Mobile Phone Account to be Frozen

HelpingHand

Hi my OH has been declared BR this morning and has just had his phone call with the OR.

She told him that his mobile phone account will be frozen and we don't understand why. He has no land line and the phone company is not one of his creditors. Anyone able to shed light on this please?

immoral_angeluk

Unforunately mobile contracts are a luxury and so can and will be frozen by the OR. You can just get a PAYG phone instead.

HelpingHand

Thanks i_a, I don't see how it is lujxury when he has no landline connection where he lives.

HelpingHand

He's just spoken to the OR about it and she did explain it better this time. Apparently, since he is now bankrupt, if he didn't pay his phone bill it would fall into the bankruptcy and then the OR would be liable to pay it because the contract was taken out before he was declared bankrupt. That kinda makes sense now.

David_F

I would query this as I had a monthly contract mobile phone when I went BR and my OR wasn't interested in it. I think if you can prove you can afford it and it's cheaper or as an alternative to a land line then surely it's better to be allowed to keep it.

HelpingHand

We did query it, David, and that was the response he got. I dunno what else to do.

immoral_angeluk

HelpingHand wrote: »

Thanks i_a, I don't see how it is lujxury when he has no landline connection where he lives.

Because it's his choice to not have a landline surely? Unless he lives out in the sticks/middle of nowhere he'll physically be able to have a landline, but will have chosen not to in favour of a mobile.

immoral_angeluk

David_F wrote: »

I would query this as I had a monthly contract mobile phone when I went BR and my OR wasn't interested in it. I think if you can prove you can afford it and it's cheaper or as an alternative to a land line then surely it's better to be allowed to keep it.

Along with most things like this practice varies from OR to OR as some are more lenient than others.

HelpingHand

immoral_angeluk wrote: »

Because it's his choice to not have a landline surely? Unless he lives out in the sticks/middle of nowhere he'll physically be able to have a landline, but will have chosen not to in favour of a mobile.

:(The mobile is a constant and a number that he's had for years and when he moved into his rented house 18 months ago he didn't have the money to have the landline connected.
At the end of the day, if his OR says he can't keep this contract then so be it, but I do feel it's unnecessary.

immoral_angeluk

HelpingHand wrote: »

:(The mobile is a constant and a number that he's had for years and when he moved into his rented house 18 months ago he didn't have the money to have the landline connected.
At the end of the day, if his OR says he can't keep this contract then so be it, but I do feel it's unnecessary.

I know what you mean. These days everyone has a mobile, especially if it's needed for work or if you have children etc. I'd imagine in the coming years ORs will get more and more happy to accept them. Same with internet.

David_F

Hi HelpingHand,

I do feel for you as this seems unnecessarily punitive, but as immoral angel says it does seem to be that all ORs are different and yours is obviously being "by the book"

Maybe get a Pay as You go, you should still be able to keep the old number. Maybe give the mobile company a call and see what they suggest.