Pay phone contract for friend, hes been sacked.

jofullalove

Please give me some advice, I helped a friend out by getting a mobile phone contract in my name for him as he couldn't get credit. He would pay me every Friday as he was paid from work to cover the contract. He has now been sacked and obviously cannot pay me. There is no way i can pay the contract as i already have my own. Is there any way out of the contract.

Thanks

sporedude

Nope, They may reduce it to the lowest amount every month out of goodwill, But it will have to be paid. What provider is it?

jofullalove

With Orange.

Apricot

I think with Orange you have to be half way through the contract for them to reduce the tariff. Sadly the only way to cut the phone off completely is to pay the rest of the line rental in one lump sum.
How much is the contract? Could they pay it from their JSA? If not have you taken the phone from them?

Drbob08

They will most likely look for a cancellation fee which will most likely be all of the line rental for the contractual months outstanding.

I think your friend should still attempt to make payments to you from any benefits he will be getting.

I hope it works out well.

Drbob08

princessleah_ wrote: »

If not have you taken the phone from them?

Good Point!

DarkConvict

Nothing you can do, when you take out a contract in your name, your 100% liable for it! That applies to all contracts including phones.

The only thing you can really do now is taken the phone back if he can't pay, 'if they refuses it is theft'. Then sell the phone and see how much of the contract you can manage to pay off.

jofullalove

We are no longer friends as he was also an employee of mine and the reason he was sacked as he was stealing a lot of money from the business. I will attempt to retrieve the phone, is it possible to put a bar on the contract so although i'm still paying, it cannot be used?

robt_2

If it is in your name could you not phone Orange and say it has been stolen? You will still be liable for the contract but your ex friend will have a handset they can no longer use if it is IMEI blocked.

Let this be a warning to others - never, EVER take out contracts for someone else no matter how much of a friend you think they are. Neither party can see into the future.

DarkConvict

If he won't had it over, report it to the network as stolen, it will cancel the SIM card and block the IMEI number. It will stock them running up a bill on the phone and stop them using it.
Then you can report it to the police along with their advice, its not important to the police as a crime to deal with, but they might be able to assist.
Potentially if not theft but you want it back as the phone was 'loaned' you can get a CCJ for the value of the phone.

You are not the first person to sign for somebody else.

Guys_Dad

jofullalove wrote: »

Please give me some advice, I helped a friend out by getting a mobile phone contract in my name for him as he couldn't get credit.

Maybe too late for you, but a warning to everyone else.

If a person can't get credit, there is usually a good reason. If a commercial organisation won't lend someone money or take a risk to someone who is supposed to be making them a profit, then why should any individual take on the liability?

Kindness isn't always repaid.