Utilities After You Sign: Electricity, Gas, Water, What to Do in the First 72 Hours

This guide is practical information, not legal advice. Local procedures vary by building and provider. The objective is to help you avoid the common delays that happen right after signing, especially if you are moving out of Airbnb and you need the apartment to be functional quickly.

If you are not yet at the signing stage, start with the full rental process overview first: Renting in France as an American: The Step by Step Playbook. If you want to understand how the lease itself drives what utilities are required and what is included in charges, read: French Lease Explained: Charges, Deposit, Notice, Furnished vs Unfurnished.

Why utilities in France feel harder than they should

Utilities in France are administrative systems that reward consistency. The system wants a clean address, a clean start date, and a clear identity and payment method. When any of those inputs are uncertain, the output becomes slow. This is why Americans get stuck in back-and-forth loops that feel irrational.

Two patterns create most of the friction. The first is incomplete information. People do not have the meter identifiers, they are unsure whether water is included in charges, or they do not know which utility contracts are already active. The second is sequencing. People attempt to set up internet before they have a stable proof-of-address path, or they wait until key pickup to start electricity, and then discover the process requires information they do not yet have.

The good news is that this is predictable. You can treat utilities like a small project with an order of operations. Once you do that, the first 72 hours become calm and procedural.

Start by clarifying what is actually included

Before you subscribe to anything, clarify what the building already covers. In France, some services may be included in charges. Others are always the tenant’s responsibility. The lease, the listing, and the agency’s “move-in requirements” email are usually the sources of truth, but they do not always use language that is clear to Americans.

The most important questions to answer immediately are these: Is heating collective or individual? Is hot water collective or individual? Is cold water included in charges or billed separately? Is gas used in the apartment, and if so, is it used for heating, cooking, or hot water? The reason these questions matter is simple. They determine whether you need an electricity-only setup, or electricity plus gas, and whether your “real monthly cost” will look different than you expected.

If you are unclear on what charges typically include and how to read those numbers, revisit: French Lease Explained: Charges, Deposit, Notice, Furnished vs Unfurnished. Charges misunderstandings are one of the most common sources of avoidable stress in the first month.

The information you should collect before you do anything

If you want utilities to be painless, collect your inputs first. You do not need a perfect folder system, but you do need a short set of facts you can copy and paste consistently.

You want the address exactly as written in the lease. You want your move-in date as written in the lease. You want your full name exactly as written in the lease. You want a contact email and a reachable phone number. You also want payment method clarity. Many subscriptions work best with direct debit, and direct debit is easiest with a stable banking setup.

If you are still working through the banking dependency, you will benefit from reading: Opening a Bank Account in France: Documents, Proof of Address, and Common Roadblocks. Banking and utilities often feed each other, and the smoother your banking path, the smoother your subscriptions become.

Finally, collect the meter identifiers. In France, electricity and gas subscriptions often rely on a meter reference number, not just the address. If you do not have the identifier, subscriptions can still be possible, but they tend to take longer.

Electricity first, because it unlocks everything else

In most moves, electricity is the highest priority because it makes the apartment usable and it prevents unpleasant surprises on day one. In many buildings, electricity is separate from charges and is a tenant responsibility.

The best practice is to initiate electricity setup as soon as you have a confirmed move-in date and the meter information, not on the day you pick up keys. If you wait, you may arrive to a meter that is off, and then you will be trying to solve it under pressure.

Electricity setup typically requires the address, the start date, and the meter identifier. In many modern French apartments, the electricity meter is a Linky meter, and the identifier can be referenced in different ways depending on who is communicating it. If your agency gives you a number, copy it carefully and keep it consistent. If you have access to the meter, photograph the label and keep it in your move-in folder. This saves time later if a provider asks you to confirm a detail.

Once electricity is active, you can treat the apartment like a functioning base. That matters not just for comfort, but because many other steps become easier once you are moved in and organized.

Gas, only if you actually need it

Gas is the second potential contract, but only if the apartment uses gas. Some apartments use gas for cooking, others for heating, others for hot water, and some not at all. Do not assume you need gas because you see a gas stove. Confirm it, and then decide.

If you need gas, the subscription process looks similar to electricity. You provide the address, the start date, and the meter identifier. If you do not have the meter identifier, you can usually still proceed, but you increase the chance of delays. If you have access to the meter at move-in, photograph the meter information and the reading. This is useful for billing accuracy and for avoiding disputes about prior usage.

Americans often focus on “which provider is best.” In the first 72 hours, the best provider is the one that gets you active and documented smoothly. You can always optimize later. Your goal in the first days is stability, not perfection.

Water, the step people misunderstand most

Water is where many Americans waste time, because water in France is not always subscribed the way Americans expect. In many buildings, cold water can be managed through the building and included in charges. In others, water may be billed separately through a local utility. The key is to avoid guessing.

The practical approach is to ask the agency or landlord a simple question in writing: Is cold water included in charges, or do I need to open a separate contract? If the answer is that it is included, your job is to document that and move on. If the answer is that it is separate, ask what company is responsible and what information they need.

The reason to do this early is that water documentation can sometimes become relevant later for proof-of-address style administrative needs, depending on your situation. It is not always required, but it is part of your overall “address system.”

If you are currently in Airbnb and navigating proof-of-address issues, read: Proof of Address in France: What Counts When You’re in Airbnb. Understanding what documents work in France will save you significant time, not only for banking, but for many subscriptions.

