This topic

Moving abroad - Early termination fees

nalaKoukou — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 07:30:52 GMT

Hello,

I am selling my house and moving oversees in the next few months. If I have a 48 month BT broadband contract, can I cancel it mid-term? If so, what are the early termination fees in this case?

I could not find any information online about when you can terminate your contract early without exit fees.

Thank you!

Re: Moving abroad - Early termination fees

Katie_J — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 07:49:34 GMT

Good morning @nalaKoukou.

Thanks for coming here.

Early termination differs from one contract to another and also takes into account the term period remaining.

You can see your contract end dates within your account online.

For an exact figure please give us a call.

I hope everything goes well with your move!

Katie

Re: Moving abroad - Early termination fees

iniltous — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 07:55:11 GMT

There are no consumer 48 month broadband contracts, you ask when you can quit without exit fees , when you have completed your minimum term is the answer, as far as how much will the early termination fees be , you haven’t provided anywhere nearly enough information, and what has been provided can’t be accurate, but it’s less than the total amount your would pay if continuing within the terms of the contract to the end of the minimum term , you will need to ask exactly how much less , no one here can tell you the figure.

Re: Moving abroad - Early termination fees

nalaKoukou — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 07:53:57 GMT

Hi Katie,

Thank you for the reply. I am considering getting a contact but I don't have access to the full contract before checking out. I can only see a contract summary.

I find it hard to commit to a 48 month contract without knowing the exit fees when I eventually move.

Best,

Nala

Re: Moving abroad - Early termination fees

nalaKoukou — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 08:01:56 GMT

Thank you Iniltous,

I am not sure what you mean. Most broadband deals are 48 month long. For example the Full Fibre 300, which I want to get, is a 48 month contract.

Is the minimum term different than the contract length?

If you want more information then assume I have the Full Fibre 300 above, and I move abroad in 6 months. How much will I have to pay to terminate it? Could I pass it on to the next owner? Thank you for your help.

Best,

Nala

Re: Moving abroad - Early termination fees

iniltous — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 08:49:41 GMT

Don’t know where you get that most broadband contracts are 48 months , they aren’t, 24 months is the normal (12 months available also but a little more expensive) ….to be clear , this is landline style broadband you are referring to and not mobile broadband…have a look on the website the only options are 12 and 24 months ….in fact (a quick google ) confirms that 24 months is the longest residential minimum term allowed by Ofcom .

If you are intent to move overseas in the next few months why would you want a long contract anyway (minimum term is a more accurate way to express the time you need to keep the service as after the minimum term expires, the contract doesn’t end , it becomes a30 day notice to quit contract )

Re: Moving abroad - Early termination fees

Kimberlin — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 09:00:02 GMT

@nalaKoukou All you can do is call up BT and tell them your circumstances about moving abroad permanently. In 2021, I moved home in the UK and my BT Group ISP waived early termination fees because they couldn’t offer me their service at the new build home I was moving into. A different set of circumstances granted, but you can only ask. It can be done, it just depends on whether BT are customer focused enough to accept that you moving, isn’t categorised as someone who just no longer wants their service.

Re: Moving abroad - Early termination fees

nalaKoukou — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 09:27:03 GMT

Thank you everyone for you help.

It seems I will have to call BT to ensure that when they are unable to move the service they waive early termination fees. This is what I was trying to understand. In what circumstances you can terminate without paying early exit fees.

Also apologies for the confusion. I meant 24-month contract this entire time. My brain just kept writing "48" for some reason. It took a while to realise...

The 12-month options are unfortunately too pricy. Also the speeds in my area were upgraded so I can potentially get better speeds with less than what I am currently paying, but I have to get a contract for this...

Anyways, thank you all again!

Nala

Re: Moving abroad - Early termination fees

gg30340 — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 10:18:41 GMT

See the following links

https://www.bt.com/help/account-and-billing/manage-account/thinking-of-leaving-bt

https://www.bt.com/help/account-and-billing/payments--bills-and-charges/i-don-t-understand-my-bill/what-s-this-cancellation-fee-for-

The fee will apply when you move abroad.

The termination fee is waived in the UK if you are a BT Broadband customer and you use the BT Home Move system and for what ever reason BT can not supply BT broadband the termination fee would be waived.

Obviously moving abroad you would not be able to use the BT Home Move system.

If you are already in a contract with BT and it is about to expire just don't renew it. You will go onto a 30 day contract which would mean you lose any discounts that you may have but you can cancel with 30 days notice without any fees.

Re: Moving abroad - Early termination fees

chrisjp — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 11:28:39 GMT

If you are moving abroad in the next few months, you definitely do NOT want to enter into any long term contract - 12 or 24 months. If your current contract is about to expire, do nothing and it'll go onto month to month billing.
This will be a little more per month that you'd pay with a 24 month contract, but your total spend for just a few months will be much less than the early termination fee you'll almost certainly be hit with under a 24 month contract that you terminate after just a few months.

