Broadband for renters and tenants

Dan Howdle • October 17th, 2024

With roughly a fifth of all UK properties now rented out, the demand for broadband in rented properties is huge. The process of finding a broadband deal is the same as it is for a private property but there are a few extra considerations to take into account before you sign up if you don't own your own home.

In this guide we look at some of the things you need to think about before you sign up for a broadband deal in a rented property, from who you live with to the legal requirements you'll have to adhere to in informing and gaining permission from the property's owner.

Broadband in a shared house or flat

Popular with young people and students as it offers a cheap way of getting accommodation, sharing a house or flat can be fun, but it can get complicated when it comes to bills. The best option in this scenario is that the landlord supplies the broadband and includes the cost in the monthly rent bill. However, if this is not the case and you are required to arrange your own connection then there are a few important points to consider.

Permission to switch broadband from your landlord

Before you go ahead and start arranging a new broadband service, you need to check with your landlord or landlady as, even if they are happy for you to arrange your own broadband service, they may not want new holes drilled in their walls, which will have to be the case if you're switching up to Full Fibre or across to Virgin Media where the property has never had Virgin Media before.

In addition, if your landlord is still mid-contract in the current service, it is not unreasonable that they would want you to wait until the contract term is up before switching providers, otherwise they will have to pay termination fees.

Long or short broadband contract

Choosing a longer contract is usually going to be the cheapest option. However, it does mean you will be tied to that provider for the duration of the contract term (tend to be two years these days), which can make things tricky if any of the housemates decide to move out. Whoever has their name on the bill will still be responsible for paying it and will have to rely on the others in the house to pay their fair share each month.

The alternative is to sign up to a rolling monthly contract with a provider such as NOW Broadband.

What speed broadband you need

If you are sharing with a lot of other people, all of whom have at least two devices that require a broadband connection, you would be well-advised to look for a decent fibre service that will cope with the demands being placed on it – preferably Full Fibre if you can get it. Especially since Full Fibre broadband is now no more expensive than Standard Fibre.

If you decide you want access to a digital TV service as well, then the best bet could be to sign up to streaming services, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime or NOW TV. The monthly cost is minimal and will cause the least hassle if a house member decides to leave.

If you need a VPN

If you are sharing a broadband connection with strangers, it is important to keep an eye on your online security. By using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to encrypt your web traffic, and also by password-protecting all your devices, you can keep everything secure. A VPN costs just a few pounds a month and is easily installed on your computer.

Broadband in a private rental property

If you are renting a whole property rather than taking a room in a shared house, it does make things less complicated as there is no reliance on others paying their share of the bill. However, you will still need to consider the landlord’s requirements and how quickly you are likely to move again.

Check with the landlord before buying a new broadband deal

Just as with a shared property, you need to check with your landlord regarding whether you can have a new line fitted. For example, if you want to have Virgin Media, but there is currently just a BT phone line running into the property, you will need to have a Virgin cable put in, which will require a visit from an engineer – and a hole in the wall. This will also apply if you want to have Full Fibre installed where none existed previously.

Consider using 4G/5G home broadband

If you want to keep things simple and avoid the need for a cabled service at all, you might want to consider using mobile broadband. 5G mobile broadband is now available with EE, Three and some other providers, with speeds of up to 150Mbps, which will enable you to connect several devices and stream movies without a problem. If 5G is not yet available in your area, you can still get 4G, which offers around 30Mbps – a decent speed for most online activities.

Mobile broadband requires no connection fees and you can easily take it with you, so you need have no worries about having to end your contract early. Just check what the coverage is like at your new address or you may end up disappointed.

If you are using 4G or 5G mobile broadband in a shared house, there will still need to be a bill payer, and if you allow other housemates to connect, you should expect them to share the monthly cost. Note that a 4G or 5G mobile connection may well struggle to support a large household with multiple devices.