Spinoff to LIPA

We're closing on Friday but not getting the keys til Monday. The Lipa thread got me thinking and sort of panicking because I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to utilities!

1. Does LIPA have to come to the house? When do they do this? We're not going to be physically living in it until approx. November 7th b/c we can't take off to move so we'll be doing it over the next few weekends.

2. What about water? How do you pay that?

3. How do I find out about town rules and regs (i.e. garbage pickup)

I have obviously never owned a house before and have no idea how utilities are used/paid/setup because we don't pay for them with our apartment.

Any advice for this soon to be 1st time homeowner? TIA!

Re: Spinoff to LIPA

Call all the utilities and have them changed over to your name on the day you get the keys.

Re: Spinoff to LIPA

I would call LIPA and your water company about a week before so that no one shuts anything off. That is what we did... it all transitioned on smoothly on that day and we didn't have to do anything.

The sellers should tell you about garbage and stuff... if not ask a neighbor or within a week, you will see when everyone it putting garbage out. What town are you in? I am sure someone here can tell you the garbage rules!

Re: Spinoff to LIPA

No one gave us the heads up when we bought our house. We did the walk through, electricity was on. We went to closing, got the keys, went back to the house a few hours later and electricity was off! This was a Friday. We called LIPA right away and they told us they couldn't get there until Monday. Which means all weekend while we were moving stuff into the house we had no heat and no lights. Oh and all the ice in the freezer melted and left a puddle on the kitchen floor.

My advice, call LIPA the day before you go to closing and give them the exact date you want everything switched over.

Water bills are usually paid quarterly, so I think it takes longer for those to be shut off. Just call the day of closing and have it switched over into your name.

Don't forget to call Cablevision or FIOS and get your cable, internet and phones hooked up. We had to wait a month for the FIOS installation.

Re: Spinoff to LIPA

Thanks for the responses!

We just found out that we are not getting the keys until Wednesday now. I'm going to have DH call LIPA either today and tomorrow to tell them that we'll be getting the keys on Wednesday and to come by then.

DH already called Cablevision and they're coming next Saturday!