Huge change to mobile and broadband rules that could see you get £100s in compensation sooner
MOBILE and broadband customers could get compensation sooner when things go wrong in a major shake up of rules.
Currently anyone who complains to their provider and doesn’t get the response they want can escalate their complaint to an ombudsman.
Providers have up to eight weeks to resolve any disputes you might have with them.
But under new proposals put forward by the regulator Ofcom this could be reduced to six weeks.
This means frustrated customers could get compensation quicker if the provider is found to be in the wrong.
Ofcom is consulting on the change until March 12 and is expected to make a final decision before the end of the summer.
The regulator said any changes would come into effect six months after it confirmed its decision.
That means the new rules may not come into force until 2026.
Martin Lewis welcomed the plan posting on X: “Pleased to hear Ofcom is consulting on reducing the time it takes to escalate issues to an ombudsman from eight to six weeks.”
Ofcom said it was consulting on changing the time frame in which customers can take complaints higher up as it believes households are not currently getting “sufficiently prompt access”.
When you take an issue to the ombudsman there’s no guarantee of compensation, but it’s one of the ways it can tell the supplier to offer redress.
How to complain to your provider
You can complain about your broadband provider by finding the customer service number on its website.
Then ask to speak to the relevant team so you can flag any issues you have experienced.
You can complain about your Wi-Fi speed, contract terms, a billing issue or if an outage left you without service.
You’ll need evidence before going to them though – this might be copies of any email or letters shared with your provider, bills or bank statements, the date you first made a complaint and details of phone calls held with anyone in customer service.
If your supplier does not resolve the issues after eight weeks, you can take your case to one of two Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) schemes.
Customers can escalate issues to either the Communications Ombudsman (CO) or the Communications and Internet Services Adjudication Scheme (CISAS).
You can find out what scheme your provider is part of by using the ADR checker on the Ofcom website.
If your provider cannot resolve a complaint, it will issue you a “deadlock letter” which means it believes it cannot resolve the problem.
If you receive one of these letters, you have 12 months to contact the ombudsman.
Resolving an issue through the ombudsman can lead to a simple apology, changes to your contract or financial compensation.
You could also switch broadband providers if you are not happy with how it has resolved your complaint or you want a better deal.
What to do before switching broadband provider
If you’re struggling to pay for your phone or internet, Citizens Advice recommends the following.
Ask if they can offer you a cheaper deal. You can find their contact details on their website or on a letter from them.
You could tell your provider you’re thinking of switching to a cheaper deal with a different provider. Your provider might offer you a cheaper deal to get you to stay with them.
If you don’t want to stay with your current provider, find out if you’ll be charged an “exit fee” to leave – check your contract or contact your provider. You’ll usually be charged an exit fee if you want to leave before the end of a fixed-term contract. This can be expensive, so it might be better to wait until your current contract ends.
You can check if you’ll be charged an exit fee to leave your mobile contract by texting the word “INFO” to 85075. It’s free to text this number.
If you’re near the end of your contract, your provider should contact you to remind you. They’ll also let you know about their best available deals.
How to save money on broadband and mobile phone bills
Check whether you can save potentially hundreds of pounds a year on your broadband by switching to a different provider.
Which? research found, on average, out-of-contract TV and broadband customers could save £160 by switching.
Meanwhile, TV and broadband customers who haggled with their current provider rather than switching saved £117 on average.
It’s worth checking if you qualify for a social tariff as well, available to those on certain benefits like Universal Credit.
They’re usually cheaper than standard broadband packages and could save you up to £456 a year.
Social tariffs are not just offered by broadband providers either – you can get them for mobile phones too.
You can find out the list of providers that offer either type of tariff on the Ofcom website.
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