Broadband out of contract? You are probably overpaying
Ofcom's pounds-and-pence rule, the 30-day exit right, how to haggle, social tariffs from £12 and switching with One Touch Switch
When a broadband contract ends, the price often goes up and the deals you were offered as a new customer vanish. Out-of-contract customers pay more than anyone else for the same connection. This guide explains the rules that now protect you, how to negotiate a better price, and how switching has become simpler.
Why out-of-contract costs more
Providers price new-customer deals low and rely on people not moving when the minimum term ends. Once the term is over, you are usually rolled onto a standard price. Your provider must send you an end-of-contract notification telling you what you are paying, what you would pay as a new customer, and your best available deal. Read it. If you have not had one, ask.
The pounds-and-pence rule
Since January 2025, Ofcom requires any mid-contract price rise to be set out in pounds and pence at the point of sale. Inflation-linked rises, where the increase was tied to CPI or RPI plus a percentage, are banned for new contracts. So a contract signed in 2026 will say something like "your price rises by £3 a month each April".
Typical 2026 rises are £2 to £4 a month for broadband. Over an 18- or 24-month term that adds up. When comparing deals, add the stated rises to the headline price.
Your 30-day exit right
If your provider raises prices beyond what was agreed in your contract, or makes another change that is to your disadvantage, you must be given 30 days' notice and the right to leave without an exit fee within that window. A rise that was written into the contract in pounds and pence does not trigger this right, because you agreed to it. A surprise rise does.
How to haggle
Providers have retention teams whose job is to keep you. The process:
- Find two or three comparable deals from other providers on a comparison site. Note speed, price and contract length.
- Call your provider and say you are thinking of leaving. Ask to be put through to the team that deals with cancellations.
- Quote the rival offers and ask what they can do.
- If the offer is not good enough, say so and ask again. If it still is not, start the cancellation. A better offer often follows.
- Get any deal confirmed in writing, including the monthly price and any scheduled rises.
Be polite, be specific, and be willing to walk away. If you are not, you have no leverage.
Social tariffs
If you or someone in your household receives Universal Credit, Pension Credit or certain other benefits, you can get a social tariff. These cost roughly £12 to £25 a month for a standard broadband connection, with no exit fees and no mid-contract rises in most cases. Not every provider offers one, and you may need to switch to get it. Ofcom lists the available tariffs.
Switching with One Touch Switch
Since 2024, switching between broadband providers uses the One Touch Switch process. You contact the new provider only. They arrange the switch, notify your old provider and manage the changeover. You should not be without service for more than a day, and if you are, you can claim compensation. You do not need to phone your old provider to cancel.
Watch out for
- Being offered a "new" deal that quietly resets your contract for another 24 months at a price that rises next April.
- Bundles that add TV or a mobile line you do not need.
- Set-up fees and equipment charges that undo the saving.
- Signing before you have checked the stated pounds-and-pence rise.