Dispute a mobile, phone, internet or TV bill

You might be able to dispute your bill if you think you’ve been charged too much. This could be because your provider’s got your bill wrong or you don’t think you should pay it because you’ve been a victim of fraud.

If you’ve been charged too much

You can challenge your bill if it’s more than you were expecting. Your bill might be too much because:

• your provider’s got your bill wrong

• you’ve been charged more than your billing limit

If you think your bill is wrong

You should double-check your bill before disputing it. There might be a good reason for it being higher than normal - for example, you used your phone abroad or bought some films on your TV.

If you think your provider has got your bill wrong, contact them and ask them to reduce it.

If you're charged more than your billing limit

If you started, renewed or extended your phone contract  after 1 October 2018, provider's have to let you set a 'billing limit'. This is the maximum amount you've agreed your provider can charge you for each bill.

If your provider charges you more than the billing limit without asking your permission, you don’t have to pay the extra. Ask your provider to reduce the bill to the limit you agreed.

Tell your provider you've been charged too much

To dispute your bill, contact your provider and tell them you’ve been charged too much. Check your provider's website for their contact details - they’ll have a phone number, address and email or webchat.

If you write a letter or email to your service provider to dispute the bill, you should include:

• your name, address and contact number

• your customer account or reference number

• copies of the bill you are disputing

• why you’re disputing the bill - say which charges are wrong or what your billing limit is

Use our template letter to write to your service provider.

If you are sending a letter by post, send it recorded delivery if you can and get proof of postage. If you speak with your provider on webchat, save the chat and keep this for your records.

If your provider doesn’t reply or you're unhappy with their response, you can complain through their internal complaints procedure. Check their website to find out how to make a complaint. 

If they don’t respond to your complaint or you don’t agree with their decision, you can use an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) scheme.

This is an organisation or person who is independent and will examine the case from both sides to reach a decision they think is fair.

Check which ADR scheme your provider belongs to on the Ofcom website.

Your provider might charge you for a late payment if you don’t pay the bill and your dispute is unsuccessful. Check your terms and conditions or look on your provider's website.

If you get a bill after you've cancelled or switched

Check you’ve followed your provider’s cancellation process. If you have, contact the company and ask them for a full refund and to stop taking payments.

You can cancel any direct debits through your bank - this will stop the company from taking any more money from you. You’ll need to contact the company to claim any refund you’re owed.

Contact your bank if the provider refuses to refund you or continues to take payments - they’ll investigate and might be able to get your money back.

Make a formal complaint through the company’s complaints procedure if they keep charging you.  If they don’t respond to your complaint or you don’t agree with their decision you can use an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) scheme.

This is an organisation or person who is independent and will examine the case from both sides to reach a decision they think is fair.

Check which ADR scheme your provider belongs to on the Ofcom website.

If you think someone else should pay the bill

If you’re the only person named on the bill, the service provider can chase you for the full amount even if other people used the service, for example other people you live with.

You can’t get your service provider to chase someone who’s not named on the bill - you’ll have to get the money from them yourself.

If you’ve signed a joint contract with someone else, you’re both responsible for paying the bill, even if only one of you used the service.

If your name’s not on the bill

If you get a bill with someone else's name on it, don’t open it. Contact the provider who sent the bill and tell them you’re not the account holder and not responsible for the bill.

If you have the same provider, you could tell them your account details so they can check the outstanding debt isn’t yours.

Cross out the address on the unopened bill and write ‘return to sender - not at this address’ and post it. You don’t need to add a stamp.

If your phone was lost or stolen

You’ll usually have to pay for the usage up until when you reported the phone missing. Check what to do if your phone is lost or stolen.

If you need more help

Contact the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133 if you need more help - a trained adviser can give you advice over the phone. You can also use an online form.