Disputing unexpected mobile roaming charges

Mobile providers in the UK are bound by their contract terms and by Ofcom’s General Conditions of Entitlement, which require accurate billing and fair treatment of customers. If your bill contains roaming charges you did not expect, you have the right to query and dispute them. All providers must also belong to an approved alternative dispute resolution (ADR) scheme, either the Communications and Internet Services Adjudication Scheme (CISAS) or the Communications Ombudsman, which can adjudicate disputes independently and for free.

A few points about roaming charges that affect whether the charge is properly owed:

Since the UK left the EU, free EU roaming is no longer guaranteed, and several providers have reintroduced roaming fees. However, providers are subet to consumer protection rules that require key charges to be made clear before you take out or renew a contract. If the roaming terms were not properly disclosed, or if you were not sent the required alerts, you have a stronger argument that the charge is unfair or was not properly incurred.

There is a longstanding financial safeguard designed to prevent bill shock outside the EU: providers are generally expected to apply a data roaming cut-off (commonly around a set monthly cash limit) unless you actively opt out, and to send usage alerts as you approach roaming limits. If you were not warned, or the cut-off did not apply when it should have, that strengthens a dispute.

If you were mis-sold the tariff, or told roaming was included when it was not, that is a separate mis-selling ground.

Whether the charge is ultimately payable depends on what your contract actually says about roaming, what you were told at the point of sale or renewal, and whether the provider met its obligations to alert you and apply any caps.

Step by step, how to dispute it:

1. Gather your evidence. Get itemised billing showing the roaming charges, your contract terms and tariff information, any marketing or sales messages about roaming, and screenshots of any usage alerts you did or did not receive. Note the dates and countries involved.
2. Contact customer services first. Tell them clearly that you are disputing the roaming charges and explain why (for example, you were not warned, the cap did not apply, or the charges were not disclosed). Ask them to remove or refund the charges. Keep a record of the call, including the date, time and the name of the person you spoke to, or use written channels such as email or web chat so you have a paper trail.
3. Consider withholding only the disputed amount. If you dispute part of a bill, it is usually sensible to pay the undisputed portion on time and make clear in writing that you are withholding only the disputed roaming charges pending resolution. This reduces the risk of late payment marks or service suspension while the dispute is ongoing. Ask the provider to confirm they will not pursue collection or credit-file action on the disputed sum.
4. Make a formal complaint. If customer services do not resolve it, escalate to a formal complaint using the process on your provider’s website or the back of your bill. Put it in writing, set out the facts and dates, state exactly what you want (removal or refund of the charges), and keep a copy.
5. Ask for a deadlock letter or wait eight weeks. If the provider cannot resolve your complaint, you can escalate to the relevant ADR scheme. You can go to ADR once the provider issues a deadlock letter, or once eight weeks have passed from your formal complaint without resolution.
6. Refer to the ADR scheme. Find out which scheme your provider belongs to (CISAS or the Communications Ombudsman) by asking the provider or using Ofcom’s ADR checker. The scheme is free to you and can order the provider to refund charges, correct the bill and sometimes pay compensation. Its decision is binding on the provider if you accept it.

Other practical options:

Citizens Advice runs a consumer helpline and provides free guidance on disputing phone bills, and can help you frame the complaint.

Ofcom does not resolve individual disputes but does regulate the sector, and reporting the issue helps it monitor provider behaviour. Ofcom’s Consumer Contact Team can point you to the right process.

If the disputed sum is large and ADR does not resolve it satisfactorily, the small claims track of the County Court is a last resort, but ADR is almost always the better route for a bill dispute because it is free, quicker and less stressful, and providers must comply.

What could change the answer:

The strength of your position depends heavily on the facts. If your contract clearly set out the roaming charges, you travelled outside any inclusive roaming area, you received the required alerts and you continued using data or calls, the charges are more likely to be properly owed, though you can still ask for a goodwill reduction. If the charges were not disclosed, no alerts or caps were applied, or you were told roaming was included, you have a much stronger case for a full refund. It also matters whether the travel was inside or outside the EU, since post-Brexit roaming arrangements vary by provider and by tariff.

If your situation actually concerns a provider or contract governed by the law of another part of the UK or another country, let me know, because the ADR routes and some consumer rules differ.