Row.co.uk Blog

Contracts can last up to 36 months and it can be difficult to escape, especially if dealing with companies with large legal departments. A phone contract is a legally binding agreement for a stated period outlined in the contract, so of course changing network provider isn't going to be too easy.   

There must be a valid reason why you want to change. Just wanting a new phone, for example, is not a good enough reason. It's likely that you want to leave because you just can't afford it anymore and have found a more suitable plan for your budget, or perhaps you are just unhappy with the service your current network is providing. The best thing you can do here, is put your 'negotiation hat' on.   

If you contact your network provider and have clearly researched what else is available to you, at cheaper rates, they will desperately want to keep you. You might be able to negotiate a cheaper deal without leaving at all.   

Conditions where you will pass easily through the complaints procedure include: 

• When your bill turns out to be a lot more than you signed up for, i.e. the contract has been miss-sold to you.

• When your signal turns out to be a lot worse than you were told it would be in your area for a specific network.   

If you phone up to get out of a contract, we suggest that you have done your research, know what else is available to you and what your budget is. Certain websites, for example MoneySupermarket, are great for quickly benchmarking prices and can be used to research the cheapest tariffs and packages. If you’ve done your research, you’ll feel more confident calling up your network provider and informing them you’re unhappy with your existing tariff.