Your broadband cancellation rights

Slow speeds, buffering movies and price hikes are all reasons you might want to cancel your broadband contract or switch providers..

But leaving your internet provider might not be that straightforward if your contract isn’t due to end for a while.

Find out about your broadband consumer rights, how to cancel your contract and when you could avoid early exit fees.

Key points

• If you cancel mid-contract, expect to pay an exit fee based on the number of months remaining
• But you could be entitled to a refund or free cancellation if you don’t receive the broadband performance you were promised
• If the provider doesn’t resolve your complaint, you can take it to Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
• Moving to a new broadband provider is made much easier with One Touch Switch

Can you cancel your broadband contract early?

Yes. Whatever the reason for cancelling your internet, you can choose to leave your broadband provider before your contract ends.

For example, it might be because there’s been a price hike, you want to get faster speeds, or you’re moving home.

Though in many situations, you’ll likely be charged an early exit fee.

The exit fees for cancelling mid-contract can be quite hefty, especially if there’s a lot of time left before your contract ends. Always check the terms of your contract before you decide to cancel so you know exactly how much it will be.

But if you’re not receiving the internet performance you were promised, your consumer rights could help you get your money back or let you cancel the service for free.

Can you cancel your internet contract if you move home?

Yes. You can cancel your internet connection if you’re moving, but you might need to pay a termination fee.

It’s worth noting that many providers will transfer your contract to a new address for free if you continue using their service (although a few charge a small new home installation fee).

If you’re cancelling because your current provider doesn’t offer a service in your new area, you might not be required to pay any charges, but this does depend on the provider.

Is it possible to switch broadband mid-contract?

You can switch providers at any time, although you’ll likely be charged an early exit fee if you’re still in contract.

The fee varies depending on your provider, but it’s usually based on the number of months left on your agreement. So, it could be quite expensive if the end date is a way off.

This means it’s worth weighing up the costs if the only reason you’re switching is to get cheaper broadband and save money.

On the other hand, if you’re cancelling because you’re not receiving the service you were promised, you might be able to exit without any penalties.

Cancelling your broadband contract due to poor service

One reason for cancelling your contract is if you’ve been experiencing regular issues like slow broadband speeds, lagging and outages.

When you take out a broadband contract, the internet service provider should provide you with the minimum level of service that you’ve been promised.

If you’re not receiving the broadband service that you’ve paid for and the problem can’t be resolved, you have the legal right to exit your contract without a penalty. But to successfully enforce this, you need to be clear on your consumer rights and follow the correct process.

Your broadband consumer rights

As a broadband customer there are several laws and regulations in place to protect your consumer rights. These include The Consumer Contracts Regulations , The Communications Act 2003 and The Consumer Rights Act 2015 .

Combined, these give broadband customers the right to:

• Clear and accurate information - You should not be mis-sold broadband by being provided with misleading information about a provider or contract
• A broadband service that’s fit for purpose - Your broadband connection should work properly and be as described and at the right speed
• A fair contract - The contract terms must be fair and transparent and must include details of price rises that might happen mid-contract
• Notice of any contract changes - You must be given at least one month’s notice of any changes to the terms and conditions and the right to exit without penalty if the change doesn’t benefit you
• A 14-day cooling off period - You have 14 days during which you can cancel the service without a penalty
• Alternative dispute resolution - Providers must belong to an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) scheme, which means you can take a complaint to an ombudsman if you can’t resolve your issue with the internet service provider

All telecom providers in the UK are regulated by Ofcom, and many have signed up to Ofcom’s voluntary code of practice on broadband speed .

This means that if you buy a broadband service from a participating provider, you also have the right to:

• A guaranteed minimum download speed - Providers must give clear and realistic information about the speeds they offer and must provide a minimum guaranteed speed
• Automatic compensation - The scheme also means you’ll receive automatic compensation for delayed repairs following a loss of service, missed engineer appointments, and delays to a new service starting.
• Penalty-free exit for poor service - You can cancel the service without having to pay a fee if the broadband speed falls below the minimum guaranteed speed

Enforcing your right to fee-free cancellation

We’ve explained that you have the right to cancel without penalty if your broadband provider isn’t delivering the promised service. But it’s not as simple as this in practice. You need to have evidence that you’ve tried to resolve the problem before deciding to leave.

Every time you contact your provider’s customer service or tech support, keep a record of it.

• For phone calls, make a note of the date and time and roughly what was said. Get the name of the person you spoke to if possible.
• For online chats or webforms, take screenshots.

When you contact them about leaving, they’re more likely to cooperate with your request for a penalty-free early cancellation if you remind them exactly how many times you’ve been in touch in the past few weeks or months.

If the issue is slow speeds, you can build up some proof by regularly using a broadband speed checker and taking screenshots. Put the date and time of each screenshot in the filename and save them all in the same folder.

