- Openreach is retiring the analogue PSTN as part of an all-IP migration that the company expects to complete in 2027.
- Ofcom guidance places responsibility for the voice service with the communications provider, but devices connected to the line, such as alarms and door entry, are the responsibility of whoever owns and contracts for them.
- Ofcom requires providers to identify and protect customers who rely on their landline, including those who are dependent on telecare.
- Communal door entry, lift autodiallers and warden-call systems in blocks commonly run over analogue lines and need separate assessment before migration.
- A digital voice line stops working in a power cut unless battery back-up is provided, so any safety-critical device on the line needs a resilience plan.
The landlord owns and must upgrade fixed building systems such as door entry, lifts and communal alarms. Tenants handle their own broadband contract and personal devices, and can ask the landlord to act on shared equipment.
Last reviewed: June 2026
Why the PSTN switch-off matters in rented homes
Rented property sits at the awkward centre of the analogue switch-off because two parties share the same building but hold different contracts. The Public Switched Telephone Network, the copper-based system that has carried voice calls for decades, is being withdrawn as Openreach moves every line to internet protocol. Openreach describes this as an all-IP migration that the company expects to complete in 2027. When the change reaches a given exchange area, anything that depends on a continuous analogue dial tone can stop behaving as it did before.
In a single rented flat the impact may be limited to the phone itself, which moves from the wall socket to the back of the broadband router. In a block of flats the picture is wider. Communal door entry panels, lift emergency telephones, warden-call units and shared fire-alarm signalling have often been wired into analogue lines that were installed when the building went up. These systems do not announce that they use the PSTN, so the first job for any landlord is to find out what is connected and who pays the bill for each line.
Who is responsible for what
Responsibility follows ownership and contract rather than who physically lives in the property. The communications provider is responsible for delivering the voice service over the new digital platform, and Ofcom guidance is clear that providers must support that transition for their own customers. Beyond the voice line, the device connected to it belongs to whoever bought and contracts for it. A personal pendant alarm bought by a tenant is the tenant's responsibility to check; a communal lift autodialler is the landlord's.
For tenants the practical line is straightforward. The broadband and phone contract is usually in the tenant's name, so the tenant deals with the provider over the router, the back-up battery and any personal telecare device. For landlords the duty centres on the fabric of the building and any system they installed or maintain. Where a managing agent or freeholder runs communal services, the obligation typically sits with them under the terms of the lease, and service charges may fund the upgrade work.
Landlord and tenant PSTN switch-off responsibilities
The table below sets out a working split. It is a general guide; the tenancy agreement, lease and any service-charge schedule determine the precise allocation in a given building.
| System or task | Usually the landlord | Usually the tenant |
|---|---|---|
| Communal door entry panel | Yes | No |
| Lift emergency telephone | Yes | No |
| Communal warden-call or sheltered alarm | Yes | No |
| Broadband and home phone contract | No | Yes |
| Personal telecare pendant or alarm | No | Yes |
| Router back-up battery for vulnerable resident | Shared | Shared |
What landlords must do before 2027
The starting action is an audit. A landlord, freeholder or managing agent should list every analogue line serving the building and trace what each one feeds. Lift telephones and communal fire signalling are safety-critical and need early attention, because the relevant lift safety standard, BS EN 81-28, expects a reliable two-way emergency communication link that continues to function. Replacing the analogue connection with a digital alternative, and confirming power resilience, keeps that link compliant.
Once systems are mapped, the landlord should contact the maintenance company for each one. Alarm and lift contractors can confirm whether a unit is digital-ready or needs a new dialler module. Where residents in sheltered or supported housing depend on warden-call equipment, Ofcom expects communications providers to take extra care with customers who rely on their line, and landlords should coordinate so that no vulnerable resident is left without working telecare during the change. Documenting the assessment and the upgrade dates gives a clear record if a tenant later raises a concern.
Tenant rights and shared equipment
Tenants keep the same statutory protections they hold over any other building service. If a landlord is responsible for a communal alarm, lift telephone or door entry system, the tenant can ask in writing for the landlord to assess and upgrade it before the switch-off reaches the area. Where the failure of such a system would affect safety, the landlord's general repairing obligations and any express terms of the tenancy support the tenant's request.
For their own line, tenants should speak to their broadband and phone provider about the move to digital voice. If a resident relies on the landline for telecare or is otherwise vulnerable, Ofcom guidance requires providers to identify and protect them, which can include a battery back-up unit for the router so the connection survives a short power cut. A tenant who is unsure whether a personal device will keep working should contact the device supplier and the telecare provider directly rather than assuming the upgrade is automatic.
Coordinating the change in a block of flats
Blocks of flats are where landlord and tenant duties overlap most. A single communal upgrade can affect every household, so timing and communication matter. A managing agent should give residents notice of when communal systems will be tested and upgraded, and explain any temporary arrangements for door entry or emergency calling during the work. Service-charge budgets may need to reflect the cost of new diallers, resilient power and any cabling changes.
Individual tenants still arrange their own broadband migration, but they benefit from knowing the building plan so they can align personal devices. Clear written records on both sides reduce disputes: the landlord evidences that communal safety systems were upgraded on time, and the tenant evidences that they raised any concern and arranged their own line. With the all-IP migration expected to complete in 2027, starting the conversation early gives both parties room to act before the deadline rather than after a system has already gone quiet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is responsible for PSTN switch-off in a rental property?
Responsibility follows ownership and contract. The communications provider handles the voice service, the tenant handles their own broadband contract and personal devices, and the landlord or freeholder handles communal building systems such as door entry, lifts and shared alarms. The tenancy agreement and lease set the precise split for any given property.
Must a landlord upgrade alarms and door entry systems for PSTN switch-off?
Where the landlord owns and maintains a communal alarm, door entry panel or lift telephone that runs on an analogue line, the landlord is responsible for ensuring it keeps working after the line is migrated. Lift emergency communication in particular is expected to remain reliable under BS EN 81-28, so the landlord should arrange the upgrade with the maintenance contractor before the switch-off reaches the area.
What rights do tenants have if the landlord does not upgrade?
A tenant can ask the landlord in writing to assess and upgrade communal systems the landlord is responsible for, and the landlord's repairing obligations and any express tenancy terms support that request where safety is affected. For systems within the tenant's own control, such as the broadband line and personal telecare, the tenant deals directly with the provider, and Ofcom guidance requires providers to protect customers who rely on their landline.
Does PSTN switch-off affect my tenancy agreement?
The switch-off does not change the legal nature of a tenancy, but it can affect services the agreement references, such as a communal alarm or door entry system. It is worth checking the agreement and any service-charge schedule to confirm who is responsible for upgrading each connected system. If terms are unclear, both parties should seek independent advice.
What do landlords need to do before the 2027 switch-off?
Landlords should audit every analogue line in the building, trace what each one feeds, and prioritise safety-critical systems such as lift telephones and communal fire signalling. They should then contact each maintenance contractor to confirm whether equipment is digital-ready, arrange any upgrades, and coordinate with vulnerable residents and their telecare providers so no one loses cover during the change.
