Moving into a property with much worse broadband speeds whilst being under 24-month contract

ignite_me

I'm currently under a contract with EE broadband until October 2026.

However, I am currently renting and considering buying a house and the new property has much worse broadband speeds than where I currently live. I am currently on a 900mb connection but the new property has Openreach speeds only up to 67mb. The new house does have a superfast 1Gb+ Virgin internet but complication is the EE contract.

My bottom line is: I am fine with EE (and frankly don't care about the provider), but what I am not fine are speeds of 67mb.

Does anyone have experience with a situation like this, and whether I have a way of getting out of the contract if my initially contracted speeds are not available in the new place? Or will I be force to downgrade and stick with EE? Just trying to figure out my rights and options here before approaching EE.

Many thanks 🙏

littleboo

The contract is for service at your current address, so typically if you move, you either pay the early termination charges or move to whatever service is available at your new address.

la531983

https://ee.co.uk/content/dam/help/terms-and-conditions/broadband/home-network/ee-home-network-terms-and-conditions-for-all-version-b-broadband-plans-april-2024.pdf

Section 11c

Ayr_Rage

You current contract will probably be portable, maybe with a fee for moving, but will only continue with whatever speeds are available at the new property with EE, the speed guarantee only applies to where you currently reside.

If you choose to break the contract they may reduce the early termination fees if you ask nicely but they are under no obligation to do so as they are not breaking the contract.

Your rights will be whatever is written in the EE contract.

iniltous

What you have to appreciate is that if you move , it is you that is breaking the terms of the existing arrangement , not EE , what EE can do however is offer to supply services at the new address , so that  you have an option , rather than simply paying an early termination fee…if this is offer of service is unacceptable to you (  because the new address has slower speeds from Openreach ) , it’s simple, pay the ETC and move on .

FWIW , there is no compulsion to offer this alternative to ETC , in fact some providers would not bother to offer an option of service at the new address , they would simply enforce the early termination policy as you were breaking the existing terms and conditions by moving out of the address you committed to take service at for a minimum term .

If you are only a couple of months into a 24 month term and have decided to move , it’s your own shortsightedness that’s responsible, why take a 24 month term if knowing you would only be looking to move out in such a short space of time 

400ixl

What are you doing that requires a 900Mb download speed that isn't just a nicety? Most families can get along with 67mbps quite happily.

You will have to weigh up whether that nicety is worth the cost of buying yourself out of your contract (what ois left of it at the time of moving which will be a few months off yet if you haven't started the buying process. Remembering that when buying out the contract the early termination fees are less than the monthly payment you are currently making.

flaneurs_lobster

Any chance that the new property might need a FTTC --> FTTP upgrade and EE could organise this at zero cost (or maybe a reset on the 2 year contract)?

john1

EE  offer a mobile broadband service ask if they would consider swapping if available in new location see https://ee.co.uk/broadband/mobile-broadband

M25

Can you move the contract (or just the service) to a friend or relative who'd like the speeds? Maybe offer to help with the cost.

Have you checked EE can actually provide a service at the new address?

Test for 5G too to see if there's a good service a catergory 18 router would be best. EE might be able to move you to that service.

You'll have to fulfil your contract or you'll credit history file will show the debt for at least 5 years.