How to Leave Hosted.co.uk: Step-by-Step Switching Guide

The Decision Is Made. Now the Steps.

You have decided to leave Hosted.co.uk. Maybe the contract is coming to an end. Maybe you have concluded the pricing is not what you were told it would be. Maybe the Trustpilot reviews (uk.trustpilot.com/review/hosted.co.uk) have you worried about the next renewal. Whatever the reason, this is the step-by-step guide to leaving cleanly, keeping your numbers, and switching to a provider that works for you.

We are Compare The Networks, an OFCOM-regulated business telecoms comparison service. We have been helping UK businesses compare VoIP, mobile and broadband since 2008. We have walked hundreds of businesses through provider switches. These are the steps that work, in the right order.

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The Quick Summary

For the skim readers, here is the sequence:

1. Find your contract end date and minimum term. Dig out the DocuSign.
2. Calculate your early termination fee (ETF). If you are inside the term, you need the number.
3. Pick your new VoIP provider. Do this before you cancel anything.
4. Start the number porting process through the new provider.
5. Plan your switchover date. Midweek, mid-month, off-peak.
6. Serve written notice on Hosted.co.uk. Recorded delivery or email with read receipt.
7. Keep paying until the final bill. Do not trigger a default.
8. Confirm the port has completed. Test every number.
9. Get a final bill and cease the service. In writing.
10. Leave a factual review. Help the next business.

Now the detail.

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Step 1: Find Your Contract End Date and Minimum Term

This is where most customers have their first surprise. Check the signed DocuSign document carefully. Look specifically for:

• Minimum term (usually 24, 36 or 60 months)
• Contract start date (sometimes "go-live" rather than signature date)
• Auto-renewal clause (typically an additional 12 or 24 months if no notice is given)
• Notice period (30, 60 or 90 days is typical)
• Early termination fee formula (often "all remaining monthly rentals")

If you cannot find the DocuSign, request it in writing from Hosted.co.uk under a UK GDPR Subject Access Request (SAR). They have 30 days to respond.

Trustpilot reviewers have reported discovering the contract was considerably longer than they were told on the sales call. If that is your situation, you may have grounds for a misselling claim — see our articles on Hosted.co.uk misselling and Hosted.co.uk 60-month contracts.

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Step 2: Calculate Your Early Termination Fee

If you are past the minimum term and your contract is on auto-renewal, there may be no ETF — just a notice period to serve. Check the clause carefully.

If you are inside the minimum term, the typical ETF formula is "all remaining monthly rentals until the end of the minimum term, plus any discounts clawed back". Some contracts cap this; many do not. In practice that means multiplying your monthly rental by the number of months left on the term, which on a long contract can add up to a substantial sum before VAT.

Three things to know about the ETF:

1. It is negotiable in some cases. Especially if you have grounds for a complaint. Raise any misselling or service-failure concerns in writing first.
2. A switching promise may cover part of it. Some VoIP providers will contribute to exit fees as a welcome offer. At Compare The Networks, CTN pays agreed fees only, not all remaining fees, and Terms apply — we will tell you exactly what is covered before you sign.
3. If you stop paying, it becomes recoverable as a debt. Including through collection agencies and a credit-file mark.

For more on this, see our article on Hosted.co.uk early termination fees.

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Step 3: Pick Your New VoIP Provider

This is the single most important step, and it comes before you cancel anything. Switching to a provider that turns out to be worse than Hosted.co.uk is a bad week.

What to look for:

Contract transparency

• Written quote with full itemised pricing
• Minimum term in pounds-and-pence total cost, not just the monthly headline
• Annual price increase shown as a fixed pounds figure rather than a CPI or RPI-linked percentage — this is best practice under OFCOM's 2025 rules
• Clear early termination fee formula

Service quality

• Trustpilot rating and recent review volume
• Uptime SLA (look for 99.9% or better, with credit schedule)
• UK-based support with published hours

Features that matter to your business

• Number porting included
• Mobile app / softphone
• Call recording, voicemail-to-email, call queues
• Integration with your CRM (Microsoft Teams, HubSpot, Salesforce etc)

Pricing model

• Per-seat or per-channel
• Fixed monthly or metered (per-minute) charges
• Handset included or separate capital cost

Compare The Networks does this comparison for you across the major UK VoIP providers. Written quote. No cold call. Get a free VoIP comparison. We also cover a related product, the virtual landline number, which is a different product — a number that forwards to your mobile rather than a full VoIP system.

For a full comparison perspective, read our article on Hosted.co.uk vs better VoIP alternatives.

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Step 4: Start the Number Porting Process

Under OFCOM rules, any UK telephone number can be ported between providers. Your new VoIP provider manages the port on your behalf — you do not negotiate directly with Hosted.co.uk for it.

What you will need to provide to the new provider:

• A list of every number to be ported (main line, DDIs, fax, the lot)
• Your Hosted.co.uk account number
• Your current invoice (proves you own the numbers)
• A Letter of Authority — a signed letter authorising the new provider to port numbers away from Hosted.co.uk

Porting typically takes 5 to 15 working days for a straightforward business port. Complex ports (for example, a large number of DDIs, or ported-into-Hosted.co.uk numbers being ported back out) can take longer.

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Step 5: Plan Your Switchover Date

Do not switch on a Monday morning or the first of the month. Pick a midweek, mid-month date when your call volumes are lowest. Tuesday or Wednesday is ideal.

