Written by Mission Realty Property Management
Setting up utilities is the part of moving that nobody plans for and everybody underestimates. It is also the part most likely to cost you money for nothing — a missed transfer date means either paying for service at an address you have left, or arriving at a new home with no power on a Friday evening.
The Richmond region complicates this slightly, because which company provides your water, gas, and trash depends on which side of a jurisdictional line your address falls on. A renter moving from the Fan to Short Pump changes providers even though they have moved fewer than fifteen miles.
Quick Answer
In the Richmond area, electricity is provided by Dominion Energy across most of the region, while water, sewer, gas, and trash service depend on your jurisdiction — the City of Richmond, Henrico County, Chesterfield County, and Hanover County each run their own utilities. Internet is competitive and varies by street. Most renters should start utility setup about two weeks before move-in, and confirm which provider serves a specific address rather than assuming it matches their last one.
Electricity
Dominion Energy serves the large majority of the Richmond metropolitan area, including the city and the surrounding counties. For most renters this is the simplest utility to arrange, because the provider does not change when you move within the region — you are transferring service rather than opening a new account with a different company.
What to expect:
- A deposit may be required depending on your credit history and account record
- Service transfers are usually straightforward when scheduled in advance
- Older homes with electric heat can produce substantially higher winter bills than newer construction — worth asking about before signing a lease
A note specific to the Richmond area: a good share of the rental stock in neighborhoods like the Fan, Church Hill, and Northside is genuinely old. Charm and energy efficiency are frequently inversely correlated. If you are moving into a historic property, ask the landlord or property manager for a sense of typical seasonal utility costs before you commit.
Water, Sewer, Gas, and Trash: This Is Where Jurisdiction Matters
These services are municipal, which means the provider is determined by your address, not by choice.
City of Richmond
The city’s Department of Public Utilities handles water, wastewater, natural gas, and stormwater for city addresses. One useful quirk: Richmond is one of relatively few municipalities that runs its own natural gas utility, so city renters typically deal with a single municipal account rather than a separate gas company. Start at rva.gov.
Henrico County
Henrico provides water and sewer service for county addresses. Natural gas availability varies by area, and some Henrico neighborhoods use propane or are all-electric. Details are at henrico.us.
Chesterfield County
Chesterfield runs its own utilities department for water and wastewater. As in Henrico, gas availability depends on the specific area. See chesterfield.gov.
Hanover County
Hanover provides public water and sewer in developed areas, but a meaningful share of the county — particularly outside Mechanicsville and Ashland — is on private well and septic systems. If you are renting a rural Hanover property, ask directly whether the home is on public water or a well, because it changes both your billing and your maintenance expectations. See hanovercounty.gov.
Trash and recycling
Collection arrangements differ meaningfully across the region. Some jurisdictions include collection with municipal service, some require a separate subscription, and in parts of the counties renters contract with a private hauler directly. Ask your landlord or property manager what the arrangement is for your specific property — this is the utility renters most often discover late.
Internet and Cable
Internet is the one genuinely competitive utility, and availability varies street by street rather than by jurisdiction. The Richmond market generally includes cable broadband and telephone-company service, with fiber available in some areas and expanding.
Practical advice: check availability at the exact address before you assume. Two apartments in the same neighborhood can have meaningfully different options. If you work from home, make this check part of your rental walkthrough rather than an afterthought — discovering your only option is slow service after you have signed a twelve-month lease is a genuinely bad outcome.
A Realistic Timeline
- Two to three weeks before move-in: confirm from your lease which utilities you are responsible for. Do not assume — some rentals include water or trash, and some include nothing.
- Two weeks before: contact electric and municipal utilities to schedule start service for your move-in date. Ask about deposits so there are no surprises.
- Two weeks before: schedule internet installation. This is the longest lead time of any utility, and appointment availability tightens at the end of the month when everyone moves.
- One week before: schedule stop service at your old address for the day after your move-out, not the day of. Ending service too early is a common and avoidable mistake.
