Buying a secondhand phone

Replacing your mobile phone can be a very expensive process. With the latest iPhones and Android devices selling for over £1000 or £50 per month on contract this is a big outlay.

But for every new phone that is bought an older model appears on the secondhand market. If you’re happy to use a phone that’s one or two years old you can make some amazing savings while still getting an excellent phone. But there are some pitfalls you need to avoid.

For total peace of mind use an official reseller. Apple has an official refurbished shop where you can pick up older iPhone models that have been tested and guaranteed by Apple themselves. Similarly there are a number of reputable companies that refurbish other makes of phones. You’ll pay a slight premium but you know that your phone will work and be in good condition.

eBay is a viable option. Although you won’t be able to handle the phone, a good seller will offer lots of photos highlighting any issues with the device. If you use PayPal to buy the phone you will get automatic cover from your PayPal account in case the phone you receive doesn’t match the description stated by the seller. This includes the phone not working, being locked or being damaged.

A locked device is the major pitfall to watch out for when buying secondhand. When you buy a new phone you register it against either your Apple or Google account. The phone then becomes locked to that account. So make sure the device you are buying is fully unlocked and wiped clean. If it isn’t this is usually a sign that the phone has been stolen. Phones can also be locked to a mobile phone company so again make sure that this lock has been removed.

After this it’s really down to looking at the condition of the device, especially the screen, buttons, battery and charging port. If any of these are damaged you should walk away.

Unless you are the type of person who has to have the latest model, buying secondhand makes a lo of sense.

Tom Hancock

11 May Billingshurst Weald Probus Club men’s group meeting. Stanley Room, Community Centre. 10 for 10.15am12 noon. Every 2nd Thurs except Dec. Alan Galer, tel: 07956 443228 or email: alan.galer@btinternet.com

12 May Billingshurst and District Wine and Beer Circle meeting. Circle meets 2nd Friday (except August) at St Gabriel’s Hall, East Street, 8pm. New members welcome. Contact Chris 07790 762052 or Linda 07806 327917. Email: edwinstevenson51@gmail.com. www.billingshurstwineandbeercircle.com

13 May Billingshurst Horticultural Society Bargain Plant Sale. Women’s Hall, 10am-12 noon. Produce, cakes, raffle and refreshments. Free admission. Mrs S Wells, tel: (01403) 784159

13 May Billingshurst Dementia Café. United Reformed Church Hall, Second Saturday of every month, from 10am-12pm. Please join us for tea, coffee and cake. All are welcome

15 Mon Billingshurst Lions Club Meeting. Sports Pavilion, Jubilee Fields, Billingshurst. 7.30pm. For information about the Club contact Viv Diggens on (01403) 752968 or call in at the Lions Bookshop, Jengers Mead

15 May Laughter Yoga Club. Unitarian Hall (side door), Billingshurst, RH14 9QS. (Park Lakers Mead.) 11am to 12.00noon. £6. Boosts seratonine and nervous systems & improves wellbeing! Non-profit-making club. All welcome. Contact Linda, tel: 07806.327917, email: lstevenson201854@gmail.com

16 May Loxwood Jazz Club. Village Hall. With candle-lit tables and a licensed bar, it has a very intimate atmosphere with international standard jazz. Tickets £15 from Peter Winney, tel: (01403) 752377

16 May St Mary’s Guild Members’ Meeting. St Mary’s Room, East Street, Billingshurst. 10.30am. We are a friendly women’s group and we welcome visitors. Beryl Peacock (01403) 782835

17 May Parish Council Property Committee meeting. Billingshurst Centre. 7.30pm

18 May Barns Green & Itchingfield Women’s Institute Meeting. Barns Green Village Hall. 2.30pm followed by tea. New members welcome. Meetings 3rd Thurs of the month. For more information contact Annette Relph (01403) 732580

19 May The Mother’s Fire. Nature connection group for mothers and children of all ages at a beautiful, secure farm in Billingshurst. 10.30am. Runs on Friday dates from February to December, check the booking site for full list of dates and timings. Visit www.acornsandembers.co.uk for more info and to book

19 May Macmillan Film night. ‘Alleluja’. Billingshurst Conference & Community Centre. 7pm for 7.30pm start. Refreshments, raffle and Macmillan stall. Tickets £7 from www.touringcinema.com or Austens Home Hardware, 48-52 High Street or Terri Ashpool, tel: 07711 470635 or on the door

20 May Kids’ Craft – Self Portraits. Cranleigh Arts Centre. 9.30am & 10.30am. Saturday Kids’ Craft will be run by Claire and Emma; sometimes together, sometimes taking turns. Claire is a secondary school trained Art teacher and Emma is a trained Primary school teacher with 7 years’ experience. £8 per session: (01483) 278000 (Tues-Sat 10am-4pm) or visit www.cranleighartscentre.org

