Energy billing in rental properties causes more confusion than almost any other household finance topic in Ireland. Who is responsible for setting up the account? Can a tenant switch supplier? What happens to deposits and credit balances when you move? This guide covers the rules, your rights as a tenant, and the practical steps to manage energy accounts in rented accommodation.
Who Is Responsible for the Electricity Account in a Rental?
In most private rental properties in Ireland, the tenant is responsible for setting up and paying for electricity and gas during their tenancy. The account is in the tenant's name, the tenant pays the bills, and the tenant is entitled to switch supplier.
In some properties — particularly student accommodation, some apartments, and short-term lets — the landlord includes energy costs in the rent. In this case, the account may remain in the landlord's name, or a management company account, and energy is charged to the tenant as part of overall rent or service charges.
Your rental agreement should specify which arrangement applies. If it is unclear, check with your landlord or letting agent before assuming you need to set up your own account.
Setting Up an Account When You Move In
When you move into a property where energy costs are your responsibility, you need to set up accounts with electricity and/or gas suppliers before you start using energy — or very shortly after moving in.
Steps:
- Find the MPRN (electricity) and/or GPRN (gas) — printed inside the meter cabinet or on the last bill if the previous tenant left it. The MPRN is an 11-digit number; the GPRN is 8 digits.
- If you cannot find these numbers, ESB Networks (esbnetworks.ie) can look up the MPRN by address, and Gas Networks Ireland (gasnetworks.ie) can do the same for the GPRN.
- Choose a supplier and sign up online — you can use GoSwitch to compare all tariffs and find the cheapest.
- Inform your supplier of your move-in date. You are responsible for energy used from that date.
Note: If there is no active account when you move in (because the previous tenant already closed theirs), ESB Networks will be supplying electricity on a default basis. The sooner you set up your own account with a competitive supplier, the sooner you are on a normal tariff.
Can a Tenant Switch Electricity Supplier?
Yes, as long as the account is in your name, you have the same right to switch supplier as any other household. You do not need your landlord's permission to switch electricity supplier.
You cannot switch if:
- The account is in the landlord's name (you are not the account holder)
- The electricity comes from a communal supply managed by a property management company
If the account is in a previous tenant's name and never transferred to you, you should contact ESB Networks to arrange an account transfer before trying to switch supplier.
Account Transfers Between Tenants
When a tenancy ends:
The outgoing tenant should:
- Notify their supplier of the move-out date
- Submit a final meter reading on or near the move-out date (take a dated photo)
- Request a final bill and pay any balance owing
- Do not close the account before the new tenant can take it over — this can leave the property in a default supply situation
The incoming tenant should:
- Contact the supplier or ESB Networks with the MPRN and the move-in date
- Arrange transfer of the account to their name
- Alternatively, sign up with a different supplier of their choice — the new account starts from the move-in date
There is no fee for account transfers. The deposit (if any was paid) belongs to the outgoing account holder and should be returned by the supplier after the final bill is settled.
What If There Is Existing Credit on the Meter?
If you move into a property and the keypad or smart meter has existing credit, this credit belongs to the previous account holder. You should not consume it without arrangement — contact ESB Networks or the existing supplier to resolve the account situation.
In practice, small amounts of residual credit on keypad meters are sometimes left at property handover. If the previous tenant cannot be contacted and the amount is small, suppliers will often handle this pragmatically — but keep records.
Government Energy Credits and Renters
Government energy credits (applied to domestic electricity accounts by ESB Networks) go to the account holder. If your electricity account is in your name, you receive the credit. If it is in the landlord's name, the landlord receives it.
The government has not mandated that landlords pass energy credits through to tenants. If your rent includes energy costs and your agreement was based on energy costs at a certain level, it is reasonable to discuss whether energy credits (which reduced those costs) should be reflected in your arrangement — but there is no legal obligation on the landlord to pass the credit through.
Prepay Meters in Rental Properties
Many rental properties have prepay (keypad) electricity meters. Tenants in these properties:
- Pay in advance by topping up the keypad
- Are on whatever tariff the previous account was on, or on ESB Networks' default supply if no account exists
- Can switch to a competitive prepay tariff by setting up an account with any supplier that offers prepay (e.g., Pinergy)
Changing the meter type from prepay to credit requires the landlord's cooperation, as it involves a physical meter exchange by ESB Networks and affects the property's infrastructure. Some landlords agree to this; others do not.
Your Rights If You Are Billed Through the Landlord
Some landlords supply electricity or gas to tenants through a landlord-managed account and charge tenants for consumption. This is legal, but the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) provides that charges must be transparent and proportionate.
Key tenant protections:
- You are entitled to see how energy costs are calculated
- Charges cannot include a profit margin — landlords cannot charge more for energy than they pay
- If billed for a share of communal energy use (e.g., in an apartment building), the allocation method must be fair
If you believe you are being overcharged for energy by a landlord, the RTB dispute resolution service is the appropriate escalation route.
Summary
- Tenant responsibility: If your name is on the account, you are responsible for energy bills and can switch supplier freely
- Setting up accounts: Get the MPRN/GPRN from the meter cabinet or ESB Networks/Gas Networks Ireland, then sign up with any supplier
- Switching: Tenants can switch supplier without landlord permission when the account is in their name
- Account transfers: Outgoing tenant closes; incoming tenant opens — take meter readings at handover
- Government credits: Go to the account holder — tenants on their own accounts benefit directly
- Prepay: You can switch to competitive prepay tariffs; changing to credit meter requires landlord agreement
- Landlord-managed billing: Must be at cost, not for profit; RTB dispute process available if overcharged