Moving abroad - Early termination fees

[apoplectic]

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.

[imjolly]

@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

[gg30340]

@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.

[Kimberlin]

@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 🤷‍♂️

[apoplectic]

Correct. I know that.

[apoplectic]

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.

[apoplectic]

This is what I find also.

[apoplectic]

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

[iniltous]

@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 .

[Kimberlin]

@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.