T-Mobile Debt / Want to pay bill / No phone!

SimIsOnTheUp

Hi,

Hope you're all having a good weekend.

I'm about to call T-Mobile, and hopefully try and come to an arrangement.

Long story short;

I stupidly sold my iPhone a month ago, which was / is under contract with T-Mobile.

While the thought of this makes me feel a bit ill, I am where I am, and I'm going to try and sort this out.

I owe about £16K in total (have posted my SOA before; will again later this afternoon), and have more pressing debts than the mobile bill; ie - Council Tax.

However, if I can, I'd like to try and pay my T-Mobile arrears, as -

1 / At the moment, I don't even have a PAYG mobile
So, next week I could buy a cheap PAYG handset (£7.50 from Argos), and pop the T-Mobile SIM in that.

At least that way I'll be able to use the texts / calls, that at the moment I'm paying for without even having the use of a phone.

2 / That way, I can keep at least one 'good line of credit' on my credit files ('damage limitation', as my credit rating is generally stuffed with defaults for the next 6 years).

3 / It sounds daft, but the phone number with T-Mobile is *extremely easy to remember*, and I'd rather not lose it!

4 / Most of all, I don't want to add to my debts (which I may well have to deal with, by going for either a DRO or a BR).

The 24th May bill was due to be paid on the 7th June = just under £40.

That is still outstanding (I'd promised to pay this last Friday 17th June, but stupidly didn't pay it).

The phone line was apparently restricted to incoming calls only, but then last Sunday (after I'd tried calling my mobile voicemail from my landline) it seems that they've cut it off completely.

I now have the 24th June bill added to this; again just under £40; This is due on 8th July.

My plan is to offer T-Mobile £40 (ie - pay off May's bill), next Friday 1st July.

Then I'll pay June's bill two weeks later, on 17th July.

Re - reading this though, makes me think I should just cut my losses, and focus on my priority bills.

As you can see, my head is all over the shop at the moment.

Any ideas as to how I should deal with this mobile debt, would be most appreciated.

Even though I'd like to pay it off / reinstate the line (*if* they will) / get a cheap PAYG handset / keep the contract, £35 per month (iPhone contract) when I no longer even have said iPhone, is bonkers..

At least I've paid my Rent shortfall (regular fortnightly payments kept to) as promised last week, which is obviously the main thing.

Was gratefully able to do an online foodshop last night (took delivery this morning), and I'm sober so it's not all bad

Cheers,

Sim x

SimIsOnTheUp

Sorry.

That was meant to be the condensed version!

shouldbeshot

SimIsOnTheUp wrote: »

Hi,

Hope you're all having a good weekend.

I'm about to call T-Mobile, and hopefully try and come to an arrangement.

Long story short;

I stupidly sold my iPhone a month ago, which was / is under contract with T-Mobile.

While the thought of this makes me feel a bit ill, I am where I am, and I'm going to try and sort this out.

I owe about £16K in total (have posted my SOA before; will again later this afternoon), and have more pressing debts than the mobile bill; ie - Council Tax.

However, if I can, I'd like to try and pay my T-Mobile arrears, as -

1 / At the moment, I don't even have a PAYG mobile
So, next week I could buy a cheap PAYG handset (£7.50 from Argos), and pop the T-Mobile SIM in that.

At least that way I'll be able to use the texts / calls, that at the moment I'm paying for without even having the use of a phone.

2 / That way, I can keep at least one 'good line of credit' on my credit files ('damage limitation', as my credit rating is generally stuffed with defaults for the next 6 years).

3 / It sounds daft, but the phone number with T-Mobile is *extremely easy to remember*, and I'd rather not lose it!

4 / Most of all, I don't want to add to my debts (which I may well have to deal with, by going for either a DRO or a BR).

The 24th May bill was due to be paid on the 7th June = just under £40.

That is still outstanding (I'd promised to pay this last Friday 17th June, but stupidly didn't pay it).

The phone line was apparently restricted to incoming calls only, but then last Sunday (after I'd tried calling my mobile voicemail from my landline) it seems that they've cut it off completely.

I now have the 24th June bill added to this; again just under £40; This is due on 8th July.

My plan is to offer T-Mobile £40 (ie - pay off May's bill), next Friday 1st July.

Then I'll pay June's bill two weeks later, on 17th July.

Re - reading this though, makes me think I should just cut my losses, and focus on my priority bills.

As you can see, my head is all over the shop at the moment.

Any ideas as to how I should deal with this mobile debt, would be most appreciated.

Even though I'd like to pay it off / reinstate the line (*if* they will) / get a cheap PAYG handset / keep the contract, £35 per month (iPhone contract) when I no longer even have said iPhone, is bonkers..

At least I've paid my Rent shortfall (regular fortnightly payments kept to) as promised last week, which is obviously the main thing.

Was gratefully able to do an online foodshop last night (took delivery this morning), and I'm sober so it's not all bad

Cheers,

Sim x

Surely it would be better to ring up and say I can't have this contract anymore and see what they say, obviously they will charge you and all that...but £35 per month to maintain IS a lot with no iphone.

