How to set up utilities in Spain: Water, gas & electricity

Learn how to set up utilities in Spain, such as gas, water and electricity suppliers, and how the waste collection works.

Marle

4 minute read

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Updated on 3 Aug 2023

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Renting

Summer heat at 30 degrees: with these temperatures you don't want to live without air conditioning and fresh showers. To have utilities in your new home in Spain, you need to find your perfect provider for gas, water and electricity and get registered.

With our guide to utilities in Spain, you'll understand how to set up your gas, water and electricity bills in no time.

Moving into an accommodation where utilities are included in the rent means you don't have to worry about setting your own utilities in Spain. In this case, your landlord will take care of the procedure of choosing your provider for water, electricity and gas.

Yet, it might save you a euro or two to deal with the utilities in Spain yourself!

If you are taking over the utilities in Spain from the previous tenant, you should make sure that all payments from the previous tenant have been met.

Don't worry: As a new tenant, you don't have to take over missed payments for your old tenant, of course. However, you don't want to have your water or gas turned off, or your electricity cut off because you have outstanding bills.

Make sure you present a copy of your new tenancy agreement to the existing utility providers so they know you're the new tenant in the house.

You'll also need to prove your identification, such as name and identity/passport number. To register the utilities in your name in Spain, you must either show up at the offices or register the utilities online.

When moving to a new country, there're so many things on your moving checklist that it's easy to lose track of them all, like what're the utility bills in Spain? These are the 4 utility bills you'll face in Spain: waste disposal, electricity, water, gas.

Let's delve deeper into the 4 utilities in Spain so you can pick your provider in no time.

1. Understanding the waste collection system
2. Choosing your electricity provider
3. Set up your water provider
4. Selecting a gas supplier

Tranquilo, setting up your utilities in Spain isn't rocket science. Here's how it works:

In most areas of Spain, you pay an annual fee for waste disposal. Depending on the area, waste disposal may be included in your water bill. Check this with your town hall.

While in smaller towns in Spain you'll often find a monopoly of electricity, in the big cities of Spain there are several suppliers of electricity:

• Endesa (the biggest),
• Iberdrola,
• EDP/HC,
• Union Fenosa,
• Viesgo.

Don't forget: Depending on which country you come from, you may need an adapter. In Spain, the sockets usually have 2 horizontal round holes.

How to choose an electricity supplier

Have you moved into a house which's already connected? Then all you have to do is choose your provider and you're done. To do this, you need to contact one of the electricity providers and give them the following information:

• The name, the Spanish tax number (NIF or NIE) and the contact details of the person who will be the contract holder.
• The address of the property.
• The details of the bank account you want to use to pay your bills.
• Your Unified Supply Point Code (CUPS), an alphanumeric code on your electricity bills.
• Your electricity installation certificate, which all households must have to show that their electricity supply's safe and sound.

How to pay your electricity supplier

Typically, you pay your electricity bills in Spain via direct debit (transferencia) from a Spanish bank account. Other options are to pay your bills via post offices, bank or the electricity supplier's offices.

The process of choosing a gas supplier in Spain's similar to that for electricity. Each area in Spain has a major supplier, but you can still choose between others. These are the 3 largest gas suppliers in Spain:

• Naturgy (Gas Natural)
• Endesa
• Enagas

What’s even better, many suppliers combine a combined tariff for gas and electricity!

Mains gas for large cities in Spain

The major cities in Spain use mains gas. Once you move into your new home in Spain that gets mains gas, you will need to contact the local gas supplier to get them to turn on the gas. Then your meter reading will be measured and you will be enrolled in the contract as a partner.

By the way, the gas usage has to be inspected every year! Normally, your gas supplier will do this for you for €60 - €70.

Gas bottles in smaller Spanish cities

In the smaller areas of Spain, gas bottles are widely used. The biggest suppliers here're Repsol Butano and Cepsa. Both offer gas bottles in all sizes.

Water supply in Spain's mainly delivered by a mix of private and public providers. About a quarter of the areas use private suppliers, half public and the rest a mix of both.

In the Madrid area, the public supplier Canal de Isabel II is the largest water supplier, while Aguas de Barcelona (Agbar) is the largest private supplier.

What's worth noting: in many areas, you can use the water to brush your teeth or wash your vegetables. However, since the pipes in Spain are fairly old, they often use a lot of chlorine. As a result, the tap water isn't suitable for drinking in many areas.

If you are moving into accommodation in Spain without utilities, you should make sure that the water contract's in your name. Contact the town hall in your area to register the contract in your name so that you are the new owner.

In many areas you will need to come to the local town hall in person, although some offer it online. The 2 things you need to bring with you to register:

• Your ID
• Your address

Pro tip: To avoid unpleasant surprises, check beforehand that all bills have been paid.

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