Re: Moving abroad - Early termination fees

apoplectic — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 11:46:43 GMT

Yes! I can never understand why people think they have to have a contract, and I haven't had one for many years. I can leave anytime without any penalty, and just move on if I'm not satisfied. I regularly check myBT to see if there are any worthwhile deals. There are deals on offer, but they're never worthwhile.

Re: Moving abroad - Early termination fees

imjolly — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 11:52:15 GMT

@apoplectic

That's a personal choice. So for many years you have paid more that you need as all the discounts you previously had have terminated and now on rolling monthly contract enabling you to move at short notice - but you are still with BT

Re: Moving abroad - Early termination fees

gg30340 — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 11:55:39 GMT

@apoplectic

You are not be able to get BT Broadband without first being in a Fixed Term Contract and thereafter when that Fixed Term Contract has run its course you move onto a 30 day contract if you do not renew the Fixed Term Contract.

You are still in a contract albeit it is a 30 day contract other wise you would not have any BT Broadband. You can not leave at any time, you need to give 30 days notice or you will be hit with a months early termination fee.

Re: Moving abroad - Early termination fees

Kimberlin — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 12:14:15 GMT

@apoplectic So go on then, tell everyone just how much you’re paying monthly on a rolling 30 day contract bearing in mind every year ISP’s now stick on an extra money grabbing £4 on top. I’d genuinely be interested to know because as someone who avidly switches every couple of years to get new customer pricing, I just don’t see how you being on a 30 day contract is saving you any money 🤷‍♂️

Re: Moving abroad - Early termination fees

apoplectic — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 15:36:38 GMT

Correct. I know that.

Re: Moving abroad - Early termination fees

apoplectic — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 15:55:36 GMT

I'm paying about the same as any offer I've found on MyBT. Having a contract still involves the obligtatory price increase each year. I've never found a deal that saves me any money.
If you find you're saving money by having a contract, continue to do so. I'm never going to have a contract again, there is no financial benefit, and when BT screw up again with some technical issue, I can just leave, subject to 30 days notice. All the ISPs are the same, and I'll be staying with BT until I don't.
I pay the same every month, until the annual price increase applies. There is no significantly cheaper offer available from BT or anyone else, other than the 'special offer' for 6-12 months which then goes back to the same or more than I'm paying after that time.
I was on a series of contracts, I am no longer in contract, and have BB (FTTC) and landline for £12 a month withunlimited free calls(we use the landline a lot at home), and recently was sent a SmartHub 2 when the line changed to digital. No point or reason for me to have a contract.
I've just checked mybt again. There is no point in changing to a contract.

Re: Moving abroad - Early termination fees

apoplectic — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 16:08:11 GMT

This is what I find also.

Re: Moving abroad - Early termination fees

apoplectic — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 16:09:52 GMT

How much do you pay for free unlimited landline calls, and FTTC broadband?

Re: Moving abroad - Early termination fees

iniltous — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 16:21:22 GMT

@apoplectic , Obviously you don’t have to say what you pay each month , but out of contract is £5 more a month compared to being within one , plus re-contracting can reset what the base price paid is , and that can effectively remove a couple of annual increases, currently £4 (which were £3 once over)

In my real world case … , £30 a month (including £3 for telephony PAYG) started November 2023, by October/November 2025 that had increased to £36 with the 2 annual £3 increases , and was due to increase a further £5 to £41 if moving outside the minimum term…..renegotiate/re-contract offer in November 2025 took price back to £30 , the same as I was paying originally and coincidentally pretty much the same as new customer price , so an £11 saving compared to if I had followed the same strategy as you ( moved voluntarily onto a rolling contract, 30 day notice to quit ) ,my price did increase March 2026 by £4 to £34 , but so did yours and will increase again in March 2027 by £4 , but so will yours .

Your option to remain outside of any real minimum term must be costing you some ££ , but if this flexibility to leave at short notice has more than a monetary value to you , that’s great , but it’s a little disingenuous to suggest it’s cost neutral , it can’t be .

Re: Moving abroad - Early termination fees

Kimberlin — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 16:27:31 GMT

@apoplectic I’m not sure who you are directing your question at, but from a personal perspective, I don’t/wont have a landline, we’ve not used/had one for years, all our calls are made on our mobiles through WiFi calling.

As for cost, as we’re not on any form of social tariff, currently 18 months into a 24 month contract paying £36.99 a month for 500mbps FTTP until end of March 27 when the £4 will go on taking it up to £40.99. That isn’t good value by any stretch of the imagination, compared to new customer pricing, that’s an absolute rip off. My current contract expires 1st week in April 27 and if new customer pricing remains the constant it has been, I should be able to switch to EE and get a brand new customer contract for between £28 and £30 a month for the same package as I currently have, thus saving around £12 a month if I stay with my current ISP. Yes, I could phone up and beg for a discount but truth is, I cannot be bothered to speak to a customer service representative who won’t listen to me and just wants to flog me a package I have no interest in. That’s why One Touch Switching is perfect for customers like me. I’ve used OTS before and it works.