Phone contract gift

Cornwallsamsam

Advise required plz. I hv a 24 month mobile phone contract in my name +paid by direct debit from my bank ac. The phone was a gift to my now ex's son. He is refusing to buy the contact out. Where do I stand?

David301

Responsible for it, get the phone cancelled so there are no bills and pay to end it early or use it for yourself. You may have to say goodbye to the handset though

Pixie5740

What was a gift to your ex's son? The phone or the phone plus the contract? It's a bit crap to take a gift back from the son because you've split up with his dad.

Is the son going over his balance and running up huge bills? If so get the sim barred if not just leave him be with the gift you can him and cancel the contract when the 24 months is up.

Cornwallsamsam

The phone + contract was a gift from us to the son, obv not going to get the phn back but I'm left with the 20+ month contract to pay.

Pixie5740

How were the first 4 months of bills paid?

BWZN93

That's not the sons fault that you broke up. Bar the phone if you like but ultimately you're still responsible. You signed a contract.

Cornwallsamsam

By direct debit from my bank ac, but father gave me the money to cover it.

David301

Tell the ex and the son that the contract is being ended. Be done with it, you don't want to live for the next 20 months wondering if you are going to look at your bank and find hundreds gone on a DD for a phone you don't use.
If you want to be "generous" don't block the handset. As far as the monthly bill that's a big NO NO!!

gettingtheresometime

I think it would depend on a lot of variables.

If your relationship is a good one (doesn't sound though it is) then provided you are happy to continue paying then provided you could put a cap on the bill then I might be prepared to continue paying it

Assuming it isn't then it would depend on whether I could put a cap on the bill. If I could then I would probably let the contract continue but if I couldn't then I terminate the contract - tbh I don't think you could afford to run the risk of the son ringing up huge bills.

Whether I blocked the phone would depend on how I felt at the time

DUTR

Cornwallsamsam wrote: »

Advise required plz. I hv a 24 month mobile phone contract in my name +paid by direct debit from my bank ac. The phone was a gift to my now ex's son. He is refusing to buy the contact out. Where do I stand?

Your agreement is with the airtime provider, if it is not paid up, it is you that will have the harmed credit record and any debt accrued.
At best someone will take over the contract but they themself have to pass a credit check.
If you terminate early then you may get a discount of the remaining period of airtime agreement.

Ash_McCloud

Better off posting your thread here


http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=14

When you say he's 'refusing to buy the contract out,' do you mean he's refusing to pay the rest of the payments in a lump sum now? If so, could you just arrange to transfer the contract into his name?

If not then ring and get the phone cut off. Ask for the contract to be transferred to a new number and use it yourself or just pay it off monthly till it runs down. An expensive lesson!