A method of controlling automatic retransmission request (ARQ)-related timers in a broadband wireless access communication system is disclosed, by which reliability of a wireless link can be increased and the ARQ-related timers can be properly operated even in a handover situation. A mobile subscriber station temporarily stops an operation of the ARQ-related timers by informing a base station of a handover start when a handover situation occurs and restarts the stopped ARQ-related timers when the handover situation is finished.