Set Up Utilities and Bills in a Rental

Plan electricity, water, cooking gas and internet as four separate checks when moving into an Israeli rental. Internet infrastructure and service may be bundled, so confirm which companies actually hold your accounts. Before handover, identify each supplier, the registered customer and the meter serving the apartment. Record the handover date and readings, submit the appropriate customer-change requests and keep the completion confirmations. Build your budget from bills for the property and written quotes for your own household. Transfer charges, deposits, installation and equipment need separate entries. The sections below explain what to collect, how to check the bills and what to settle when you leave. Add the resulting monthly allowance to what renting really costs.

One boundary first: arnona is a tax, not a utility. It is the municipal charge, billed by the city on its own schedule, and it has its own rules for renters. We do not cover it here. Read the arnona page for renters for who pays it and how to put it in your name. The shared-building charge (lobby, lift, stairwell cleaning) is also separate; that is the vaad bayit.

The four services, and who owns each one

Start with the supplier and account details shown on the bills for the actual property. The retail bill, the physical connection and the emergency contact can involve different organizations.

• Electricity: identify the registered customer, retail supplier and network contact. A private retail contract is separate from the customer-name change; check the network contact shown for the property when reporting an outage.
• Water: identify the water corporation or local supplier serving the address. The previous bill and the municipality can help you find it; Mei Avivim is the example used below for Tel Aviv-Yafo.
• Gas: identify the licensed supplier and whether the home uses cylinders or a shared storage system. Ask who orders deliveries and which appliances use gas.
• Internet: distinguish the physical connection from the retail internet service, then check how your package sells them. Bezeq, for example, offers a combined infrastructure-and-service package. Record every active contract instead of assuming that two separate bills are required.

Make a dated handover record. Match each accessible meter’s serial number to the relevant bill, record its reading and take a clear photograph where safe and permitted. Share the record with the landlord and outgoing occupant, then submit the readings through the provider’s procedure. Photos support that record; the provider’s confirmed account dates and final bill still need checking. Do not open sealed equipment or attempt electrical or gas work.

What each utility costs to start and to run

Separate the cash needed at move-in from the ongoing bill. A previous occupant’s bill is useful evidence of the property’s charges, but your household size, appliances, usage, billing dates and chosen contract can change the result. Use this worksheet to obtain the missing figures.

Build the one-time total from the written charges for your address. List account transfers, new installation, equipment and refundable deposits separately. Internet installation depends on the provider, the type of home and whether the required fiber already reaches the home; the Bezeq Bfiber examples below show these conditions. Confirm whether a quoted installation price already includes activation and whether equipment is rented, purchased or supplied under another arrangement. Keep refundable deposits visible in the cash needed at move-in, even when they are not an expected final expense.

Fixed-input electricity illustration. Assume an energy price of NIS 0.6432 per kWh, already including VAT, and compare 450 kWh with 850 kWh over the same billing period. These are chosen calculation inputs. Replace both the price and quantities with the applicable bill or plan. Energy cost is quantity multiplied by price; add the actual fixed and capacity charges separately.

The increase in this example is NIS 257.28 for the energy component. It follows from the additional 400 kWh at the assumed price. To plan a seasonal reserve, compare actual usage and billing days across available bills, then consider your own cooling, heating, hot-water and occupancy needs. A larger apartment or a particular season does not establish a fixed consumption figure.

Put the actual household figures together

Bring electricity, water, gas and the quoted internet plan onto one monthly worksheet. Convert each bill using its actual period and set aside a separate reserve for uneven charges or cylinder deliveries. Keep one-time fees and refundable deposits outside the ongoing total. The all-in cost page combines your resulting utilities allowance with rent, arnona and the vaad.

Electricity: rename the account, then read the bill

Prepare the customer change around the handover date. IEC’s customer-change form asks for the contract number and address, incoming and outgoing customer details, meter numbers and readings, the change date, contact details and a final-bill address for the outgoing customer. It includes signature fields and asks for the sale or rental contract; companies have additional requirements. Ask IEC which channel and identification documents apply to your situation. The form says the change carries a charge; obtain the current amount and completion date directly.

Keep the submission and confirmation with your lease and handover record. If a previous balance appears, ask the provider to identify the billed period, registered customer and basis of the charge. Agree any disputed allocation through the appropriate supplier and tenancy process before treating it as settled. A meter photograph alone does not resolve responsibility for an older balance.

