Dosh dilemma – roaming rip-off: Hazel’s £273 holiday hangover

Hazel had just returned from a fabulous two-week break in Costa Rica. But as the holiday glow faded, a nasty surprise landed in her inbox, her monthly phone bill.

Expecting her usual £49, Hazel was stunned to see a whopping £273 bill.

Digging into the itemised breakdown, she saw she’d been charged £65 for just 50MB of data, plus eye-watering call charges from ringing her boyfriend back home.

Hazel had no idea about international roaming charges and now wants to know: can she challenge the bill and how can others avoid the same fate?

Why this happens

Since Brexit, UK mobile providers are no longer bound by EU rules that allowed customers to ‘roam like at home’ without extra charges across Europe.

While some providers still offer free or discounted roaming in certain countries, charges are no longer regulated by default and travellers can easily get caught out.

Outside of the EU, roaming charges can be even higher.

Under the regulator Ofcom rules, providers must clearly inform customers about:

• roaming charges and fair use limits
• spend caps
• inadvertent roaming (e.g. near borders)
• how to find more detailed information

But, in reality, your provider might just send a text when you land, which can be easy to miss in the rush at the airport, and if you're not prepared, roaming charges can quickly become confusing and costly.

Can Hazel fight the charges?

There are steps Hazel, and anyone else in this situation, can take:

Contact your provider’s customer service

Explain you weren’t aware of the roaming charges and ask for a goodwill refund or partial reduction.

Make a formal complaint

If you're not satisfied with the initial response, you can escalate your complaint following the company’s formal procedure. This is usually found on their website or the back of your bill.

Use an ADR scheme

If the issue remains unresolved, you could take it to an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme. All mobile providers must be a member of one. There are two schemes:

• Communications and Internet Services Adjudication Scheme (CISAS)
• Communications Ombudsman

You can check which scheme your provider belongs to using Ofcom’s ADR checker.

How to avoid data roaming charges

There are several things you can do to avoid data roaming charges.

Turn off data roaming

• go to your phone's settings and switch off data roaming before you travel
• this stops your phone from connecting to foreign networks

Use Wi-Fi whenever possible

• hotels, restaurants, bars and cafes often have free Wi-Fi
• but, avoid logging into sensitive accounts on unsecured public networks

Download content before you go

• download maps, music, films and translation tools while still on home Wi-Fi

Get a local SIM or eSIM

• buy a local SIM card for cheaper data rates
• or install an eSIM plan from providers like Airalo or Holafly

Purchase a travel data add-on

• check if your UK provider offers an affordable international add-on

Use airplane mode

• switch on airplane mode when you don’t need mobile service
• you can still use Wi-Fi while in this mode

Limit background data

• turn off automatic app updates and restrict background data use to avoid unwanted charges

Hazel’s experience is, unfortunately, a common one. But with a bit of knowledge and preparation, others can avoid the same financial sting.

Roaming charges might be legal, but they’re not always fair and they can often be challenged. Don’t be afraid to push back, ask questions and protect your pocket.