We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum. This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are - or become - political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
Friend has TWO Orange contracts - wants to cancel one
Hi,
I wonder if someone here can advise or help with this?
I have a good friend who is on the autistic spectrum. Lovely guy but he has has some serious physical health issues dating back to his childhood.
He has TWO Orange phone contracts.
One is supposedly a PAYG for which he is paying £10 per mont direct debit. He has had this phone for 8 years. He has enquired recently about cancelling it and has been told that he is liable for an £80 charge if he cancels it before October.
The second phone is a Blackberry on a 2 year contract - or it has 2 years left to go. I do not know exactly what he is paying for this but, from what he has mentioned, it is somewhere in the £30 to £40 mark. I think it might be £40. Yes, £40.
He is on benefits. He needs to cancel one of these phones.
Yes, I know that some will think that someone on benefits shouldn't be paying this kind of money for one mobile phone let alone two and, yes, you would be right. He can't afford it.
The problem is that this chap is a really lovely, gentle soul who, quite simply, has some serious health issues dating back to when he was a child. He is a kind soul - if he had £100, not that he does, in his wallet and a stranger walked up to him and said that they need £100 he is the kind of person who would give it to them... So, as you can see, he is not the kind of person who would fare well walking into a mobile phone shop.
His Mum and Dad are in their late 70s/early 80s and, as parents do, are worried about him. They've asked if I can find out how to reduce his mobile phone costs and I, in turn, am posting this hear now to see if any of your MSE forum posters can suggest something.
I am planning to go to the Orange shop with him this week and find out exactly what his contract details are this week.
If anyone can offer any positive suggestions I would be grateful.
I wonder if someone here can advise or help with this?
I have a good friend who is on the autistic spectrum. Lovely guy but he has has some serious physical health issues dating back to his childhood.
He has TWO Orange phone contracts.
One is supposedly a PAYG for which he is paying £10 per mont direct debit. He has had this phone for 8 years. He has enquired recently about cancelling it and has been told that he is liable for an £80 charge if he cancels it before October.
The second phone is a Blackberry on a 2 year contract - or it has 2 years left to go. I do not know exactly what he is paying for this but, from what he has mentioned, it is somewhere in the £30 to £40 mark. I think it might be £40. Yes, £40.
He is on benefits. He needs to cancel one of these phones.
Yes, I know that some will think that someone on benefits shouldn't be paying this kind of money for one mobile phone let alone two and, yes, you would be right. He can't afford it.
The problem is that this chap is a really lovely, gentle soul who, quite simply, has some serious health issues dating back to when he was a child. He is a kind soul - if he had £100, not that he does, in his wallet and a stranger walked up to him and said that they need £100 he is the kind of person who would give it to them... So, as you can see, he is not the kind of person who would fare well walking into a mobile phone shop.
His Mum and Dad are in their late 70s/early 80s and, as parents do, are worried about him. They've asked if I can find out how to reduce his mobile phone costs and I, in turn, am posting this hear now to see if any of your MSE forum posters can suggest something.
I am planning to go to the Orange shop with him this week and find out exactly what his contract details are this week.
If anyone can offer any positive suggestions I would be grateful.
This is not financial nor legal nor property advice. Consult a paid professional if in doubt.
0
Comments
-
Apart from checking that both contracts are in place as they say, and if so neither allow downgrades of tariff, there is not a lot you can do. (Apart from appeal to their goodwill)
A contract is a contract.0 -
I would consult Orange's executive office and explain, if he has autism - they might see that he *could* have been taken advantage of by the shop and it *could* create bad publicity.
They might as a goodwil gesture come to some of arrangement.0 -
... One is supposedly a PAYG for which he is paying £10 per mont direct debit. He has had this phone for 8 years. He has enquired recently about cancelling it and has been told that he is liable for an £80 charge if he cancels it before October. ...
This looks amazingly odd - a PAYG phone which he's been paying £10 per month for 8 years and is still in contract until October? I think he must be confused about what the situation is.
Before you go to the Orange shop, it might be worth visiting him and getting him to collect together any paperwork he can find about the phones and contracts.0 -
It's either contract (which would explain the "October") or PAYG; it can't be both. PAYG requires no notice; unless he's upgraded in the last 2 years (or less) he wouldn't have to wait until October to give 30 days' notice on a contract.0
-
Sounds like sim only at £10 a probably on 12 month deal which ends in October
As for the Blackberry if he has 24 months left it must be a new contract as I don't know of any longer than that.
I would find out who sold this. If it was done over the phone I think you would have a strong case about pressure selling and taking advantage of this nice guy. Even in a shop face to face they have some cheek and won't want any bad publicity0 -
martin.cat wrote: »Sounds like sim only at £10 a probably on 12 month deal which ends in October
As for the Blackberry if he has 24 months left it must be a new contract as I don't know of any longer than that.
I would find out who sold this. If it was done over the phone I think you would have a strong case about pressure selling and taking advantage of this nice guy. Even in a shop face to face they have some cheek and won't want any bad publicity
You've diagnosed, not only mis-selling but, pressure selling based on a vague post by a third party with no direct knowledge of the true situation ?
And then offered advice on the strength of their "case"?
To the OP - if you genuinely want to help your friend then go through his contracts with him and make sure both of you understand them. From there you can decide whether it's going to be possible to cancel the contract. It would be wrong to go down the pressure selling or mis-selling route unless you are very sure.
Being on the autistic spectrum probably means he is relatively immune to pressure selling so you would need to show he couldn't understand the consequences of his actions.0 -
And I may well be right?
But hey oh you're a smart !!!! so I can't possibly be and how dare I try to help someone0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 347.2K Banking & Borrowing
- 251.6K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 451.8K Spending & Discounts
- 239.4K Work, Benefits & Business
- 615.3K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 175.1K Life & Family
- 252.8K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16K Discuss & Feedback
- 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards