After You Buy: Setting Up Utilities Abroad (Electricity, Water, Internet, and Council Connections), Country by Country

Published on: June 18, 2026

The deed is signed, the keys are in your hand, and the apartment is dark, the taps run cold, and there's no Wi-Fi. Connecting utilities is the unglamorous, high-friction step nobody plans for, and the procedure is different in every country. This is the practical "what do I do now" guide to getting electricity, water, gas, and internet running after you buy abroad, with the documents and timelines you'll actually need.

The one rule that holds everywhere: before any provider will talk to you, you'll need your local tax number (NIE in Spain, NIF in Portugal, codice fiscale in Italy, etc.), proof of ownership (the deed), and local bank details for direct debit. Get those three lined up first and everything else flows from them.

New build vs resale: two different starting points

The very first thing that determines your utility journey is whether you bought new or second-hand.

• Resale (second-hand) property: the connections almost always already exist. Your job is to transfer the existing contracts into your name, faster, cheaper, and usually doable remotely. Take meter readings on completion day so you're not billed for the previous owner's usage.
• New build: you may be the first owner connecting from scratch, which means contacting the network distributor (not just a retail supplier) to establish the physical connection, and providing installation/safety certificates. This takes longer, sometimes weeks, and in some countries the property cannot be legally connected at all until it has its occupation licence. Plan for a gap.

The universal document checklist

Whatever the country, providers will ask for some combination of:

• Local tax identification number (the single most important item)
• Passport or national ID
• Proof of ownership, the title deed / escritura / rogito (or rental contract if you let it)
• Local bank account details (IBAN) for direct debit, increasingly some providers accept EU IBANs, including app-based accounts
• The property's supply-point codes, every connected utility has a unique identifier (see below); find them on a previous bill or in the property's technical documents

Spain

Spain's electricity and gas markets are liberalised, so you choose your supplier; water is regional and effectively a local monopoly.

• Electricity: Major suppliers include Iberdrola, Endesa, Naturgy, and EDP. To open or transfer a contract you'll need your NIE/NIF, the property address, bank details, and crucially the CUPS (Código Unificado de Punto de Suministro), the unique supply-point code printed on the electricity bill. For a new or long-dormant connection you'll also need a boletín / certificado de instalación eléctrica (electrical installation certificate) proving the supply is safe.
• Water: Contracted with the regional/municipal water company. You'll provide proof of ownership and your NIE. If a holiday rental is planned, check the rules first.
• Gas: Naturgy, Endesa, and others; an inspection certificate is needed if the installation has been inactive for over a year.
• Internet: Movistar, Vodafone, Orange, Digi, MásMóvil. Bring NIE/DNI and a fixed address; installation usually needs a technician visit.

Portugal

Like Spain, Portugal's energy market is liberalised; water is municipal.

• The prerequisite: a NIF (Portuguese tax number) and ideally a Portuguese bank account or a EU IBAN (some providers now accept Wise-style accounts).
• Electricity: EDP, Galp, Endesa, Iberdrola, Goldenergy. You'll need the CPE (Código de Ponto de Entrega), the property's unique electricity-connection code, found on prior bills or property documents. Activation typically takes 1–5 business days.
• Gas: Identified by its CUI code; a mandatory gas safety inspection (around €60) is required before connection. Many homes use bottled gas rather than mains.
• Water: Managed by the local Câmara Municipal / regional company (e.g. EPAL in Lisbon), often via a digital "balcão virtual" portal. Connection in 1–3 days.
• Internet: MEO, NOS, Vodafone, usually bundled with TV and phone. Allow 1–2 weeks for a technician appointment, and ask whether the building has fibre.

France

France keeps a regulated structure even after market opening.

• Electricity & gas: EDF and Engie are the historic names, with the Linky smart meter now standard; the physical network is run by the distributor Enedis. You'll need your PDL/PRM (point-of-delivery number) from the meter or a prior bill, plus a RIB (French bank details) for direct debit.
• Water: Provided by the municipality, often delegated to operators such as Veolia, Suez, or SAUR depending on the commune.
• Internet: Orange, Free, SFR, Bouygues, fibre availability varies sharply by area, so check eligibility at the address before committing.
• New build: for off-plan (VEFA), connections often can't be finalised until the building is delivered and the relevant certificates are in place.

Italy

Italy distinguishes between three actions, and using the right word saves weeks:

• Voltura = transferring an active contract into your name (resale, supply still live).
• Subentro = reactivating a supply that was switched off.
• Allaccio = a brand-new physical connection (new build).
• Electricity is identified by its POD code, gas by its PDR code, both on prior bills. You'll need your codice fiscale and bank details. Enel is the largest player alongside many liberalised suppliers.
• Water is run by the local acquedotto (municipal water utility).
• Council taxes: budget for TARI (the waste-collection tax) and, for second homes, IMU, these are not utilities but they land in the same "after you buy" admin pile.

The wider "after you buy" picture

Utilities are one piece of the settling-in checklist that international buyers consistently underestimate. They sit alongside the residence and registration steps that vary by country, the padrón / empadronamiento in Spain, the déclaration d'occupation in France, residence registration elsewhere, and exchanging a driving licence if you're relocating. Treat the whole post-purchase phase as a project with its own timeline, not an afterthought.

See our companion guides on registering as a resident abroad (the padrón and beyond) and exchanging your driving licence as an expat for the rest of the move-in checklist.

A realistic timeline

Practical tips that save money and time:

• Take meter readings on completion day and photograph them, so you start your account from a clean baseline.
• Set up direct debit (débito direto / domiciliación / prélèvement) immediately, missed foreign-language bills are the most common cause of disconnection.
• Don't assume gas exists, many Mediterranean homes run on electricity or bottled gas only.
• For new builds, ask the developer whether utilities will be live at handover; in some countries they handle the initial connection, in others you start from zero.
• Keep the supply-point codes (CUPS, CPE, PDL, POD/PDR) somewhere safe, you'll need them for every change of supplier.

Frequently asked questions

How do I set up electricity and water after buying a house abroad?
Line up your local tax number, the title deed, and local bank details first. For a resale property you transfer the existing contracts into your name; for a new build you contact the network distributor to create a connection. You'll also need the property's supply-point code (CUPS in Spain, CPE in Portugal, PDL in France, POD in Italy).

How long does it take to connect utilities after buying abroad?
On a resale, electricity and water are usually live within a few days. On a new build, electricity can take a few weeks and gas may need an inspection, so plan for a gap.

Do I need a local bank account to set up utilities?
Usually yes, for direct debit, though some providers now accept EU IBANs, including app-based accounts. A local account remains the smoothest option.

What is a CUPS / CPE / POD code?
It's the unique identifier for a property's utility supply point, CUPS for Spanish electricity, CPE for Portuguese electricity, PDL for French electricity, POD (electricity) and PDR (gas) in Italy. You need it to open or switch a contract; find it on a previous bill.

Are utilities already connected when I buy a resale property?
Typically yes, the connections exist and you simply transfer the contracts into your name, taking meter readings on completion day to avoid paying for the previous owner's usage.

The whole move-in, mapped

Utilities are one line on a longer post-purchase checklist that changes country to country. Find country-by-country buying and ownership intelligence across 50+ markets on JanusHermes as you settle into your new home.

This guide is general practical information for international buyers and not legal or financial advice. Providers, codes, and procedures vary by country, region, and provider, and change over time. Confirm the current process for your specific municipality and, for new builds, with your developer.