Guest antipope Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Hi, just wondered if anyone has managed to cancel their uk mobile contract without having to pay the full outstanding contract? If so how did you manage it? I've had a quick check around the net and the general consensus is that you just have to pay it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyman Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 i never knew you had to cancel them , oh well too late now for me .........:wideeyed: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Attwell99 Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Hi, just wondered if anyone has managed to cancel their uk mobile contract without having to pay the full outstanding contract? If so how did you manage it? I've had a quick check around the net and the general consensus is that you just have to pay it up. Hi, Try calling them up and stating that it is your work taking you away from the UK and see where that goes. I did this and got out of it with O2 and also BT with my phone and internet. Nothing to lose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 They might if its only a couple of months but if you have a fair chunk left I doubt it. I've only ever heard of people having to pay up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claretjon Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 If you close your bank account when you leave the UK, they would have nowhere to take the monthly rental / bill from. Job done? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lebourvellec Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 One of my friends was moving to teach abroad, she was with Orange, she called them and managed to reduce the contract down to less than £10 a month for the rest of her contract. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peach Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 If you close your bank account when you leave the UK, they would have nowhere to take the monthly rental / bill from. Job done?[/QUOTe] Sorry but that is such a dumb answer. If you do as you suggest, the telephone company will go down the route of registering a default against your credit file and adding the costs of CCJs, solicitors etc to the total. You then have that to deal with if you came back to the UK..:wubclub: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Different situation but my friend bought her husband out of the contract which cost slightly less. I think it was £120 for a year and the monthly bill would have been about £240 over the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rudi Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 If you close your bank account when you leave the UK, they would have nowhere to take the monthly rental / bill from. Job done? Not a clever or helpful solution. It puts the person defaulting on their contract into debt and they could end up in all sorts of hot water, should they ever return to the uk.... and believe me, SO many who are "never going back to the UK" end up returning. :mad: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lebourvellec Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Sorry but that is such a dumb answer. If you do as you suggest, the telephone company will go down the route of registering a default against your credit file and adding the costs of CCJs, solicitors etc to the total. You then have that to deal with if you came back to the UK..:wubclub: CCJ cannot be issued against you if you are a non-uk resident, if they are issued under an old address you can get them set aside by the court. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rudi Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 CCJ cannot be issued against you if you are a non-uk resident, if they are issued under an old address you can get them set aside by the court. I believe that the CCJ can be issued against someone who is not resident in the UK, but it is only enforceable in the UK....... Hence the suggestion that if people return to the UK, that they can get into problems. I don't think the OP has ever suggested defaulting on the contract, that was someone else's suggestion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aappy Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Hey! I'm a debt counsellor and I would strongly recommend that you don't just up sticks and move as the debt will get bigger, a default issued and a CCJ will most likely be issued after this. It doesn't matter if you move countries you are still liable for the debt, British citizen or not. The company can chase you overseas and some companies have done this in the past in my experience. The best thing to do which most of the helpful guys on here have advised is to call the mobile company up, explain the situation and see if they can reduce the contract down to the minimum (some can do 10-20 pound per month deals) OR some companies will let you pay the remainder of the contract off in one lump sum and close the account. You could also say even though you are moving overseas you won't be able to afford the regular payments and they may put you on a reduced payment plan - this may take longer to pay off how and they will want regular updates from you so I would try and reduce your monthly plan tariff first. I hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steen1976 Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 CCJ cannot be issued against you if you are a non-uk resident, if they are issued under an old address you can get them set aside by the court. While it's true a ccj can't be issued against a non uk resident that won't stop the defaults etc. It's really not a good idea to do it over something like a mobile bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steen1976 Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Hey! I'm a debt counsellor and I would strongly recommend that you don't just up sticks and move as the debt will get bigger, a default issued and a CCJ will most likely be issued after this. It doesn't matter if you move countries you are still liable for the debt, British citizen or not. The company can chase you overseas and some companies have done this in the past in my experience. The best thing to do which most of the helpful guys on here have advised is to call the mobile company up, explain the situation and see if they can reduce the contract down to the minimum (some can do 10-20 pound per month deals) OR some companies will let you pay the remainder of the contract off in one lump sum and close the account. You could also say even though you are moving overseas you won't be able to afford the regular payments and they may put you on a reduced payment plan - this may take longer to pay off how and they will want regular updates from you so I would try and reduce your monthly plan tariff first. I hope this helps They could chase you to the moon if they wanted. However they would need a legal court judgement in australia to enforce it. I've not come across that happening?? Though I've heard of people being chased here. Not that the op ever suggested it mind! