Six tricks to help you get a discount on your broadband and phone bill

MILLIONS of households could be ­missing out on cheaper TV, broadband, mob­ile and phone bills.

A whopping 6.16million households are out of contract with their broadband supplier, according to exclusive data given to The Sun by Uswitch.

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And they could save £91 a year, on average, by switching or ­haggling to get a better deal.

That adds up to £567million extra being paid by Brits to broadband firms.

Millions of households face rising bills this summer — adding hundreds of pounds to outgoings.

We are all facing a cost-of-living crunch, with soaring ­inflation, energy bills and tax changes hitting our pockets.

Now is the time to compare deals and see if you could lower your bills, before costs start to rise in April.

Last February, new rules came into force meaning phone, broadband and pay-TV customers must be warned their contract is ending, and told how much they could save with a new deal.

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These notifications must be sent between ten and 40 days before a contract ends, by text, email or letter.

Customers can start haggling whenever they like, but the final 40 days before a deal expires is the best time to negotiate.

Some operators automatically reduce your bill once you have paid off your mobile phone.

Those on O2’s Refresh tariff will see bills fall after they have paid off the handset element.

EE automatically reduces bills by ten per cent for those who have paid off the price of their handset.

This is done three months after they are out of contract. But don’t be afraid to haggle for a bigger discount.

Other providers may not do this automatically so you need to challenge them to get a better deal.

Even if you are mid-contract it is worth asking whether they can give you a cheaper deal or throw in a freebie.

Notification fires the starting gun

If you don’t save any money, make a note in your calendar to challenge them again.

We have heard of customers haggling with providers up to 90 days before the end of a contract.

A short phone call could save you hundreds of pounds.

Start by comparing deals using a website such as Uswitch or Moneysupermarket.

Then speak to your provider about what they can offer you.

If you’re outside your initial contract you can leave without paying a fee.

If you are not, check to see if the savings you could make are bigger than any fee you would have to pay.

Ernest Doku, telecoms expert at Uswitch, said: “Receiving an end-of-contract notification fires the starting gun for consumers to get a better deal for their broadband, mobile or pay-TV.

“If you are nearing the end of your contract, the power is very much in your hands and it’s a great time to haggle with your current provider.

Providers will be keen to hang on to your custom, so there is often wiggle room if you don’t want to accept their offer.

“They also have more to lose from you going elsewhere if you receive more than one service from them on a bundle deal.”

‘I saved £268 on mobile bill with just a phone call’

WRITER Charlotte Tarrant saved £268 a year by making one phone call to O2.

The 45-year-old, who is founder of children’s books publisher Starlike Books, knew she was nearing the end of her mobile phone handset deal with the firm.

She called and asked if there was anything she could do to cut her bills.

She chopped her monthly mobile bill down from almost £35 to just £7.20 for three months and then £14.40 thereafter. It adds up to a saving of £268 a year.

She lives with her daughter Natalie, four, and partner Phil, 61, who is a photographer.

She said: “I always keep an eye on my bills and make savings where I can.

“It was great – and I saved a lot more than I expected. I’m delighted with the outcome.”

An O2 spokesperson said: “We pride ourselves on customer fairness.”

‘I got £180 off and an upgrade’

MUM-OF-TWO Maddy ­Alexander-Grout, 38, saved £180 a year on her family’s TV package with Sky.

Maddy, who lives in Southampton and runs money- saving app My VIP Rewards, phoned Sky just before Christmas as she was unhappy with the price of her TV package, which didn’t include broadband.

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She had also had signal problems with the service.

After haggling, she got the price down to £115 a month from £130 – and she upgraded to Sky Q, the firm’s premium TV and entertainment service, and fibre broadband at no extra cost.

Maddy lives with her husband James, who is a gardener, and children, Ben, six, and Harriet, two.

She said: “I try not to pay full price for anything as I know there’s always room for negotiation.

“Having the extra Sky Q box is great for the family as it means we can watch different things at the same time and we don’t have to argue.”

This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk