← All guides · Updated 2 November 2026
End-of-contract notifications: what your provider must tell you
The end of a contract is often when prices jump: you move from your deal price to a higher standard price. To help, Ofcom requires providers to warn you before it happens. This guide explains what that message should say and how to use it.
Who has to send one?
Ofcom's rules cover phone, broadband and pay-TV providers. They must send residential customers an end-of-contract notification before the end of their minimum contract period. Ofcom's guidance expects it between 10 and 40 days before the contract ends. It can come by text, email or letter.
What it must include
According to Ofcom, the notification must include:
- when your contract ends;
- what you've been paying until now, and what you'll pay when your contract ends;
- any notice period for leaving your provider; and
- your provider's best deals, including any prices only available to new customers.
Ofcom's guidance adds that if you have a phone and airtime bundled together, the best deals should include the cheapest SIM-only tariff based on the services you get. Providers also have to send customers who are already out of contract an annual reminder of their best deals.
What to do when it arrives
- Note the end date in your calendar.
- Compare the "after" price with the best deals in the same message, and with other providers.
- Decide: stay and re-contract, haggle, or switch. See how to haggle.
- For mobiles with a handset: check whether you're still paying for your phone. See phone contract ended.
Didn't get one?
Check your spam folder and your account app. If you still can't find it, contact your provider and ask when your contract ends and what you'll pay afterwards. If you think your provider didn't send one, you can complain, and if it's not resolved in six weeks (or you get a deadlock letter), go to the provider's ADR scheme.
Why it matters
Ofcom brought in these rules because many customers stayed on higher out-of-contract prices without realising their deal had ended. The notification is your prompt to check. Even if you're happy with your provider, asking for its best current deal often costs nothing.
What if I stay on the higher price?
You're allowed to. But you'll usually pay more than new customers or re-contracting customers. If you want flexibility, ask whether a shorter or rolling contract is available and what it costs.
Switching is easier than you might think
For broadband and landline, you usually only need to contact the provider you want to join. For mobile, text "PAC" to 65075 to get your code and keep your number. See Ofcom: switching mobile provider.
Check your own bill
Enter your contract end date and price. Bill Fighter tells you how many days are left, and can email you about 40 and 10 days before it ends if you create a free account.
Free, no sign-up. Uploaded bills are read and deleted straight away.
Related guides
- Phone contract ended: are you still paying for your phone?
- How to haggle your broadband or TV renewal
- Mid-contract price rises: can I leave my contract?
Sources
Last checked 02/11/2026. Rules change, so check the linked pages before you act. This is general information, not financial or legal advice.