Moving to a new apartment in Israel
Which accounts to move into your name, what to have ready, and where to find the meters, the electrical panel and the main water valve.
Before you call anyone
Keep these in one place. Almost every office will ask for them.
- A copy of your signed lease (or purchase contract)
- Your Teudat Zehut or passport number
- Meter readings from the day you got the keys (take a photo of each meter)
- The previous tenant’s or owner’s account number, if you can get it
- A credit card for a standing order (hora’at keva)
Tip: photograph every meter on move-in day, with the date. It saves arguments about the previous tenant’s usage later.
Accounts to transfer
Move each account into your name from the day you get the keys.
Arnona (municipal tax)
Your city’s municipality (iriya)
- Register as the new occupant with the municipality, usually through an online form on the city website or at the arnona office.
- You’ll need the lease and your ID. The previous occupant should close their account on the same date.
- New Olim may be eligible for an arnona discount. Ask the municipality when you register.
Electricity
Israel Electric Corporation (IEC), phone 103
- Read the electric meter on the day you move in and take a photo.
- Call 103 or use the IEC website to move the account into your name. Have the meter number and the previous account number ready.
- Since 2024 every household can also choose a private electricity supplier. IEC still owns the meter and handles power outages and faults.
Water
Your local water corporation (for example Hagihon in Jerusalem or Mei Avivim in Tel Aviv)
- Find your city’s water corporation. The name is on the old water bill, or ask the landlord.
- Send the lease, your ID and the water meter reading. Most corporations have an online form.
- Water bills usually arrive every two months and include a share of the building’s common use.
Gas
The gas company the building already uses (such as Amisragas, Pazgaz or Supergas)
- Central gas with a meter: read the meter and call the company to open an account in your name.
- Gas cylinders: usually two, one in use and one spare. Ask the landlord which company supplies them and call when one runs out.
- If you ever smell gas, open the windows, leave the apartment and call your gas company.
Internet and TV
An internet provider over the Bezeq or HOT line
- Book this early. A technician visit can take a few days.
- Ask the landlord which lines are already in the apartment (Bezeq, HOT or fiber).
Vaad bayit (building committee)
The building committee or management company
- Ask the landlord or a neighbor who runs the vaad bayit and how to pay.
- In a rental the tenant usually pays the monthly vaad bayit. Check what your lease says.
Procedures differ between cities and change from time to time. Check the official website of each company or your municipality for the current process.
Where to find things in an Israeli apartment
Every building is a little different, but this is where they usually are.
Electrical panel (lu’ach chashmal)
Usually inside the apartment near the front door or in a hallway cabinet. It has the main switch, a switch for each circuit, and a safety switch (mimsar pachat) that cuts the power if there is a fault. If the power goes out in part of the home, check here first.
Electric meter
Usually in a meter cabinet in the stairwell or on the ground floor, with a label for each apartment. Check the number matches your apartment before you read it.
Water meter and main water valve
The meter is usually in the stairwell, next to the building entrance or in the yard. The main valve for your apartment is normally right next to your meter. Many apartments also have a shutoff under the kitchen sink or in the bathroom. Find it before you need it.
Water heater (dud shemesh)
The switch for the electric boiler is usually in the bathroom or hallway, often with a timer. The tank itself may be on the roof, in the attic or above the bathroom ceiling. In summer the solar panels often heat enough water on their own.
Gas
Cylinders are usually outside, in a metal cabinet on the balcony or by an outside wall. Central gas has a meter in the stairwell or outside. There is a shutoff valve near the stove and another at the cylinders or meter.
Mailbox and keys
Mailboxes are usually at the building entrance. Ask the landlord for the mailbox key, the building door key or code, and the key to any storage room or parking.
In an emergency: for a gas smell, leave and call your gas company. For a burst pipe, close the main water valve. For a power fault in the building or street, call IEC at 103.
Stuck with something?
Can’t find the water valve, not sure who to call, or the new place needs shelves, a TV on the wall or a door that closes properly? Write to us in English. We’ll help you figure it out, and if you need a handyman we’ll find you one.
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