Time each shutoff to the day you hand over the house
The goal is simple: you pay for service until the house is no longer yours, and not a day longer. In most sales that’s closing day. If you agreed to stay a few days after closing, it’s the day you hand over the keys.
Don’t schedule shutoffs too early. Lights, water and heat are needed for the buyer’s final look, for any inspection, and in winter to keep pipes from freezing. Call each provider about two weeks before closing and pick the closing date as the stop date.
| Utility | Common provider | Notice | How to stop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gas | Enbridge Gas Ohio (formerly Dominion Energy Ohio) | At least 7 business days | Online account or 1-800-362-7557 |
| Electric | Ohio Edison (FirstEnergy) | At least one working day | Online Stop Service form |
| Water and sewer, Akron | City of Akron Utilities Business Office | After the deed transfers; one week for a shutoff | Settlement statement by fax, email, mail or in person |
| Water and sewer, Canton | City of Canton Utility Billing | Call to schedule | 330-649-8100 |
| Water, some suburbs and townships | Aqua Ohio | Call or ePortal | 1-877-987-2782 |
Gas: Enbridge Gas Ohio
Enbridge Gas Ohio is the gas utility that many Northeast Ohio homeowners still know as Dominion Energy Ohio, and before that East Ohio Gas. Enbridge agreed to buy it from Dominion Energy in 2023, and it now serves about 1.2 million customers in 35 Ohio counties. If your bill still says Dominion, the account works the same way.
To stop service, Enbridge recommends at least 7 business days’ notice. You can do it through your online account or by calling 1-800-362-7557, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Those options are for 13-digit account numbers; 5-digit accounts go through Enbridge’s Contact Us page.
For the final reading, nobody needs to be home if the meter is outside and easy to reach. If it’s inside or blocked, an adult 18 or older must give access. Service is turned off on the scheduled date unless the new owner opens an account first. Any deposit, plus interest, is credited to your final bill.
The most important point for a fall or winter sale: Enbridge recommends winterizing a house before gas service is turned off in those seasons, so pipes don’t freeze. If the house will sit empty, see winterizing a vacant house.
Electric: Ohio Edison through FirstEnergy
Ohio Edison is part of FirstEnergy, and service changes run through FirstEnergy’s online Start, Stop or Move tool. You’ll need your login or account number, the stop date and a final mailing address. The owner, a renter, a spouse or a relative can submit it.
The earliest stop date is normally at least one working day away, and weekends and holidays aren’t available. Service may be shut off in the morning of the stop date, so don’t pick a day you still need power. In Ohio, if someone else is still living at the address, or an owner or manager files the request, FirstEnergy’s system creates a 10-day occupancy notice, which pushes the date out.
Water and sewer in Akron
The City of Akron closes a water and sewer account after the Summit County Fiscal Office has transferred the deed out of your name. To close it, send the Utilities Business Office a copy of your settlement statement:
- Fax: 330-375-2308
- Email: UBO@AkronOhio.gov
- Mail or in person: 1180 S Main St, Suite 110, Akron, OH 44301
You can give a meter reading for the final bill or ask the city to get one. Include a forwarding address, because the final bill is mailed there. If you want the water turned off at the street, the owner must send a signed written request at least a week before the date. The city says accounts must be in the name of the recorded deed holder, so the buyer opens a new account once the deed is recorded. Billing questions go to 330-375-2554. Unpaid city water bills can become a lien on the property, which is covered in water bill liens in Ohio.
Water and sewer in Canton
Canton handles changes by phone. Call the Utility Billing office at 330-649-8100, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., to schedule the Water Department’s visit to your house. You can also email cantonutilities@cantonohio.gov or go to 306 2nd Street SE. Ask for a final reading on your closing date and give a forwarding address.
Aqua Ohio and other water systems
Some suburbs and townships are served by Aqua Ohio rather than a city. You can stop service through Aqua’s ePortal when logged in, or call 1-877-987-2782, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. If your water comes from a private well and your sewage goes to a septic tank, there’s no water bill to close, but in Summit County a point-of-sale inspection is required before the transfer; see septic and well inspections when selling in Summit County.
Don’t forget the smaller accounts
Trash pickup, internet, cable, home security monitoring and propane delivery are separate contracts. Cancel them for your move-out date and return any rented equipment. The rest of the move, from mail forwarding to insurance, is laid out in the moving out checklist for home sellers.
