Congratulations on your NYC apartment! As you prepare for your move, keep in mind that you’ll need to set up utilities for your Manhattan home. Here’s what you need to know to get your electric, gas, water, cable, and other utilities up and running:
Manhattan Service Providers
Different utilities have different providers. Depending on your location, you may have more options.
Electric
Consolidated Edison or “Con Ed” powers Manhattan, providing power to approximately 10 million people in NYC. Your landlord or super will be able to provide you with details. Since Con Ed provides electricity to all of Manhattan, the company usually takes care of billing your apartment or condo on its own. You’ll receive a bill in the mail, and you can setup online payments after your first month.
Natural Gas
Con Ed also provides gas to Manhattan residents. You’ll be billed in the same manner as electric, provided your apartment or condo requires gas. Some units use electric heat and ovens. Others have gas heat and/or gas stoves. Depending on your home, you may or may not have a gas bill.
Water
The NYC Department of Environmental Protection provides water for all five boroughs of NYC. Many landlords and property owners provide water as part of the rent. Check with your landlord or super to see if there is an additional fee for water. As a tenant, you should not need to visit the NYC Department of Environmental Protection for water service. Only property owners typically deal with this organization.
Cable
You have many choices for a cable provider in Manhattan. Spectrum (formerly known as Time Warner) and Cablevision are the main providers in Manhattan, and they provide cable, Internet, and landline phone services. If you’re looking for television only, some landlords allow you to use a satellite company like Dish or DirecTV.
Internet
Along with Spectrum and Cablevision (also known as Optimum), Verizon Fios and Xfinity are two major providers of Internet service in Manhattan. Internet may be installed as part of your cable package, or you will need to have it set up separately if you do not have cable or use a different provider for cable and Internet.
Other utilities
The definition of a utility continues to evolve. It used to just mean electric, gas, and water. But Internet is now a near necessity, and you may find other city necessities warrant a monthly budget. Things like your MetroCard, bike rental, car parking, and other costs can add to your monthly cost of living.
Shutting off or transferring utilities
If you’re moving out of one Manhattan apartment to another, make sure to call your utility companies and let them know about your move. Often, they will be able to transfer all your billing preferences to your new home. They’ll also be able to shut off your responsibility for the utilities as of your move-out date. This is very important if you want to avoid paying utilities for two properties.