canceling ds's mobile phone contract

[MintVelvet1937]

basically, what is the best way to do this? Its a two year contract started in october. Can I cancel it? we can return the handset, assuming i can get it off him, but I doubt if we still have all the bits that came with it. any ideas welcome

You will have to pay til your two years are up, unfortunately.

The whole point of contracts is that you commit yourself to two years, so even if you return the phone (or it gets lost, damaged or stolen) they can still charge you the monthly amount for the rest of the contract period.

Why do you want to cancel? Would you or anyone else in the family be able to use the contract instead of him?

You'll have to pay the 48 months line rental.

You you have to buy yourself out of the contract.

Why do you want to cancel it?

you you?

24 months, surely? Minus however many full months you've had so far. Sometimes they give you aslight discount if you buy yourself out with a one-off payment, but not more than 5 or 10%, I think.

arrghh..
its because of his behaviour. He has damaged his brothers kindle by throwing it. chucked his sisters phone out the window. constantly beating up his younger brother, and when I tell him he cant, he is rude and aggressive back at me. His point is that he can, so therefore will. My point is that just because he is physically stronger, doesn't meant that he can. Its all getting a bit out of control really. His thoughts are becoming delusionally megalomaniacal. and the only consequence that I can think of that will work for him, is to remove his phone.
He also has gcse's coming up, and if he doesnt have his phone, then the exams can only benefit.

Would it be more effective (and a big motivator) to simply confiscate the phone and let him 'earn it back' if he changes his attitude/behaviour, and does well on his GCSE's (or at least, works hard preparing)?

Remove it, keep it safe but don't cancel it - say he'll get it back if his behaviour improves in certain specific ways over an extended period?

The Only option as I see it for you, is to get the phone/ sim back and use it yourself ( port yor number) .

If he won't return it to you consider reporting it stolen , then you can get a new sim and his will not work.

yes it would be better. IF we can enforce it.

X-post with earlybird. Cancelling just costs you money and gives no incentive for improvrment.

How can you report it stolen your son has it?!!!

Can you not confiscate it and leave it at work or similar.... ? Much easier to stick to your guns if its not easy to find / give back....

not sure what you mean - if you can enforce it?

Don't hide the phone in your house, because he might turn everything upside down looking for it. Give it to a friend/relative for safekeeping, and reclaim when your ds has earned it back.

You can either cancel the contract and pay it off (the cost of the monthly payment x months left) - if you have a decent smartphone you could sell it on eBay to offset the cost

Or as others have said change the number and use it yourself

yes. the reporting it stolen thing is the only real option I can think off. Except, that I'm concerned about the new technology. What if they can see that it is still in use in the same area that it always was using technologically geeky things? then I would be committing fraud? Its a fancy enough phone that I bought geek squad for it and would be able to get a replacement with a fifty pound excess

I'd just get him a basic £10 cheapy phone with a PAYG sim for safety purposes

i dont want to do anything illegal

If you are concerned about your ds's behaviour, imo you must set a good example.

Reporting a phone stolen (when it is not) is dishonest and unethical.

mint if the phone is lost or stolen you still pay for the contract

It's fraud to report it stolen.

Why couldn't you enforce it?

A basic parenting principle with teenagers should be earning privileges. These days we tend to think that teenagers have the right to have stuff - iPads, laptops, wifi access, phone contracts etc etc...then try to remove them if they misbehave. That is the wrong way round! They should earn privileges for good behaviour. It's not a right to have an expensive phone paid for by mum and dad. If you can't enforce that then you need to take a very hard look at your parenting.

thank you for that enlightening post eriknorseman. Have you noticed that this thread is NOT on a parenting topic, and I am not asking for advice about my parenting techniques?

I have received some very good advice on here. Thank you mumsnetters.

Just to clarify, I have no intention of committing any sort of fraud. It goes against the grain of what and who I am.

Trying to be helpful