Contract Auto-Defender

Bills and contracts: never get caught by the end-of-deal price rise again

Broadband, mobile, energy, water, insurance. Scan the bill once and the tariff, the end date and the small print are read for you. Then you get a plain-English nudge 45 days and 30 days before your price is about to jump.

Broadband

The introductory price ends and the bill jumps by £10 to £20 a month, often with an inflation-plus-3.9% rise on top. You get the end date and the hike flagged in time.

Mobile

Out of contract and still paying for a phone you finished paying off a year ago? A SIM-only deal on the same network is usually the single biggest monthly win.

Energy

Your unit rates and standing charge are checked against the Ofgem price cap, so you know if a fix is actually a fix.

Water

You cannot switch supplier, but you can often switch tariff. Every water bill you scan is checked for WaterSure and your company's social tariff.

What happens after you scan

  1. 1Only the provider, the monthly cost and the end date are kept. Nothing else from the bill.
  2. 245 days before the end date you get a plain-English heads-up with what a good replacement price looks like.
  3. 330 days before, one more. Then, if you switch or haggle, the saving goes on your ledger.

Water social tariffs, by company

Every water company in England and Wales runs a reduced tariff for lower-income households. Most people who qualify have never been told. Find yours and ask for the form.

  • Anglian Water · LITE / Extra LITE
  • Thames Water · WaterHelp
  • Severn Trent · Big Difference Scheme
  • United Utilities · Back on Track / Help to Pay
  • Yorkshire Water · WaterSupport
  • Southern Water · Essentials
  • South West Water · WaterCare
  • Welsh Water (Dwr Cymru) · HelpU
  • Northumbrian Water · SupportPLUS
  • Wessex Water · Assist
  • Affinity Water · LIFT
  • SES Water · Water Support
  • South Staffs / Cambridge Water · Assure
  • Portsmouth Water · Helping Hand
  • Bristol Water · Assist
  • Hafren Dyfrdwy · Here2Help

On a meter, getting a benefit, and either three or more children under 19 at home or a medical condition that means more water? Ask about WaterSure. It caps your bill at the average for your area.

Questions about bills and contracts

What is an out-of-contract price rise?

Most broadband and mobile deals have an introductory price for 12, 18 or 24 months. When that minimum term ends you roll onto the standard price, which is usually £10 to £20 a month more. Nobody rings to tell you. Scan the bill and you get told, in time.

Can I leave a contract early if the price goes up?

Often, yes. If your provider raises the price mid-contract in a way that was not set out clearly when you signed, Ofcom rules let you leave without an exit fee within 30 days of being told. Since 2025 providers must state any mid-contract rise in pounds and pence up front.

Is it worth fixing my energy tariff?

Only if the fixed unit rates and standing charge beat the Ofgem price cap you would otherwise pay, for the whole fix. Both are read off your bill and you get a plain answer on whether a fix is really a fix.

I cannot switch water supplier, so why scan the bill?

Because the tariff can change even when the supplier cannot. Every water company runs a social tariff for lower-income households, and WaterSure caps metered bills for some families. Most people who qualify have never been told.

Will you switch me or sell my details?

Neither. Nobody here earns commission when you switch, so nobody has a reason to push you. You get the facts and the date; what you do next is yours. Your details are never passed to a supplier.

Know someone this would help?

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