I've got an iphone and I simply have a giffgaff sim in there. I pay £!0 for 250 minutes and unlimted texts and internet. You can still get a basic phone if it was the internet you were after or once you've sorted yourself out save up for an iphone?

Having read your threads, and I know I'm only 22 so not one to give advice really, I don't think its sensible to continue with the contract. I think you're better off just accepting it as a debt and tackling it like the others? I'm probably wrong I know nothing!

SimIsOnTheUp

shouldbeshot wrote: »

Surely it would be better to ring up and say I can't have this contract anymore and see what they say, obviously they will charge you and all that...but £35 per month to maintain IS a lot with no iphone.

I've got an iphone and I simply have a giffgaff sim in there. I pay £!0 for 250 minutes and unlimted texts and internet. You can still get a basic phone if it was the internet you were after or once you've sorted yourself out save up for an iphone?

Having read your threads, and I know I'm only 22 so not one to give advice really, I don't think its sensible to continue with the contract. I think you're better off just accepting it as a debt and tackling it like the others? I'm probably wrong I know nothing!

Hiya,

Thanks for your reply.

You're talking sense!

I think I'm going to have accept that I can't afford this, as galling as it is

GiffGaff are brilliant.

I've even got a GiffGaff SIM with the best part of £9 credit (payback credit on replacement SIM, so I'll still have to reactivate it with £10 I think) on there, sat doing nothing..

GG's £10 'goodybags' are a bargain aren't they? :T

I'm just gutted that I can't afford to pay off this T-Mobile debt, and equally as, if not more gutted that I sold my iPhone

SimIsOnTheUp

About to call up T - Mobile, and see if they can reduce the contract.

Anyone know how flexible T - Mobile are?

Not looking forward to this call!

dreamdreamer

I've always found T-Mobile very helpful but I know lots would probably disagree. I've always paid on time but when I wanted to reduce my contract as I wasn't using the minutes/texts etc they had no problem with that (I've since read you have to be 6 months into the contract to do this) and reduced it to a £20 a month tariff from a £35 a month tariff over 3 months (dropping £5 each time). I think I could go lower but I use most of my minutes/texts now so I wouldn't. I also asked them for a projection on what I could get in December when my contract is up (as I won't want a new handset) and the guy admitted they would usually match any sim-only contracts on the market but that you have to jump through the hoops of threatening to leave, going to the disconnection team etc.

Afraid I can't help you with how helpful they'll be regarding missed payments though. At the height of my financial issues I was with O2, who were a sodding nightmare to deal with (hence the move!). Hopefully T-Mobile will be better for you Sim!

elsiepac

SimIsOnTheUp wrote: »

About to call up T - Mobile, and see if they can reduce the contract.

Anyone know how flexible T - Mobile are?

Not looking forward to this call!

Hey Sim, glad you're sorting things out today and well done on your food shop and on still being sober :j

This is right up my street...telecoms that is, it's what I do!

To me personally, there is NO POINT cancelling the T-Mobile contract. It is, as it states, a contract, and thus you are liable for the full costs to the end of the contract, so you'll be paying the money ANYWAY. However, a contract does not implicitly tie you to a tariff, so you are absolutely within your rights to request a lower tariff. This would be the route to go down. Don't bother with this GG Sim while you have the T-Mobile stuff going on, it's another numer which you can't port yours to without incurring charges and it's just confusing matters. Keep it to one side for when your TMobile contract is up and if you want to use it then you can port your number over (legally have to be able to) so you're keeping the good number.

Way forward = Tariff reduce NOT contract cancellation - depending on how long you have left it may cost you hundreds which quite frankly you don't have.

Chin up and well done for tackling it

LC x

SimIsOnTheUp

dreamdreamer wrote: »

I've always found T-Mobile very helpful but I know lots would probably disagree. I've always paid on time but when I wanted to reduce my contract as I wasn't using the minutes/texts etc they had no problem with that (I've since read you have to be 6 months into the contract to do this) and reduced it to a £20 a month tariff from a £35 a month tariff over 3 months (dropping £5 each time). I think I could go lower but I use most of my minutes/texts now so I wouldn't. I also asked them for a projection on what I could get in December when my contract is up (as I won't want a new handset) and the guy admitted they would usually match any sim-only contracts on the market but that you have to jump through the hoops of threatening to leave, going to the disconnection team etc.

Afraid I can't help you with how helpful they'll be regarding missed payments though. At the height of my financial issues I was with O2, who were a sodding nightmare to deal with (hence the move!). Hopefully T-Mobile will be better for you Sim!

Thanks for the info!

Just got off the phone to T- Mobile, having come to an agreement for me to pay off May's bill (£40) next Friday 1st July.

I was worried that as I'd reneged on my previous 'promise to pay' on the 17th June, T - Mob would have cut me off entirely.

Luckily though, the previous agent had not noted down my 17 June's promise to pay, and so they had no record of it... so as far as they are concerned, I haven't defaulted on anything.

