Focus Group Contract Problems: What UK Businesses Keep Hitting

The Contract Issues That Come Up Again and Again

Read the 1-star reviews on uk.trustpilot.com/review/focusgroup.co.uk and a handful of contract-related complaints appear so consistently that they deserve their own article. This is that article.

We are Compare The Networks, an independent, OFCOM-regulated business telecoms comparison service. We have been comparing mobile, VoIP and broadband deals since 2008. We are not affiliated with Focus Group. This piece summarises the recurring Focus Group contract problems described by reviewers and walks through what you can do about each one.

Contract Problem 1: Long-Term Lock-In

Most Focus Group telecoms contracts are written on a 24-month minimum term, with 36-month contracts common on hosted VoIP and connectivity. If you signed thinking you had a shorter deal, you were probably wrong.

Two years is a long time in business. If your headcount grows, shrinks, or your requirements change — tough. You are still in. See our early termination fee article for what the cost of leaving early looks like.

The 1-star reviews include customers who say they did not realise the contract was as long as it was, or who thought they were on a rolling term. The fix for this is simple but critical: never sign anything until the contract term is stated in writing in the document you are signing.

Contract Problem 2: "They Can't Show Me the Signed Contract"

This is one of the most unsettling Focus Group Trustpilot patterns. Customers in dispute ask the provider to produce the signed contract that contains the terms being enforced. Reviewers say the request is ignored, delayed for months, or answered with something other than the original signed document.

Why This Matters

If Focus Group cannot produce a signed contract containing the specific clause they are relying on, they cannot enforce that clause. The burden of proof in contract law is on the party asserting the contract exists.

What To Do

Ask in writing, by email, for:

The signed contract document itself (PDF of the DocuSign or equivalent)
The specific clause of the terms and conditions being relied on
Evidence of your acceptance of any subsequent variations

Phrase it calmly: "Please provide a copy of the signed contract and the specific clause you are relying on to charge £X. I require this in writing by email."

If no signed document is produced within a reasonable time, escalate. See our complaints and CISAS guide. In CISAS proceedings, the adjudicator expects the provider to produce the contract. If they cannot, that is a very bad position for them to be in.

Contract Problem 3: Services Added Outside The Original Contract

This is the one that keeps coming up. One Trustpilot reviewer writes that additional services were added "without consent, twice". Other reviewers describe extra lines, handsets or add-on packages appearing on invoices without any order having been placed.

Crucially, if you never agreed to the additional service, there is no contract for it. It is not a "contract problem" in the sense of a dispute over existing terms — it is the absence of a contract at all for those line items. That is a stronger legal position than a standard misselling claim. See our dedicated unauthorised charges article.

Contract Problem 4: Acquisition Migration Without Clear Consent

Focus Group has grown largely by acquiring smaller regional telecoms providers. Customers sometimes describe waking up one morning as a Focus Group customer when they signed with a different company entirely.

Migration itself is not automatically unlawful — if your original contract allowed assignment, Focus Group can take it over. But several reviewers describe material changes at the point of migration (new pricing, new terms, different service levels) that they say they did not agree to.

If this has happened to you, ask for:

Evidence of your original consent to assignment
A copy of the pre-migration and post-migration terms, side by side
Confirmation that your original pricing remains in force unless you signed a new agreement

Contract Problem 5: Auto-Renewal at the End of the Term

Business telecoms contracts often auto-renew if you do not serve notice within a defined window before the end of the term — sometimes 90 or 120 days. Miss that window and you are locked in for another period.

Check your contract's renewal clause now, not when you want to leave. Diary the notice date well in advance. Serve notice in writing by email, keep the confirmation, and do not rely on a phone call to end the contract.

Contract Problem 6: Price Rises Not Clearly Stated Up Front

From January 2025, OFCOM rules require price increases to be stated in £ and pence at the point of sale, not as a CPI or RPI-linked percentage. B2B contracts are technically exempt but most providers have adopted the same approach.

Several Trustpilot reviewers describe mid-contract price rises that felt disproportionate or poorly communicated. If you cannot find the price-rise clause in your contract, or the clause is vague, you have a line of argument. See our price increases article.

