Switching broadband when moving home

There of plenty of things that you need to consider when moving house. Aside from searching for removal companies, you will also need to inform the right parties about your change of address, book the necessary time off of work and confirm your utility providers.

Sadly, this isn’t everything! You will also need to inform your current broadband provider about the move. Remember, different parts of the UK have vastly different service levels, with rural providers often having far poorer offerings than those in urban areas. Providers can also vary their price depending on location, so it will be important to check the options in your new locale if you want to avoid wasting money.

Luckily, there are a number of online price comparison websites which can give you a good idea of the best local rates. That being said, it is important not to put too much faith in these sites. For one, there may be a number of local providers which the tool will not take into account. Alternatively, it may be that the information utilised by the comparison tool is not up to date. In other words, not only can it be a good idea to check additional providers, it can also be wise to contact the named providers directly in order to see if they can offer you even better rates.

Can I move my broadband contract?

Before doing anything else, it is important to check the details of your current broadband deal. The reason for this is that there may well be cancellation penalties to pay for ending the contract early.

If you still have a while left on the contract, it could be worth transferring it to your new address. In this case, it will be a good idea to check out which local rates are available anyway. If you find that there are better rates on offer, it may well be worth paying the cancellation fees after all.
After finding at least five quotes from different providers, call your current broadband company and inform them about your move. They will usually need to know the new address, as well as the moving date.

Depending on your situation, your current provider may want to switch you over to a new deal with a minimum term. You do not want to agree to anything before checking the offers available elsewhere, so do not rush into a decision.

The situation should be fairly easy to work out if your current provider is also available in your new locale. It will be a good idea to contact them well in advance to discuss it; remember, leaving it too late could leave you without enough time to find the best deals, and you could also be faced with extortionate late fees.

Changing broadband via moving portals

Most of the time, broadband providers will have moving tools available on their websites. You can use these to register your new address and moving date.

However, you should keep in mind that these are not universally available. If you are not currently using Sky, BR or Talk Talk, you may need to arrange everything with a customer service representative over the phone or via post.

How much notice do I need to give my broadband provider before moving?

The exact notice which you need to provide your current broadband provider should be displayed on the documentation you received when you first took out the contract. However, this information is also typically available on provider websites.

Keep in mind that there is a chance that your current provider may not be able to offer a broadband service in your new locale. In this case, you will need to arrange a new contract. Even so, cancellation fees may be unavoidable, especially if you have several months remaining. Be sure to contact your provider as far in advance as possible, just in case they are willing to argue the price down.

Choosing a new broadband provider

When looking for your new broadband package, it will be worth keeping in mind exactly what the needs of your household are, especially the download speed you need.

If you have several children who rely on a solid internet connection to get homework done, or if you need the internet in order to do your job, it will be worth paying for a larger or more well-secured service.

You may also need to provide information on the number of devices used in your house, so keep this in mind if you have more than one laptop, phone or tablet device that will need to be able to connect.

If you’re moving out of a large city for a move to the countryside, you might need to consider a rural broadband provider. Not all locations in the UK have access to the usual broadband brands. If you are moving home to a small village, you might have to consider a rural broadband provider such as gigaclear. It’s best to get the postcode of your new home and use a broadband postcode checker to find out the local broadband speeds.