Get out of 18 month contract advice?

kentguy07

Is there anway to get out of a 18 month contract without having to pay for the whole 18 months?

I just cant afford too keep it any more. I cant afford to pay for the whole 18 months either.

The other thing i guess i could do is sell my phone and use the sim in a old phone then use the money to pay for the contract.

Chrissybh0y

Pretend To Be Dead ?

piggeh

Speak to the mobile operator and explain you cant afford it and see what they can do. maybe even offer to take out a longer contract for reduced payments.

Steve_xx

You didn't say how far you are into the contract. Is it possible to drop to a lower tariff for the remainder of the contract period?

kentguy07

I am about two weeks in to the contract of 18 months

Steve_xx

I'm afraid that there is no way out. Had you bought it online then you could have returned it within 7 days under the distance selling regulations. The only thing you may be able to do is to drop to a lower tariff?

kai666

Steve_xx wrote: »

I'm afraid that there is no way out. Had you bought it online then you could have returned it within 7 days under the distance selling regulations. The only thing you may be able to do is to drop to a lower tariff?

Don't you get 14 days to change your mind with most mobile contracts?

reducing line rental is not allowed until at least month 9-11 depending on the network

Chrissybh0y

You could sign the contract over to sumone else if they are willing to take it on

Steve_xx

Cancellation periods

The regulations give consumers an unconditional right to cancel an order. This is to allow the consumer the opportunity to examine the goods or consider the nature of a service.
If a consumer cancels an order, written notice must be given to you by:

• goods – seven working days from the day after that on which the goods are received by the consumer;
• services – seven working days from the day after that on which the consumer agrees to go ahead with the contract.

If you fail to provide consumers with written confirmation of all the required information, then the cancellation periods can be extended up to a maximum of three months and seven working days. If the missing information is provided during this time, then the cancellation period ends seven working days beginning with the day after the full written confirmation is received by the consumer.
Where a contract is cancelled, the consumer must ensure that reasonable care is taken of any goods received and 'restore' them to you. This does not mean that they have to return them - unless you stipulate this in the contract - only that they make them available for you to collect.
You must refund the consumer's money as soon as possible and, at the latest, within 30 days of receiving the written notice of cancellation. The consumer may, at your discretion, be charged the direct cost of returning the goods, but you must tell them about this in the written information you give them.
If payment for the goods or services is under a related credit agreement, the consumer's cancellation notice also has the effect of cancelling the credit agreement.

benbranson

Steve_xx wrote: »

Cancellation periods

The regulations give consumers an unconditional right to cancel an order. This is to allow the consumer the opportunity to examine the goods or consider the nature of a service.
If a consumer cancels an order, written notice must be given to you by:

• goods – seven working days from the day after that on which the goods are received by the consumer;
• services – seven working days from the day after that on which the consumer agrees to go ahead with the contract.

If you fail to provide consumers with written confirmation of all the required information, then the cancellation periods can be extended up to a maximum of three months and seven working days. If the missing information is provided during this time, then the cancellation period ends seven working days beginning with the day after the full written confirmation is received by the consumer.
Where a contract is cancelled, the consumer must ensure that reasonable care is taken of any goods received and 'restore' them to you. This does not mean that they have to return them - unless you stipulate this in the contract - only that they make them available for you to collect.
You must refund the consumer's money as soon as possible and, at the latest, within 30 days of receiving the written notice of cancellation. The consumer may, at your discretion, be charged the direct cost of returning the goods, but you must tell them about this in the written information you give them.
If payment for the goods or services is under a related credit agreement, the consumer's cancellation notice also has the effect of cancelling the credit agreement.

These are distance selling regulations and only apply if you bought the phone on the internet or over the phone. If you did and they haven't given you written confirmation of your rights, then you are entitled to send the phone back and cancel it.

If you bought the phone in a shop then the only way you are entitled to return it is if the phone was to be faulty within 28 days of you buying it. It would be down to the shop to prove that it wasn't faulty (as it is less than 6 months old) not you to prove that it IS.

28 days is not a defined period in law (the sale of goods act says 'a reasonable time to accept the product') but 28 days is the generally accepted timeframe.

The 14 day return policy is not law and is down to the discrestion of the retailer. They have no requirement to take any product back just because you have changed your mind, again this is the sale of goods act and applies to anything bought in any retailer (as far as I am aware, again DSR is different if bought online/phone).

HTH

anitalg

Hiya, no the retailer doesnt have to cancel the handset you are correct, in fact the networks have made it really difficult to cancel a contract now. The only slight light in the tunnel is if you are on Orange and you can suspend your contract for 6 months - however this obviously means it goes on for longer and you would have to pay the first bill anyway.

PS im the manager of a phone shop if that helps