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Cash back
deals - How do they work?
With free line
rental deals, customers pay line rental to the network
and that line rental is refunded by the company who supplied
the phone. To claim a refund, customers must send off
their monthly bills as set out in the cash back Terms
& Conditions. Most deals require between 3 and 6 individual
claims. If you are
happy to claim your cash back in stages and you want the
cheapest deal then be smart, keep everything organised
and follow our guide below, which will help you claim
all of your cash back.
1. Read
and understand the cash back Terms and Conditions
You'll be presented with the exact terms and conditions
when you buy online. They explain what you need to do
in order to claim your cash back. Read them carefully
and then read them again. Make sure you fully understand
everything. If you buy online then print or save a copy
of the T&Cs you are presented with at the online checkout.
The T&Cs are very important.
2. Keep
a file or a folder in which you can safely store all your
paperwork
You'll need a copy of the Terms and Conditions, all documentation
supplied with your phone and a copy of each monthly bill.
If your cash back is worth £360 then treat your
documents as if it were £360 cash. That is what
they are worth so keep them somewhere safe.
3. Check
your delivery documents
Are you on the right tariff and deal? Do your documents
match the deal you ordered online? Refer to your Terms
and Conditions and if you have to send off a despatch
note or a voucher with your claims then have you received
them? It's important to make sure you have everything
you need right now. If you're not happy then you have
7 working days in which to return the phone and cancel
your contract.
4. Are you
porting your number?
Check the terms and conditions to see if this will affect
your claim. It can sometimes cause problems as the number
on your bill won't match the number issued with your original
order. You will need to keep proof that your number has
been ported. One way to do this is to wait until your
first bill arrives from the network before you arrange
the number port. This will show the temporary number issued
with your new phone. After you have ported, subsequent
bills will show your ported number associated with the
same account. Whenever your send off a claim include a
brief letter explaining that you have ported your number
and also enclose a photocopy of your FIRST bill, which
will show the original number issued with the phone.
5. Know
where to send your cash back claims
Your phone might not be delivered by the same company
you ordered from and the address for cash back claims
may also be different. Refer to your terms and conditions
and make sure you know where you'll be sending your claims.
Write out the envelopes now so you don't have to find
the address months later.
6. Know
when to send your claims
You'll need to know exactly which bills to send off. It's
best to work this out once you've received your first
bill from the network as you'll then know your billing
date. If the retailer is asking for bills 4, 8 and 12
then you can number each bill as it arrives. If you receive
your first bill on 10th March then that is bill number
1 and you can expect to receive your fourth bill on about
the 10th July. Again, read the wording of your terms and
conditions very carefully as some companies ask for the
bill dated month 4, which might not necessarily be your
fourth bill received. For example, if your phone is connected
in March then March will be classed as month one, your
first bill might arrive in April and so your bill dated
month 4, June, will actually be your third bill received.
When you're sure which bills you're going to need you
should write out a schedule and keep this with your paperwork.
You could also add the dates to your diary and to the
calendar on your phone.
7. Send
your claims by Royal Mail Special Delivery
It would be too easy for a not-too-honest retailer to
say they never received your claim, If you sent it by
first or second class then it could genuinely be lost
in the post. Send it by Special Delivery and you'll have
proof of delivery and receipt. If you also add consequential
loss insurance and your claim is lost in the post then
Royal Mail will compensate you.
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