It’s one of the most common questions landlords get from tenants: “Can I get broadband installed — do I need your permission first?” In most cases the answer is yes, the tenant should ask you before any work that touches the fabric of the building. But that doesn’t mean you can simply say no. Your decision sits in the gap between your right to protect your property and the tenant’s right to quietly enjoy their home, and getting the balance wrong can sour the tenancy or even land an unreasonable refusal in dispute.
This guide sets out the legal position in 2026, what each type of internet install actually involves, the special rules for flats, and a simple, fair process for handling a request — so you protect the property without standing in the way of a tenant who just wants to get online.
Key takeaways
- There is no single law forcing a landlord to allow internet, and none giving tenants an automatic right to install it — permission is governed by the tenancy agreement and general law.
- Tenants normally do need your permission for anything that alters the property (drilling, new cabling, external equipment). A standard router plugged into an existing socket usually needs nothing from you.
- You shouldn’t unreasonably refuse. A blanket “no” with no good reason can interfere with the tenant’s right to quiet enjoyment, and overly one-sided clauses can be challenged as unfair under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
- For flats, the freeholder’s consent (a wayleave) is often needed. The Telecommunications Infrastructure (Leasehold Property) Act 2021 lets operators seek tribunal access where a building owner repeatedly ignores requests.
- A proposed tenant “right to request” full-fibre (modelled on the pet-request right) was debated during the Renters’ Rights Bill but did not make it into the final Act — worth watching, but not law in 2026.
- Say yes in writing, set sensible conditions, and the tenant normally pays — good connectivity makes your property more lettable.
The short answer
If your tenant wants internet that requires physical work to your property — drilling through an external wall, running a new cable, fixing a dish or box to the building, or bringing a fibre line in for the first time — then yes, they should get your permission first, because that work alters the property. If they’re simply plugging a router into a phone or fibre socket that already exists, that’s part of normal living and you don’t need to be asked.
The flip side matters just as much: where a request is reasonable and the work is routine, refusing without good reason is poor practice and can cause you problems. The sensible default in 2026 is “yes, with sensible conditions”, not “no”.
The legal position in 2026
There is no dedicated “internet” statute for the private rented sector. Instead, several strands of general law shape what you can and can’t do.
The tenancy agreement comes first
Most disputes are settled by the contract. A typical tenancy agreement contains a clause requiring the tenant to get the landlord’s written consent before making alterations or attaching anything to the structure. A broadband install that involves drilling or new cabling falls squarely within that, which is why the tenant should ask. If your agreement is silent, you fall back on the general law below.
Quiet enjoyment and “reasonableness”
Every tenancy carries an implied covenant of quiet enjoyment — the tenant’s right to live in the property without unreasonable interference. Reliable internet is, for most people, part of normal modern living. Refusing a reasonable, professionally installed connection for no good reason can be seen as interfering with that right. You’re entitled to protect your property; you’re not entitled to be obstructive.
Unfair terms: the Consumer Rights Act 2015
Tenancy agreements are consumer contracts, so their terms must be fair. The rules used to sit in the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999, but those were replaced by the Consumer Rights Act 2015 on 1 October 2015. Under the Act, a term that causes a significant imbalance to the tenant’s detriment, contrary to good faith, can be struck out as unfair. A blanket ban on ever installing internet, or a clause letting you refuse for any reason at all, risks being unenforceable.
Was a tenant “right to fibre” introduced? Not yet
During the passage of the Renters’ Rights Bill, Openreach and several peers backed an amendment to give tenants a right to request full-fibre (FTTP) installation — mirroring the new right to request a pet, with landlords unable to unreasonably refuse and a 28-day window to respond. It was a sensible idea, but it did not make it into the final Renters’ Rights Act 2025. So as things stand in 2026, there is no specific statutory right for a private tenant to compel a fibre install. The pet-request right is law; the broadband equivalent isn’t — but it’s a likely candidate for future reform, so it’s worth keeping an eye on.
Types of internet install — and how much they affect your property
How much you need to think about a request depends almost entirely on what the install involves. Here’s how the common options compare.
| Type | What it involves | Your permission likely needed? |
|---|---|---|
| Standard broadband (existing line) | Router plugged into a phone/master socket that already exists | No — normal use of the property |
| New copper/phone line | Engineer may fit a new socket; sometimes minor drilling | Usually yes if drilling or new cabling is involved |
| Full fibre (FTTP) | A fibre cable run into the property, a small external box and an internal ONT unit | Yes — new cabling and external/internal equipment |
| Cable (e.g. Virgin Media) | A cable run from the street, sometimes minor digging or external fixings | Yes — new infrastructure to the property |
Modern full-fibre installs are usually tidy — the fibre often follows the route of the old copper line, with a neat external box and a small unit inside. They’re rarely the disruptive job landlords sometimes imagine, which is worth remembering when you weigh up a request.
Flats and freeholders: wayleaves and the 2021 Act
If you let a flat, there’s an extra layer. The provider often needs the freeholder’s permission to bring cabling through communal areas — usually via a wayleave agreement, which sets out the operator’s right to install and maintain equipment in the building. As a leaseholder-landlord you may need to ask the freeholder or managing agent before a tenant’s install can go ahead.
This is where buildings used to get stuck: research found building owners simply didn’t respond to operator requests in a large share of cases. The Telecommunications Infrastructure (Leasehold Property) Act 2021 tackles exactly that. Where a tenant has requested a service and the building owner repeatedly fails to respond to the operator’s notices, the operator can apply to the tribunal for time-limited rights (up to 18 months) to install the connection. It’s aimed at unresponsive freeholders rather than landlords who engage — but it’s useful background if a flat install stalls.
