Internet in a rented flat in Croatia: who signs, and what if you move

Who signs the internet contract in a rented flat

• You, in your own name: the contract with the operator (your internet provider) is yours and states the connection address in the flat.
• The owner temporarily transfers their line to you: HAKOM's rulebook provides for this (more below).
• The contract stays with the owner and you pay them: a private arrangement the rules don't cover, so put it in the lease.

Neither the Electronic Communications Act nor HAKOM's rulebook requires a registered address to sign, and an operator may not set different terms because of your nationality or residence without an objective justification (Art. 139); which documents it asks for is in its general terms.

The owner's line: a temporary transfer to the tenant

If the flat already has a line in the owner's name, the owner can temporarily transfer it to you: you become a "temporary end user" and from that day you answer for all obligations under the contract, including the bills (rulebook, Art. 14).

When the lease ends, you or the owner must tell the operator, which transfers the contract back to the owner. As a temporary user you can't move the line to another address or port the number to another operator.

If you don't pay, the operator also notifies the owner and, instead of cutting the line for good, transfers it back to the owner (Art. 15).

12 or 24 months: what the law says

An internet contract's minimum term can be at most 24 months, and the operator must also offer a 12-month contract (Electronic Communications Act, Art. 145). With a one-year lease, 12 months fits better.

The minimum term doesn't renew by itself. Once it's over you can end the contract any time without a fee, and silence doesn't sign you up for a new term (rulebook, Art. 17).

Ending early: what it costs, and when it's free

If you end the contract early, the contract may require you to pay the monthly fees for the rest of the term or the discount you received, whichever is cheaper for you (Electronic Communications Act, Art. 145). For equipment you keep it may charge at most the contracted value less depreciation.

Once a calendar year you can suspend the service for three months for free, with no monthly access fee (rulebook, Art. 15). The operator must carry out a requested termination of fixed internet within 5 working days, and you don't owe bills for the period after that (Art. 19). The rules don't say whether the minimum term keeps running during a suspension, so check with the operator.

Moving: take the service with you, or end it without a fee

If you move, ask for the service to be moved; a move is handled like a new order, with the same deadlines as a new connection. If the operator can't provide it at the new address, you can end the contract without the early-termination fee, with proof of the move (rulebook, Art. 5). The rules don't say what counts as proof, so ask the operator first.

Price or terms changes: your window to leave

The operator must tell you about worse terms at least 30 days ahead, and you can then end the contract without a fee within two months of receiving the notice (Electronic Communications Act, Art. 145). That doesn't apply to changes only in your favour, harmless administrative ones, or ones the law requires.

14 days to cancel a contract made by phone or online

A contract made by phone, online or away from a shop can be cancelled without giving a reason within 14 days of signing (Consumer Protection Act, Art. 79). If you asked for the service to start straight away, you pay for the part you've already used.

Before you sign: availability at the address, and connection deadlines

HAKOM's coverage maps show mobile signal and are for information only; they don't show whether fixed internet can be connected in a particular flat. For fixed internet, once you've signed, the operator must confirm within 15 days whether it can connect you and switch the service on within 30 days; if it doesn't, you can cancel without the early-termination fee (rulebook, Art. 5).

At the viewing, ask the owner whether the flat has a line and with which operator; it's on the viewing checklist too.

Complaining to the operator and to HAKOM

1. 1A written complaint to the operator: about a bill within 30 days of its due date, about quality within 30 days of the service. The operator answers within 15 days.
2. 2If you're not satisfied, to the operator's consumer complaints commission, within 30 days of the answer.
3. 3Then to HAKOM, within 30 days of the commission's answer; it's free for users.

Measure fixed-line speed with HAKOMetar on a computer: only its results count as evidence in a quality complaint; the HAKOMetar Plus phone app is for information only. If the contract isn't in your name, you need the signatory's power of attorney to take the case to HAKOM.

Frequently asked questions