Read the components of the bill. IEC’s tariff explanation separates energy use, fixed charges and a capacity charge. Fixed distribution and supply components can also differ. Check your connection, meter, plan, dates and the applicable tariff rather than using a single fixed-charge amount for every household. Confirm whether each quoted price includes VAT; the standard VAT rate is 18%, and an already VAT-inclusive price should not have VAT added again.

IEC’s meter-reading guidance explains that a bill can use an estimated reading. Match the meter serial number to the bill and check the previous/current readings and dates. If the reading needs correction, use the official reporting channel; IEC describes reporting through its site or 103. Read only safely accessible equipment and leave electrical work to an appropriately authorized professional.

A retail-supplier switch is a separate decision. Noga’s switching instructions require the registered customer’s identity, contract and meter details to match, followed by the required digital authorization. Basic-meter customers can also apply; obtain the applicable reading requirements and confirmed start date from the selected supplier. Compare which consumption receives a discount, the hours covered, fixed charges, billing terms and any linked offer. Calculate savings using your own usage and the written contract.

Water: find your corporation, then change the holder

Use the procedure for the supplier serving the address. In Tel Aviv-Yafo, Mei Avivim’s customer-change guidance says its notice is separate from the municipal update. An incoming tenant supplies the required lease and identification documents and should enter the actual meter reading. The page explains that a missing reading leads to allocation by days of occupancy. Obtain the completion acknowledgement and check the first bill against the handover record.

That same procedure says the outgoing holder can continue to be billed if departure is not reported. Where a tenant leaves unilaterally and there is no incoming tenant, the owner is registered as the customer. These are registration and billing rules for this procedure; a past debt still needs its own account and period checked. Ask the relevant local supplier about your circumstances, including a property without an individual meter.

Check the recognized-resident count as well as the customer name. Mei Avivim’s resident-update instructions say the count resets when tenants change. Update it even if the household is the same size as the previous one. The page lists evidence for an address mismatch and specific documentation for a non-Israeli resident, including a valid passport, valid stay authorization and the lease. Shared custody and other special circumstances have additional procedures; use the current form for the actual household.

Check the number shown on later bills when the household changes, for example after a birth or when a resident moves out. Mei Avivim says it uses population-register information and lets its customers request a correction if the number on the bill does not match the household. Ask the local supplier which documents and dates apply to your situation, and keep the submission and response.

The table describes Mei Avivim’s published recognized-quantity calculation. The allowance receives the lower price; it is still billed water. Check the recognized count, actual bill days, applicable dated rates and the charges for consumption above the allowance. Confirm the rules with the supplier serving a property outside this example.

Mei Avivim’s meter and billing guidance distinguishes the apartment’s meter from the main building meter and says an inaccessible meter may lead to an estimate. Review the private consumption, any shared-consumption allocation, applicable sewage charge and whether the reading was measured or estimated. Ask the supplier to explain an unexplained difference or the correction process. Keep the bill and reading evidence before treating a high charge as proof of a leak or of another occupant’s usage.

If you think an incorrect resident count affected earlier bills, ask your supplier to review those periods and keep the supporting documents. If the supplier’s answer does not resolve the matter, or it has not responded within the applicable time, the Water Authority’s consumer guidance describes how to raise a complaint after you have approached the supplier. Tamar Water also describes this route. Keep the supplier’s replies or the dates of unanswered requests, and check the filing requirements and deadlines promptly. A review does not guarantee a credit or refund.

Gas: know which kind you have before you cook

Identify the supply system and the licensed supplier. Homes may use cylinders or a shared storage system. Pazgas’s gas guidance describes both arrangements. Ask which meter or cylinders serve the home, who orders delivery and whether gas supplies cooking, hot water or heating.

Changing an account and replacing a supplier are different tasks. Shared-system replacement is possible, but involves coordinated authorization and technical arrangements. Discuss it with the landlord, building representatives and the prospective licensed supplier. Obtain the applicable process in writing before assuming one tenant can authorize work on the shared system.

For the handover, record the existing supplier, customer number, date and any meter reading. Ask how the incoming customer is registered and how the outgoing account is settled. Record who paid any equipment deposit, what equipment belongs to whom and the supplier’s return or transfer procedure. Arrange any disconnection, collection or reconnection with the supplier.

Build the gas allowance from a quote and your expected use. Ask for the cylinder size or metered unit, refill price, delivery charge, standing charge, VAT treatment and any equipment or inspection cost. A cylinder used only for cooking and a gas system also supplying hot water or heating need different usage assumptions. Keep the quote and delivery history; a generic monthly allowance cannot establish the cost for this home.

