Selling your home along with a Nest Thermostat?

[CoolingWizard]

Are you a homeowner and you are selling your home and leaving your Google Nest Thermostat for the new owner? What do you need to do to make the transfer painless for you and the new owner?

First and foremost, DO NOT PERFORM A FACTORY RESET. The Google Nest Thermostat is already configured and working fine. Why then go back to the installation starting point? The following steps will also prepare a Google Nest Thermostat you may want to sell after upgrading. Just perform the steps before you disconnect the thermostat. 

Using your Nest App, simply go to your home, select the thermostat then choose the settings gear and scroll to the bottom, select Remove Thermostat.  The steps are similar for the Google Home App. You will launch the Home App, choose the Settings Gear at the bottom, then select from the list of devices, the thermostat, scroll down and select Remove Device.

This will remove the link between your google nest account and the thermostat will still function.  The new owner will need get WiFi installed in the home. Then go to the Google Nest Thermostat, choose Settings, then Nest ID, select and follow instructions to add the thermostat to the new home owners account and phone.  
Following these steps bypasses the new installation steps that can confuse a new owner.

The AC Cooling Wizard

[Derickf]

Hi @CoolingWizard , 

We appreciate you taking the time to post in the community, and thank you for the tips you shared in this post; that will be helpful for everyone.

Regards,

Derick.

[FustratedUser]

Doesn't work. The Nest app keeps requesting an "Entry Key" (which cannot be found) when trying to add the thermostat device. And the thermostat when you switch to the Nest App GUI screen displays "Thermostat is connected to an account".  There is no way to use the "smart" features short of performing a factory reset.

[CoolingWizard]

@FustratedUser ,

since an thermostat is reporting that you’re connected to another account the previous owner email ID that associated with the Google nest account has to first use their app and delete that thermostat from their account so it could be assigned to a new account. 

AC Cooling Wizard

[Otis1303]

Read your info on process to transfer control of a Nest thermostat when selling a house.  I bought a house with an existing Nest Gen 3 thermostat.  It connected to my Wi-Fi fine but I am having difficulty adding the thermostat to my Google Home app or Nest app.  Not sure if the previous owner removed the thermostat from their account.  I tried to do a factor reset but that didn't seem to work. Does a factory reset remove their control?

[CoolingWizard]

@Otis1303 , unfortunately a factory reset will not unbind the thermostat from the registered email account.  You must reach out to the previous owner and ask them to use their app and delete or remove the device from their account. 

AC Cooling Wizard

[Otis1303]

Another question.  So the previous owners left without deleting control of the thermostat.  I connected to it with a new WiFi account I set up.  Will the previous owners still have control of the thermostat in their app now that the WiFi isn't the same as what it was when they set it up and added it to their Nest or Goggle Home App?  In other words will they be able to see the Nest and delete it now that the WiFi is changed?

[CoolingWizard]

@Otis1303 ,

the Wi-Fi access is to allow the nest display to communicate over the Internet, and as long as the previous owner has not deleted it properly, they will still be able to see that nest thermostat because it does not depend on the Wi-Fi system. It simply needs to have Internet access. so once you have Wi-Fi configured on the nest thermostat, and you know the previous owner. All the owner needs to do is use his app and like I said delete or otherwise remove that thermostat and over the Internet. The nest servers will tell that display that it’s no longer connected to an account and then you will be able to take control. 

AC Cooling Wizard

[Otis1303]

After they delete/remove the device will I have access instantaneously?  The previous owner has said they deleted the device from their account but I still can't connect to it with my Google Home app account.  It is a Nest Gen 3.  Do I need to connect with the Nest app instead?

Thanks

[CoolingWizard]

The Nest Learning Thermostat Gen 3 only works with Nest App. Download the Nest App, create your Nest Account. Then go to your Nest Thermostat and choose SETTINGS, then NEST ID. If as the the previous owner claim, and he performed the remove device procedure properly, you should see a yellow warning triangle stating you need to add a Nest ID. 

AC Cooling Wizard

[David_K]

To add to CoolingWizard's great advice, if you move into a home that already has a Nest Thermostat, but the previous owner has not removed it from their account, in most cases you don't need to factory reset it to connect it to your account and app.

First check which model of thermostat you have:
How to tell which Nest thermostat you have - Google Nest Help

Nest Thermostat (2020), Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen)

1. On the thermostat, go to Settings > Account > Disconnect.
2. Follow the setup steps: Get started with your Nest Thermostat - Google Nest Help

Setup these models using the Google Home app. The QR code and setup key are physically printed on the back of the thermostat for Nest Thermostat (2020) and will be displayed on screen for Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen).

Nest Thermostat E, Nest Learning Thermostat (1st, 2nd, 3rd gen)

1. On the thermostat, go to Settings > Reset > Account connection. If you don't see this option, you'll need to select All settings.
2. Follow the setup steps: Add your Nest thermostat to the Nest app - Google Nest Help

Setup these models using the Nest app. The QR code and setup key are in the settings on the thermostat itself and are not printed on the device.

Hope this helps!