Problem solver4 min read·Updated July 2026

Yell contracts: what to know before and after signing

Yell is one of the most-complained-about contracts in UK small business. Here's what the terms actually say, what you own at the end, and your realistic options if you've already signed.

Quick answer

Yell products such as Websites, Stores and Videos run for a twelve-month minimum term and then continue monthly. There's widespread reporting that cancelling within the term attracts a fee of around 80% of the remaining annual subscription. Critically, a Yell-built website is generally not an asset you keep — if you leave, you leave without it. Check whether your domain is registered in your own name before doing anything else.

Step-by-step

Read the term and the renewal behaviour

Yell's own support material sets out a twelve-month minimum term on products like Websites, Stores and Videos, continuing monthly afterwards. Find your contract start date, because that determines every option you have. If you're near the end of a term, waiting a few weeks may be far cheaper than cancelling.

Check who owns your domain — before anything else

This is the part that catches people out. If your domain was registered by the provider rather than by you, leaving means losing the web address your customers and signage point at. Run a WHOIS lookup, find the registrar, and establish whether you can access the account. Sort this out while you're still a customer.

Understand what you keep

A website built and hosted by a provider on their platform generally doesn't come with you. Your content is yours — the words, your photos, your reviews on third-party sites — but the built site typically isn't portable. Assume you'll be rebuilding, and budget the time rather than being surprised by it.

Know your position if it was mis-sold

If you believe the service was misrepresented at the point of sale, that's a different conversation from ordinary cancellation, and it's worth putting in writing to the company with specifics of what you were told. Business-to-business contracts don't carry the same cooling-off rights as consumer ones, which is precisely why the sales conversation matters. Take proper advice if the sums are significant.

Build your replacement before the term ends

Don't wait until the renewal date. Register your own domain in your own name, build a site you control, and get it ranking while the old one is still live. Then switch. Businesses that cancel first and rebuild afterwards spend months invisible, which costs more than the contract did.

Tips & best practices

▸Diarise your renewal date the day you sign anything — that's the moment you have leverage.
▸Register domains yourself, in your own name, always. It's the difference between switching and starting over.
▸Keep everything in writing with any provider you're in dispute with.
▸Your Google Business Profile is yours regardless of who built your website — claim it and keep it current.

Common questions

How long is a Yell contract?

Products such as Websites, Stores and Videos run for a twelve-month minimum term and then continue on a monthly basis. Check your own paperwork for the start date and the specific product terms, since these vary.

What does it cost to cancel a Yell contract early?

It's widely reported that cancelling within the minimum term attracts a fee of around 80% of the annual subscription. Yell's own support documentation covers when you can cancel, so check that against your contract rather than relying on third-party accounts.

Do I keep my website if I leave Yell?

Generally no. A site built and hosted on a provider's platform typically isn't portable. Your content — your words, your photos — is yours, but plan on rebuilding rather than transferring, and check your domain ownership separately.

Can I get out of a Yell contract early?

Within the minimum term your options are governed by the contract, and cancellation fees generally apply. If you believe the product was mis-sold, that's a separate argument to make in writing with specifics. For sums that matter, take proper advice rather than relying on forum posts.

What should I do instead?

Own your domain, build a website on a platform you can leave, and claim your Google Business Profile. The combination costs a fraction of a directory contract and — more importantly — everything you build stays yours.