Utilities, phone, internet, and services
Helps you get utilities, phone and internet working and keep bills under control.
Get every household utility and connection working and keep it under control: what to set up first, electricity, gas, water, phone, internet, problems, closing services and waste rules.
- topics
- 12
- articles
- 80
- of reading
- 8.3 hours
Begin with
Starting utilities in your name
You will know what to set up first, what each supplier needs from you and how to get contracts into your name even without a NIE, bank account or cooperative landlord.
Which utilities to set up first when you arrive in Spain · What to arrange for utilities before you land in Spain · Documents and ID Spanish suppliers ask for when you sign up
More in utilities, phone, internet, and services
11 more topics in this section, about 8.3 hours of reading in all.
Electricity contracts and tariffs
You will understand who is who in the Spanish electricity market and be able to choose a tariff, power level and supplier without overpaying or being misled.
Who to call about electricity: distributor or supplier (comercializadora) · Choosing between the regulated tariff (PVPC) and a free-market price · Peak, flat and valley hours (punta, llano, valle) and cheap power
Energy discounts and aid (bono social)
You will know whether you may qualify for the bono social or other energy aid and how to apply.
Are you eligible for the social energy discount (bono social) · Social energy discount (bono social) for foreign residents and recent arrivals · Applying for and renewing the social energy discount (bono social)
Water supply and bills
You will know how to open a water contract with your local provider, read the bill and handle quality or leak worries.
Getting water connected or into your name (contrato de agua) · Water connection and the habitability certificate (cédula de habitabilidad) · How Spanish water bills are structured and how often you pay
Gas and butane bottles
You will know whether you need gas, how to contract piped gas or buy bottles and how to stay safe and compliant.
Piped natural gas: checking, starting or transferring a contract · Gas inspections (revisión) and what to do if you smell gas · Butane bottles (bombonas): buying, replacing and what they cost
Rural and off-grid supplies
You will understand what rural water and power really involve and how to plan them.
Wells (pozos), water rights and legal rural water in Spain · Water by tanker, cisterns and storage tanks in rural homes · Connecting a rural plot to the electricity grid
Mobile phone and SIM
You will get a working Spanish number, choose a fair plan and avoid lock-in.
Choosing between prepaid, contract and low-cost mobile plans in Spain · Network owners versus virtual operators (MVNOs) and coverage in your area · Getting a working Spanish SIM in your first days without a NIE
Home internet and TV
You will know which connection suits you, whether it is available at your address and how to get it installed and working.
Home internet options in Spain from fibre to satellite · Checking fibre at your address and getting building consent · Installing home internet: timing, technician visit and costs
Utility problems and cut-offs
You will know who to contact when supply fails, what happens if bills go unpaid and how to challenge a wrong bill.
Who to contact when the power or water goes out · Preparing your home for a blackout · Can your supply be cut off for unpaid bills and reconnected
Closing and moving utilities
You will close or move services cleanly, avoid penalties and recover deposits.
Closing electricity, water, gas and internet when you move out · Moving within Spain: transferring utilities, phone and internet · Cancelling Spanish services before you leave the country
Waste collection and recycling
You will dispose of waste correctly, avoid fines and understand the waste tax.
How rubbish collection works in Spain (containers, hours, bags) · Recycling bins and sorting rules by colour · The municipal waste tax (tasa de basuras) and who pays it
Utility costs and bill control
You will budget utilities realistically and keep your bills under control.
What utilities typically cost per month in Spain · Everyday habits that cut energy and water bills · How utility rules and taxes differ by region and island
Other sections in Moving, documents, and setup
Identity numbers and local registration
Helps you get the identity numbers and registrations everything else needs.
Documents, appointments, translations, and apostilles
Helps you prepare usable documents and get through appointments.
Belongings, shipping, and pets
Helps you move belongings and pets to Spain and keep pets legal.
Driving, vehicles, and transport
Helps you drive and get around legally in Spain.
First month operational setup
Helps you sequence the move from leaving home to an operational first month.
Need certainty before you act?
For important relocation decisions, speak with a qualified human specialist.
Always verify important information with the relevant official authority or a qualified adviser before acting. This website uses large language models together with various public data sources, official government documents and other established sources. Due to the amount of data on this website, some information might be wrong. Information may also be incomplete or outdated.