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Starting a Business: The Utilities and Services Checklist

Everything a new UK business needs to set up in the right order — from energy and broadband to payments and insurance.

13 July 2026 7 min read

Before you take the keys

Order broadband, register the energy change of tenancy and apply for merchant services. All three have lead times, and all three cost more if arranged in a hurry after opening.

Week one

Get the basics recorded properly so later disputes are avoidable.

  • Photograph all meters with a timestamp
  • Open the business bank account and set up direct debits
  • Confirm insurance is live before trading
  • Test the card terminal with a real transaction

Month three

Once you have real consumption and turnover data, revisit every contract. New businesses are quoted on assumptions; after three months you can be quoted on facts, which is almost always cheaper.

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