- Ofcom requires providers to send an end-of-contract notification between 10 and 40 days before your minimum term ends.
- The notification must state when the contract ends, your current price, the price afterwards, and any notice period.
- Providers must also tell you their best available deals, including any cheaper one for new customers.
- Out of contract, you are free to switch at any time, which is your leverage to negotiate or leave.
The single most valuable broadband notification you receive is the one that tells you your deal is ending. Ofcom requires providers to send it, and it hands you exactly the information you need to avoid sliding onto an expensive out-of-contract price. Knowing what it must contain, and acting on it, is how you keep your bill under control.
What Ofcom requires
Ofcom's rules require providers to send an end-of-contract notification to customers between 10 and 40 days before the minimum term ends. The aim is to ensure you are not caught unaware when your discounted deal expires and the price rises. It is a proactive obligation on the provider, not something you have to request.
What the notification must include
The notification must tell you when your contract ends, what you are currently paying, what you will pay once the minimum term finishes, and any notice period that applies. Crucially, it must also set out the provider's best available deals, including deals that may be cheaper than what you would otherwise roll onto. This turns the notice into a practical prompt to act.
The best-tariff information
Because providers must show you their best available deals at this point, the notification effectively puts their strongest pricing in front of you in writing. That is valuable leverage: you can use it to decide whether to take the best deal on offer, negotiate further, or switch to a competitor. Out of contract, you are free to leave at any time, which strengthens your hand.
Out-of-contract notification requirements
| Requirement | What it gives you |
|---|---|
| Sent 10 to 40 days before end | Time to act before the price rises |
| Contract end date | Clarity on when you are free to leave |
| Current and future price | The cost of doing nothing |
| Best available deals | The provider's strongest pricing in writing |
What to do when you receive one
Treat the notification as your cue to act. Compare the future out-of-contract price and the provider's best deal against competitor prices for your address. Then either negotiate using your free-to-leave position, accept a better deal, or switch. Ignoring the notice means defaulting to the higher out-of-contract price, which is exactly the outcome the notification exists to help you avoid.
Frequently asked questions
Does my ISP have to tell me when my broadband contract ends?
Yes. Ofcom requires providers to send an end-of-contract notification between 10 and 40 days before your minimum term ends, stating when it ends, your current and future price, any notice period, and the provider's best available deals.
What information must my ISP include in the end-of-contract notice?
When your contract ends, what you currently pay, what you will pay afterwards, and any notice period, plus the provider's best available deals, including ones that may be cheaper than the price you would otherwise roll onto.
What is the Ofcom best tariff notification?
It is the requirement that, in the end-of-contract notification, providers tell you their best available deals, putting their strongest pricing in front of you in writing. This gives you leverage to negotiate, accept a better deal, or switch.
How far in advance should I receive an end-of-contract notice?
Between 10 and 40 days before your minimum term ends. This window gives you time to compare deals and decide whether to negotiate, accept a better offer, or switch before you default to the higher out-of-contract price.
What should I do when I receive an end-of-contract notice?
Use it as a prompt to act: compare the future price and the provider's best deal against competitor prices for your address, then negotiate using your free-to-leave position, accept a better deal, or switch. Ignoring it means defaulting to the higher out-of-contract price.
