If you order with us online or by phone, you have 14 days after the day you signed to cancel for any reason. That is the law for most UK broadband bought at a distance, not a perk we invented. Contact us, not your old provider. If the service has already started because you asked us to start it, you can still cancel, but you may pay for what you have already used.
When the 14 days start
For a service contract, the cancellation period ends at the end of 14 days after the day you enter the contract. Day one is the day after you sign, not the day the engineer arrives. Ofcom's switching guidance puts the same 14 calendar days in plain English: cancel the new order if you change your mind.
Some providers start the clock from the later of the contract date, kit delivery, or the day you received the terms. That can give you longer. It never gives you less than the 14 days the law already gives you on an online or phone order. Citizens Advice is the consumer version of the same rules.
If you post a cancellation letter, the relevant date is when you send it, not when the provider opens it. Email is simpler: send it, keep the sent copy, follow up by phone.
Online, phone, shops and doorsteps
The 14-day right covers orders you make on a website, by phone or by email, and sales someone makes in your home. A contract you sign in a shop often does not get the same right. Ask the store what they offer. Do not assume.
We take orders online or by phone, so the 14-day cooling-off period applies. We can start the service as early as five working days if you ask us to. Asking us to start early means you can still cancel, but you may pay for the days already used and for install work already done. That is the law, not a trick.
One Touch Switch and the old line
Under One Touch Switch, we talk to your old provider. The switch is not supposed to complete until cooling-off has ended, unless you ask us to skip the wait to get connected faster. That gets you online sooner. It also means the old line may already be winding down if you then cancel.
Ofcom's warning is the one people miss: your old service is not automatically put back on if you cancel the new order. Cancel with us as soon as you are sure. If you booked with us, call 0330 122 9488 or email support@inspiretelecom.co.uk. You do not need to phone the old provider to stop our switch.
You will have had a Switching Information Notice setting out any early termination charge on the old contract. Cooling-off exists so you can read that notice and walk away if the maths is ugly. After day 14, leaving the new contract early is a different, more expensive conversation.
What you might still pay
| Situation | Early termination charge on the new contract? | What you may still owe |
|---|---|---|
| Cancel before the service starts | No | Usually nothing, unless kit is already out for delivery and not returned |
| You asked for an early start, then cancel | No | A share of the monthly price for the days used, and reasonable install costs already done |
| After day 14, still in the minimum term | Yes, if the contract says so | Remaining months, calculated as we set out in the agreement |
Return the router if we ask. Keep proof of postage. An unreturned kit charge is separate from an early termination charge.
Other ways to leave, which are not cooling-off
- Speed. If the line stays below the minimum guaranteed access line speed and the provider cannot fix it in the time the speeds code allows (often a month), you may be able to leave without an exit fee. That is a performance right, not a 14-day right.
- A mid-contract price rise that was not properly set out. Our help page covers when a rise opens a penalty-free exit.
- Moving house to an address the provider cannot serve. Broadband when you move house is the walkthrough.
- End of the minimum term. You can leave on notice, or switch, without an early termination charge on that contract.
We don't raise the broadband price during the contract, which removes the most common "I need to leave in month eight" surprise. The switching guide is the step-by-step if you are coming to us, or leaving someone else.
14 day cancellation FAQ
Can I cancel broadband within 14 days?
Yes, if you signed up online or by phone. UK law gives you 14 days after the day you enter the contract to cancel without giving a reason. If you asked for the service to start during that window, you may still pay for what you used and for installation already done. That includes orders with us.
Does the 14-day cooling-off period apply if I signed up in a shop?
The 14-day right covers website, phone and email orders, and sales someone makes in your home. If you signed in a shop, that right often does not apply. Ask the store what they offer, and get it in writing.
If I cancel the switch, does my old broadband come back?
Not automatically. Ofcom is clear: if you cancel the new order, the old service is not put back on for you. Cancel early enough that the old line has not been stopped. If it has already stopped, you will need a new order with someone, which may be the old provider again.
How do I cancel an Inspire order in the cooling-off period?
Call 0330 122 9488 or email support@inspiretelecom.co.uk and say you want to cancel within the 14-day cooling-off period. You do not need to contact your old provider. Keep a copy of the email. If we have already started the service because you asked us to, usage and any completed install work can still be charged.
Is cooling-off the same as leaving because the speed is slow?
No. Cooling-off is a no-reason right in the first 14 days. A speed-based exit uses the minimum guaranteed speed on the line and, where the provider follows Ofcom's broadband speeds code, a month to fix it. A mid-contract price rise can also open a separate 30-day exit. Those are different rules.
Keep reading
Related help and guides
How to Switch Broadband in the UK, Step by Step
To switch UK broadband, sign up with the new provider. One Touch Switch handles the rest. Check contract dates and early termination charges first.
Broadband hidden costs: what to check before signing
A UK broadband contract checklist covering setup, add-ons, price rises, out-of-contract costs and early termination, with a worked total-cost example.
My broadband provider raised my price mid-contract. What now?
Your rights when your broadband price goes up mid-contract, including when you can leave without paying a penalty, and what to do next.
Read the notice, then decide
We'll walk you through One Touch Switch, the 14-day cooling-off period, and any early termination charge on the old contract before anything flips.