Your provider may attempt to persuade you not to leave by making a new effort to resolve the problem or offering some form of compensation for the inconvenience. It’s up to you whether you change your mind or not. If you’re prepared to walk away and you have evidence supporting your right to leave without paying a fee, this puts you in a strong position to haggle with your broadband provider and get a better deal.

Can Computeractive help?

Our friends at Computeractive magazine have a strong track record of helping readers who've been treated unfairly by their broadband providers. They have a legal team who can advise you if you don't know where to turn.

Computeractive editor Daniel Booth said: "If you’ve been let down by your broadband provider, contact Computeractive’s legal team today. We’ve been taking on your cases since 1998, winning refunds and compensation for thousands of readers. We’ll investigate any genuine case, from slow speeds to rip-off cancellation fees. We publish the cases and explain your consumer rights in every issue. Email us at [email protected] and we’ll do our best to help."

How to cancel broadband contracts

You can usually cancel your broadband contract by phone or web chat, but the process, notice period and cancellation terms can vary, so you’ll need to check with your provider.

The exception is if you’re switching, then all you need to do is contact the new provider and use the One Touch Switch process. You can read more about this below.

How to cancel your broadband contract by provider

If you’re not switching providers and just want to cancel your contract, we’ve outlined the process for some of the most popular broadband providers:

Sky Broadband cancellation

Cancelling during the cooling-off period

There’s a 31-day cooling-off period during which you can cancel Sky Broadband by signing into your account or using Live Chat. You’ll be refunded all payments, excluding any one-off activation or set-up fees. You’ll need to pay for any extra services that you’ve used.[1]

Cancelling your contract

After the cooling-off period, Sky requires 14 days’ notice of cancellation. You’ll need to contact Sky via its web chat service or by calling 0333 7593 190, or emailing [email protected].

You might have to pay an early termination charge if you’re cancelling before your contract ends.

Returning Sky equipment

If you cancel your contract, you’re responsible for returning any Sky equipment using the returns method provided. If you don’t, you might have to pay a non-return charge.[2]

BT broadband cancellation

Cancelling during the cooling-off period

If you want to stop your BT broadband service and it started within the last 14 days or it hasn’t started yet, you can cancel it by submitting a form online . You’ll need your account number and the date you signed up. The form will also ask for an order number and “the phone number the service is active on”, but it will let you submit your request without these.

Cancelling your contract

If you want to cancel your BT broadband contract after the cooling-off period, you’ll need to give at least 30 days' notice by calling the provider on 0800 783 1401.[3]

If you’re leaving before the contract end date, you’ll need to pay an early termination fee based on the number of months left in your contract period.

Returning BT equipment

You must return the BT router within 60 days to avoid being charged. Log into your My BT account and select “Return your BT kit”, then follow the steps. Always keep proof of postage until you have confirmation they’ve got the router back.

Virgin Media broadband cancellation

Cancelling during the cooling-off period

You can cancel your Virgin Media contract for free during the 14-day cooling-off period. You can do this by calling 150 using a Virgin Media landline or calling 0345 454 1111 from any other phone.

Cancelling your contract

You’ll need to give Virgin Media 30 days’ notice to cancel your contract after the cooling-off period. You can do this using the same phone numbers mentioned above. If you’re still in your minimum contract period, you might have to pay a cancellation fee.[4]

Returning Virgin equipment

You’ll need to return your Virgin kit, including any Virgin media TV box and remote, and your Virgin Hub, using the pre-paid returns method provided, or you’ll be charged for it. [5] Follow the steps on the website and keep proof of postage.

Vodafone broadband cancellation

Cancelling during the cooling-off period

You can cancel Vodafone broadband within 14 days using live web chat or by calling 191 from a Vodafone mobile or 03333 040 191 from any phone. You’ll be refunded all payments, excluding installation costs and the cost of any services you’ve already used.

Cancelling your contract

After the cooling-off period, Vodafone requires 30 days’ notice to cancel. To do this, you’ll need to contact customer services using the same numbers as above. You might be charged an early termination fee if you’re cancelling before your contract has ended.[6]

Returning Vodafone equipment

Vodafone normally need you to return your router after cancelling your contract or you could be fined around £75. The easiest way is by visiting your nearest Vodafone store .[7] They will need your account details to process the router return. If getting to a shop isn’t possible, contact customer service and ask them what you need to return your router through the post.

TalkTalk broadband cancellation

Cancelling during the cooling-off period

You can cancel TalkTalk broadband for free within the first 14 days of agreeing your contract. You’ll only pay for the services you’ve used during that time. If you’ve signed up for fibre broadband you can cancel your service within the first 30 days of it going live.