Should you say yes? The case for allowing it
Beyond the legal balance, there’s a straightforward commercial case for being accommodating.
- It makes the property more lettable. With remote work and streaming now the norm, good connectivity is near the top of many renters’ lists — poor internet can lengthen void periods.
- It helps retain good tenants. Tenants who can work and live comfortably are more likely to stay, cutting turnover costs.
- It can add value. Properties with gigabit-capable full fibre are increasingly seen as standard; the upgrade typically sits unobtrusively in the building.
- The tenant usually pays. In most cases the cost of installation and the ongoing service falls to the tenant, so the benefit to the property comes at little or no cost to you.
How to handle a request: a simple, fair process
When a tenant asks, a little structure keeps everyone protected and the relationship positive.
- Ask for the details. Which provider, what type of connection, and exactly what work is proposed — drilling, external box, new cabling? For a flat, check whether the freeholder’s wayleave is needed.
- Confirm it’s a professional install. The work should be done by the provider’s accredited engineers, not a DIY job, so it’s done safely and to standard.
- Respond promptly and reasonably. Don’t sit on the request. If you have a genuine concern (a listed building, a leasehold restriction), say so and look for a workable alternative.
- Put your consent in writing. A short letter or email, or an addendum to the tenancy agreement, recording what’s agreed and any conditions.
- Set sensible make-good conditions. For example, that any holes are sealed and redecorated, and external equipment removed, at the end of the tenancy if you ask — covered by the normal damage and deposit rules.
Kit that keeps an install tidy (and protects your walls)
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- Self-adhesive cable trunking — routes cables neatly along skirting instead of drilling through walls.
- A mesh Wi-Fi system — a simple way to provide strong whole-home coverage and add appeal to a let.
- Flat Ethernet cable — runs under carpet or along edges for a wired connection without damage.
Avoiding property damage and disputes
Most professional installs are clean, but it pays to anticipate the few things that go wrong. Agree in advance who is responsible if drilling is done in the wrong place or landscaping is disturbed, and what happens to external dishes, boxes or cables when the tenant leaves. A quick photo record at the start, and a note in your mid-tenancy inspection, makes any end-of-tenancy conversation far easier. Make clear whether ongoing maintenance of the connection is the tenant’s responsibility — it usually is, as the contract is between the tenant and the provider.
Put it in the tenancy agreement
The cleanest way to avoid arguments is to deal with it up front. A fair alterations clause should say that the tenant needs your written consent for installations affecting the property, that such consent won’t be unreasonably withheld, and that the tenant is responsible for professional installation, any damage, and reinstatement if required. Keep it balanced — remember that an unreasonably one-sided clause can be unenforceable under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. It also helps to clarify utilities and connectivity expectations at the outset, alongside who handles utility transfers at the start of the tenancy.
Conclusion
So, do tenants need permission from the landlord to install internet? For anything that alters the property — drilling, new cabling, external kit, or a first fibre line — yes, and your tenancy agreement almost certainly requires it. But “needs permission” is not the same as “can be refused”. In 2026 the smart, low-risk approach is to engage quickly, set fair conditions, get it in writing, and let a professional install go ahead. You protect the building, the tenant gets the connectivity they need, and your property stays competitive in a market where reliable internet is no longer a luxury.
Written by the Landlords Portal team. This article is general information for UK residential landlords and reflects the position in England as at 2026; it is not legal advice. For leasehold restrictions, listed buildings or a disputed clause, take advice from a solicitor specialising in property law.
Frequently asked questions
Can a tenant install internet without the landlord’s permission?
If it just means plugging a router into an existing socket, no permission is needed — that’s normal use. But for anything that alters the property, such as drilling, new cabling or fixing equipment to the building, the tenant should get your written consent first, as most tenancy agreements require.
Can I refuse to allow internet installation?
You can decline where there’s a genuine reason — a leasehold restriction, a listed building, or a poorly planned job — but you shouldn’t refuse a reasonable, professional install for no good reason. A blanket or arbitrary refusal can interfere with the tenant’s right to quiet enjoyment, and an overly one-sided clause may be unfair under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
Do tenants now have a legal right to request fibre broadband?
Not in the private rented sector. An amendment to give tenants a right to request full-fibre installation was discussed during the Renters’ Rights Bill but was not included in the final Renters’ Rights Act 2025. The pet-request right became law; the broadband equivalent did not, though it may return in future reform.
Who pays for internet installation in a rental?
Usually the tenant, since the contract for the connection is between them and the provider. You can agree a different arrangement — for instance, if you choose to pre-install fibre to add value — but the default is that the tenant covers installation and ongoing service.
I let a flat — whose permission is needed?
Often the freeholder’s, because cabling may pass through communal areas. The provider typically needs a wayleave agreement from the building owner. If the freeholder repeatedly ignores the operator’s requests, the Telecommunications Infrastructure (Leasehold Property) Act 2021 lets the operator seek tribunal access to complete the install.
What if the installation damages my property?
Address this in your written consent and tenancy agreement. Typically the tenant is responsible for damage caused during installation and for reinstatement — sealing holes, redecorating, removing external equipment — handled through the normal deposit and damage rules at the end of the tenancy.
Can I charge extra rent for allowing internet installation?
Charging extra purely for permitting a reasonable install would look unreasonable and could be challenged. The better approach is to factor good connectivity into the overall value and rent of the property rather than treating consent as a chargeable extra.
