Get out of your 3 contract early now

Well, after listening to Nate mention that you could now free yourself from a 3 contract early as they recently changed their terms and conditions regarding roaming, I thought I would give it a try. It wasn't the easiest experience, you get through to someone who will try to convince you to stay, offer incentives etc but I just kept stating I wanted to end the contract. This is the painful bit, make sure your phone has plenty of charge in the battery (or you're near a charger) as they then put you through to the disconnection team, this involved being on hold for over 25 minutes! Once through I had to tell the next person all my details and what I wanted to do again and this person is a little more aggressive in trying to get you to stay, involving me in the end just saying over and over again "OK, now can we terminate the contract" until I wore them down. The T&C's involved are the roaming plan 3 at home which is being discontinued so the person tried the tactic that I have never roamed with my handset (that is true) but I just answered with "no, but I am later this year" to which she wanted to know which country I was going, my answer to that was mind your own business.

It is not the easiest thing to do and it will be the same for you if you are on 3 and want to try it (I had 2 handsets, 1 for me and 1 for my partner and the process was exactly the same for both) BUT I am now free of both contracts, one of which was only 3 months old and came with a free Wii. My advice is be repaired to be very firm with them and state why are you are leaving (they have changed their terms and conditions on roaming) but don't shout or get nasty as they will terminate the call and you will have to start all over again. Make sure your contract has been going since before April 29th (this is when they announced the change - she told me this so I'm passing this to you all). For the 3 month old contract she told me I may have to return the handset to them, but after putting me on hold for a further 5 mins, came back and said no, you can keep the phone.

I thought I would just write this up in case there are others out there who wanted to get out of a 3 contract early. For the record, I'm not going abroad this year and wont be roaming ;-)

When I left Vodafone my 12 month contract had expired but I still had to phone them up anyway after being on the phone for a good while being offered all the incentives to stay and giving me the details the man told me the contract was finished but just to make sure I asked him if I had to do anything else and he said no. To make a long story short 2 months later I realised I was still being charged and phoned up to complain but they said I had never asked to be released from the contract and said I had to write a letter to them saying I wanted to leave which eventually worked and I got out of the contract but they kept the three months extra line rental and I'm never going back to Vodafone again.

I wish they would make it as easy to quit as it is to sign up.

Bottom like is don't get a contract with Vodafone

Ugh, too late, I wanted the HTC bad. If I end with vodafone, I will do what I have done with 3, cancel the Direct Debits at the bank too.

Thanks for the heads up though, I think they are all as bad tbh

Anyone know if T-Mobile's T&C have changed enough for me to worm out of my contract with them?

I've been looking for ways to get out of my contract early, this sounds good. Before I try it would be nice if I had a little more information.

When/how did they inform us of the changing terms and conditions? If it was a letter, what date was it recieved? What exact policy did they change?

Can I just have an idea of what to say when asked please.

Thanks for your help

Right. 3 is scrapping 3@home which is to do with roaming and this is a major change of their t&c's. Announcement was end of April so any contract before then can be released. When u ring them, they will push that you haven't used roaming (unless u have) but I just told them I was travelling across Europe in July (old service ends at the end of June) . They will ask where u will travelling, I just told them it was none their business.

They will put up a Fight but just stand firm and you will get out.

Thanks for the quick reply. Could you re-direct me to the podcast where you got this information?

I call them and get put through to the cancellation department. I then explain they changed my t&c regarding 3@Home and demand to be released from my contract free of charge? Is that simply it?

Do you know which date they changed my terms and conditions?

Right, announcement was April 29th think and actually kicks in at the end of June. I told them that I was going across Europe in July. They then wanted to know which country I was going to and as I don't even know which countries 3@home is in, I just said "none of you business". they tried then to offer me £10 goodwill gesture for staying with them and kept going on about where I would be travelling and that I hadn't roamed with this contract.