Confirm safety-check status before use. Ask the supplier for the inspection record, next due date and any unresolved defects for the system and appliances. Pazgas’s guidance distinguishes system and appliance checks and directs customers to licensed gas technicians for corrective work. A paid bill or a landlord’s reassurance is not a substitute for the required safety process.

If you suspect a gas leak, keep people away from the affected area and call the supplier’s emergency service from a safe place. Avoid flames and electrical-switch operation. Follow the supplier’s current emergency instructions. Amisragas’s instructions include closing gas valves and opening doors and windows; take those steps only when you can do so safely, without entering or remaining in a dangerous area. Leave inspection and repair to the appropriate professionals; call emergency services if there is fire or immediate danger.

Internet: check the package and the address

Two technical layers do not require two separate bills. Bezeq’s published Internet package includes infrastructure and internet service. Check the offer for your address and list the companies with which you actually have contracts. An older separate account may still need attention when you change plans; a new package is not proof that every previous service has been cancelled.

Confirm availability and the installation appointment before relying on the connection. The building’s advertised fiber availability is only the starting point: ask whether the service reaches the home and what equipment is required. Bezeq’s moving guidance asks existing customers to contact it about two weeks before a move. That is provider guidance, not a guaranteed activation time for every connection. Get the actual appointment and any access requirements confirmed.

Compare the whole written quote. Ask for the introductory monthly charge, the charge after the promotion, router rental or purchase, installation, optional extras and VAT treatment. A promotion’s duration and an equipment installment schedule are separate questions from how the service can be cancelled. Bezeq’s linked subscriber terms distinguish the ongoing service from remaining equipment or service installments; use the terms that apply to your own order.

These provider-specific published installation charges include VAT and apply to the conditions shown. The examples come from Bezeq’s published installation schedule and moving terms. They do not include a general allowance for the monthly plan, optional equipment or other work. Obtain a current address-specific quote, replace the example NIS 100 to 200 monthly allowance with that quote, and put it into your full rental budget.

Closing every account when you move out

Arrange the departure process before handing back the keys. Ask each provider how to record the closing or transfer date, final readings and final-bill address. Confirm which accounts need closure and which need a customer change. Keep written acknowledgements and check the resulting bills.

1. Record final readings on the handover date for each safely accessible meter serving the home. Keep photographs and the serial numbers with the agreed handover record.
2. Electricity: submit the requested customer-change or closing information, final reading and forwarding details through the provider’s process. Check the final billed period and keep the settlement or dispute record.
3. Water: notify the local supplier of departure and supply the requested reading and documents. Obtain confirmation of the outgoing date and next registered holder; Mei Avivim’s no-incoming-tenant owner-registration rule is explained above.
4. Gas: arrange the account settlement and any equipment or deposit transfer/return with the supplier. Keep the receipt and written deposit outcome. Have the supplier arrange any technical work.
5. Internet: identify each active contract and arrange its transfer or cancellation through the relevant provider. Confirm the end date, remaining charges and equipment return, and keep the acknowledgement. For Bezeq, consult its current cancellation instructions, which give specific email and fax channels for internet cancellation. Check separately for any older active service.

Keep the final bills, completion notices and any unresolved amounts with the rental handover record. Utility settlement and the return or use of tenancy security are separate questions under the lease and applicable rules. Review the existing guide to rental deposits and guarantees and obtain advice where an amount is disputed. Use the moving in and out checklist for the wider handover routine.

Your move-in connection sequence, in order

1. On the handover date, record the serial number and reading of each safely accessible meter serving the home. Keep photographs where safe and permitted.
2. Electricity: prepare the customer-change request with the contract, identification, handover date and readings required by the provider. Confirm the current charge and completion.
3. Water: identify the supplier, submit the holder change and check recognized residents separately. Keep the actual reading and the completion acknowledgement.
4. Gas: identify the system and supplier, agree the account and equipment/deposit arrangements, and confirm safety-check status before use.
5. Internet: confirm service availability at the address, obtain the installation and equipment quote, arrange the appointment early, and record the price after the promotion ends.
6. File or photograph every confirmation number. You will want them at move-out.

Five utility words you will hear

• IEC: Israel Electric Corporation. Check the actual bill for the registered customer, retail supplier and the relevant network contact.
• Tagid mayim: a water corporation. Use the supplier serving the particular address for customer registration and billing questions.
• Mispar chozeh: the contract number on an electricity bill, needed to transfer the account.
• Balon gaz: a gas cylinder. Confirm its size, supplier, ownership/deposit and delivery arrangements.
• Infrastructure versus provider: the physical internet connection versus the retail internet service. A package can include both, so check your contracts before assuming you need separate providers.

