landlord has provided the necessary information, landlords may become liable for energy charges associated with the property." The government will consider whether different arrangements are right for social landlords, and says the reform would place similar obligations on landlords to those that already exist for water bills.
What Ofgem's consultation adds
Ofgem published a consultation on the same day about how suppliers should handle home moves. Describing the planned law, it says that where neither the tenant nor the landlord has provided the necessary information, "landlords will be jointly and severally liable for energy charges associated with the property, unless exempt".
Ofgem also says it cannot place requirements on landlords itself, because it regulates energy suppliers, not housing providers. Its proposed guidance is about what suppliers do. For example, where a tenant has left and nobody has opened a new account, suppliers may assess whether to switch an existing smart meter remotely to smart pay as you go, with a minimum 2 week "grace period" for the new occupier to set up an account. The consultation closes on 9 December 2026.
Why the government wants this
The strategy says consumer energy debt in Great Britain has reached £5bn (Q2 2026), and that Ofgem estimates 20 to 40% of energy debt is associated with changes in occupancy. It gives two causes: suppliers not knowing who the new occupier is, and people leaving without clearing their balance.
The government says the change would stop tenants receiving large backdated bills or inheriting a previous occupier's bill, and that tenants who stay out of energy debt are better placed to pay their rent.
What is not decided yet
The strategy and the consultation leave the detail for later. Neither sets out:
- how quickly a landlord would have to tell the supplier
- exactly what information a landlord would have to give
- what the exemptions would be
- a start date
The strategy says the new powers will be followed by further engagement with groups including landlord and letting agent groups on the practical details. It also says the government will look at shorter term interim measures in the meantime.
A second change: tenants and smart meters
The same strategy says the government intends to legislate, when parliamentary time allows, so that a tenant who pays the energy bills can get a smart meter without the landlord's consent. It accepts that landlords may sometimes have legitimate reasons to know about or refuse an installation, and says it will publish statutory guidance for landlords and tenants to support the new right. Again, this is a plan, and the detail is still to come.
Good habits at each change of tenancy
None of this is law yet, but the habits it points to are already useful. These are practical tips rather than legal requirements:
- Take dated meter readings at check-in and check-out, ideally with photos, and keep them with your inventory and check-in report.
- Tell the suppliers the move dates and readings when a tenancy starts or ends, and ask incoming tenants to put the accounts in their name. Our guide to who pays the bills in a rental covers how bills and council tax usually split.
- Plan for the gap between tenancies. Our guide to what an empty rental actually costs covers the charges that can fall on you when a property is empty.
- Write it into the tenancy agreement. Make clear which bills the tenant pays. See our written tenancy agreement guide.
- Keep a record of what you told whom, and when. Our guide to landlord record keeping covers what to keep.
This is general information about a government strategy and a regulator's consultation, not legal advice. Check GOV.UK for any new rules once legislation is introduced.
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Sources: GOV.UK, Energy debt circuit breaker: our joint strategy for domestic energy debt (DESNZ and Ofgem, published 28 October 2026); Ofgem, Moving home process guidance consultation (published 28 October 2026, closes 9 December 2026).