As for reducing the tariff, I agree that ultimately, it's the way to go.

However, I don't want to ring any alarm bells with T - Mobile *before I have to* as it were.

I'd rather get these May / June's bills paid off first, and then ask them lower my tariff as of July.

Thanks again.

SimIsOnTheUp

elsiepac wrote: »

Hey Sim, glad you're sorting things out today and well done on your food shop and on still being sober :j

This is right up my street...telecoms that is, it's what I do!

To me personally, there is NO POINT cancelling the T-Mobile contract. It is, as it states, a contract, and thus you are liable for the full costs to the end of the contract, so you'll be paying the money ANYWAY. However, a contract does not implicitly tie you to a tariff, so you are absolutely within your rights to request a lower tariff. This would be the route to go down. Don't bother with this GG Sim while you have the T-Mobile stuff going on, it's another numer which you can't port yours to without incurring charges and it's just confusing matters. Keep it to one side for when your TMobile contract is up and if you want to use it then you can port your number over (legally have to be able to) so you're keeping the good number.

Way forward = Tariff reduce NOT contract cancellation - depending on how long you have left it may cost you hundreds which quite frankly you don't have.

Chin up and well done for tackling it

LC x

Hiya LC,

Thanks. Having re - started on the old happy pills, coupled with getting a good night's sleep, and some food down me, I'm starting to feel well again thank goodness.

I keep cringing about last week, and all the money I wasted on booze, but it's not helpful, so I'm trying to focus on what I can do *now* to improve things.

I'm quite jealous of your job! ;-)

As for T - Mobile, it's a rock and a hard place type situation isn't it?

I'm with you re - I may as well try and keep the contract, as I'll have to pay it anyway, BUT I'm not sure if I can afford it.

Really want to try and clear the debt / not add to my overall debts / keep the number / contract though!

Can then get a cheapy PAYG handset for now.

As for the tariff, I only took it out in March (what was I thinking?)

So, I doubt they'll lower the tariff yet.

I didn't even mention the tariff on the phone just now, as I'd rather clear the debt and get back on top of the bills first.

Once I pay off May's bill next Friday 1st July, I'll then ask them if they'd consider lowering the tariff. Even £5 - 10 less a month is going to help.

The pressure of this, aside from the even more pressing concerns re Council Tax / Elec debt et al, is stressing me out, but I'm trying to keep focused.

It is motivating me to get started with my 'permitted work' (can work up to 16 hours per week / £95 per week; I've already checked with the DWP, and it's all ok) next week.

I'm desperate to bring some money in, but I'm trying to take an 'Easy Does It' and 'A Day At A Time' approach, as otherwise I end up getting stressed > drinking.

The deepest, darkest recesses of my mind keep letting forth, a nagging pain in the !!!! of self - doubt, which keeps saying 'you can't do this'.

I reply '!!!! you. Yes I bloody well can' ;-)

Enjoy your evening x

shouldbeshot

SimIsOnTheUp wrote: »

Hiya,

Thanks for your reply.

You're talking sense!

I think I'm going to have accept that I can't afford this, as galling as it is

GiffGaff are brilliant.

I've even got a GiffGaff SIM with the best part of £9 credit (payback credit on replacement SIM, so I'll still have to reactivate it with £10 I think) on there, sat doing nothing..

GG's £10 'goodybags' are a bargain aren't they? :T

I'm just gutted that I can't afford to pay off this T-Mobile debt, and equally as, if not more gutted that I sold my iPhone

I love the goodybags, its funny that it runs on the 02 network and undercuts their pricing!

As for the restarting on happy pills, why did you stop? My friend has the unfortunate habit of stopping hers when she feels alright, doesn't matter how many times I tell her that she needs to be on them for a rather long time..... But then again she will do what she wants to!

I don't think you should let it all get you down toooo much. By that I mean, you sound like you've perhaps not quite got to the point where you are completel ready to sort it out. Its not a fast process, you have to sort one thing in order to be able to do the next one. I'm sorted now in the sense that I had a massive list a few months ago of the things I needed to do and now I've got to the end all I have to do is give birth and continue paying my debts. So if you don't quite feel ready don't get upset about it. The worst thing you can do is throw yourself into something feeling positive but the smallest setback throws you off course and ruins it all because you become disheartened. So start with baby steps again?

orangesmartie

Sim, I can't advise on this problem, but I have read your threads and I just wanted to say a big well done to you. You've come far, taking little steps and thats a big achievement - and you should acknowledge that.

I would suggest that you talk to T-mobile about dropping the charges as soon as possible, acknowledging the full amount of arrears to be paid. But by telling them up front there are financial difficulties gives them the heads up to drop their tariff and assist you. From their perspective, its better to get some money than none. The other reason for asking for the contract drop now, is you want the new tariff to apply ASAP. If you wait until July to ask you won't see the benefit until late august.

Also, i don't know if you have a freecycle/freegle near you, but if you can find it (google) try asking on there for an old mobile phone handset and get one for free, rather than paying. It might be a bit basic, but its a start.