Check these before you flip anything on

• Have you matched safely accessible meter serial numbers to the property’s bills and recorded the handover readings?
• Do you have the previous tenant’s contract number from the old electricity bill?
• Do you have the provider’s customer-change confirmation and a clear record of any disputed or outstanding amount?
• Do you know whether the flat runs on a central gas tank or on cylinders?
• Is the address served by fiber or cable, and what is the price after the promotional period ends?
• Have you compared actual bill periods and usage, confirmed the water resident count and checked the gas safety record?

Questions new tenants ask about utilities

Do I have to transfer the accounts, or can I just pay the existing bills?

Submit the customer change required for your situation and keep the confirmation. Paying a bill alone does not document the incoming and outgoing account dates. Check the billed period and any previous balance with the provider; a photograph supports the reading record but does not settle every debt dispute.

How much will all four utilities cost me a month in a 3-room flat?

Use the property’s bills and written offers for your household. Check actual billing days, usage, recognized water residents, gas charges and the internet plan after any promotion. Keep one-time fees and refundable deposits separate. The electricity illustration above uses stated assumptions; it is a calculation method rather than a household price forecast.

Why is my electricity bill so much higher in summer?

Compare the billed days, tariff and reading basis first. Cooling can increase usage, but hot-water equipment, heating, appliances and occupancy also matter. Use actual kilowatt-hours and the applicable rate, then add fixed and capacity charges; there is no standard summer-to-winter multiplier for every home.

Is there a deposit to connect electricity or water?

Ask the provider to distinguish a customer-change fee, a new connection or other work, equipment and any deposit. The IEC form states that a customer change carries a charge without listing its current amount. Obtain the actual quote and any refund conditions before adding a deposit to the move-in cash requirement.

Do I need separate bills for internet infrastructure and service?

Not necessarily. A combined package can include both; Bezeq publishes such a package. Check availability and the contracts for your address. If you have separate older accounts, confirm which remain active and arrange each required transfer or cancellation. Do not assume a new order automatically closes every previous service.

Can I switch my gas supplier to save money?

Ask about the route for the actual system. A shared-system replacement needs coordination with the authorized parties and supplier. For any offer, compare the complete written charges and the equipment/deposit arrangements, rather than assuming that a quoted discount applies to your present bill.

Is arnona one of these utility bills?

No. Arnona is the municipal tax, billed by the city, not a utility. It has its own renter rules on the arnona page.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice; confirm with a licensed professional.

Sources

• IEC: customer-change form; required details, contract and signatures
• IEC: energy, fixed and capacity tariff components
• IEC: identifying the meter and reporting a reading
• Noga: retail-supplier switching procedure and customer details
• Mei Avivim: customer change and departure, Tel Aviv-Yafo
• Mei Avivim: recognized residents and supporting documents
• Mei Avivim: recognized-quantity rules and dated tariff information
• Mei Avivim: meters and billing
• Pazgas: systems, safety checks and supplier-change guidance
• Amisragas: current emergency instructions
• Bezeq, infrastructure and provider explanation (11 May 2022); combined service model
• Bezeq, current Internet package conditions; infrastructure, service, equipment and installation
• Bezeq, moving guidance; appointment planning, installation conditions and VAT
• Bezeq, published installation schedule; Bfiber apartment, detached-home and existing-fiber cases
• Bezeq subscriber terms, version marked March 2022 and linked by the current offer; scope and sections 6.3 and 14
• Bezeq cancellation policy; service-specific instructions for Internet cancellation
• Israel Electricity Authority: tariff decisions and updates
• Israel National News: earlier electricity-price reporting
• Israel Water Authority: water and sewage tariff information
• Israel National News: 2025 water-price reporting
• Bank of Israel: research and publications; historical gas-market context
• Nefesh B’Nefesh: household-utility and renting background
• Easy Aliyah: cost-of-living background
• Israel Standards Institution: standards information

Write these five lines on your moving checklist

Put these five lines on your handover checklist: readings recorded, electricity customer change confirmed, water holder and residents checked, gas account and safety status confirmed, internet arranged. Give each unfinished item an owner and a follow-up date. Add the documented ongoing amounts to the all-in cost of renting page. If you are comparing flats, bring the unanswered utility questions to the landlord and use the renting in Israel hub to compare the wider commitments before signing.