What penalty do I owe for leaving my mobile contract early?
Only the standard penalty — up to three monthly instalments. If you end a fixed-term contract early on your own initiative, the operator is entitled to one penalty, capped at three monthly subscription fees. For a long time practice ran otherwise: on top of the three fees, operators charged additional penalties — for discounts given on the monthly fee and for discounts on the price of a handset — and the bill trebled. The Consumer Protection Commission banned that practice: operators may not demand more than one penalty, nor any amount above the agreed cap. Separate from the penalty, a handset bought in instalments is its own contract — the remaining instalments on it are still owed.
📋 The rules
- One penalty is owed — up to 3 monthly instalments
- Extra penalties for discounts are prohibited
- A penalty for a handset discount is prohibited too
- The agreed cap may not be exceeded
- Instalments on a handset are owed separately
🔓 Exceptions
- Where the operator is at fault, no penalty is owed at all
- On a unilateral change of terms you may terminate with no penalty
- Number portability is free and is not a ground for any penalty
⚠️ Penalties & fines
A penalty charged in breach of these rules is not owed. Send the operator a written objection, and on refusal file a complaint with the Consumer Protection Commission and the Communications Regulation Commission; the dispute can also go to a conciliation commission. Do not pay "just to keep the record clean": a penalty already paid is far harder to recover than an unpaid one is to contest. Watch two traps — automatic renewal of the fixed term, which restarts the clock if you fail to give notice in time, and assignment of the debt to a collection agency, which will chase you even for sums the operator has no right to collect.
📎 Official sources
- Consumer Protection Commission →
- Communications Regulation Commission →
- lex.bg · Electronic Communications Act →
❓ Frequently asked
How much is the penalty for early termination?
Up to three monthly subscription fees — and that is the only penalty the operator may charge where you end the contract on your own initiative.
Can they charge me for the discounts I received?
No. The consumer authority banned additional penalties for discounts given on the monthly fee and on the price of handsets. One penalty only, within the agreed cap.
What about a phone bought in instalments?
That is a separate contract. The remaining instalments on the handset are still owed after the subscription ends — this is not a penalty but the price of goods you bought.
What if the operator changes the terms?
On a unilateral change of terms you may terminate with no penalty at all. The same applies where the termination is caused by the operator's own fault.
They charged me a penalty in breach — what now?
It is not owed. Send a written objection to the operator, and on refusal complain to the consumer authority and the communications regulator. Do not pay before the dispute is resolved.
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