Orange Contract Advice Needed - Buy Out, Pay Off, Ditch?

TeenyBash

Hello

So, I'm currently having some financial difficulties: forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=3472771

I presently have £69.86 in arrears on my Orange mobile contract. As you will see from above link, I have no disposable income to clear the amount (although I am selling on eBay to try and get some). So my first question would be, has anyone dealt with Orange to come to an agreement to pay the present monthly charge, but pay the arrears off at a low rate (lowest possible), while still keeping phone live? Any experiences or advice at how to handle that would be appreciated.

Secondly, my mobile is one of my outgoings that I could potentially cut back on. I already phoned Orange, and they said the lowest tariff they could put me on is Dolphin 20. So I switched to that, but it's still an expense I can't really afford. I'm contracted until April/May next year. Does anyone know of a way out of the contract without having to pay the remainder of the contract? Or at lest, is it possible to have it bought out by another cheaper tariff with another network?

I could sell my phone, which is HTC Desire to try and pay the contract off, but it's not in that great of condition, so don't think it would be worth it?

Any help is very welcome.

Thank you :beer:

grumbler

Why do you keep secret how many months you have left?
There is no way out unfortunately.
'Buying out' is usually possible if you don't have very many months left and if you buy another expensive contract. I don't think any company will do this if you cannot afford £20p.m.
Selling the phone is definitely an option because a replacement basic phone costs close to nothing.

vax2002

Get ported to the lowest line rental charge they do, usually the one with the highest call charges.
Cut the Sim card up, pay the monthly rental only, serve written notice the contract is not to be extended, remember they are minimum term contracts that auto extend
Buy a pasyg phone, sell the old phone to pay the excess bill and learn from the mistake that contract phones are not for the working poor.
Give everyone the new pasyg number.

Lots of hassle ? wont be anywhere near what the debt collectors start

grumbler

If the OP keeps paying for the contract there is absolutely no point in cutting the sim card and buying a PAYG sim.

vax2002

grumbler wrote: »

If the OP keeps paying for the contract there is absolutely no point in cutting the sim card and buying a PAYG sim.

Yes there is, it locks the debt down and keeps it down, it is taking the sweet jar away..
when you are in debt it is not about saving ten pence here and there it is about bringing a halt to the out of control steam roller that debt and debt collection agencies are and sometimes you have to pull the handbrake and jump out.

Naf

Call Orange; once per year you're allowed to have an agreement to clear arrears balance spread over a number of months (I don't know policy as to how long it can be). I imagine you could agree to something like £15 per month over the contract minimum; I can't see them accepting less... but call them and discuss it.

grumbler

IMO, DRO is sufficient shakeup for any adult to learn the lesson and to start controlling their mobile usage.

£20 p.m. contracts have far too many minutes and text included to waste them and then to waste extra money on "taking the sweet jar away".

Guys_Dad

vax2002 wrote: »

Yes there is, it locks the debt down and keeps it down, it is taking the sweet jar away..
when you are in debt it is not about saving ten pence here and there it is about bringing a halt to the out of control steam roller that debt and debt collection agencies are and sometimes you have to pull the handbrake and jump out.

How is keeping the monthly rental going ,cutting up the sim, yet getting a PAYG sim which will obviously incur charges (the "P" in PAYG stands for "PAY") going to save money?

OP didn't say that they couldn't control their mobile use - or did I miss that?

Guys_Dad

grumbler wrote: »

Why do you keep secret how many months you have left?

Going blind Grumbler?

From OP " I'm contracted until April/May next year."

grumbler

Specsavers spring to mind...

I think buying out is absolutely unrealistic in this situation.

TeenyBash

As I mentioned in my original post, my contract is until around April/May next year. I don't have any problems controlling my usage. I have not gone over my fixed allowances, or had any extra spend on my fixed monthly amount. I lost my job, and had 2/3 months of no money.

I will look into what Naf suggested.

Thank you for your help.