Cancelling your broadband contract

After the cooling off period, you must give TalkTalk 30 days’ notice to cancel your contract. You’ll need to do this by calling 03451 720 088 or contacting TalkTalk in writing. If it’s before your minimum contract term, you might have to pay an early termination charge.[8]

Returning TalkTalk equipment

You might be asked to return your TalkTalk broadband equipment. Their policy is that they’ll only send you a pre-paid postage bag if they actually need the equipment back. Otherwise,you just recycle it. If they send you a bag, you have to send the kit back within 28 days or you could be charged. [9] If you don’t receive a bag, it’s worth confirming that they definitely don’t want the router back and getting proof of this (like a screenshot of the web chat) before you go ahead and recycle.

How does the One Touch Switch process work?

One Touch Switch was introduced by Ofcom in 2024 to make it quicker and easier for customers to switch between broadband and phone providers.

This means that if you want to move to a different broadband service, you only have to contact the new provider to make the change - cancelling your old provider and making the switch is done automatically for you.

This avoids any overlap and having to pay for your old service after the new one has started. And if something does go wrong with the switch, the providers must give you compensation so that you’re not left out of pocket.

Just bear in mind that using One Touch Switch does not mean you can escape early exit fees if you’re still within contract.

Can you cancel if the broadband provider increases the price?

This depends on whether you’re still in contract and the terms and conditions you agreed to when you took out the broadband service.

Most providers include wording in their customer contracts that states they can increase their prices annually. Mid-contract prices might rise by a set percentage or in line with inflation. But from January 2025, providers must clearly set out price rises in pounds and pence in the information they give about new contracts.

If you sign up with a provider that states price rises in their terms, you’ll need to pay an exit fee if you want to cancel your contract early. But if you can show they didn’t make you aware of this, or if you’re out of contract, you should be able to leave without facing a charge.

If you’re no longer tied in, it’s time to shop around and find a better deal.

Can you cancel a broadband contract after a bereavement?

Yes. If you need to cancel, transfer or close a broadband account because the account holder has passed away, you should be able to do this free of charge.

Many larger providers have a specialist team trained to help bereaved customers. In this situation, you shouldn’t have to pay a fee to cancel the contract mid-way through. And some providers might agree to backdate the closure or refund any money paid.

To close the account, you might be asked to provide a copy of the death certificate as proof.

How to complain about your broadband provider

Whether it’s down to slower than promised internet speeds, outages or billing issues, follow these steps for making a complaint:

1. Contact customer services - First, you must give the provider a chance to fix or resolve your issue before you make a formal complaint. As we’ve explained, it’s important to keep a record of the times you’ve tried to get them to solve the problem.
2. Check the service level agreement - Check your provider’s service level agreement and compare this with the service you’re receiving to see if it supports your case.
3. Make a complaint - If customer service cannot resolve your problem, you can make a formal complaint using the provider’s complaints process. This usually involves filling in an online form.
4. Gather evidence - Back up your complaint with as much evidence as possible, including any previous communication and the dates and times when problems were experienced.
5. Ask for a deadlock letter - The provider has up to eight weeks to resolve your complaint. If this fails to happen, you can ask them to provide you with a deadlock letter.
6. Decide whether to escalate - Once you have a deadlock letter, you can take your complaint to be investigated by an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme, such as the Communication Ombudsman . This might result in you receiving compensation.

If your provider ignores your requests for a deadlock letter, you can escalate without one, but this isn’t ideal. When you submit your case to the dispute resolution body, you should show evidence of your attempts to get the provider to send the deadlock letter.

What can I do if my broadband isn’t connected in time?

If your broadband service doesn’t start on the agreed date, you can claim compensation if your provider is part of the Ofcom voluntary broadband code of practice. You can receive £6.10 for each day of delay, including the missed start date.

But if you need a quick-fix connection to get you online in the meantime, you could always consider a mobile pay-as-you-go WiFi dongle.

This is a portable mini-router that lets you connect your devices to mobile internet coverage. Just like a mobile phone, the dongle uses a SIM card that you can top up with data as you need it.

If there’s been a connection delay, some providers offer a dongle to provide temporary internet while you’re waiting for your home to be connected.

When to consider switching broadband providers

If you’re unhappy with your broadband service or there’s been a price hike, it could be worth finding a new provider. Especially if you’re coming to the end of your contract.

We can help you compare trusted providers and find the best broadband deals in your area.

See if you can save on your broadband

[1] Sky, How to cancel your Sky broadband

[2] Sky, Return or recycle Sky equipment

[3] BT, Thinking of leaving BT?

[4] Virgin Media, Leaving Virgin Media

[5] Virgin Media, How to return or recycle equipment

[6] TechRadar, How to cancel Vodafone broadband

[7] Vodafone, What to do with your old router

[8] TechRadar, How to cancel TalkTalk broadband

[9] TalkTalk, Returning your TalkTalk equipment