How to Change the Name on Your Electricity Bill

An electricity bill in someone else's name is a problem you meet later, not now. The supply keeps working, so people leave it. It becomes urgent when a security deposit is refunded to the wrong person, when a complaint is refused because you are not the consumer of record, or when a property is sold and the buyer wants a clean file.

Changing it is called a change of name, and it is done at the sub division office that serves your meter. It is a counter process with documents, not an online form.

Why it matters more than it looks

The name on the bill identifies the consumer of record, and several things attach to that name rather than to whoever is living in the house.

What the office will ask for

Requirements vary a little between distribution companies, and between electricity and gas, so confirm the list at your own office before you assemble it. The reported core is consistent.

1. A change of name application on the company's form.
2. Your CNIC, valid and not expired, with copies.
3. Proof of ownership or occupancy, such as a registry, fard, allotment letter or sale deed.
4. A no objection certificate or affidavit from the previous consumer where required.
5. The last paid bill and confirmation that nothing is outstanding.

An affidavit on stamp paper attested by an oath commissioner is commonly required, particularly where the previous consumer cannot sign. If you need one, our guide to issuing e-stamp paper covers getting it properly rather than on a plain sheet.

Clear the arrears first, because they follow the meter

This is the trap. An unpaid amount sits against the connection, and buying or renting the property does not wipe it. A change of name will not be processed over outstanding dues, and taking the name into your own without checking means taking the arrears with it.

Pull the billing history for the reference number before you apply. Our guides to checking a LESCO bill and checking a Sui gas bill show how to look a reference up, and if the paper bill has gone missing, getting a duplicate bill is straightforward.

If an old amount appears, resolve who pays it before the transfer rather than after. Once the connection is in your name, the conversation about somebody else's consumption becomes much harder.

Gas follows the same shape, different counter

For a gas connection the application goes to SNGPL or SSGC depending on your region, not to the electricity company, and each keeps its own forms and requirements. The documents are broadly the same: identity, proof of ownership or occupancy, the previous consumer's consent where needed, and a clear account.

Do both if you have both. People change the electricity record after a purchase and forget the gas one, then discover the gap when a deposit or a complaint depends on it.

If the previous owner is unavailable or has died

This is where applications stall. Where the recorded consumer cannot sign a no objection certificate, the office will usually accept an affidavit setting out the position, supported by the ownership documents that prove your entitlement to the premises.

Where the consumer has died and the property passed by inheritance, expect to show the inheritance position rather than just a sale document, and a succession certificate is often what the office is looking for. Ask the sub division exactly what it accepts before paying for anything.

Common questions about changing the bill name

Can I change the name online?

Generally no. Distribution companies handle change of name at the sub division office with original documents, even where other services are online.

Do I have to clear old arrears first?

Yes in practice. Dues sit against the connection, and an application will not proceed while an amount is outstanding.

Can a tenant put the bill in their own name?

Usually only with the owner's documented consent, because the owner remains connected to the premises and to the security deposit.

What does it cost?

We could not read a fee schedule for change of name on a company page, so we are not quoting a figure. Ask at your sub division and pay through the official channel only.

How long does it take?

It depends on the office and on whether your documents are complete. Incomplete files are the main cause of delay, which is why confirming the list first is worth a phone call.

Last checked and sources

Last checked 26 August 2026. LESCO's own website, which we read on that date, lists customer services including new connection and tariff change, which confirms these are sub division counter services rather than self service ones. We could not read a change of name procedure page, a document checklist, or a fee schedule on a distribution company site, so the document list and the process here are reported, drawn from how the distribution companies and the gas utilities describe the requirement, and the body says so. No fee is quoted for that reason. Requirements differ between companies and between electricity and gas, so confirm your own list at your own office before assembling documents or paying for an affidavit.