I cannot state this enough, just stand firm, it got the point where they would say something and I would just say "right, can you end this contract now" over and over again BUT I am now free of 2 contracts with them, 1 of which was only taken out at the end of Feb and came with a free Wii.

Guys I am on the phone with 3 as we speak and the cancellation department is saying that there is an early termination fee if I cancel because of these changes.
They also said that because I have never used 3@home before I cannot cancel free of charge.

Does anyone know the correct legal standpoint on this as i need help?

I've done the whole thing, they offered me £10 to stay but I refused.
They then said they need my authorisation to give me an early termination fee of £295.31

I've argued with them over the phone and they're basically saying the only way I can get my hands on my PAC codes is by 3 issuing an early termination fee on my account.

Any help appreciated.

They are talking crap mate, unless you took the contract out AFTER 29th April.

Tell them they legally have to release you from the contract with NO fee as they have made a major change to their T&C's, no argument. As I posted before, they will really try it on to try and keep you but tell them you have seeked advice and they HAVE to release you.

I had never used 3@home either and they brought this up with me and I just told them that I was going to roam in July (because 3@home ends 30th June), they then wanted to know which country I was going to and I told them it was none of their business and I wanted them to end the contract. I was passed to another person (was on hold for 40 mins) but I just stood fast.

You HAVE to be firm with them and tell them that legally they HAVE to release you over this if that is what you want. If you don't get any joy, ask for a supervisor or something and threaten to report them to Offtel (or Ofcom, whatever it's called).

As I put before, I got out of 1 contract that still had till Jan 10 to run (and kept my N95-8GB to sell on Fleabay) and the contract I took out for my partner end of Feb this year which came with a free Wii. For the 2nd contract, they told me because the Contract was only 3 months old, I may have to return the phone, my reply was "fine, but you better send a point to point courier because I'm not paying to send it back", they even backed down on that. Both times I was offered Pak code too.

I took the contract out last October 2008. They stood firm and said point blank that they will not release me from my contract without charging me almost £300 per handset. I argued with the woman for 20 mins before demanding that I be put through to someone else.

She refused to put me through to someone else as 'they would say the same thing'.

That's how they ended it, I couldn't take my PAC code unless I authorised their termination fee
I went through the whole 'I'm reporting you to ofcom and consumer direct and they're breaking the law' but she refused point blank.

Not sure what to do.
Am currently writing a letter to Consumer Direct.

I am wondering if quite a few people have now done this and they are getting worried. As the law is on your side, you could put it in writing to them and just stop the direct debits (as they couldn't take you to court as they are the ones in the wrong) but you wont get your codes to keep the number.

Do you actually know if its a legal right mate or if it's just if they allow it?

It's in your contract so it is in fact a legal right

Put it this way, the T&C's have had a major change since you signed the contract which makes the contract null and void.

You have the legal right to cancel, maybe phone them again and try the same thing with a different person tell them that if they don't let you go and give you the code you will take them to a small claims court (only costs £30 and you will win) and will cancel the direct debit.
Let us know what they say.

I've just spent the best part of 2 hours on the phone to 3. I had a similar ordeal to redmozzy, the customer advisor refused to acknowledge I qualified for the release clause. I felt like I was going round in circles, it was really frustrating. Eventually when she asked me where I was traveling I answered, I told her I was going on a European tour, starting in France, then into Italy, then onto any number of countries. I'd recommend that if anyone is thinking about calling themselves. That seemed to move forward discussions, so eventually after 2 hours of going round in circles I finally got my PAC code :D

Just a little bit of information, if I use the PAC code within 30 days my contract will be officially terminated and I will not be billed again. Correct?

Well done for getting out of it, I said it was hard work ;-)

Anyway, your contract ends in 30 days time regardless because you have given 30 days notice. Just make sure you cancel your direct debits.

Yeah, thanks for all your help. I never thought such a big company could have so bad customer service. Out-right lies for the large duration of the call!