Contract for a friend.

jamie198

I no what the answer will be to my question, but I'm asking in case there is someone with that little bit of advice that could help me.

Anyway, i got a mobile contract out for a friend in my name (:doh:its only £26pm) and for 6 months all was good. Now she's moved a good few hundred miles away, and the phone is now with her. Past 2 phone bills have been £80, and £130, and a catalogue, again my name, but with £1000 owed on it.

I'm well and truly up £$%& creek without a paddle, and at a loss of what to do. I'm on JSA.

thatsean

What advice are you looking for? Call the network, have the sim barred to prevent further usage. Then, speak to the collections team about a plan to pay off your contract. If you don't have the money to pay the £26 per month then there will be dire consequences for your credit file.

Sorry to say it, but this is a life lesson.

balmk

thatsean is right - these are your accounts, regardless of who has used them, so you need to get usage/further orders barred.

If you have any evidence that your "friend" had agreed to pay them, you could pursue a claim via https://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk/web/mcol/welcome but this is not a guarantee of getting your friend to pay up.

Also ensure that you change/set passwords on your accounts to prevent any future unauthorised access.

albionrovers

Your friend is a fully paid-up member of Broken Britain. End of ...

Guys_Dad

And of course, cancel the catalogue.

JethroUK

presuming you have of course stopped any further transaction s - whilst the bills are yours and you are easy to come after, you can in-turn sue your friend and you'll win for sure

have they got any money?

19lottie82

I'm confused about the catalogue. Did you open the account FOR her, or did she fradulently open it using your details? If the latter, contact the companies fraud dept and the police, otherwise you will be liable for the debt.

In regards to the phone, call the network get th ephone barred and cancel the SIM, get a replacement SIM sent to your own address and keep paying the £26 a month until your contract is up, otherwise your credit ratng will be trashed.

Oh, and don't be so stupid / trusting in future!

19lottie82

JethroUK wrote: »

you can in-turn sue your friend and you'll win for sure

I admire your confidence, but I wouldn't be so sure. The OP Gave his friend the phone, along with the permission to use it.

thatsean

JethroUK wrote: »

presuming you have of course stopped any further transaction s - whilst the bills are yours and you are easy to come after, you can in-turn sue your friend and you'll win for sure

have they got any money?

Until the friend writes on the papers 'the phone and airtime package was a gift'.

Sorry, but with nothing in writing he may as well sue you or me for the money...

JethroUK

thatsean wrote: »

Until the friend writes on the papers 'the phone and airtime package was a gift'.

Sorry, but with nothing in writing he may as well sue you or me for the money...

An 'agreement' doesn't need to be in writing - anything her 'friend' writes on papers is just toilet paper without evidence of "an agreement" (evidence of both parties 'agree'ing)

In the absence of a written agreement, common sense is allowed to prevail and there is enough circumstantial evidence to suggest the person that used the phone should be responsible for paying for it

That would certainly satisfy me if i were the judge - easy case

Herongull

The responsibility for paying for the phone is with the person whose name the contract is in.

You sign the contract, you are liable!

If your phone is lost or stolen, you are responsible for all the bills incurred until the phone is reported lost or stolen.

If you give a contract phone (in your name) to a friend, relative or child to use, then you are liable for all the bills.

Therefore never give a contract phone to another party.

And most people are better off not having a contract phone for their own use. PAYG is cheaper, more flexible and low risk.