TL;DR
The UK government is consulting on changes to the Electronic Communications Code to give leaseholders in England and Wales a formal right to request gigabit-capable broadband. The move targets about 1.2 million flats lacking 1 Gbps access and asks whether the right should also extend to renters, houses or commercial properties.
What happened
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has launched a consultation proposing amendments to the Electronic Communications Code that would allow flat leaseholders to formally request a connection of at least 1 gigabit per second. The proposed change is intended to make it easier for providers to install network infrastructure where building freehold owners are unknown or slow to respond, and it would limit the circumstances in which a freeholder could reasonably refuse consent. The consultation cites May 2025 data estimating 1.2 million flats in England and Wales lack access to gigabit-capable services, and notes that in urban and suburban areas 90.8% of residential properties can get 1 Gbps service while that figure falls to 80.7% for flats. The paper also asks for views on extending the right to renters, and whether similar measures should apply to houses or commercial properties; responses are being invited until February 16.
Why it matters
- Could unblock broadband upgrades in multi-occupancy buildings where landlord permission is a barrier.
- Aims to reduce the urban flat gap in gigabit availability (flats at 80.7% vs 90.8% overall in urban/suburban areas).
- Supports the government’s target of at least 99% of premises having access to 1 Gbps-capable broadband by 2032.
- May influence investment decisions by infrastructure providers if legal barriers to installation are lowered.
Key facts
- The consultation was published by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).
- Proposal: leaseholders of flats get a formal right to request at least 1 Gbps broadband; freehold owners could not reasonably refuse.
- DSIT estimates 1.2 million flats in England and Wales lack access to gigabit-capable services (data from May 2025).
- Urban and suburban coverage for 1 Gbps is estimated at 90.8% for all residential properties and 80.7% for flats.
- The consultation asks whether the right should also be extended to renters, houses or commercial properties.
- Consultation closing date: February 16 (year as given in source).
- Openreach welcomed the consultation and has previously campaigned for change to prevent people being left behind.
- Thinkbroadband raised concerns that specifying 1 Gbps as a statutory target may not reflect future requirements and stressed the importance of consumer choice.
- Some shortfalls in access may reflect commercial non-viability rather than legal barriers, according to DSIT.
What to watch next
- Responses to the consultation and any resulting draft legislation following the February 16 consultation deadline.
- Whether the government decides to extend the right to renters, and whether the rules will cover houses and commercial properties (the consultation asks these questions).
- Not confirmed in the source: the timetable for when any legislation would be introduced or come into force.
Quick glossary
- Electronic Communications Code: A UK legal framework that sets out rights and obligations for installing and maintaining electronic communications infrastructure on public and private land.
- Gigabit-capable broadband: Internet service capable of delivering data speeds up to or exceeding 1 gigabit per second (1 Gbps), typically provided over fiber-based networks.
- Leaseholder: A person who holds the lease to a property (commonly flats), giving them certain occupancy rights for a set term but not ownership of the building freehold.
- Freeholder: The owner of the freehold interest in a building or land, holding long-term ownership rights over the property.
- Openreach: The UK infrastructure division of BT Group that builds and maintains the physical network used by many internet service providers.
Reader FAQ
Who would be able to request gigabit broadband under the proposals?
The proposal would give leaseholders (flat owners) a formal right to request a connection of at least 1 Gbps.
Can renters make the request directly?
The consultation says renters would currently have to ask their landlords, but it asks whether the right should be extended to renters.
How many flats currently lack gigabit-capable service?
DSIT estimates about 1.2 million flats in England and Wales lack access to gigabit-capable services (May 2025 data).
When does the government consultation close?
The consultation closes on February 16 (as stated in the source).
Will landlords be compensated or can they still refuse?
Not confirmed in the source.
NETWORKS 48 UK plans right for flat owners to demand gigabit broadband Changes to Electronic Communications Code would bypass landlord objections to fiber installations SA Mathieson Wed 17 Dec 2025 // 09:30 UTC The…
Sources
- UK plans right for flat owners to demand gigabit broadband
- Flat owners to get new rights to faster, more reliable …
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