Plan for:

• Parallel running of old and new systems for 24–48 hours if possible
• Staff briefing — everyone needs to know how to answer, transfer, and pick up voicemail on the new system
• Test call plan — ring every DDI from an external mobile; have someone test outgoing calls and recording
• Fallback plan — if the port fails, what happens to incoming calls?

Trustpilot reviewers have reported switchover outages of 5 to 9 days when things go wrong — see our article on Hosted.co.uk switchover outages. A good new provider will pre-provision your service so the switchover itself is a cutover, not a build-from-scratch.

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Step 6: Serve Written Notice on Hosted.co.uk

This is the step where "in writing" matters most. Read our complaints and ombudsman guide for the golden rule: never accept a verbal resolution.

Your notice letter should:

• Be on headed paper and signed by a director
• Reference the account number
• State the exact service to be cancelled
• Quote the notice period from the contract
• Specify the end date (calculated from the notice period)
• Request confirmation in writing that the notice has been received and accepted
• Be sent by email AND by Royal Mail Signed For

Do not cancel by phone only. If Hosted.co.uk calls you to "discuss" your cancellation or to offer a retention deal, tell them: "Please put any retention offer in writing by email and I will review it." Any legitimate retention offer will be confirmed in writing. Any retention offer they will not confirm in writing is not a real offer.

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Step 7: Keep Paying Until the Final Bill

This feels counter-intuitive but is important. If you stop paying, even for a service you are actively cancelling:

• Hosted.co.uk can mark the account in default
• The disputed amount can be passed to a debt collection agency
• It can end up on your business credit file

Pay every invoice in full until the final one. If any charge is disputed, pay it under protest and log the dispute in writing separately.

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Step 8: Confirm the Port Has Completed

On the day of port, test everything:

• Ring every number from an external mobile
• Test that outgoing calls work from every extension
• Test voicemail-to-email
• Test call forwarding, hunt groups and queues
• Test any integrations (CRM pop, call recording, Teams dial pad)

If anything fails, raise it with the new provider immediately — they own the service now. If a number has not ported, they will chase Hosted.co.uk on your behalf.

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Step 9: Get a Final Bill and Cease the Service

Once the port is complete and the notice period has expired, Hosted.co.uk should issue a final bill. Check it against the contract. Specifically look for:

• Early termination fees (if inside the minimum term)
• Disconnection charges
• Outstanding handset balances
• Pro-rated monthly charges
• Recovery of any discount clawbacks

Pay the final bill if it is correct. If it is not, dispute it in writing — do not ignore it.

Then request a written confirmation that:

• The service has ceased
• No further charges will be raised
• The account is closed

Keep this confirmation safe. You may need it years later.

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Step 10: Leave a Factual Review

Once everything is done, consider leaving a Trustpilot review. Be factual and specific. Future businesses considering the same provider are better off with honest, specific reviews — positive or negative — than generic ones.

Avoid personal attacks or accusations. State what you were told, what happened, and what you would advise others. That is much more useful, and much more likely to stay up on Trustpilot, than an angry outburst.

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What If Hosted.co.uk Refuses to Release the Numbers?

Under OFCOM General Condition C7, providers must facilitate number portability. They cannot refuse to port numbers on the basis of an outstanding debt (the debt is pursued separately). If Hosted.co.uk refuses to port, or delays the port beyond OFCOM's timescales:

1. Raise a formal complaint in writing citing General Condition C7
2. Escalate to CISAS after 8 weeks (or sooner on a deadlock letter)
3. Report to OFCOM

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Timeline Summary

For a straightforward switch with no ETF dispute:

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I keep my phone numbers when I leave Hosted.co.uk?

Yes. Under OFCOM rules any UK telephone number can be ported to a new provider. Your new VoIP provider handles the port. You do not negotiate directly with Hosted.co.uk.

How much notice do I need to give Hosted.co.uk?

It depends on your contract. 30, 60 or 90 days is typical. Check the DocuSign. Serve notice in writing by email and Signed For post.

Will I have to pay an early termination fee?

If you are inside the minimum term, yes. The typical formula is all remaining monthly rentals, though some deals cap this. See our article on Hosted.co.uk early termination fees.

How long does a number port take?

5 to 15 working days for a straightforward business port. Complex ports with many DDIs can take longer. Plan for up to 30 days to be safe.

Can I switch if I am in dispute with Hosted.co.uk?

Yes. The number porting process and a commercial dispute are separate. Pay undisputed amounts, dispute the rest in writing, and proceed with the port. Hosted.co.uk cannot block a port over a payment dispute under OFCOM rules.

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Ready to Switch?

We are Compare The Networks. Since 2008 we have helped UK businesses move to VoIP providers that suit their actual needs — written quotes, clear pricing, real support. Over 1,000 verified Trustpilot reviews at 4.3/5.

Get a free VoIP comparison. Takes 10 minutes. Free. OFCOM-regulated.

Or read more:

• Hosted.co.uk reviews, pricing and alternatives
• Hosted.co.uk early termination fee
• Hosted.co.uk switchover outages
• Hosted.co.uk complaints and ombudsman
• Hosted.co.uk vs better VoIP alternatives
• Hosted.co.uk 60-month contracts
• Hosted.co.uk misselling
• Business VoIP solutions
• Virtual landline numbers
• Hosted VoIP for UK businesses explained

Nearly 20 years helping UK businesses. OFCOM-regulated. Free.

Get your free comparison now.

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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.