If you’re about to sign a new broadband contract, be cautious if there’s any risk you might need to move out during the likely 18- or 24- month contract period which most new broadband connections these days come with.
The Renters’ Rights Act has made changes to rental agreements, so you have at least a year’s stay guaranteed, and after that the landlord can only evict you if they wish to sell/re-occupy the property, but they may still increase your rent beyond a price you’re willing to pay (even if it’s the market rent).
If you’re in a position where you could have to change jobs (including re-locating), or any other circumstance where you can’t be sure you’ll be in the same property for the full contract period, check your terms carefully.
Minimum contracts allow providers to offer introductory deals and generally lower prices (including free setup which costs them to provide), but leaving early means you may need to pay Early Termination Charges. Often these will be your remaining contract value.
If you decide to move home, you may be able to move your broadband service with you, but that’s not always possible, and sometimes your provider may not even service the new address. These vary by provider.
Example 1 — Virgin Media
For example. Virgin Media has been known to let you out of a contract without these penalties, if you are moving to an area in the UK where they don’t provide services (i.e. they won’t cover you if you move abroad) — based on the current terms as of 04/06/2026 and on their FAQ on the topic (expand the “What if I’m moving home?” bit):
“What if I’m moving home?
When it comes to moving home, whether you pay an Early Disconnection Fee or not will depend on a few different scenarios:
- Moving home and Virgin Media is still available at the address you’re moving to? You can continue to receive our services and see out the remainder of your minimum period at your new address.
- Moving home during your minimum period and your new address is outside of our network area? You may have to pay an Early Disconnection Fee. Use our broadband postcode checkerto see if we’re available at your new address.
- Moving outside our network area, but still within the UK? It’s possible to be credited back your Early Disconnection Fee. Just provide us with some valid evidence of your new address, we’ll check it and get back to you within 30 days. The value of your Early Disconnection Fee will then be credited to your account.
If for any reason, there’s still credit on your account after we’ve made the deductions, then we’ll get in touch with you to refund the remaining credit. Unless our costs to administer that refund outweigh the actual account balance”
Virgin Media Website
Example 2 — Hyperoptic
Hyperoptic, an Altnet found in many blocks of flats on the other hand, has a different policy. They will let you move your service to a new home if they provider services to your new property, but you’ll need to enter into a new contract, although they’ll waive early termination charges.
However, if you move to a property that isn’t on Hyperoptic’s network, you will be liable for early termination charges. Based on its terms on 04/06/2026.
“MOVING HOME
11.1 Please contact Customer Support if you’re planning a move and we’ll try to reduce any difficulties this can cause to your Services. We can only provide our Services at your new home if this is already set up to be connected to our Network at the time you move. If we do provide our Services to you at your new home, we’ll usually treat you as a new Customer. This means you’ll have to go through the ordering process again and any Minimum Period for Services at your new home will start on the Services Start Date for those Services at your new home. In addition, you may have to pay an Activation Charge and/or an Installation Fee (although you may be able to use your existing Equipment) and you may not be able to keep your existing phone number. Note that if you order or purchase our Services for (and to be provided immediately on moving to) your new home, and your move was during a Minimum Period for your Services at your previous home, we will not charge you a Service Termination Fee for ending the Services at your previous home. You can get more information on the Charges you’ll have to pay if we are able to provide our Services at your new home, during the ordering process.
11.2 If we can’t provide our Services at your new home, you can end your Agreement with us. If you have a Minimum Period for your current Package and you end your Agreement before this Minimum Period has ended, you’ll have to pay a Service Termination Fee for your Package. This is based on the number of months you have left of your Minimum Period (and is charged as set out in our Guide to Charges and Fees for Residential Customers). You can also end your Additional Services by giving us 30 days’ written notice (online via the Customer Support Centre or by email or letter to Customer Support). If you don’t have a Minimum Period (or your Minimum Period has ended) you can end your Agreement for your Package and all Additional Services by giving us 30 days’ written notice (online via the Customer Support Centre or by email or letter to Customer Support).”
Hyperoptic Terms
We’ve picked two provides as examples, but you must check with your chosen provider. You’re less likely to be able to move a Hyperoptic service unless you happen to move to a property covered by them than say a service based on the Openreach network which is more widely available nationwide. This may major resellers will be able to service new addresses. You must check your provider’s detailed terms. This is all the more important on longer contracts where the costs could add up considerably.
Important Calculations
It’s also worth considering the costs of a service. In Hyperoptic’s case the promotions at present aren’t significant enough to be worthwhile committing to a longer contract if you’re unsure about your stay, but taking another example, this may be different.
Comparing Community Fibre’s 100Mbps product. They had an offer for £14/month starting price for 100Mbps which ended yesterday, and standard promotions. They also have routine promotions running right now:
- 100Mbps Promotion (24-month contract) *expired yesterday* — £14/month until March 2027, then £17/month from April 2027 and £21/month in April 2028
- 100Mbps Website Price (24-month contact) — £18.90/month until March 2027, then £21.90/month from April 2027 and £24.90/month in April 2028
- 100Mbps Website Price (12-month contact) — £25/month until March 2027, then £28/month from April 2027
The 12-month contract would cost £278 in total whilst the 24-month promotion would have been £389 for 24 months. This means that after 15-months of the promotional 24-month contract, you would have paid the same as 12 months on the 12-month contract. If you leave after 15 months, you’d be better off on the 24-month promo contract. This doesn’t even cover the case where your pricing increases by £4 once your contract term ends; if this is applied immediately you’d be paying £32/month from June 2027 which brings the breakeven point a couple of weeks earlier.
There have been cases where 24-month contracts are always better than 12-month ones although these are rarer. Certainly there are packages which don’t make sense to buy as faster ones are cheaper too.
On the promotions and contract lengths, this is what spreadsheets are for 🙂
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