Mobile phone contract - is there a minimum age in UK law?

melb

Hi there is it legal for someone under the age of 18 to take out a pay monthly contract with a mobile phone company in the UK does anyone know please?

Ian011

Illegal. Consumer Credit Act.

micky2phones

melb wrote: »

Hi there is it legal for someone under the age of 18 to take out a pay monthly contract with a mobile phone company in the UK does anyone know please?

Hi, im not sure, just phone them up and ask.

I know Barclays have a mobile app for 11 to 15 year olds, so that person would need a mobile phone. Plus there are deals out there for family

ballyblack

I know Barclays have a mobile app for 11 to 15 year olds

PAYas you GO

melb

Hi thanks for the replies. It's a friend of a colleague whose son, in desperation, has done a stupid thing and signed up for a contract, 'lost' the phone and not paid any of the monthly fees apparently. He has also put an address where he was staying for a few months and the person there is now getting letters about the debt.
I know what this person has done is very wrong but was surprised that someone of 17 would be able to take out a contract when they were at college and receiving some type of benefit to do with home circumstances.

d123

melb wrote: »

Hi thanks for the replies. It's a friend of a colleague whose son, in desperation, has done a stupid thing and signed up for a contract, 'lost' the phone and not paid any of the monthly fees apparently. He has also put an address where he was staying for a few months and the person there is now getting letters about the debt.
I know what this person has done is very wrong but was surprised that someone of 17 would be able to take out a contract when they were at college and receiving some type of benefit to do with home circumstances.

The contract isn't enforceable, but depending on what details he gave could have committed fraud to get the phone if false details were given. I suspect there's a good chance of this, as the systems are set to reject any date of birth that doesn't make the person 18+.

17 is over the age of criminal responsibility so from the frying pan to the fire is a remote possibility, depending on the retailer concerned.

Jon_01

As Dave says, it's not enforceable but is most definitely fraud. None of the networks system will allow anyone under the age of 18 to pass the credit check, so he must have given a false dob.

The law might have changed, but it used to be if any payments were made after the person turned 18 the contract would be enforceable.

Frozen_up_north

There is a useful page on young persons and finance at:
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/young-people-and-money-advice/young-people-money-and-consumer-rights/

melb

Many thanks for all your replies and for not being judgmental but understanding that sometimes we make really bad decisions

Jon_01

melb wrote: »

Many thanks for all your replies and for not being judgmental but understanding that sometimes we make really bad decisions

The main point is, what are you going to do about it now?

If none of the payments were ever made it's gone to the networks fraud dept, so it won't be cleared up with just a phone call now.
Also the address used may get a visit from collection agents and the person there will have try to prove that the other person named on the acc doesn't live there. I sure on one wants that!
You need to advise them to contact the network and start to provide proof of the situation. It won't just go away.

melb

yes I am all for confronting situations like this head on - I have watched "Can't pay We'll Take it Away" too many times. I know this might sound like a case of "a friend has a problem ..." but it is actually nothing to do with me and I will give them all the information I have received on here. thanks