Haggle with BT
Shave £100s/yr off costly bills
When it comes to phone lines and broadband, BT is the nation's most popular provider. While it's not the cheapest, many of you like to stay with a name you know, but don't stick with higher prices and multiple price increases – haggle your way to a cheaper deal.
Not what you want? Other related guides...
Top 10 Firms To Haggle With | Compare Broadband, Phone & TV | Broadband Haggling | Cheap Broadband | Mobile Phone Haggling | Haggle with Sky | Haggle with Virgin
'I haggled £318/yr off my BT bill'
In our last haggling poll, in December 2022, 64% of BT customers who tried to haggle told us they were successful in negotiating a better deal, showing what's possible.
To see who else this works well on, see the Top 10 Firms To Haggle With, but here are a just few good examples of MoneySavers who've slashed their BT bills by haggling.
After the end of my contract with BT, followed by months of paying over the odds and not getting round to making 'the call', I have just successfully saved myself £318/year off my broadband package (which includes landline rental & 700 minutes) using your 'Haggle with BT' tips.
- Carol, by email
After reading about haggling with BT, my broadband contract was ending at the end of November. I rang them up and explained that I could not afford the increase from £40 to £48. I ended up getting a deal for £28.99/mth. Thank you Martin Lewis.
- Jean, via Facebook
Just saved my mother £258/year on her BT phone, broadband and digibox, with a 10-minute phone call. Thank you.
- Marian, by email
Brilliant! After reading your haggling advice, I have saved £276/year. Thank you.
- Debs, by email
Just haggled with BT and halved my bill! Thanks MSE.
- Paula, via Twitter
Please let us know how you get on by sharing your success stories - and otherwise - via the MSE Forum, by emailing successes@moneysavingexpert.com or by tweeting @MoneySavingExp.
Don't let the big player play you – fight back
Many of you tell us you want to stick with BT. Our line is usually loyalty doesn't pay – which is generally true when it comes to saving money. But, if you are happy with your service and you're out of contract, loyalty isn't bad IF you can get the same package for a better price, without sacrificing the services you want and need.
Why haggling works
Now to your biggest weapons – talking with your feet by switching to another provider, or the art of negotiation, otherwise known as haggling.
Here's the key thing to understand:
Companies make their best deals only available for newbies, and they LOVE loyal customers as they stay with the firm through thick 'n' thin, paying full price and never looking for a better deal.
This lets them rake in regular, guaranteed, easy profit. So ask yourself a question: do you want to be a customer whose business is fought for? Unless you want to be taken for granted, take the haggle challenge.
In a nutshell, call up and ask for a better deal. Say you're paying too much or rivals' deals are cheaper. If BT doesn't budge after that, or you're not happy with the offer, say you're leaving. More often than not you'll be transferred to its cancellations department – aka 'retentions'.
Now you should be speaking to staff who have the power to offer hidden, unpublicised deals.
Check new deals too – remember, switching may be best
Haggling can be mega powerful, but think of it as just one part of your battle to get the best deal. Sometimes 'new customer' offers from alternative providers are simply unbeatable. So by all means haggle, but always check the price you secure against the top deals from switching – compare broadband, phone & TV using our tool.
Four top haggling tips
The best prices are usually reserved for new customers, so existing ones lose out on cracking deals. If you're willing to take the haggle challenge, you could beat a price hike.
Here are our top tips to haggle with BT – for other providers, see Top 10 Firms To Haggle With.
Have your say in our forum!

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