Utility Transfer Verification Guide After Property Purchase
After a property purchase, “utility transfer” should not be understood as the seller’s contract automatically becoming the buyer’s contract. In practice, the former user’s account is terminated or settled and the new user applies for a new subscription or service contract under the provider’s rules. Water, electricity and natural gas should therefore be treated as separate files, each tied to the correct address, meter or consumption point, handover reading and responsibility start date.
1. Match the property to the utility account before applying
Start with the official address, address code where available, apartment or independent-unit number and meter/consumption-point identifier. Do not rely on descriptions such as “the kitchen meter” or “villa meter.” Sites may have common meters or multiple identifiers. A mismatch can create an application for the wrong premises or leave the buyer’s consumption recorded under the previous user.
2. Verify the former user’s contract status
Ask whether a termination request has actually been submitted for water, electricity and gas or whether the prior contract remains active. Türkiye’s e‑Devlet portal provides application and termination services for many providers; in Istanbul, İSKİ offers a new subscription/name-change application and a separate termination service, while İGDAŞ offers natural-gas subscription and termination services. Paying a final-looking bill is not the same as terminating the contract, so verify the contractual status and the termination reading/date.
3. Separate former-user debt from the buyer’s consumption period
Photograph the handover reading and meter number and place them in a signed or otherwise dated handover record. Link that reading to the former-user final bill or termination process where available. Avoid a general “utilities settled” statement without meter references. Historic debt can cause practical delay or disputes even when the buyer did not create the consumption, so a defensible file establishes the exact start point for the new user.
4. Water and electricity: check DASK where the property is within scope
Disaster Insurance Law No. 6305 requires the existence of compulsory earthquake insurance to be checked in water and electricity subscription procedures for buildings and independent units within the statutory scope. DASK publishes specific implementation guidance for electricity and water subscriptions. For an in-scope property, confirm that the DASK policy is valid and matches the property before starting the application rather than discovering the problem after submission.
5. Natural gas requires its own contract and provider process
İGDAŞ’s e‑Devlet page for Istanbul lists subscription-application, termination, subscription-query and billing services. The new contract should be established for the actual user or a properly authorized representative; do not continue using the seller’s identity as a convenience. Required steps can differ with property use, installation and meter status, so the live provider service should be checked when the application is made.
6. Verify deposits instead of copying an old amount
EPDK explains that the incumbent electricity supplier may collect a security deposit to secure payment obligations and sets rules for return when the contract ends after debts are settled. Natural-gas rules also provide for a security deposit in relevant cases, with treatment depending on the meter and applicable rules. Do not assume the seller’s historical deposit equals the buyer’s current requirement; obtain the amount from the provider during the new application.
7. Meter readings are transaction evidence
On key handover, photograph each meter so that both the meter number and reading are visible and record date and time. If meters are outside the unit or in a common service room, verify that the photographed identifier belongs to the purchased property. This creates a practical boundary between seller and buyer consumption and supports an objection if the first bill starts from an incorrect reading.
8. Confirm that the new contract is actually active
Submitting an online request is not completion. Keep the application reference, acceptance/activation message, contract start date, subscriber or account number and deposit/payment receipt. After activation, inspect the first bill or official account screen to confirm name, address and meter match.
9. Do not confuse title ownership with the utility contract
A title deed proves ownership but is not itself a water, electricity or gas contract. Conversely, a utility account in someone’s name does not prove ownership. If a tenant, family member or property manager will be the user, document who will hold the contract and who bears consumption charges under the relevant lease or management arrangement.
10. Build a utility closeout file
For each service retain the handover meter photo, former-user termination status, new-user application/contract, DASK evidence where required, deposit/payment proof and the official transaction reference. If an application is rejected, record the reason and missing document rather than repeatedly submitting different information without resolving the mismatch.
Conclusion: effective utility-transfer verification ties together four facts: the correct property, the correct meter, the correct user and a clear responsibility date. The fact that a service is physically on today is not enough; the buyer needs a correctly registered contract and an evidenced consumption boundary.