Moving house involves all sorts of small decisions, including what to do about your broadband.

What are the options for broadband when you move house?

There are two main options for what you can do with your internet when you move house:

• Taking your broadband service with you - As long as your current internet provider has coverage where you’re moving, you should be able to stay with them if you want to.
• Switching your broadband provider or contract - If you’d rather take out a new contract with a different internet provider, you can always cancel your current contract and switch at your new house.

What to do before you move

Check the broadband cover at your new place

Broadband coverage can vary across the UK, including for things like fibre optic connections. You can use an online postcode checker to see what kind of cover will be available at your new home, just in case your current broadband option isn’t available.

Check out available broadband deals

While you’re seeing what kind of broadband is available at your new house, you’ll likely be able to find all the available deals as well. It’s probably worth checking if there are deals that can save you money!

Check your current contract

It’s probably a good idea to look at your current contract before you move, just to make sure you aren’t going to be paying any big costs for moving or switching internet providers. Most providers charge a small exit fee for leaving a contract early, so it’s best to know how much you can expect to pay if you decide to switch. You should also check your contract to see how much notice you need to give your internet provider before you move.

Speak to your current internet provider

Before you decide whether or not to switch, it's generally recommended to talk to your current internet provider. It’s a good chance to see if they can offer you a better deal in your new home. You can also find out their process for transferring your existing broadband to your new house, and if that’s even an option.

If you’re wondering what to do about water bills when you move, you can check out our blog ‘Water bills when moving home: A how to guide’

How to take your broadband with you when you move

Most of the time your internet provider will do most of the work for you, and might even have a dedicated team to help you get everything set up. You can ask your provider while you’re in the process of looking to move from your rental or buying your house exactly what you’ll need to take with you to make sure you’re prepared for moving day.

How to switch internet providers when you move

When cancelling your existing contract, if you’ll have to pay a termination charge to your current provider it’ll usually be added to your final bill.

If both providers are part of the Openreach phone network, they’ll usually arrange the switch for you. Both providers should send you a letter to let you know roughly when the switch will happen and give you information on anything you need to take with you (like your router).

If either provider isn’t part of Openreach, you’ll have to notify your old provider yourself and pay any exit fees. Your new provider should tell you when everything will be installed and when the contract will start.

If you’re thinking of switching energy providers, you can check out our blog ‘How long does it take to switch energy supplier?’

When should I order broadband for my new house?

It’s a good idea to give broadband providers at least 2 weeks notice when you’re moving house. In some cases, internet providers might ask to be notified 30 days before you move, to make sure all the necessary arrangements are in place. Even if you’re staying with the same broadband provider, the more notice you can give them the better.

How long does it take to set up broadband in a new house?

Getting broadband set up can take around 2 weeks, so if you only tell your internet provider on the day you move in you might need to find an alternative solution to keep yourself online. This could mean relying on your mobile phone data plan or paying for a short-term mobile hotspot to keep you going.

Though, if the previous occupant hasn’t cancelled their broadband properly by the time you move in, it could cause delays for a week or two while the line is blocked.

If you’re wondering how long the house-moving process takes, you can check out our blog ‘How long does it take to get a mortgage?’

How to set up broadband in a new build house or flat

New build homes that don’t have existing broadband connections will usually need to have an engineer come round to install the lines. This might come with a cost and can take time to set up, so it’s best to give your internet provider at least 2 weeks notice.

It’s also becoming common for broadband to be added while new homes are being completed. This can limit your choice of providers, depending on which type of line is installed. If you’re not sure what your options are, it’s best to talk to the developer.

A few final tips…

These are a couple of things to remember about your broadband when you’re moving house:

• You should try to give internet providers at least 2 weeks notice before you move house, even if you’re staying with the same provider.
• You might have to pay an exit fee for leaving your current contract early, so it’s best to check your contract.

Urban Jungle is not a financial advisor and information in this article should not be taken as advice or recommendation.