Setting up electricity and gas when you move to Italy

Moving to Italy means dealing with a utility system that works differently from the one you know. Bills are in Italian, the terms are unfamiliar, and the supplier you inherit is rarely the cheapest. Here is what you need to know.

The free market

Italy has a free energy market, which means you can choose your electricity and gas supplier and switch whenever you want, at no cost. The price of the energy itself changes from one offer to another. This is where most of the saving sits.

What you usually inherit

When you take over a home, you often keep the previous occupant’s contract through a procedure called voltura (a name change on an active meter). It is convenient, but it almost never gives you the best price. It is worth checking the market soon after you settle in.

The bill, in plain terms

An Italian bill mixes the energy you actually use with fixed system charges and transport costs. The fixed charges are the same for every supplier and set by the authority, so no one can discount them. The part that changes, and the part worth comparing, is the energy component.

How we help

We read your bill for you, explain every line in English, and tell you whether you are overpaying. If you are, we find a better tariff and handle the switch with the Italian provider. Free, and with no obligation.