Millions of struggling families could save hundreds on their broadband bills

Squeezed households could save more than £250 if they haggle and switch their TV, broadband and mobile packages.

According to Which? on average, TV and broadband customers saved £162 by switching deals.

The consumer group asked more than 5,100 people whose broadband, TV and broadband and/or mobile phone contract had ended in the previous 12 months whether they had haggled or switched and how much money they had saved.

Customers who did not switch but took the time to haggle with their broadband and TV provider saved an average of £90 a year, according to the survey findings.

According to Which? on average, TV and broadband customers saved £162 by switching deals

There were also big savings to be had for broadband-only customers who switched, with the average being £92.

Broadband customers who haggled saved £43 typically.

When Which? spoke to mobile customers whose contracts had ended in the past 12 months it found that customers saved an average of £95 by switching and £62 by haggling.

Natalie Hitchins from Which? said: ‘While our findings show that out-of-contract price rises by switching to a new provider or haggling with their current one, those still signed up to mobile or broadband contracts could be hit with price increases a high  as 18 per cent.’

According to Which? just under half of broadband customers who have recently haggled with their provider said they found it easy. 

On its website it said of the providers, BT was the easiest to haggle with, with 45 per cent of customers agreeing.

Sky and TalkTalk follow with 42 per cent and 40 per cent while Virgin Media is the hardest to haggle with, with only 37 per cent of customers saying it was easy.  

The survey also revealed that just over a fifth (21 per cent) of broadband customers and around one in six (16 per cent) TV and broadband customers did nothing when their contract ended.

Mobile customers were even less likely to take action with a quarter (24 per cent) of those surveyed telling Which? they had not switched or attempted to haggle.

The consumer body said: ‘The broadband customers we surveyed saved an average of £43 a year by haggling – a discount of 7%. 

‘The saving was even more impressive for people who have a combined broadband and TV package – £90 a year, on average, which is a discount of around 6%.

‘Haggling allows you to negotiate a lower price, but it’s also an opportunity to check that you’re on the right deal. 

‘It’s a chance to negotiate a faster speed or more data if you need. Our research found that the average customer who upgraded their deal still ended up paying less.’

Which? recently launched a campaign calling on businesses in essential sectors: supermarkets, telecoms and energy, to do more to help their customers through the cost-of-living crisis.