Switching and moving home
Your fixed tariff is ending: what to do and when
The 49-day exit-fee window, the 45-day point when Octopus shows your options, and what happens if you do nothing when a fix ends.
Edited by Rob Gibbs. Published: . Guidance reviewed: .
Short answer
Ofgem rules mean you can leave a fixed deal without an exit fee in its last 49 days. Octopus shows new tariff options in your account when you are within 45 days of the end. If you do nothing, you move to a variable tariff when the fix ends. Use that window to compare a new fix, Flexible and any smart tariff on today’s regional rates.
The key dates
Count back from your end date:
- 49 days before: no exit fee for switching away.
- 45 days before: Octopus shows renewal options in your account.
- End date: if you have not chosen, you roll onto a variable tariff.
Comparing your options
Compare the full yearly cost of each option (unit rates plus standing charges), not just the unit rate. A fix gives certainty. Flexible follows the price cap. A smart tariff can beat both if your home can shift use.
Rolling onto a variable tariff
You are not cut off or penalised. You simply pay variable prices until you choose again, and you can still move later.
Questions people ask
Can I renew my Octopus fix early?
The options appear when you are within 45 days of the end. Leaving earlier than 49 days before the end can mean an exit fee.
What happens if I do nothing when my fix ends?
You move to a variable tariff, with no exit fee to leave it.
Tariffs in this guide
Related guides
- How to switch to Octopus Energy: steps and timingsWhat happens when you switch to Octopus Energy, how long it takes, when you can leave a fixed deal without a fee and what to do on switch day.
- Octopus account in credit or debit: what it meansWhat it means when your Octopus account is in credit or debit, when to ask for a refund and when to change your Direct Debit instead.
- How Octopus Energy Direct Debit payments are worked outHow Octopus sets your monthly Direct Debit, why it reviews it, and how to change the amount or date without building up debt.
- What is Octopus Energy? Tariffs and how it differsA plain-English introduction to Octopus Energy: who it is, the kinds of tariff it offers, and how to find the right one for your home and region.
- Your first month with Octopus EnergyWhat happens in your first weeks with Octopus: the switch date, your first reading, your Direct Debit and the first chance to change tariff.
- The energy price cap now: what it means for Octopus customersThe current Ofgem price cap, what it limits, and how it affects Octopus Flexible, fixed and smart tariffs, updated from Ofgem’s published figures.
Primary sources
- Ofgem’s compliance work with npower and E.ON — Ofgem; checked 2026-10-30. No exit fees for switches in the 49-day window before a fixed term ends.
- How do I change tariffs? — Octopus Energy; checked 2026-10-30. Changing tariff online from a variable tariff, or within 45 days of a fixed tariff ending.