The last few weeks have seen quite a lot of bad publicity for many of the new mobile phone recycling companies over the last month or so. It seems lots of customers have attempted to cash in their mobile, however, as the money landed into their bank or the cheque arrived they found they have been paid the non-working rate and not the premium working rate. This is something that you need to avoid in order to maximize the cash in value of your mobile phone the following few paragraphs will aid you in doing this:
Don't attempt to pass off your damaged mobile as working
The recycling companies that you sell your old mobiles to will test your phone, a damaged screen or a phone that wont turn on is easy to spot and only takes a few seconds, however, underlying issues are much less obvious. Some people have heard stories where people get paid the premium working rate even though they have sent in a mobile that has a broken mic or speaker, however, stories such as this are the exception not the rule. Testing these faculties is becoming more and more efficient, quick and automated. Even if your handset has a discrete breakage then it will most likely be noticed. If your handset is not working you are better off letting the recycling company buying it know in advance to ensure the transaction is processed quickly and effectively. Minor software/hardware faults can sometimes slip through the net but if you choose to go down this road then you will need to be prepared for the consequences and you could well find yourself having to pay to have the handset returned to you if you cannot come to some agreement.
Wear and tear is expected
When you are offered a price it has wear and tear factored into it and the handset is expect to have been put through substantial use. Many people use their handset for years, some people are heavy users whereas others only use their phones in emergencies. Worn out keys, chips, scratches and small dents are all acceptable (and really expected). The best way to decide if you can put a specific piece of damage down to wear and tear or actually classed as damaged is to ask yourself if the handset is mealy damaged cosmetically or if there is any functional damage.
The charger
Many companies ask for your charger with the phone, even if this too is broke. You'll have to double check with the company you opt to use.The recycle mobile organisation is the UKs best place to look in the UK for details of recycling broken mobiles