- Move-in day: confirm power, water, and gas are actually on. Photograph meter readings if accessible.
- First week: verify each account shows the correct service address and your name.
What Renters Get Wrong
- Assuming the lease covers it. Read the utility clause specifically. “Utilities included” rarely means all of them.
- Scheduling the stop and start on the same day. Leave overlap. A one-day gap in the wrong direction means moving in without power.
- Forgetting deposits. Utility deposits are a real move-in cost alongside first month’s rent and security deposit. Budget for them.
- Not checking internet availability first. The hardest problem to fix after signing.
- Ignoring seasonal swings. A summer viewing tells you nothing about a January heating bill in a 1920s home.
Understanding Your Bills Once Service Is On
Getting utilities connected is the first step. Understanding what you are being charged for is what actually keeps costs predictable.
Fixed charges versus usage
Nearly every utility bill combines a fixed service charge with a usage-based component. This is why a bill is never zero even in a month you travel, and why cutting usage by half rarely halves the bill. Knowing the split helps you set realistic expectations about how much conservation actually saves.
Seasonal swings in Richmond
Central Virginia has genuinely hot, humid summers and cold enough winters that both heating and cooling matter. Electric bills typically peak in mid-to-late summer with air conditioning load, and gas or electric heating peaks in January and February. If you are budgeting from a single month’s bill, you will be wrong in one direction or the other.
Renters in older homes in the Fan, Church Hill, Northside, or Ashland’s historic district should expect wider seasonal swings than renters in newer construction in Short Pump, Glen Allen, or Midlothian. Single-pane windows and limited insulation are common in pre-war stock.
Budget billing
Many providers offer level or budget billing, which averages your annual cost into equal monthly payments. It does not reduce what you pay overall, but it removes the spike months, which makes rent-plus-utilities far easier to plan around. For renters on a fixed monthly budget, this is often worth setting up.
Simple things that actually reduce bills in this climate
- Change HVAC filters on schedule — a clogged filter makes the system work harder and is usually the resident’s responsibility
- Use ceiling fans to raise the comfortable thermostat setting in summer
- Seal obvious drafts around older windows and doors with removable weatherstripping, with your landlord’s permission
- Report plumbing leaks immediately — a running toilet is one of the fastest ways to inflate a water bill
- Ask about the age of the HVAC system before signing; an aging unit in a hot Richmond August is both a comfort and a cost problem
If something in the home is driving unreasonable bills — a failing HVAC unit, a persistent leak, missing insulation — that is worth raising with your landlord or property manager as a maintenance matter rather than absorbing it as a cost of living there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who provides electricity in Richmond, VA?
Dominion Energy serves most of the Richmond region, including the city and surrounding counties. Confirm service for your specific address when you set up the account.
Does the City of Richmond provide natural gas?
Yes. The City of Richmond operates its own natural gas utility through its Department of Public Utilities, which is somewhat unusual among U.S. cities. County addresses may have different arrangements.
How far in advance should I set up utilities?
About two weeks for most services. Internet installation deserves the most lead time, especially near month-end when moving volume peaks.
Will I need to pay utility deposits?
Possibly. Deposits depend on the provider and your credit or account history. Ask when you open the account so you can budget for it alongside your other move-in costs.
Are utilities usually included in Richmond rentals?
It varies widely. Some apartment communities include water, sewer, and trash; most single-family rentals include none. Your lease is the authority — read the utility clause before signing.
What if my rental is on a well or septic system?
This is common in rural Hanover, Powhatan, Goochland, and New Kent. There is no water bill, but maintenance responsibilities differ. Ask the property manager how the system is maintained and what you are responsible for.
Moving to the Richmond Area?
Mission Realty manages rental homes across Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield, and Hanover, and we tell residents exactly which utilities serve their specific property before move-in — because the jurisdictional patchwork trips up nearly everyone relocating here.
Browse our available rentals, explore our Learning Center for more renter guides, or contact our team with questions about a specific home.
