Daughter signed up for mobile contract she cant afford!

Durhamgill

Last week my 18 year old Daughter, went to Phones4u and was given a 2 year contract mobile phone at £30 a month + plus £10 a month insurance.
She is only a student and only gets £30 a week EMA college money per week, during term time and nothing when the college finishes for Summer and other holidays, so she's got no money for the next 10 weeks, apart from a little pocket money from me and my Husband.
I complained to Phones4u about them giving her the contract, when she has no money to pay for it, but all they said was because our address has a good credit rating and because my daughter brought in all the relevant proof of itentity etc she was allowed the contract and they can not cancel it.
How are companies like this allowed to give contracts to people who have no means of paying them, I think its disgraceful!
Does anybody know who I can complain to.

Regards
Gill

iamana1ias

Durhamgill wrote: »

Last week my 18 year old Daughter, went to Phones4u and was given a 2 year contract mobile phone at £30 a month + plus £10 a month insurance.
She is only a student and only gets £30 a week EMA college money per week, during term time and nothing when the college finishes for Summer and other holidays, so she's got no money for the next 10 weeks, apart from a little pocket money from me and my Husband.
I complained to Phones4u about them giving her the contract, when she has no money to pay for it, but all they said was because our address has a good credit rating and because my daughter brought in all the relevant proof of itentity etc she was allowed the contract and they can not cancel it.
How are companies like this allowed to give contracts to people who have no means of paying them, I think its disgraceful!
Does anybody know who I can complain to.

Regards
Gill

As it's a parent's responsibility to teach their child financial responsibility and, dare I say it, common sense, I think you'd be better off complaining to a mirror than to a company that did nothing wrong.

Your daughter is an adult and should take responsibility for the adult decision she made. As an experienced adult you should let her learn from *her* mistake.

McKneff

Is there a cooling off period in the contract.

if not, tell her to look for a job....................

Teach her a lesson and tell her you arent going to pay for it, and follow it through.

One thing puzzles me though, credit rating has nothing to do with addresses, credit ratings are personal to a person for want of a bit of grammar but I'm sure you will know what i mean, so if he has said that its a load of rubbish and you could take that up with them.

Browntoa

try the network they signed her up to direct......

iamana1ias

There won't be a cooling off period if she signed up in store.

DCFC79

How is it the fault of phones4u, they didnt know your daughter couldnt afford the contract. Why on earth did your daughter sign up for the contract when she knew she couldnt afford it, tell her to get a job, there are jobs around but you just need to look. ANy new supermarkets opening eg tesco, try local aldi or lidl to see if they are hiring

DCFC79

iamana1ias wrote: »

As it's a parent's responsibility to teach their child financial responsibility and, dare I say it, common sense, I think you'd be better off complaining to a mirror than to a company that did nothing wrong.

Your daughter is an adult and should take responsibility for the adult decision she made. As an experienced adult you should let her learn from *her* mistake.

is it a parents responsibility to teach about finance(yes it should be taught in some form), i wasnt taught it but then i use common sense when it comes to money

Lokolo

My brother did exactly the same, but it was a £50 a month contract! Luckily he had a job so could pay, but was a complete waste of money.

Your daughter is 18, she's old enough to have sex, get married, move out, and, get a phone contract. (and a loan, and a mortgage, and shares etc.etc.etc.)

Sagz_2

Well you can bail her out, but I think if you do you'll be doing it for the rest of her life.

She needs to get a job quick, easier said than done I know but at 18 she should start paying her way.

Durhamgill

I think the company did do wrong!!!!
How come if you buy things on hire purchase etc, you have to show proof of earnings, so the company knows you have the means to pay, surely mobile phone companies should have to do this also!
We have taught Daughter financial responsibility, but she's like alot of teenagers these days "lives in cloud cuckoo land"

Mcneff............There's no cooling of period because she bought it directly from the shop, if she bought it online she'd have 14 days cooling off...........And yes your right, me and hubby are not paying it, so she'll have to get a job, serve her self right for being so bloody stupid!

Snakeeyes21

So your daughter lied in order to obtain a phone contract and you want to blame the shop?
She wouldnt have been able to get one if she said she only had an income of £30 a week.
What are they meant to do? follow her around for a week to ensure she has a job?
Most students credit checks would come back clean so a contract would be given.
Atleast she now has a shiny new phone that will be blocked shortly, maybe having her credit rating trashed for the next 6 years will teach her the morals you have obviously not taught her