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aappy Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Yeah some companies can sell the debt to an overseas debt collectors, I've spoken to a lot of expats that have moved to Oz and you'd be surprised the lengths some companies go to get their money! ridiculous! Of course, the OP hasn't suggested this and has just asked for advice on cancelling a contract, my post was just to advise not to dissapear, it's hard work sorting out calls/emails from annoying companies from the other side of the world! And it's even more annoying how hard it is to cancel things when you are moving - just adds to the stress haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steen1976 Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Yeah some companies can sell the debt to an overseas debt collectors, I've spoken to a lot of expats that have moved to Oz and you'd be surprised the lengths some companies go to get their money! ridiculous! Of course, the OP hasn't suggested this and has just asked for advice on cancelling a contract, my post was just to advise not to dissapear, it's hard work sorting out calls/emails from annoying companies from the other side of the world! And it's even more annoying how hard it is to cancel things when you are moving - just adds to the stress haha I know only too well after the bother I had with the useless gits at Orange! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aappy Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 I know only too well after the bother I had with the useless gits at Orange! Yep I am exactly the same - Sky and Vodafone, which is still being a problem now and I left the UK nearly a year ago!! Nightmare!! haha :biglaugh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JK2510 Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 I notified sky about my intentions of cancelling my package due to emigrating. They were most unhelpful and as the contract was in my exes name they wouldn't cancel it even though I had been paying the bill for the last 7 years. I told sky that I won't be paying the bill and I will cancel my direct debit. He did tell me I will continue to be billed. My reply was well I won't! Hey presto the following month service was cancelled!! I also know of people in the UK living in the same town as me and not paying there tax bill. They cant seem to find where they are living and the people don't hide the fact they have moved. This is just an experience not my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockDr Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 If you've got a phone under contract, you'll probably have to at the very minimum pay off the bit that pays for the phone. The rest of the contract, explain the situation, and that if you were moving within the UK, obviously you'd keep the contract, but that you're moving abroad, so they can't provide you with the service you're paying for. Always ask to speak to the manager rather than the minion, you're more likely to get a positive outcome that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lebourvellec Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I believe that the CCJ can be issued against someone who is not resident in the UK, but it is only enforceable in the UK....... Hence the suggestion that if people return to the UK, that they can get into problems. I don't think the OP has ever suggested defaulting on the contract, that was someone else's suggestion. I never sugessted that the OP do this, (please read my previous post regarding this subject) I replied to post regarding CCJ's, stating that if you can prove that when the CCJ was issued you were living overseas this can not be inforced and can set aside by the court, which apparently costs £75. Doesnt mean that you dont owe the debt any more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rudi Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I never sugessted that the OP do this, (please read my previous post regarding this subject) I replied to post regarding CCJ's, stating that if you can prove that when the CCJ was issued you were living overseas this can not be inforced and can set aside by the court, which apparently costs £75. Doesnt mean that you dont owe the debt any more. No - it wasn't you that suggested this - it was the person who was suggesting closing the bank account who this was aimed at. Love Rudi x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RN2RAAF Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 Some really useful stuff here. Thanks everyone. I was considering upgrading knowing that I wouldn't be in the UK for the length of the contract and trying to cancel but keeping the phone and getting it unlocked ready for use in Australia. I can see how this may or may not work. I'm due an upgrade soon so think I might just buy a new phone sim free and just go PAYG when my contract expires until I leave the UK. An expensive way of doing it but buying myself out a 2 year contract with 18 months left to go at £37 per month will cost £666. I can get the latest Galaxy S4 sim free NOW for £418! Bargain! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northshorepom Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 Write to them pretending to be your dad/mum/partner and say you're dead. Shame them into cancelling the contract Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RN2RAAF Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 Write to them pretending to be your dad/mum/partner and say you're dead. Shame them into cancelling the contract Experience has proved that they'll want a copy of a death certificate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinaisrar Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 Write to them pretending to be your dad/mum/partner and say you're dead. Shame them into cancelling the contract hahahahhaha oh myyyy....thats a bit extreme! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.