How do I transfer a TNB account to the tenant before move-in?
To transfer the TNB electricity account to the tenant before move-in, the tenant applies for a Change of Tenancy through the myTNB portal or at the Kedai Tenaga nearest the premises, submitting three documents — a signed application form, an IC copy marked "For TNB Purpose Only", and the current Declaration Form — plus a deposit calculated based on the premise's estimated electricity usage (verify the current amount on myTNB), a stamp duty, and a processing fee.
The transfer should be done on or just before move-in day so the meter reading captured at handover becomes the tenant's opening reading. That single step is what keeps the landlord's account clean and prevents the most common rental utility dispute: a tenant using electricity for months while TNB still bills the registered account holder. The process is identical whether the tenant applies online or at a Kedai Tenaga counter — only the channel differs.
TNB Change of Tenancy: documents, fees, and channel at a glance
The tenant needs three documents and three payments to complete the transfer. Confirm the deposit and premise type with myTNB for the specific unit, because TNB sets the deposit per account rather than publishing a single national figure.
| Item | What the tenant prepares or pays | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Application form | Completed and signed TNB Change of Tenancy form | The premise address must match the tenancy agreement exactly |
| IC copy | Both sides, with "For TNB Purpose Only" written across it | Never send an unmarked IC copy into an unverified social-media listing channel |
| Declaration Form | The current TNB Declaration Form (2025 version at time of writing) | Download fresh from myTNB; an old saved PDF can be rejected |
| Deposit | Based on the premise's estimated electricity usage (verify on myTNB) | TNB determines the amount per premise — there is no fixed national RM figure that applies to every unit |
| Stamp duty | RM10 | Keep the receipt with the tenancy file |
| Processing fee | RM3.00 for low-voltage supply (most residential units) or RM80.00 for medium/high-voltage | Check the premise voltage in myTNB if unsure |
| Channel | myTNB portal online, or Kedai Tenaga nearest the premises | Online is faster; the counter is the fallback for document-checking cases |
Source: myTNB portal, residential Change-of-Tenancy page, confirmed live 2026-06-20. Verify the current Declaration Form version and processing fees on myTNB before applying, as provider processes can change.
The move-in transfer, step by step
Apply, submit the three documents, pay the deposit and fees, then record the meter reading on the same day as the tenancy handover. The meter reading is the line that splits the landlord's final liability from the tenant's new account.
- Open the Change of Tenancy in myTNB (or visit the Kedai Tenaga nearest the premises). Have the tenancy agreement ready — the premise address and tenant details must match it exactly.
- Upload the three documents: the signed application form, the IC copy marked "For TNB Purpose Only" on both sides, and the current Declaration Form downloaded from myTNB.
- Pay the deposit, RM10 stamp duty, and processing fee. The deposit sits against the tenant's new account and is handled when that account is eventually closed — it is separate from any rental security deposit.
- On move-in day, photograph and write down the meter reading on both the outgoing and incoming sides. This reading becomes the tenant's opening balance and the landlord's closing balance. Keep the photo with the handover inventory.
- Keep the confirmation and receipts. A Change of Tenancy reference plus the stamp-duty and processing-fee receipts are the evidence that the account moved on the agreed date.
A tenant transferring the TNB account before move-in is the cleanest outcome for everyone. The fuller walkthrough — including the landlord side of the same process and the move-out final-bill mechanics — is in the TNB Change of Tenancy full guide, and the wider picture of who pays what across a Malaysian tenancy is in the guide to managing utility bills.
Who actually applies — and what can go wrong
The tenant is the one who applies for the Change of Tenancy, because the new account will be in the tenant's name. The landlord's job is to confirm the existing account is settled up to move-in day and to hand over the meter reading; the landlord cannot apply on the tenant's behalf.
Two things go wrong most often, and both are avoidable. The first is that nobody applies at all, so the tenant uses electricity for months while TNB keeps billing the landlord's account — and TNB chases the registered account holder, not the person consuming the supply. The second is that the parties apply but skip the joint meter reading, so when the final bill is disputed later there is no clean dividing line between the landlord's usage and the tenant's. Fix both by doing the transfer on move-in day and photographing the meter together. Landlords who want the preventative framing on the other side of this can read the guide to preventing unpaid utility bills.
One thing this deposit is not
The TNB deposit is a utility-provider deposit held against the electricity account — it is separate from the rental security deposit and is governed by TNB's account terms, not by the tenancy agreement. If you are renting through SPEEDHOME and using Zero Deposit, Zero Deposit replaces the upfront cash rental security deposit; it does not replace or interact with the TNB deposit, which still has to be paid to TNB as part of the Change of Tenancy.
FAQ
Should the TNB account be in the tenant's or the landlord's name?
For the rental period it should be in the tenant's name. When the account stays in the landlord's name, TNB chases the landlord for any unpaid bill even though the tenant consumed the electricity, which is exactly the dispute a pre-move-in Change of Tenancy is designed to prevent.
Can the landlord apply for the TNB transfer on the tenant's behalf?
No. The new account will be in the tenant's name, so the tenant must apply and provide the tenant's own IC and signed documents. The landlord's role is to confirm the existing account is current up to move-in day and to take the joint meter reading.
How much is the TNB deposit for a Change of Tenancy?
TNB sets the deposit based on the premise's estimated electricity usage and does not publish a single national RM figure that applies to every unit. Confirm the exact amount in myTNB or at Kedai Tenaga for the unit being rented before applying.
What documents do I need to transfer the TNB account?
Three documents: a completed and signed TNB Change of Tenancy application form, a copy of the tenant's IC (both sides) with "For TNB Purpose Only" written across it, and the current TNB Declaration Form. Plus the deposit, RM10 stamp duty, and the RM3.00 or RM80.00 processing fee.
What happens to the TNB deposit when the tenant moves out?
The deposit is held against the tenant's TNB account and is settled through the account-closure and final-bill process with TNB when the tenancy ends and the account is closed or transferred again. It is not returned by the landlord and is not part of the rental security deposit.
Can a landlord stop electricity or water to force a tenant to pay an unpaid utility bill?
No. Self-help measures such as locking the tenant out or disconnecting water or electricity are not lawful routes to recover unpaid bills; recovery has to follow the lawful process. Cutting supply is not a substitute for the Change of Tenancy and a clear tenancy-agreement clause on utility responsibility.