Are you paying too much for broadband?

Most UK households are trying desperately to keep costs down. Yet thousands may still be paying too much for their broadband.

Why? There are two key factors that mean people are paying more than they should – and sometimes for services they don’t want or need.

Read on to ensure you’ve fully understood the simple ways to keep costs down. 

Rolling Contracts 

If you’ve had the same contract for years, it has likely been switched to ‘rolling’: this means that the contract automatically starts again after the previous one ends. 

This may seem convenient but unfortunately, when it comes to broadband, being a loyal customer is rarely rewarded. You are probably paying more than you would if you switched to a different provider, taking advantage of the deals they use to tempt new customers to sign up with them. 

Make a switch or negotiate a better deal

Switching may sound like a faff you just don’t need. However, new regulations has made switching broadband, TV and landline providers significantly easier.

As of September 2024, the new “One Touch” rules brought in by Ofcom have streamlined the process of switching for all networks. Now, customers only need to contact their new provider to who will handle the process of switching – and do not need to deal with their current provider at all. 

As well as simplifying the process of switching, these rules also stipulate that customers can’t be hit with notice-period charges beyond the switch date – meaning they won’t be billed for overlapping services. Providers must also provide compensation to customers for any issues during the switch, such as being left without service for more than one working day.

And if you really don’t want to switch because you’re happy with your current provider it’s still worth doing your own research – if you get in touch with them when your contract is ending and say that you’ve found a better deal elsewhere you may be able to get your provider to price match as an incentive to keep you as a customer.

Sneaky Charges 

Another factor that may be adding to people’s bill are what have become known as “sneaky charges” – additional charges for supplementary services or extras that customers may not be aware of. 

A number of broadband providers have recently come under scrutiny for making customers pay sneaky charges for supplementary services, such as super-fast speeds, router breakdown protection service or other bundled extras, that they didn’t know they were signing up for. These providers will include these products in a contract, initially under a free promotional period, without making it clear to the customer. They are then added as an automatic additional charge, one that can take months for someone to notice. 

On top of regular price hikes, sneaky charges are a new and rising area of broadband complaints: by automatically enrolling customers in supplementary services or charging them for optional extras, some providers are adding significant amounts to their customers’ annual bills. 

Read the T&Cs and scrutinise your bills each month

When the price goes up mid-contract, it’s easy to lose track of what you’re actually paying. You can make sure that you avoid paying sneaky fees by reading the terms and conditions thoroughly before subscribing to a broadband service. You can then opt out of any additional extras you don’t want before your new contract starts.

And if you’re part way through your contact and feel unsure about whether you’ve unknowingly signed up for optional extras, make sure you check your monthly bills regularly for unexpected charges.

If you have any thoughts on this topic, or any other consumer issues you would like us to cover, feel free to get in touch with us at support@resolver.co.uk.

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