The first 72 hours, a realistic sequence that works

Most people fail here because they treat every task as equally urgent. In practice, you want to protect your first days by doing the highest leverage steps first.

In the first day, you want electricity either confirmed active or in the process with a known activation date. If gas is needed, you want it in process too. You want to confirm what is happening with water and whether you need a contract. You also want to ensure you have the insurance proof required for move-in, because insurance is often a prerequisite for keys in France. If you have not handled that, read: Renter’s Insurance in France: What’s Mandatory and How to Get Proof Fast.

In the second day, you want to focus on the “long-lead-time” item: internet. Internet is often the slowest utility because it can require a technician appointment, and technician availability varies. You do not want to wait a week before initiating this and then realize your appointment is two weeks out. Internet is the classic example of a small delay that becomes a major pain.

For a practical deep dive on internet sequencing and workarounds when fiber takes time, read: Internet in France: Fiber Installations, Delays, and the Best Workarounds.

In the third day, you want to consolidate documentation. This is the unglamorous part that saves you later. Save PDFs, confirmations, account access, and reference numbers in one folder. Label it with the address and the move-in date. This is how you stop losing hours searching for the right email when a provider inevitably asks for confirmation later.

Why payment workflows matter more than Americans expect

Many utility subscriptions in France work best via direct debit. Some providers can accept alternative payments, but direct debit is often the default. This is where U.S. citizens can experience friction, especially if they do not yet have a French bank account or a stable local IBAN.

There are ways to navigate this, but the point is not to overcomplicate it in the first 72 hours. The point is to anticipate it. If you already have a French bank account, keep your account details available so you can complete subscriptions quickly. If you do not, sequence your steps so you are not blocked. Sometimes you can start with one contract using a card payment method and then switch to direct debit later. Sometimes you need to delay a step until your banking is stable. The correct decision depends on your provider and your situation.

If you are still working through banking setup, do not treat it as separate from housing. It is part of the same settlement system. This guide will help you understand the common roadblocks and how to avoid them: Opening a Bank Account in France: Documents, Proof of Address, and Common Roadblocks.

Meter readings and documentation, the quiet way to prevent billing issues

Americans often skip meter readings because it feels like unnecessary detail. In France, meter readings can protect you from being billed for prior usage, and they can reduce disputes if anything looks off in the first billing cycle.

At move-in, if you have access to the meters, photograph the readings and save them with the date. If the agency runs a formal move-in inspection, the readings may be recorded there. Still, it is wise to keep your own record. The goal is not to anticipate conflict. The goal is to make conflict unnecessary.

This approach aligns with deposit protection as well. A well-documented move-in creates a smoother move-out later. If you want the full deposit and move-in inspection playbook, read: Security Deposit and Move In Inspection: How to Protect Your Deposit in France.

Internet deserves its own planning, because delays are normal

Internet is rarely a “same day” setup. Even when ordering is easy, installation timing is not always. Many Americans discover this too late, especially if they rely on home internet for work.

The correct approach is to treat internet like a long-lead item. Initiate it quickly, even if you are not fully moved in. If installation will be delayed, use a temporary solution in the interim, such as a robust mobile data plan. In France, mobile plans can often cover you temporarily, but you do not want to discover this under pressure on a Monday morning.

If you want the detailed guide on fiber, technician visits, and workarounds, use: Internet in France: Fiber Installations, Delays, and the Best Workarounds. If you also want to understand the mobile plan side for a reliable temporary setup, this guide covers it in plain English: Getting a French Phone Plan: SIM, eSIM, Contracts, and Cancellations.

The most common mistakes Americans make after signing

One mistake is waiting until key pickup to start electricity. That works only if the meter is already active, and you should not assume that.

Another mistake is misunderstanding charges and duplicating subscriptions. People sometimes subscribe to something they did not need because they did not confirm what was included in charges. This creates waste and confusion.

A third mistake is treating internet as a quick task and delaying it. Internet is often the slowest item. Early initiation prevents weeks of frustration.

A fourth mistake is losing confirmations and reference numbers. France admin is manageable when you can retrieve documents quickly. It becomes exhausting when you have to reconstruct what you did and when.

Finally, many Americans ignore the proof-of-address dependency until they hit a wall. If you are in temporary housing or transitioning from Airbnb, proof-of-address planning is not optional. It is the difference between a smooth setup and repeated rejections for banking and subscriptions. If that is your situation, start here: Proof of Address in France: What Counts When You’re in Airbnb.

If you want utilities handled as part of one coordinated process

Many clients do not struggle with understanding utilities. They struggle with timing, French communication, and the cognitive load of doing everything at once. Utilities are rarely the only admin task happening after signing. They pile on top of insurance, move-in inspection, internet scheduling, and proof-of-address issues, all while you are trying to settle into a new city.

If you want one partner to coordinate housing and the full move-in sequence, including the French follow-ups and the documentation handover, start here: End-to-End Relocation. If you only need help with one blocker, such as a provider loop, a contract cancellation, or a specific subscription step, On-Demand Concierge is designed for that: On-Demand Concierge.

Closing perspective

Utilities in France are not complicated, but they are procedural. The first 72 hours after signing are about stability. Confirm what is included, collect the right inputs, prioritize electricity, treat internet as a long-lead item, document meter readings, and keep confirmations in one place. When you do that, you remove a large amount of avoidable friction and you make the rest of settling in France dramatically easier.