topic Checkmend won't send phone back help! in Apple Devices

Checkmend won't send phone back help!

Madmunch — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 16:24:12 GMT

Hi all,

Myself and my partner are both on EE (but separate contracts not linked, although we live at same address)

She is a bit of a technophobe so I deal with all the tech stuff.

She has an iPhone 16 with EE and when I was upgrading mine (I bought an iPhone 17 pro outright from Apple) I gave her my old iPhone 16 pro and said I would sell her iPhone 16 for her via Apple trade in.

Well The company have just messaged me to say that her phone has come up as having an asset watch on it and will destroy the phone unless EE remove the block. I didn't realise there was a lock on phones in less than 6 months contract (she just stuck her SIM card in the 16 pro I gave her and co0ntined her contact payments)

What can I do? I did it all in my name and Appletrade in refuse to send it back and EE I guess won't lift this lock I hadn't heard of before because of the 6 month contract thing. So they will just destroy this phone? Can EE help me get it back? Not trying to do anything dodgy, just wanted to sell the phone as when I tried on Gumtree a threatening man turned up with a fake banking app and tried to scam me so thought this would be a safe way to dispose of the phone. Have been EE customers for years and just want the phone back until the 6 months expires but I'm stuck

Re: Checkmend won't send phone back help!

XRaySpeX — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 17:14:40 GMT

That's right! EE own its handsets for the 1st 6 months of its contract & you are not allowed to sell it.

Re: Checkmend won't send phone back help!

Northerner — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 17:28:25 GMT

Hi @Madmunch

Yes you'll need to pay off the outstanding contact term.

Thanks

Re: Checkmend won't send phone back help!

Chris_B — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 19:52:58 GMT

@Madmunch Just to check is this device on a flex tariff? If it is the device isn’t under the 6 month rule as per below, If it’s not a flex tariff then the 6 month rule applies.

Line 10.1

10.1 You may get Equipment from Us directly when You take out a Price Plan, whether for free or for an upfront cost. Unless We tell You otherwise, or You get Equipment under a Finance Agreement, We will own any Equipment provided to You by Us for the first six months of the Minimum Term.

A flex tariff is a finance agreement. You are getting credit for the device and you agree to a finance agreement to have it.