Contract Problem 7: Verbal Promises That Never Made It Into Writing

The sales call: the salesperson promises X. The written contract does not mention X. When you raise it later, the provider points to the contract as the full agreement and denies the verbal promise.

UK contract law recognises something called the "parol evidence rule" which essentially says the written contract is presumed to contain all the terms. The exception is misrepresentation — if the verbal promise induced you to sign, you can challenge on that basis. But you need evidence.

Always get every promise in writing before you sign. If a salesperson insists something is "included" or "covered", email them after the call: "Confirming our discussion, you said X is included for the full term. Please confirm in reply." If they do not reply, you have proof they went quiet on it.

Contract Problem 8: Post-Cancellation Invoicing

You cancel. You get written confirmation. Weeks or months later, an invoice arrives. Or the direct debit hits.

This happens often enough to Focus Group customers — per the Trustpilot reviews — to warrant its own article. See post-cancellation billing.

Contract Problem 9: Early Termination Fees That Feel Like a Penalty

UK contract law distinguishes between a genuine pre-estimate of loss (enforceable) and a penalty clause (not enforceable). Some Trustpilot reviewers describe Focus Group early termination fees as "astronomical" or "punitive".

If the ETF includes the full remaining monthly charge for every month of the contract, with no discount for costs Focus Group no longer incurs because you have left, that is arguably a penalty. It is worth challenging. See our dedicated early termination fee article.

What To Do If You Have One of These Problems

The response is the same regardless of which contract problem you are facing:

1. Put It In Writing

Email Focus Group's complaints team. State the problem, the outcome you want, and ask for a written response. Never rely on a phone call.

2. Gather Your Evidence

Original signed contract
Every invoice since the start
All emails with sales and account management
Sales call recordings (request under GDPR if needed)
Dates and details of any phone calls

3. Wait For The 8-Week Window

You cannot escalate to CISAS until Focus Group has had 8 weeks to resolve the complaint, or has issued a deadlock letter.

4. Escalate to CISAS

Go to cisas.org.uk. Submit the evidence. The adjudicator makes a binding decision.

5. Never Accept a Verbal Resolution

If Focus Group phones you offering to "sort it out", your response is: "Please put your offer in writing." Any legitimate resolution can and should be confirmed by email.

Full details in our complaints and CISAS article.

Switching Out: The Escape Route

If the contract is unworkable, the other route is to leave — early termination fee or not — and replace Focus Group with something you can actually live with.

Our leave Focus Group guide walks through the mechanics. For what an honest alternative costs, see business VoIP, VoIP quote, virtual landline or our mobile quote form.

Other competitor-style providers worth comparing: Onecom, 4com, Daisy Communications, Chess Telecom. Our broader hosted VoIP business guide covers the platform-level options.

How to Avoid Contract Problems Next Time

Read the whole contract before signing, not just the summary.
Confirm the length of the contract and the notice period in writing.
Ask for the price rise clause in £ and pence.
Ask for the early termination fee formula.
Check what happens at auto-renewal.
Keep the signed PDF somewhere you will still have it in three years.
If anything is promised verbally, get it in writing before you sign.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long are Focus Group contracts?

Typically 24 months minimum, often 36 months on VoIP and connectivity. Check your specific contract — reviewers describe some contracts being longer than they expected.

What if Focus Group cannot produce my signed contract?

Ask for it in writing. If they cannot produce it, the contract clauses they are relying on may not be enforceable. Escalate to CISAS if needed — the adjudicator expects the provider to produce the contract.

Can I get out of a Focus Group contract early?

You can leave, but there will usually be an early termination fee. See our ETF article. If you have a misselling claim or unauthorised-charges claim, you may be able to exit without paying.

What if services I did not authorise appear on my invoice?

Demand, in writing, the evidence of authorisation. If there is none, you are not liable. See our unauthorised charges article.

Do B2B telecoms contracts have a cooling-off period?

Generally no. The 14-day cooling-off period under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 does not apply to business contracts. See no cooling-off period.

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About this article. Claims reported here are attributed to public reviews on Trustpilot and similar platforms. They represent the opinions of the reviewers cited, not statements of fact by Compare The Networks. Brands named may dispute these claims. If you are a brand representative who believes any content requires correction, please contact us.

Focus Group Contract Problems: Length, Exit Fees & Missing Paperwork (2026)