Get the latest smartphone model at a rock bottom price with a refurbished phone contract.
At refused.org.uk we compare the monthly contracts offered with free refurbished mobile phones for sale from all of the major mobile networks, and phone retailers in the UK and present the best deals on a daily basis from thousands of deals on the market.
By taking a contact with a refurb phone you are getting the benefit of obtaining one of the latest phones such as the iPhone 5C, iPhone 5S, iPhone 6, Samsung Galaxy S5, HTC One M8 and a range of others for free, whilst also getting a great deal on free minutes, texts and data allowance.
The best part of the deal is that refurbished mobiles look and operate like they are brand new phones. The vast majority of retailers state that their refurbished phones come from the phones that are sent back by customers within their purchase cooling off period or 14 day money back guarantee! Technically the phones are barely second hand, but the retailers cannot sell these phones as new, so even though they look and feel brand new they must be classed as refurb models.
The savings you can make from buying a refurbished phone on contract are huge. It is common to see contract savings of £15 or more per month on the same tariff when comparing it with a brand new free phone and a refurbished free phone as part of the deal.
A word of warning, these deals tend to sell out quickly because there is often limited stock so if you see a good deal you should consider ordering immediately as it will probably sell out within hours. We update our deals every day so if you don't see the phone you would like to buy or it has sold out, view this page again tomorrow for the latest cheap refurbished phone deals.
FAQ's
What is a refurbished phone?
A refurbished phone is a mobile phone that has previously been owned by another person but has been returned to the mobile phone manufacturer, network or phone shop. There can be a variety of reasons why the phone might have been returned, often is is because the previous owner has decided to upgrade to a later model. Occasionally a handset might develop a fault and after the manufacturer has fixed and rigorously tested the phone they might offer it as a refurbished (or sometimes called reconditioned phone).
Increasingly we see refurbished mobile phones offered that have barely (if at all) been used by the previous owner. The reason for this is that phone contract owners are often offered a phone upgrade as part of a contract and if the person does not like the new phone for whatever reason and even if the phone has barely been used it is technically classed as second hand and it can't be sold as new. These phones are then sold on as a refurbished model.
What sort of handset condition should I expect from a refurbished phone?
You should expect to receive a refurbished phone that looks identical to a brand new model. If it is not explicitly mentioned on the sales page that there are minor imperfections or anything that would be considered as different to a brand new model then you should expect to receive a handset that is comparable to a brand new model.
Are refurbished phones tested?
All refurb phones are tested rigorously by the retailer, this will involve numerous tests involving call quality, features, battery, charging, etc. Furthermore, if there was any previous use on the phone by another person, all user preferences, activity and settings will be wiped completely so you will be receiving a phone that has the factory settings applied ready for you to customise to your preferences.
So a refurbished phone will be no different to a new phone?
Unless it is mentioned that there are scuffs or marks on the phone when you buy it, you will get a handset in top notch condition that should look the same as a new model. It may be the case that the original packaging isn't the same and that it could come in a generic form of packaging, but you should still get everything that you would need to get you started such as the SIM card to start your contract, mobile phone battery, phone charger and manual.
Will I get a guarantee on my refurbished mobile?
The guarantee will vary depending on manufacturer, or the retailer you have purchased the phone from but we have yet to see a refurbished phone that has been offered without a guarantee. Six months to 12 months guarantee is common (12 months is the standard guarantee offered on brand new phones). Remember, that if you are buying one of the latest smartphones that you might want to add to the guaranteed by taking out mobile phone insurance for extra piece of mind.
What phones are available as refurbished models?
Most of the popular smartphones on the market are available as refurbished handsets. Particularly the phones from Apple such as the iPhone 4, iPhone 5, iPhone 5C, iPhone 5S and popular models from Samsung like the Samsung Galaxy S4, Samsung Galaxy S5 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 3.
It is possible to get the very latest mobile phones such as the iPhone 6 and Samsung Galaxy Note 4 in limited quantities because these will only be available as unwanted phone upgrades rather than as trade-ins at the end of a person's phone contract. So although there will be fewer of the latest models on the market, it is likely that they will have been barely used by the previous owner so they will be very new.
Refurbished handsets are offered on a first come first served basis so the deals will change fairly frequently so it would pay to visit this page often to see whether the phone model you would like it available.
My chosen phone is not listed as currently available as a refurbished model.
We update our refurbished phone deals on a daily basis and select the best value handful of deals from the thousands of contracts on the market. If you do not see the type of phone that you would like, come back in 24 hours to see whether stock has become available.
How much can I save on a refurbished phone contract?
The savings that can be made on a mobile phone contract by taking a refurbished phone can be enormous. Bear in mind that you will be getting a phone for free and the refurb phone will be pristine, it is typical to see £10 to £15 savings per month on a contract when compared to the equivalent contract offering a brand new phone!
The retailers want to sell the refurbished stock as soon as possible so you can see incredible one-off contract deals if you check regularly.
Can you get a SIM free refurbished phone?
All of the deals shown on refused.org.uk are for refurbished phone contracts. This means you will get a mobile phone as well as a contract tariff. We believe these type of deals represent the best value for people that want the latest smartphone but do not have the money to pay a large outlay to buy the phone outright.
A SIM free refurbished phone would cost around £400 for an iPhone 5c, but you could get this phone free of charge on a monthly contract as low as £16.50 per month (which would also include free call minutes, unlimited texts and 500MB free Internet usage according to the best iPhone 5c refurbished phone deal at the time of writing). If the SIM free mobile phone was brand new the price for the phone would go up substantially. For example a refurb iPhone 5c that cost £400 would cost around £600 brand new on its own.
Specific guidelines on refurbished phones from respective manufacturers, networks, or retailers.
O2 refurbished phones
When buying a refurbished phone from O2 you can expect the following:
- The phone has been returned to O2 within 14 days.
- It has been restored to its original condition and it has been tested thoroughly so it is like it's brand new.
- Get the same returns policy with a refurb phone as with a brand new phone.
Three refreshed phones
Three offer refurbished phones under the name "refreshed phones" so if you see a deal at Three that is "refreshed" it will be for a refurbished phone and you should expect the following:
- Three refreshed phones are handsets that have been returned as part of their Returns Policy.
- The phones have been fully checked and refurbished by Three.
- Refreshed phones are offered with a full guarantee from Three.
mobiles.co.uk refurbished phones
If you get a refurbished phone contract from mobiles.co.uk they state the following about the deals:
- Refurbished phones offered by mobiles.co.uk are phones that have been returned by customers unused.
- The phones have been fully tested and inspected by mobiles.co.uk.
- A full guarantee is offered.
e2save refurbished phones
Details about refurbished phone contract deals offered by e2save are:
- Refurb contract phones are phones that have been returned by customers under the 14 day money back guarantee.
- All phones are carefully inspected and tested by qualified engineers at e2save.
- A full 12 month guarantee if offered.
- A refurbished phone will come in a different box to the original packaging but it will include the handset, battery and charger (manuals can be downloaded from the manufacturer's website). There may be slight cosmetic damage to the phone or box, but this will not affect phone performance in any way.