What to check before your broadband contract ends
Under Ofcom rules, broadband providers must notify customers when their fixed contract is about to end and what the price will be afterwards. Treat that notification as the start of the review, not the end.
Why this matters
Ofcom requires end-of-contract notifications to be sent between 10 and 40 days before the end date. The notification must state the new monthly price and what the customer can do about it.
Ofcom's annual research has consistently found that out-of-contract customers pay materially more than in-contract customers for equivalent service. The end-of-contract window is where that gap opens or closes.
What to check before your broadband contract ends
Contract end date
Read the end-of-contract notification carefully and confirm the actual end date. It is rarely the anniversary of the day you signed up.
Out-of-contract monthly price
The notification must state the price after the term ends. Compare that figure to the price you have been paying.
Notice period
Check the notice period required to end or switch. Auto-switching rules (One Touch Switch) handle most provider-to-provider moves.
Equipment return
Some providers ask for the router or other equipment to be returned within a set period. Missing the return window can trigger a charge.
Speed and service tier
Use this as a moment to check whether the current speed still matches the household. There is no need to upgrade, but downgrading is also possible.
Timing window
When to act
The 10-to-40-day window before the end date is the active period. Acting earlier is too early; later means paying the out-of-contract rate.
Sources
- Ofcom — End-of-contract and annual best-tariff notifications.
- Ofcom — Pricing Trends for Communications Services, annual.
- Ofcom — One Touch Switch process.