Moving House Broadband Checklist UK

Start broadband planning the day you know the new address, then work backwards from moving day. Check what is available there first. Then either transfer the current contract, place a new order, or leave if the provider cannot serve the property. Openreach tells movers to treat broadband as a priority as soon as they have a completion date, especially for a new build that already has a fibre socket.

One Touch Switch is for changing provider at your current address, not for a house move. Ofcom designed One Touch Switch for that same-address change. A house move is usually a home-move transfer or a new installation at a different property. If you want the old and new lines to overlap, Ofcom says you manage the cancellation yourself and One Touch Switch does not apply.

Moving house broadband timeline

Use our postcode comparison for the new address before you accept a transfer. If you are unsure what speed the household needs, the speed-need guide is the next stop.

Transfer, new order or leave?

Can I take my broadband to my new home?

Often yes, if the same provider covers the new property. Citizens Advice says you should check whether they offer the same service in the new area, and that a small fee can apply to move it. Official current examples: Virgin Media charges £20 to transfer, or £35 if the package changes; Sky charges £50 unless you have Sky VIP; BT says there is generally no home-move fee, with a £30 or £70 connection charge only if a new BT line is needed and you stay on the old package.

Coverage is not the same as the same speed. Openreach warns that moving from full fibre to fibre-to-the-cabinet, or the other way, can change setup and speeds. Virgin Media uses its own network, so a street that looks nearby can still be off-net. Check the exact address before you promise the household it will “just move”.

How far in advance to order broadband when moving

Book once the moving date is firm enough for the provider to hold a slot, then keep a buffer. Sky says it needs two weeks' notice and that a transfer can take up to 10 working days. BT asks you to try for two weeks and says the process can take two weeks, though it is often faster. Virgin Media says a self-install can be ready in as little as three days, with an engineer visit usually around 7 to 14 days, and you must leave at least one day between disconnecting the old home and activating the new one.

First-time full fibre at an existing house, a missing socket, or a new-build ONT that is not yet live can take longer. Openreach says timescales depend on what is already in the property. If the provider misses a promised start date, Ofcom's automatic compensation scheme pays £6.46 for each calendar day of delay for signed-up providers, and £32.31 for a missed engineer appointment.

What to pack, and what to leave

If you later switch provider rather than transferring, use the One Touch Switch guide at the new address once you live there. That is a same-address switch, not a house move.

Broadband not available at my new address

If the current provider cannot serve the new property, ask in writing what they will charge to end the contract. Citizens Advice says a cancellation fee might still apply and that it is worth explaining the move because some providers reduce or remove it. Treat any waiver as a confirmed account note, not a rumour.

Then check what actually exists at the new address: Openreach full fibre, Virgin Media, an altnet, or only slower copper. A rolling monthly or 12-month deal can be rational if you might move again. Eligible households should check social tariffs before signing a long expensive term. Rural or new-build gaps belong in the rural broadband guide rather than a guess that “fibre will arrive next month”.

One Touch Switch versus a house move

One Touch Switch is the standard way to change broadband provider where you already live. You contact the provider you want to join. They match the current service, send the switching information (including any early termination charge) and, if you go ahead, arrange the cutover. Your old service should then stop automatically. Ofcom says any loss of service on that process should not last longer than one working day, and the old provider must not charge you for a notice period after the switchover date.

A house move is different because the new line is at another address. If you want broadband at both homes during the move, Ofcom says you manage your own switch: order the new service, cancel the old one separately, and accept that One Touch Switch does not apply. That overlap is how you avoid a dark week, but you may pay for both services for a few days. Our longer rights explainer is still broadband when moving house, including contract and landline context.

Phone line, telecare and moving day

Openreach is upgrading the UK to digital phone lines by January 2027, so a new address may already run voice through the router. Check telecare, alarms and older handsets before you unplug anything. If you need to keep a landline number, ask during the order: BT says you can usually keep it when the new home uses the same exchange, and you cannot keep it when the dialling code changes. Sky says you will not keep the old landline number on a home move. The landline switch-off guide covers backup power and alarms.

On the day, plug in, test, then worry about mesh Wi-Fi. If the line is live but one room is dead, that is a Wi-Fi problem, not a failed move. Keep the activation email. If an engineer is due, someone needs to be in; Ofcom compensation for a missed appointment is £32.31 where the scheme applies.

Buying checklist before you sign

• Write down the new address, moving date, current provider, account number and remaining minimum term.
• Check availability and typical speed at the exact address, including whether an engineer or self-install is needed.
• Ask whether a transfer keeps the remaining term or starts a new one, and get any move fee in writing.
• If you are leaving, ask in writing whether an early termination charge applies because of the move.
• Set activation and stop dates so the old line does not die before the new one works, unless you accept a gap.
• Pack the router. Leave any Openreach ONT. Return kit only after the new service is working if you are changing provider.
• If anyone relies on a landline or telecare, confirm Digital Voice compatibility before you unplug.