Congratulations! You’re heading off to school in Texas! If you didn’t get on-campus housing, you’ll be looking for off-campus housing and dealing with leases and utilities, possibly for the first time on your own. Here’s a run-down on what to look for when you’re shopping for your first electricity plan for your college apartment.
Set Up Electricity in Student Apartment
You’re moving in to your new place. Congratulations! Here are the basic steps to follow to set up electricity in your college apartment:
- Confirm if you have a choice of electricity provider. Most areas of Texas are deregulated and have electricity choice, but some, including Austin, College Station and San Marcos are not. Check your apartment address in our ESID Lookup (Electricity Service Identifier) or review the list of deregulated cities to see if you have a choice of electricity company.
- Compare electricity rates. Shop and compare electricity rates using the state run shopping site, Power to Choose, or use a comparison site like ElectricityPlans which lets you compare side-by-side details. Look for a basic fixed rate electricity plan. Avoid plans with complicated bill credits and hoops to jump through.
- Schedule your start date. Schedule your electricity service to start the day you move in to your apartment. You’ll select a “move-in” and specific start date when you enroll with your selected electricity company.
Your leasing agent may direct you to a specific provider to set up electricity service. That typically comes at a premium price. It’s always best to comparison shop to find the lowest rate.
For more tips on electricity shopping, check our blog post with step-by-step how to shop for electricity or review information on apartment electricity plans.
Is a Credit Check Required to Set Up Electricity for my College Apartment?
Setting up electricity in Texas requires a credit check. If you don’t meet certain minimum criteria, you may have to pay a deposit. Here are some options to consider:
- Have parents or guardian set up power. Many students haven’t established credit yet, making a parent or guardian the best option for setting up electricity service.
- Pick the roommate with the best credit. The roommate with the best credit score (600+) can put electricity in their name.
- Sign up for prepaid electricity. Prepaid electricity is around 30% more expensive per kWh, but can help you avoid a deposit. Get service set up the same day with a $75 activation fee.
- Pay a deposit for electricity. You may have to pay an electricity deposit, which ranges from $250-$400 depending on the provider.
Pro tip: You can add roommates’ names to the electricity bill. This doesn’t change who is financially responsible, but it can help each roommate build proof of good payment history for future service.
Frequently Asked Questions – Student Apartment Electricity
Yes, you can add a roommate’s name to your electricity account. Most Texas electricity companies let you add an authorized user with no additional credit check. To change to a joint account with shared financial responsibility, the electricity provider may need to run a credit check on each roommate.
It’s best to set bill sharing expectations upfront and in writing when dealing with roommates. Text your roommates with a screenshot of the bill each month outlining the total amount, each person’s portion and the date you need the money. Set the due date before the actual bill due date to avoid having to pay the full amount to avoid disconnection. You can also use apps like Splitwise or Venmo to track bills and shared expenses.
Electricity costs can vary based on the size of your rental, your electricity plan, the number of roommates, and your usage habits. Ask your landlord for details about typical electricity usage based on the size of your apartment and use that as a starting point. You can expect a typical 3 bedroom student apartment to use 800-1500 kWh a month with usage varying seasonally. Split between three people, you’ll each pay around $40-$75 a month.
Most Texas consumers choose a 12 month contract term, which lines up with a typical lease. But you don’t need to match your electricity contract term to your lease. If you move before your electricity contract expires, you can cancel with no early termination fee (ETF). Just provide a forwarding address for your final bill and your ETF is waived. That’s the law in Texas.
