Utilities are boring until the day you move in and the shower is cold, the meter is locked, or nobody knows whose name the electricity contract is in.
In Porto, this is one of the things I would check before signing a rental contract, not after carrying boxes upstairs. It is not only electricity. It is water, gas, internet, meters, old bills, access to the building, and sometimes a septic system if you are outside the city.
Porto city, Gaia, Matosinhos and smaller municipalities can work differently, especially for water and sanitation. Do not assume the provider is the same because the metro goes there.
Questions before move-in
Ask these before the key day:
- Is electricity active now?
- Is water active now?
- Is there mains gas, bottled gas, or no gas?
- Where are the meters?
- Can you access the meters yourself?
- Whose name are the contracts in?
- Are there unpaid bills?
- Do you need a new contract or a change of holder?
- What provider is being used now?
- Are meter readings recorded for move-in day?
I know it feels dull. Still, these questions are much easier before you sign than when you are already living there.
Electricity
Portugal has a liberalised electricity market, so households can choose between different suppliers. ERSE says consumers can switch electricity or natural-gas supplier with no charge and no maximum number of switches, and the new supplier handles the change from the previous one.
That is the supplier side. The distribution network is separate. In most of mainland Portugal, E-REDES is the electricity distribution operator, while your bill can come from a commercial supplier.
When setting up electricity, ask for:
- The CPE, which identifies the electricity supply point.
- The current supplier.
- The contracted power level.
- The meter reading on move-in day.
- Whether the meter is smart or needs manual readings.
- Whether there are unpaid bills or disconnected supply.
The contracted power matters. If it is too low, the power can trip when you use the oven, heater, washing machine and other appliances together. In a damp Porto winter, that becomes annoying quickly.
Compare energy offers
ERSE has an energy price simulator for electricity and natural gas offers. It is worth checking, especially if the landlord or old tenant simply says “everyone uses this company”.
Look at price, billing frequency, loyalty periods, cancellation penalties, estimated versus actual readings, customer service and whether the plan fits your use. If you work from home, use electric heating, have a dryer, or charge an electric car, your pattern is not the same as someone who is barely home.
Water
Water is normally local. In Porto city, Aguas e Energia do Porto handles water and related services. Their new-contract page says you can start through the digital desk, phone or in-person desk, and that they will ask for contact details and documents depending on whether you are owner, tenant, heir or dealing with works.
In Gaia, Matosinhos, Maia or another municipality, check the local provider. Same region, different office.
On move-in day, take a photo of the water meter and save it with the date. If you cannot find the meter, ask before the first bill arrives. Mystery old consumption is not a nice welcome.
Gas
Some homes have mains natural gas. Some use bottled gas. Some are fully electric.
If there is mains gas, ask for the CUI, the current supplier, the meter reading and the inspection situation. DGEG says gas supply to an installation can only happen after an inspection by an authorised gas-inspection entity with an approved result, and gas installations are also subject to periodic inspections.
DGEG also says a change of gas supplier or contract holder does not by itself require an extraordinary inspection if there is a valid inspection declaration or an approved inspection report and no relevant technical changes.
That means you should ask for the valid gas inspection document, not only a verbal “it is fine”.
Bottled gas
Bottled gas is common in some homes. If the apartment or house uses bottles, ask where they are stored, who replaces them, what type is used, where the shutoff is, and whether the heater or stove has been checked.
If you smell gas, do not use flames or electric switches. Ventilate if it is safe, close the valve if you can do it safely, leave the area and call 112 or the gas emergency contact for the supplier from outside.
Do not repair gas equipment yourself. Use proper authorised technicians.
Internet and TV
Internet is not in the title, but for real life it belongs in the same move-in check. If you work from home, check the exact address before signing. Not the neighbourhood. The address.
One building can have fibre and the next one can be awkward. Ask providers to check coverage, installation dates, router location and contract loyalty period. Also ask the landlord if drilling or cabling is allowed.
Septic systems and rural houses
Most apartments in Porto city are not something you think about this way, but outside the urban centre, especially in older houses or rural properties, ask whether the home is connected to mains sewage or has a fossa septica.
If there is a septic system, ask:
- Where is it?
- When was it last emptied or serviced?
- Who pays for maintenance?
- Can trucks access it?
- Is there written proof of the last service?
- Are there smells, slow drains or wet patches outside?
This is not a small detail. A septic problem can be expensive, unpleasant and slow to fix.
Old buildings
Porto has beautiful old buildings, and some of them come with beautiful old problems. Before moving in, check sockets, heaters, water pressure, damp, fuse box, ventilation, boiler age, gas shutoff, drain smell and whether the bathroom fan actually works.
If the apartment is renovated, ask what was really renovated. Fresh paint is not the same as new plumbing, new wiring, insulation or a safe gas installation.
Keep records
Save everything:
- Move-in meter photos.
- Contracts.
- Contract holder change requests.
- Emails with suppliers.
- Landlord messages about bills.
- Gas inspection documents.
- Receipts.
- Disconnection or activation notices.
Portuguese admin is much easier when you can forward a PDF instead of explaining a story from memory.
My move-in rule
Before signing, I want to know what is active, what is disconnected, where the meters are, what needs changing into my name, and whether any bills are unpaid.
Utilities are not exciting, but a normal first week at home depends on them. Check the boring parts early, take meter photos, keep documents, and do not accept vague answers about water, electricity or gas.
Official pages to check: ERSE supplier switching, ERSE electricity tariffs and prices, E-REDES, Aguas e Energia do Porto new contract, ERSAR, and DGEG gas installations.
