Buying out remainder of 3 Mobile contract before moving abroad

Bolando

Hi there

I plan to move abroad to Spain in April and need to get out of my 3 contract. Unfortunately I still have 16 months remaining out of my 24 and they've just quoted me a leaving fee of £460. This figure includes a 10% discount.
I thought I might be able to sell the handset (a Galaxy S4) to pay off the leaving fee but these models are only fetching £250 - £300 2nd hand so I'd still be quite out of pocket.

They've advised I can transfer the contract to a family or friends name and let them take the remainder but the downside is they'd have to take my current number.

Anyone else been in a similar position? I don't see any easy cheaper way out of this!

Thanks in advance

Buzby

You can also find someone outwith the family to take the phone AND the contract, releasing you from your obligation there are folk who only want a 16 month contract and S4. Websites exist to marry those wanting out with those wanting in....

Bolando

Ok I didn't know such sites existed. Do you know where I should look?

I'm surprised though that people would be willing to take on a new number with a 2nd hand phone but I suppose like you say if its a shorter contract then it may work better for them.

Frustratingly 3 wont let me drop down to a cheaper tariff either. I'd be willing to stay for £15 - £20 a month and keep the handset but at the current rate it isn't worth it.

Thanks

d123

Bolando wrote: »

They've advised I can transfer the contract to a family or friends name and let them take the remainder but the downside is they'd have to take my current number.

You could of course "complain" about nuisance calls to the network and request a number change just before doing the ownership change .

I don't have personal experience of 3 for this procedure, but it is FOC on at least 2 networks and could be actioned in minutes.

gjchester

Bolando wrote: »

Frustratingly 3 wont let me drop down to a cheaper tariff either. I'd be willing to stay for £15 - £20 a month and keep the handset but at the current rate it isn't worth it.

Thanks

Three subsidised the purchase cost of the S4 when you took out the contract on the assumptions they'd get the subsidy back over the 24 months. Why would they want to drop the tariff and not get the subsidy back?

gjchester

d123 wrote: »

You could of course "complain" about nuisance calls to the network and request a number change just before doing the ownership change .

I don't have personal experience of 3 for this procedure, but it is FOC on at least 2 networks and could be actioned in minutes.

I see what you mean but the OP still loses the number. Its not clear if he wants to keep the number of just does not want whoever takes the contract on having it.


At some point if he closes the account the number will be re-released anyway..

Im_just_careful

Firstly, I would get "3" to unlock the phone. You can then use it abroad.


If you can find someone to take over the contract, the reasonable thing would be for you to give them the difference between the cost of the minutes, data etc. as a SIM only deal (say for 12 months) and what your contract costs as this is the price of your phone.


If you pay someone you know (and can trust) to take your contract over on this basis I guess they could port in another number and your old number ceases.


I would guess the connectivity element of your contract is worth perhaps £10 a month (possibly less), the rest is the phone finance.

RaihanT

Buzby wrote: »

You can also find someone outwith the family to take the phone AND the contract, releasing you from your obligation there are folk who only want a 16 month contract and S4. Websites exist to marry those wanting out with those wanting in....

Hi

Can you direct me to these types of site? I'm after taking a 3 contract