Commitment period and notice of cancellation period for telecom contracts
Bindningstid och uppsägningstid för telekomavtal - Engelska
For telecom contracts, it is common to have both a commitment period and a notice period. You are obliged to pay for the contract during the entire commitment period and notice period.
Translated page: This text has been translated from Swedish. The text and appearance of the page may look different from the original page.
Keep in mind
It is always good to terminate a contract in writing. For example, you can send the termination via email.
Have you received an invoice even though the contract has ended? Then you can dispute the invoice.
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It is common for telecom contracts to have a notice period. Some contracts also have a commitment period.
commitment period and notice period are two different things.
Commitment period
Commitment period means that you must pay for the subscription during the entire commitment period. The commitment period can be, for example, 12 or 24 months.
You are obliged to pay during the entire commitment period, even if, for example, you move and the service does not work in your new home.
Do you want to terminate the contract even though, for example, you have five months of the commitment period left? Then the operator may require you to pay for the five months in a lump sum.
For consumer contracts, the maximum contractual commitment period is 24 months. It is not acceptable to lock consumers into a longer contract by, for instance offering free months.
Period of notice
Many telecom subscriptions have a notice period. Notice period means that the contract does not end immediately when you terminate it, but one month later.
The main rule is that the notice period is counted from the day after you terminate the contract and one month forward. You must pay for the subscription during the entire notice period.
An example: If you terminate the contract on January 15, the contract ends on February 16. The day you terminate the contract is not included.
For contracts entered into on or after 1 May 2014, the maximum notice of cancellation period is one month. If you entered into the contract earlier, it may have a longer notice of cancellation period.
Companies cannot require you to terminate the contract in any one specific manner, for example by telephoning. You can choose the method that best suits you, but it is always advisable when cancelling a contract to do it in writing.
If you claim that the contract has been cancelled, you must be able to present evidence to show this. For example, you can send an e-mail with your notice of cancellation. If you send a letter by post, you can keep a copy or take a photo of the letter, and send the letter by registered post. Ask the company to send you an acknowledgement that they have received your notice of cancellation.
Make sure when you contact the company that you are clear about what you want to do, especially if you have several different subscriptions or services with the same company.
Receiving an invoice even though you have cancelled the contract
If you receive an invoice after the expiry of the contractual commitment period and the notice period, you can contest the invoice, i.e. dispute it.
When disputing an invoice, it is important that you contact the company in writing so that you have evidence that you have disputed it and not simply ignored it. For example, you can send an e-mail. If you send a letter by post, it is advisable to send it by registered post. Remember to make a photocopy or take a picture.
You do not need to include the invoice when disputing it. If you want to send the invoice to the company, you should send a copy and keep the original yourself.
Further information about disputing an invoice
The passing of a person does not automatically terminate the contract. On the day a person passes away, their belongings, contracts, and debts are transferred to an estate.
Some companies choose to terminate the contract early when a person passes away, but that does not mean they are required to do so.
Sometimes there may be terms in the contract that allow for early termination. If such a term does not exist, it can be difficult to demand anything from the company. Therefore, the estate may be bound by the contract for the remaining commitment period.
Swedish Telecom Advisors’ Code of Conduct
The Swedish Telecom Advisors (Telekområdgivarna) is an organisation that provides free and impartial advice and assistance to consumers concerning television, telephone, and internet service subscriptions. They have also developed a Code of Conduct with the operators who have chosen to be part of the organisation.
The Code of Conduct states, among other things, that:
“In the event of the demise of the subscriber, any period of notice of termination of the subscription shall be calculated at the latest from the date of the demise of the subscriber. Any charges for the remaining subscription commitment period shall then be waived and cancelled. The provider of services is however entitled to compensation for hardware in accordance with the contract.”
However, not all operators are members of Swedish Telecom Advisors and are there for not obligated to comply with the this rules. But you might argue that the rules can be seen as generally accepted best practice in the industry and should be followed.
The Code of Conduct on the Swedish Telecom Advisors’ website (in Swedish)
You can turn to The Swedish Telecom Advisors (Telekområdgivarna) for guidance.
If your operator is a member of the Swedish Telecom Advisors, they may also be able to assist in contacting the company.
The advice is free of charge for you as a consumer.
The Swedish Telecom Advisors’ website (In Swedish)
The content on this page has been created in collaboration with one or more authorities and consumer agencies. The Swedish Consumer Agency collaborates with others in our mission to guide consumers.
