How to Leave Your Current Card Machine Provider

To leave a UK card machine provider, read the contract for the notice period (usually 30 to 90 days), give written notice by recorded delivery or email, run the new provider in parallel for one month, then return the old terminal in the supplied packaging. Exit fees are typically £150 to £450 if you cancel inside the minimum term. The Payment Services Regulations give you the right to switch, but contractual notice and minimum term still apply.

What this means for your business

UK card machine contracts come in two main shapes: fixed term (12, 36 or 60 months) with an exit fee for early termination, and rolling monthly with a short notice period. The fixed term contracts are common with Worldpay, Elavon, Barclaycard, Lloyds Cardnet and NatWest Tyl. The rolling monthly contracts are typical of facilitators (SumUp, Zettle, Square) and some Dojo plans. Check your contract before booking the switch, the date you signed sets the minimum term clock.

Notice is the next question. Most fixed term contracts require 30 to 90 days written notice of termination, which can run during or after the minimum term. Notice given inside the minimum term still triggers the exit fee unless the contract has a specific clause (rate review missed, service breach). Give notice by tracked email or recorded delivery, the burden of proof falls on you.

Run both providers in parallel for a month before turning off the old one. This catches stuck regular payments (continuous authority, recurring stored-card transactions), settlement reconciliation issues, and the rare hardware delivery delay on the new provider. Return the old terminal by tracked courier in the supplied packaging, the original courier label is usually inside the unit box. Late return triggers a hardware non-return charge of around £150 to £300.

Key points

Read the contract for minimum term and notice period before booking the switch
Notice is usually 30 to 90 days written, recorded delivery or tracked email
Exit fee is £150 to £450 inside minimum term, zero on rolling contracts
Run both providers in parallel for one month to catch stuck recurring transactions
Return the old terminal in supplied packaging within 7 to 14 days of cessation
Late or missing return triggers a hardware non-return charge of £150 to £300
Payment Services Regulations protect the right to switch, contractual terms still apply

Common pitfalls

Cancelling the direct debit before formal notice has run, this is treated as a breach and accelerates fees
Forgetting recurring transactions (gym memberships, subscriptions) tied to the old merchant ID, these decline at switchover
Throwing away the original terminal packaging, you cannot return without it
Assuming the new provider handles the old contract notice, they do not, the merchant gives notice directly

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