Mobile phone contracts

[Comefromaway]

Mil took out 2 linked mobile phone contracts in her name, one for her and one for fil.

She went into a care home 3 years ago. She had completely lost capacity and fil could not cope. We had to take her phone off her as she was phoning random people in the middle of the night such as ex work colleagues because she thought she still worked there.

Fil has been unable to make any changes to "his" phone contract. He has LPOA but they apparently won't speak to him. His issue is he is paying a fortune but never has enough data.

He is a bit hopeless in these matters and unfortunately "overlooked" a letter about renewal so he (or rather mil) is now tied into another year at least. He would like to keep his number so ideally wants a PAC code to get a new provider but is open to getting a new number.

Can we force them to release him from the contract on the basis that mil hasn't had capacity for over 3 years and has actually got much, much worse recently.

Are you able to do anything in an online account for them? I managed to reduce DF down to SIM only for 12 months online which is halfway through and DF rarely checks or uses his phone in nursing home only calls family to slag me off so far but has all his photos and videos on his phone so I’m minded to try to let him keep it for that.

In your DM’s case I would be tempted to shout vulnerable customer and threaten to take it to the money press @Comefromaway - it is criminal they won’t consider the individual circumstances here and they continue to profit from vulnerability.

Good luck.

OP, can you have one last go helping your dad get the LPA registered with them and then changing the contract. If that doesn’t work, then I think I’d be complaining on social media or to the consumer champion of a national newspaper.

For other people reading this - there are other options besides contracts. PAYG obviously. But I have a monthly contract with giffgaff, £6 a month for all calls and texts and 2Gb data, and I think the other “piggyback” companies do similar. So I can cancel at any time without an extra charge, and the most I’d lose is 1 months worth, ie £6.