What to check before chasing compensation
Promised start date
Find the confirmed activation date in order emails, texts or your online account.
Actual start date
Record when the service started working, or when the order was cancelled.
Provider sign-up
Check whether your provider participates in the automatic compensation scheme.
Bill credit
Look for a credit on your bill after the delay is resolved.
Alternative service
Keep notes if the provider offers a temporary or alternative connection.
Complaint record
Save chat transcripts, complaint references and dates if compensation is missing.
Delayed start versus outage compensation
| Problem | When it applies | Current amount |
|---|---|---|
| Delayed start | Your provider promised a new service start date but failed to start it on that date. | £6.46 per calendar day, including the missed start date. |
| Loss of service repair delay | An existing fixed service stops working and is not fully fixed after two full working days. | £10.34 per calendar day after the qualifying period. |
| Missed appointment | An engineer misses an appointment or it is cancelled with less than 24 hours' notice. | £32.31 per missed appointment. |
When compensation may not be paid
Providers can refuse automatic compensation in some circumstances, for example where an exception applies, the customer prevents the problem being resolved, the issue is caused by equipment or activity inside the home, or the customer breaches the contract.
If you believe compensation is due but it does not appear, raise it with your provider first. If the complaint remains unresolved, you may be able to use an Ofcom-approved alternative dispute resolution route.