How to transfer a broadband account to someone else in the UK

Yes, in most cases you can move a broadband account into someone else's name without closing it and starting again. Providers call this a change of account holder or a change of ownership. The current and incoming account holder both have to agree, the new person usually has to pass the provider's checks and set up their own Direct Debit, and the exact process depends on who supplies the service.

This is a different thing from switching to a new provider, and it is worth being clear about which one you actually need before you pick up the phone.

Can you transfer a broadband account to someone else?

In most UK households the answer is yes. The common triggers are a couple separating, a flatmate moving out and someone taking over the service, a change of name after marriage or divorce, a bereavement, or a family member stepping in under a power of attorney.

There is an important caveat. Broadband contracts are with people, not with properties. That means a contract cannot always be handed straight from one unrelated person to another. Some providers run a specific change-of-ownership process; others will close the existing account and open a fresh one in the new name. Which route applies depends on your supplier and your situation.

Transferring the account vs switching to a new provider

These two things get muddled constantly, so here is the distinction.

A change of account holder keeps the same service, the same provider and ideally the same line. Only the name, contact details and payment details on the account change.

Switching to a new provider means ending your service with one company and starting with another. Since 12 September 2024, most home broadband switches in the UK run through One Touch Switch. You contact the provider you want to join, and it arranges the move with your old provider on your behalf, so you no longer have to ring your current supplier to cancel.

One Touch Switch is designed for moving between suppliers. It is not the route for keeping the same service and simply changing whose name is on it. If all you want is to put the existing account into a partner's or housemate's name, you want a change of account holder, not a switch.

What the new account holder needs to agree to

The incoming account holder is taking on the account, so they have to consent to it. In practice that usually means:

• They must be an adult. TalkTalk, for example, requires the new account holder to be 18 or older.
• They set up their own payment method. With TalkTalk, only the new account holder completes a Direct Debit mandate with their own bank details.
• They provide their own contact details. EE needs the new holder's name, email address, telephone number and payment details when an account is transferred.
• They accept responsibility for the account going forward, including any ongoing contract commitment.

Some providers also run a credit check on the person taking the account on. Treat this as likely rather than certain, and have the new holder's details ready for it.

Information and checks to have ready

Gather these before you contact the provider. Having them to hand is the difference between a ten-minute call and a frustrating one.

• The current account number, or the landline number the account is registered to.
• The current account holder's full name and the address the service is at.
• The account email address or account name, if you know it.
• The new account holder's full name, email address and telephone number.
• The new account holder's bank details for a fresh Direct Debit.
• If a name is changing legally (marriage, divorce, deed poll), the relevant certificate or document as proof.

How to change the account holder step by step

The general shape of the process looks like this:

1. Confirm which process you need. A straight change of name on an existing account is simpler than handing the account to a different person.
2. Check whether both parties need to be present. Some providers insist the current and new holder are together, or that both complete and sign a form.
3. Contact the provider or request the form. This may be a phone call, an online form, or both.
4. Provide the details and documents above.
5. The new holder sets up their Direct Debit and agrees to the account terms.
6. Confirm what happens to the contract, any discount, and the service itself, before you finish.

Provider processes

EE

To transfer the account holder name on an EE broadband account, you call EE when both you and the new account holder are together. If you are only correcting or changing your own name after marriage or separation, you send a copy of the certificate showing the change of name, along with your current name, home address, and your landline number or account number.

One trap to watch for: if your broadband price is discounted because it is linked to an EE mobile account, you have to transfer the mobile account into the new name as well to keep that discounted price. Move the broadband alone and you risk losing the deal.

TalkTalk

TalkTalk calls this a change of ownership. Both the current and new account holder complete a Change of Ownership form, which you request in My Account. You can fill the forms in digitally, or email clear photos to HereToHelp@talktalkplc.com, or post them to TalkTalk, PO Box 675, Salford, M5 0NL. The new holder must be 18 or over, and only the new holder completes the Direct Debit mandate.

A legal name change is handled separately. You download a change-of-name form in My Account and send ID with it, including proof of the name change. TalkTalk accepts documents such as a Statutory Declaration for change of name, two bank statements for the same account showing the new name, two council tax statements showing the change, a marriage certificate, a decree absolute, or deed poll confirmation. Send copies only, as documents are not returned.

