Origin broadband customer? You'll soon be moved to Utility Warehouse – here's what you need to know

Origin will contact you ahead of the move to Utility Warehouse

TalkTalk, which owns Origin, has reached an agreement to transfer all of Origin's 95,000 customers to Utility Warehouse. So far, 25,000 Origin customers have been migrated to Utility Warehouse since the end of April.

For the remaining 70,000 customers, Origin will contact you at least 30 days before your service will switch to Utility Warehouse. After that:

• The move will happen automatically. Utility Warehouse uses the same national telecoms network as Origin, so the transition will take place in the background.

• There shouldn't be any downtime during the move (when it happens). If you do lose service for whatever reason, and the outage lasts longer than two working days, you'll be entitled to compensation under the industry regulator Ofcom's rules.

• Your broadband speed will stay the same and you won't need any new equipment. This means you can keep using your existing Wi-Fi router and you shouldn't see any difference in broadband speeds. However, Utility Warehouse may decide to upgrade your router. If your router does need replacing, Utility Warehouse will send you a new one with installation instructions.

What the transfer means for your bills and payments

Here's what you need to know:

• You'll stay on the same contract. If you're still in contract with Origin, you'll stay on it and you'll still be subject to an early termination charge if you want to switch away (unless you're still in your 14-day cooling-off period).

• Your monthly price won't change. However, Utility Warehouse says other charges, such as call charges, calling features, and administrative fees, could be different – but the majority of these "will be cheaper" than the current Origin price.

• You should keep paying your bills in full and on time. Don't cancel your Direct Debit if you have one set up – it should be transferred to Utility Warehouse automatically when your account is moved over.

• Only your broadband (and home phone, if you have it) will be switching to Utility Warehouse. Although Utility Warehouse provides other services including energy, mobile and insurance, only your broadband and home phone will be automatically transferred.

Unhappy about the move? Check if you can switch and save

If you're out of contract, you can leave Origin penalty-free, so it's worth taking a few minutes to check whether you can slash costs AND boost your speed by switching – use our Broadband comparison tool to see what deals are available in your area. You can also read our broadband switching top tips.

Utility Warehouse has confirmed that your contract terms and conditions will remain the same, so if you're still in contract, you'll have to pay early termination fees if you choose to switch before the end of your minimum contract period. If you're unhappy about this, you can try complaining directly to Utility Warehouse.

If you don't get a satisfactory resolution, you can take your complaint to the Communications Ombudsman.

Not sure if you're in contract? Here's how to check

You should have received details about your contract when you joined Origin, so first try checking your emails for a contract end date (make sure to check your junk folder, too).

Alternatively:

• If you're still with Origin, log in to your account on Origin's website. You can also call Origin on 0345 071 9886.

• If you've already been moved to Utility Warehouse, check your online Utility Warehouse account, call the firm on 0333 777 0777 or message it on WhatsApp.