Transfer of Ownership - Process

[code_]

Hi EE,

I'm curious to know about how a transfer of ownership works. I am coming to the end of my contract on my parent's pay monthly EE bill for my Pixel 7a and looking to upgrade once its transferred over and keep the same number. I know there can be some delay, depending on passing a credit check & what EE says over the phone. If I'm successful over a credit check then I know they may be a delay of 7 days.

Does anyone know a quick overview on the process and how it works? I see advice online from EE but it's hard to find out exactly step by step on how it's done so I can prepare ready for when its ready to transfer.

Any help would be much appreciated :).

- Autumn

[bristolian]

In my experience of doing a transfer of ownership when a close relative passed away earlier this year, the process is pretty well instant once the credit check is passed.

Mine was the first element of a 2part process (other account changes done by phone subsequently), so was done by webform, but the other elements were all done "while you wait" on the phone - and I suspect the actual ownership change would have been the same.

I would defer to others on whether (what is effectively for you) the "new connection" falls foul of an initial 3/6month lockout on on subsequent upgrades, SIM-only plans certainly do but if yours is handset-plan it may be different.

[code_]

Hiya, 

Thank you so much 🙂 I appreciate the response and insight. So hopefully it runs smoothly. For me I was under a flexi pay airtime plan with my parents so when transferred it's likely going to cause a freeze period. Which kinda sucks as I was hoping to get more data as 5GB isn't enough for me (and a backup option in case I couldn't upgrade the phone), as it be more expensive to buy data packs every month until the that "freeze" period ends as both upgrades to sim only and flexi pay periods are disabled temporarily. But again I have to see what CS says first during the transfer of ownership to know my options.

[Alex_H · Accepted solution]

Hi @code_,

Welcome to the EE Community

To do a change of ownership from one person to another, you can do it by calling up together and we will get permission from the current account holder and then speak to you to go through a credit check and setup a new account. 

If you are unable to call up together then the current account holder will need to call up first and give permission and setup a change of ownership password which they then give to you, to call up and do your part. 

There is not much you need to prepare for, for the most part the agent will just need to take your personal details for the credit check and go through the terms and conditions with you. If successful the new account will be setup straight away and the number transferred on the call. 

It being a Flex pay contract does complicate things a little, as the loan taken out by the original customer cannot be transferred, they would need to pay off the loan in full before being able to transfer the number to a new account. 

In terms of upgrade, if you are transferring a device plan like you have to a new account, there is no freeze period, you can upgrade immediately subject to the credit check, though it may take our sales system a few days to update to order. It is only if you transfer a SIM only contract to a new account that you have to wait 6 months before upgrading to a device contract. 

Alex

[code_]

Hi Alex,

Much appreciated :). By the time I transfer my contract (flexi pay phone & airtime plan) the phone into my own name the credit for the phone will be paid off when it ends on 30/09/2025. Its then from what I seen by a text from EE that it will go to an airtime plus only sim plan so its likely it will be a SIM only plan which unfortunately will  probably invoke a freeze period. During the transfer I already have an EE account setup (no SIMS or anything linked to it yet), would this affect the transfer? 

[Alex_H]

@code_ Usually it would not change automatically to a different plan at the end of the contract and an airtime plan should still count as a device plan, but it is worth double checking with our guides before you do the transfer. 

Having an EE online account setup already wont affect anything, if you just let the guide know they can link up the actual billing account once it is created, to your existing online account.

Alex

[HingTsoi33]

Hi there, 

Can you advise if the change of ownership process has stopped since this year? Our EE landline and broadband account is in the name of my elderly dad (93) although I am the bill payer via DD; I would like to take ownership of the account by changing the name of the account holder to myself but I was told by the 150 customer support line staff that they don't do this, and never have today (2nd Sept 2026). At best I could be added as a nominated contact to help manage the account but the name would have to remain as my dad and the only solution was to close the account and open a new one, losing the telephone number we've had for years - so this does not look like a transfer at all. 

I had followed the advice I saw on the support chats about having both my dad and myself ready to talk on the call and had rehearsed with him what to say as his hearing/vision/english is not the best - sadly the attempt didn't go as hoped for.

Please note we were previously with BT a long time and then during a contract renewal had no choice but to change to EE which didn't seem a big deal, but I also note that the support call was answered by staff who identified as BT. I know the transfer of ownership was not something accepted with BT in the past.

As we are now officially with EE (can't login to the BT portal anymore), can someone confirm if the transfer process discussed in this thread is actually still accepted, or if being a former-BT customer means we are bound by a different policy?

Thank you,

Kei

[Peter_W]

Welcome to the Community, @HingTsoi33 

I've double checked the details around this, and what you were told when speaking with our team is largely correct. 

With EE Home accounts, whilst additional parties can be nominated on the account, or assume control via legal power of attorney, we can't transfer ownership.

The only exceptions here are when the account holder has passed away, or if they have been diagnosed with a terminal illness. 

In these instances we have a dedicated life events team who are there to help support family members on their options for managing the account moving forwards.

Peter

[HingTsoi33]

Thank you @Peter_W,

We will go down the LPA route as suggested.

Best regards,

-Kei

[Peter_W]

Thanks @HingTsoi33 

Let us know how you get on.

All the best,

Peter