Other major providers

BT, Sky, Virgin Media O2, Vodafone, Plusnet, NOW Broadband and larger alternative networks such as Community Fibre all handle account changes too, and all of them operate dedicated bereavement teams for when the account holder has died. Processes vary, so ask directly whether yours is a name change, a change of ownership, or a close-and-reopen, and confirm the terms before you commit.

Transferring broadband when moving home or handing over to a tenant

This is where the people-not-properties rule bites hardest. If you are the named tenant on a shared-home contract and you move out, you typically stay liable until the account is cancelled or formally transferred. An incoming flatmate cannot simply inherit your deal by moving in.

Because the contract belongs to a person, a new occupant often signs up fresh in their own name rather than taking over yours. Some providers will close your account and open a new one for the incoming person; others have a specific account-takeover process. Either way, do not assume the broadband stays put when you leave. Agree with the new occupant who is contacting the provider, and when, so there is no gap in service or an unexpected bill landing on the wrong person.

Transferring after a relationship breakdown or divorce

When a couple separates and one person stays in the property, contact the provider's customer service and ask to transfer the account into the remaining person's name. Expect a possible credit check on the person taking it on.

If the person staying put is already the named account holder, there may be nothing to do at all beyond removing the other party's details. If the account holder is the one leaving, the staying partner needs it moved across. Where a name is also changing after a divorce, a decree absolute is one of the documents providers accept as proof.

Transferring after a bereavement

This is the scenario with the strongest consumer protections. Under Ofcom's bereavement guidance, broadband and phone providers must have policies for treating customers fairly and appropriately when contacted to close or alter a deceased person's account.

Contact the provider's bereavement team with the deceased person's account number, full name and address, and a copy of the death certificate. Providers should close the account on request, and you should not have to pay an early termination fee for doing so. Business accounts may be treated differently.

With EE specifically, you call to close the account and provide the deceased person's full name and address, the landline number the account is registered to, and the account email or name if known. If you then want the account transferred to a new name, EE also needs the new holder's name, email address, telephone number and payment details.

Joint accounts should be put into the surviving person's name on request. Ofcom's framework also covers vulnerable customers, so if someone is seriously ill or unable to manage their account, or if a power of attorney is in place, providers have policies allowing an attorney to act on the donor's behalf once the lasting power of attorney document is supplied.

Costs, contract length and existing deals

Three things are easy to overlook and worth nailing down before you agree to anything.

Discounts and bundles. As the EE example shows, a discounted broadband price may be tied to another product, such as a mobile account. Changing the broadband holder without moving the linked product can cost you the discount.

Contract term. Ask directly whether the existing contract simply continues under the new holder, or whether taking the account on starts a fresh minimum term. The answer affects when the new holder can leave penalty-free.

Early exit fees. In a bereavement, you should not face an early termination fee for closing the account. In other situations, confirm with the provider whether a transfer avoids exit fees or triggers them, before you decide between transferring and simply cancelling.

How long it takes and what to expect

A simple name change can often be sorted on a single phone call. A full change of ownership can take longer, especially where both parties must complete and return forms, as with TalkTalk's postal or email route. After a bereavement, it is sensible to contact providers within a few weeks rather than leaving it.

Check whether your provider needs both people present or available during the process. EE, for one, asks that the current and new account holder are together when you call to transfer the account.

Frequently asked questions

Can I transfer my broadband account to someone else? Usually yes, through a change of account holder or change of ownership. Both parties must agree, and the new holder sets up their own payment and may face a credit check.

Is transferring the account the same as switching provider? No. Transferring keeps the same service and supplier and only changes the name on the account. Switching provider moves you to a different company, which since 12 September 2024 is handled by One Touch Switch.

Will a transfer trigger a credit check? It can. Some providers run a credit check on the incoming account holder, so have their details ready.

Will my contract or discount survive the transfer? Not always. Ask whether the term continues or restarts, and check whether any discount is tied to another product that also needs moving.

Is there a fee to change the account holder? This varies by provider. After a bereavement you should not pay an early termination fee to close the account. In other cases, confirm the position before you proceed.

Can I keep the same phone number and service? A change of account holder is designed to keep the same service on the same line. Confirm with your provider when you set it up.