- Ofcom's Automatic Compensation scheme is voluntary for providers, but signatories pay set daily amounts without the customer needing to ask.
- Under the scheme, a total loss of service that is not fixed after two full working days triggers a fixed daily payment for each further calendar day the fault continues.
- A missed engineer appointment and a delayed start of a new service also attract set compensation amounts under the same Ofcom scheme.
- Providers that have not signed the scheme must still handle complaints under their Ofcom-approved code of practice and through an Ofcom-approved alternative dispute resolution scheme.
- If a provider does not resolve a complaint within eight weeks, or issues a deadlock letter sooner, the customer can take the matter to the provider's approved ADR scheme for a binding decision.
If your provider is in Ofcom's automatic compensation scheme, payment for a total loss of service should arrive without a claim; otherwise log the fault, request compensation in writing, then escalate to an approved ADR scheme.
Last reviewed: June 2026
How landline compensation works in the UK
Compensation for landline faults in the UK runs along two parallel tracks, and knowing which one applies to you decides how much effort a claim takes. The first track is Ofcom's Automatic Compensation scheme, a voluntary arrangement that the larger residential providers have signed. Where a provider is a signatory, the scheme is designed to pay set amounts for three defined failures: a total loss of service that is not repaired within two full working days, a missed engineer appointment, and a delay to the start of a new service. The defining feature is in the name. Eligible payments should appear as a credit on your bill without you needing to chase them.
The second track applies to providers that have not signed the automatic scheme, and to situations the scheme does not cover, such as intermittent faults or partial loss of service. Here there is no fixed tariff. Instead you rely on the provider's own code of practice, the contract terms, and, if the dispute is not resolved, an Ofcom-approved alternative dispute resolution scheme. Every provider that sells to consumers must belong to one of these ADR schemes. The practical work of claiming sits mostly in this second track, because the automatic scheme is meant to run on its own.
What to document from the first day
Good documentation is the single biggest factor in a successful claim, and it costs nothing to start on day one. Record the exact date and time you first noticed the fault, because the compensation clock under the automatic scheme starts from the point the loss is reported, not the point you noticed it. Keep a written note every time you contact the provider: the date, the channel, the name or reference of the agent, and what was promised. Screenshots of online chat and copies of emails are stronger than recollections of phone calls.
Capture the fault reference number the provider issues, any engineer appointment dates, and any text or email confirmations. If an engineer appointment is missed, note the agreed slot and the fact that nobody attended. Where the line is your only means of contacting emergency services, keep a record of any alternative arrangements you had to make, as this strengthens any later argument about consequential inconvenience. A simple dated log in a single document is enough; the aim is a clear timeline that a complaints handler or adjudicator can follow without gaps.
Claiming from automatic compensation providers
Where your provider is a signatory to Ofcom's scheme, the intended position is that you do nothing. The provider identifies the qualifying fault, calculates the daily amount, and applies it as a credit. In practice, payments are sometimes missed, calculated from the wrong date, or stopped early. If a credit does not appear on the bill that covers the fault period, raise it directly and quote the scheme. Ask the provider to confirm in writing the date the loss was reported, the date it was resolved, and the daily rate applied, so you can check the arithmetic against the published scheme amounts.
The scheme works on full working days for the initial qualifying period and then calendar days for the continuing payments, so a fault spanning a weekend can be counted differently from one entirely within the working week. If the provider claims an exemption, ask which one and on what basis. The scheme allows certain limited exceptions, but the provider should be able to state the reason rather than simply declining. Keep the written exchange, because it becomes evidence if the matter goes further.
Claiming manually from non-participating providers
If your provider has not signed the automatic scheme, the route is a formal complaint rather than an automatic credit. Put the claim in writing, set out the timeline from your log, and state clearly what you are asking for: a refund of line rental for the period without service, plus a goodwill payment for the inconvenience caused. Reference the provider's published code of practice and its complaints procedure, both of which it is required to make available. Give the provider a reasonable deadline to respond, and keep the request factual rather than emotive.
There is no fixed tariff outside the automatic scheme, so the amount is a matter of negotiation guided by the actual loss. A reasonable starting point is the pro-rata line rental for the days you had no service, since you paid for something you did not receive. Inconvenience payments are discretionary and vary. If the provider offers a credit you consider too low, you are not obliged to accept it, and accepting it does not always close off the formal complaint, but check the wording of any offer before you reply.
The landline compensation claim process at a glance
The table below sets out the typical sequence for both tracks, so you can see where you are and what comes next.
| Stage | Action | Typical outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Log the fault and obtain a reference number | Compensation clock starts |
| Document | Keep dated notes, emails and appointment records | Evidence trail built |
| Automatic credit | Check the bill for a scheme payment | Credit applied or query raised |
| Formal complaint | Submit a written claim citing the code of practice | Provider responds with an offer or rejection |
| Deadlock | Request a deadlock letter or wait eight weeks | Right to ADR opens |
| ADR | Refer the case to the approved scheme | Binding decision issued |
What to escalate if your claim is refused
If the provider rejects the claim or the offer is unreasonable, the formal escalation route is an Ofcom-approved alternative dispute resolution scheme. Every consumer provider must belong to one. You can take a complaint to that scheme once the provider has had eight weeks to resolve it, or sooner if the provider issues a deadlock letter confirming it will not take the matter further. The ADR scheme reviews the evidence from both sides and reaches a decision that the provider is bound to accept if you accept it, while you remain free to pursue other options if you do not.
Before you reach that point, make sure you have exhausted the provider's own complaints process, because the ADR scheme will expect to see that. Your documented timeline does most of the work here. Submit the same dated log, the fault references, the appointment records, and the provider's responses. Ofcom oversees the broader rules and publishes guidance on complaints and compensation, but it does not adjudicate individual billing disputes itself, which is why the approved ADR scheme is the correct destination for an unresolved claim.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I claim compensation for my landline being out?
If your provider is in Ofcom's automatic compensation scheme, a qualifying total loss of service should be credited to your bill without a claim. If the credit does not appear, or your provider has not signed the scheme, report the fault, keep a dated record, and submit a written claim citing the provider's code of practice. Escalate to an approved ADR scheme if it is not resolved.
What evidence do I need to claim landline compensation?
Keep the date and time you reported the fault, the fault reference number, and a dated note of every contact with the provider including names and what was promised. Save emails, chat transcripts and appointment confirmations. A clear timeline showing when the loss started and ended is the most useful evidence for both the provider and any later adjudicator.
What if my provider is not in the auto compensation scheme?
The automatic scheme is voluntary, so not every provider participates. Where it has not signed up, you make a formal complaint under the provider's published code of practice, asking for a refund of line rental for the days without service plus an inconvenience payment. There is no fixed tariff, so the amount is negotiated, and an approved ADR scheme can decide the matter if you cannot agree.
How long do I have to claim landline compensation?
Time limits are set by the provider's terms and the rules of its ADR scheme rather than a single national deadline, so claim promptly while the evidence is fresh. The right to refer a complaint to an approved ADR scheme generally opens after the provider has had eight weeks, or sooner with a deadlock letter. Acting quickly protects your timeline and avoids disputes about dates.
What happens if my ISP refuses my compensation claim?
If the provider rejects your claim or the offer is too low, you can escalate to its Ofcom-approved alternative dispute resolution scheme once you have a deadlock letter or eight weeks have passed. The scheme reviews both sides and issues a decision the provider must honour if you accept it. Submit your documented timeline and the provider's responses as evidence.
