Ask Our Expert

Broadband for a holiday cottage I rent out

Our Broadband Expert says...

Dear Sandy,

Thanks for getting in touch. It’s quite unbelievable, but true all the same, that people across Britain expect broadband access everywhere they go. Even on holiday at a secluded cottage or camp site, we online Brits refuse to go without! Luckily, there are lots of options for putting broadband in a rental property.

As you pointed out, Sandy, a few things need to be considered. Not only will you pay for your broadband package, but in most cases a monthly line rental too. You’d also be charged for phone calls your visitors make.

You’ll probably want unlimited broadband to prevent additional charges if your guests are heavy on the downloading. Depending on how frequent or seasonal your business is, you might also think about “no contract” deals which only tie you in for one month at a time.

It’s a good idea, as you said, to block outgoing phone calls, preventing visitors from running up bills at your expense. There’s a simple solution known as “call barring” which is normally cheap to set up. But you might not need a landline, as broadband is sometimes available without.

The following guide will look at all these points in more detail. Remember, not all products and packages are available everywhere in the UK. To see what’s available in your area, use the free and impartial Broadbandchoices.co.uk compare deals to compare deals.

Broadband access for a holiday rental property

When installing broadband for visitors to use at a holiday cottage or guesthouse, you’ll want to ensure you don’t end up out of pocket. Lots of broadband packages have a set usage limit, which means there are restrictions on how much you can browse the web, stream and download files.

The easiest way to get round this is to choose an unlimited broadband contract. With one of these, your guests would, within reason, be able to use the internet however much they like. You might also want to look at no contract broadband, particularly if you don’t get visitors all year round.

Unlimited broadband

By choosing a broadband deal with no usage limit, you can avoid having to pay additional charges when visitors to your rental property do lots of downloading. An unlimited broadband package allows your guests to use as much data - needed for all online activity, from browsing to streaming music and watching movies - as they like, within reason. Most UK providers have a fair usage policy, which you could be penalised for exceeding. Sky (www.Sky.com), Virgin Media (www.Virginmedia.com) and O2 (www.O2.co.uk) are among the only suppliers to offer a “truly unlimited” broadband package with no fair usage policy.

No contract broadband

Some providers offer broadband without a minimum contract term, or with flexible three-month plans. One of these could be ideal if you only rent out your holiday property at certain times of year, or you tend to get more visitors in the summer season, for instance. Plusnet (www.Plus.net) is one of the only broadband providers to offer a genuine “no contract” option, allowing you to cancel with just 10 days’ notice and no penalties. When you compare broadband packages, it’s important to look for hidden costs, such as upfront activation charges and cancellation fees.

Superfast broadband

Depending on the location of your holiday property, it might be possible to offer your guests a superfast broadband connection. These are delivered by a high-speed fibre optic cable network, rather than traditional copper telephone wires. Fibre broadband gives users the ultimate web experience, with speeds that let you download a full music album in just a few seconds. Offering superfast broadband access at a holiday cottage or hotel could be a good way of attracting new business and providing something a little extra for guests.

To find broadband deals available in your area, use the free and impartial postcode checker at Broadbandchoices.co.uk. Our online calculator is approved by Ofcom for price comparison you can trust.

Can I get broadband without a phone line?

If you want to provide broadband access for visitors to your holiday rental, you typically need a landline installed to receive a connection. But depending on where the property is based, you may be able to get broadband without a phone line, saving money in the process.

Virgin Media (www.Virginmedia.com) is currently the only major provider able to offer broadband without a telephone line. Its cable network is completely separate from the copper wire BT (www.BT.com) connections used by most people to get online.

However, you will pay a premium for Virgin Media’s standalone broadband package, meaning you only save a few pounds each month by not paying line rental, compared to a bundle that includes home phone as well as broadband.

Another reason you might choose Virgin Media - if it’s available in your region - is for a superfast broadband service that’s proven by Ofcom research to outperform rivals in terms of delivering speeds that match its advertised “up to” amounts.

How do I block outgoing calls from a landline?

Installing broadband at your holiday property normally means paying for a phone line, as well as line rental and the cost of any calls you or your visitors make. It’s worth remembering you can often save money by paying for 12 months of line rental upfront.

Most providers also offer a cheaper rate to customers paying for line rental by monthly direct debit. But if you’d rather your guests weren’t able to make calls - to prevent them dialling expensive numbers and running up bills at your expense - there are simple measures you can take.

First of all, don’t provide a telephone. That way they’d need to come equipped with their own in order to use your landline. Secondly, speak to your provider about an incoming calls-only tariff. This usually involves a “call barring” feature being activated.

A no-calls telephone line will usually cost just a few pounds each month on top of line rental. Some providers, such as Primus Saver (www.Primussaver.co.uk), offer a call barring service free of charge.

Remember...

The easiest way to save money on broadband is to compare deals in your area with a free and impartial service like Broadbandchoices.co.uk. Our price calculator is approved by Ofcom for comparison information you can trust. You can often save even more money by bundling your phone, broadband and TV services with one provider.

Ask us a question

If you have a general Internet, broadband switching or Internet service provider query please get in touch with us here

Compare broadband deals

Save up to £363* when you include TV and calls with your broadband

CLOSE [X]

*Enter your postcode to find the best broadband deals in your area. We value your privacy, please see our privacy policy.

Why we need your postcode