Want to end Orange contract early

Kerry198425

I have just spoke to Orange regarding my contract with them.
I'm currnetly on a package of £35.00 a month.....which I now can't afford after losing my job.
I can get cheaper calls with my pay as you go Sim.
But Orange have said I can only downgrade to £30.00 and no more than that.
I'm going to end up not paying it as I have no spare money available to pay the bills anymore.
Any help with this would be appreciated.

Jon_01

If you're in a contract then you're committed to pay x for y months. Harsh but thats the way it is. Will they let you drop another £5 after a few months at £30?

If you just stop paying then they'll pass it to an agency, you'll have collectors knocking at your door and your credit ruined for 7 years. . .

Guys_Dad

Kerry - please read other posts on this forum re reducing contracts. What you will find is that, unless your terms and conditions applicable at the time allowed you to move your tarrif down significantly, then you are fortunate that your network has allowed you a reduction at all.

The fact is that you have taken out a contract which is a legal obligation and, presumably, no insurance to cover being out of work. The network will almost certainly require you to keep paying, and, if you don't (say, for example, by cancelling your direct debit) they will take action to get the money and will without any doubt put a marker on your credit record as a minimum, and possibly take you to court.

Now this may sound hard, and I have every sympathy with your current predicament, but you need to have a dialogue with the network. They may have a hardship team. Make an offer to extend the contract but reduce the monthly spend. Be sure to put as much as you can in writing so that, if it does get as far as court, you can show willing.

The problem is that many people are seduced with the latest mobile phones which are easily affordable when you are working, but if the monthly cheque stops.............!!! That is why, in these uncertain days, sim-only is the way to go and remember, a mobile phone should be thought of as a means of talking to your friends, nothing else.

So, get back on to Orange and keep trying. There is no other silver bullet, I am afraid.

Kerry198425

Thanks for the advice.
I do pay for insurance but it only covers loss, theft or damage to my phone.
They have said that in 3/4 months time I can downgrade again.....but that doesn't really help when I can't even afford the £30.00 a month.
I have spoke to them again but they still say I cannot change and have to continue paying £30.00 a month and won't budge on it.
My contract is until June next year so 9 months is along time.
I'm going back to college so I will not even have an income coming in to afford the phone.

reehsetin

cancel any extras to keep the costs down e.g. the insurance and any extra bundles

epsilondraconis

Could you perhaps sell the phone - assuming it is relatively new and put the SIM in a lower spec (older and cheap) phone? The sale of your new phone may help to pay the bills for a few months.

Jon_01

Cancel the insurance, that's 5 or 6 quid a month. If the phones still in good nick ebay it to pay off part of the contract and put the sim in an old phone.

The other option would be to do an acc transfer, if you know someone that would take the contract off you Orange will allow you to move the acc to them as long as they can complete a credit check.

elljay20

or ask them to suspend the account for six months for you.