Signed up for a cashback deal and not receiving what you were promised? Read our guide below for some tips.

· Re-read through your terms and conditions; have you sent off all the relevant paperwork? Have you missed a deadline for claiming the cashback? These are common reasons why people don’t receive their cashback. If you haven’t sent off all the correct paperwork and are still within the deadline, send off any missing pieces ASAP and you could still be entitled to it. Unfortunately, if you have missed the deadline you are unlikely to receive any cashback from that period.

· Make sure to send all cashback claims special delivery and check the address is correct before sending.

· If you have sent off all the paperwork and have still not received your money; contact Ofcom as they deal with hundreds of these cases, they will tell you if there is anything they can do to help.

· If you still haven’t received your cashback, contact your local Trading Standards, they can provide advice and guidance for those trying to claim cashback and others who may wish to cancel their mobile contracts after non-payment of cashback. They can also supply templates for letters to send to the retailer or your network.

· You may wish to contact Citizens Advice or a Solicitor if you have still not received any money, and pursue them through the small claims court.

· Why not warn others to unscrupulous dealers on our ‘Hall of Shame’.

If you have not received any cashback and want to be released from your contract:

· The cashback deal is with the retailer and not the network, therefore the network will not pay you the cashback and may not terminate your contract free of charge.

· Write to your network and explain the situation. There is a chance that the network was an inducement to enter into this contract as they were working with the retailer.

· If they still decline, send a letter to them and ask them to explain in writing the reasons why they will not release you. You can then address any points that you don’t agree with.

· If all else fails, you can negotiate with the network to downgrade to a cheaper tariff for the remainder of your minimum contract period.

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Rob Barnes
Head of Broadband & Mobile
moneysupermarket.com

Dear Rob

Thank you for your advice on cashback claims. I have used several different mobile companies in the past couple years on cashback and have not had any problem with them. Recently I signed up with Mobile Affialites for a cashback contract and duly sent the necessary documents and claim form in Aug. The company Mobile Affialites Claim back department send me several emails in Aug and Sept confirming receipt of my claim form and documents; confirming documents are in order and cheque is being processed; and finally another email 26 Sep from the issuing department that my claims have been received and in order and the cheque will be despatched within 10 days. I have since check with them for the cheque and have received a reply today- a letter from them claiming that my forms / documents were incomplete and hence the cashback claim is not invalid. I have since sent them an email reminding them of their confirmation and demanding for my money. I would appreciate if you could advise what is the next step I need to do. I have followed their instructions to the letter and everything is in order and now they refuse to pay. As I am totally disgusted with their service, I would not only want to get my money back but also cancel the reminding contract with them. How can I go about doing that?

My wife has also taken another cashback contract with another company - BuyMobilePhones.net and is due to send her first cashback claim this month. Do you have any feedback on the reliability of this company?? 

 

hey, i see the different issues you are raising regarding how to claim cash back but there are some difficulties when you've been offered the contracts over the phone, and the only thing i got in writing were 4 seperate sheets for each of the phones explaining breifly what i would need to do to fulfill my side of the bargain, which i stuck to. i kept copies of the statements i posted to fonezone though i did not send them via recorded delivery. my recent statments returned saying the adressee had gone away. i was unable to find anything else in my contract that revealed names of specific persons and as such i really dont feel i am able to waste anymore time with this contract. all orange have done is allow me to downgrade from the £40 p/month tariff down to £25 p/month for my remaining 6 months with them! i dont see how i could recover the cashback given the lack of info and a very vague contract i have! but thanks for trying to help..... i wont be duped into taking out another contract ever again, so this has taught me a harsh lesson in dealing with con artists!!!!!