20 May Vivace Chorus: ‘The Italian Job’. Holy Trinity, Guildford. 7.30pm. Vivace Chorus and the Hennessey Brown Music Chamber Orchestra present a programme of Italian choral music including Allegri’s Miserere & Handel’s Dixit Dominus. Tickets: £23, students/U18 £10, plus booking fee: vivacechorus.org

21 May Billingshurst Artisan Market. Six Bells car park. 9.30am-1.30pm. Local foods and crafts. See page 11

21 May Brinsbury Show. Brinsbury Campus, Pulborough, RH20 1DL. 11am-4pm. Fun for all the family, live music, food & drink, have-a-go activities – dog shows, meet the animals, craft fair & farmers market, equine, tractor trailer ride and much more. Tickets: Brinsbury.ac.uk/events £7.50, U16 free. £10 on the day

22 May Macmillan Film night. ‘Alleluja’ Pulborough Village Hall. 7pm for 7.30pm start. Refreshments, raffle and Macmillan stall. Tickets £7 from www.touringcinema.com or Pulborough Village Hall or Terri Ashpool, tel: 07711 470635 or on the door (subject to availability)

24 May Cranleigh Creatives. Richard Onslow, Cranleigh. 7pm. A friendly group of enthusiastic local crafters who meet one evening a month to socialise, craft and share ideas. Everyone welcome. For further information join our Facebook group (Cranleigh Creatives) or e-mail pearl_caroline@yahoo.co.uk

25 May Sing for Pleasure. (4th Thursday except December: 3rd Thursday.) Billingshurst Community Centre. 3.00-4.30pm. We are a friendly, informal group who enjoy a sing-along. If you are a lady or gentleman in the more mature age group, even if you think you can’t sing, we’d love you to join us for an enjoyable afternoon. £3, includes tea and biscuits

25 May

Lions Charity Golf Day. Slinfold Golf & Country Club. Proceeds to Chestnut Tree House Hospice. To enter contact Roger Skillin, tel: (01403) 700221. See April’s Village Tweet, page 15

26 May Live Music: Leslie Howard (piano). Cranleigh Arts Centre. 7.30pm. One of the greatest living pianists. Famous for interpretations and recordings of Liszt and Rachmaninoff. “He should look back with the strongest sense of pride, fulfilment and accomplishment” (Gramophone). Tickets £25 inc glass of wine, £10 under 25s: (01483) 278000 (Tues-Sat 10am-4pm) or visit www.cranleighartscentre.org

27 May

Pulborough Village Market. (4th Saturday except December: 2nd Saturday.) Pulborough Village Hall, Swan View, RH20 2BF. 9am-12 noon. Fresh produce, bread, local honey, plants, local crafts and much more. Café serving a full English breakfast, tea/coffee and cakes. Free entry. Please like us on Facebook. Market Coordinator Terri Ashpool, tel: 07711 470635, e-mail: terriashpool@uwclub.net

27 May Live Music: The Dolly Parton Story. Cranleigh Arts Centre. 8pm. Hannah Richards and Alex Beharrell beautifully perform classics such as Jolene, 9 to 5 and Islands in the Stream and many more. Tickets £20: (01483) 278000 (Tues-Sat 10am-4pm) or visit www.cranleighartscentre.org

28 May Billingshurst Tennis Club Open Day. 2-5pm. Just turn up. Rackets and balls provided. See page 13

28 May Slinfold Classic Car Show. Red Lyon. 12 noon. Donation to support St Catherine’s. See page 41

29 May Lions Club Car Boot Sale. Six Bells car park (off Library car park). 9am-12 noon. £10 cars, £15 vans (no traders). To book contact Sandy Duck, tel: (01403) 786146 or e-mail: sandyduck@btinternet.com

31 May Quiet Garden Afternoon at The Blue Idol. Quaker Meeting House, Oldhouse Lane, Coolham, RH13

8QP. 2-4pm. (Last Weds of the month, May-Sept.) The hosted afternoon will begin with a meditation introduction at 2pm. You are then welcome to stay as long as you like. Booking not required, free. Visit www.blueidol.org, tel: (01403) 740039 or @BlueIdolQuakers on Facebook

31 May Parish Council Billingshurst Centre & F&GP Committees meetings. Billingshurst Centre. 7 & 7.30pm

Village Tweet will publish details of local events in this free What’s On section.

Please email brief details to editor@villagetweet.co.uk together with contact or website details

ADVERTISERS INDEX May 2023

A-Team Mechanics............................41

A/c’s Direct, Accounting ......................4

Advanced Landscapes ......................35

Alba Plumbing ...................................23

Amber, Hike the Hill ..........................43

Banks Fencing ..................................37

Belle Birth & Fertilty ..........................15

Best Choice Roofing .........................20

Billingshurst Artisan Market 11

Billingshurst Parish Council 9, 24, 25

Billingshurst Service, Repair & MOT Centre ..................................40

Billingshurst Tennis Club ...................13

Bud and Flower, weddings ................43

CAGNE.............................................43

CJ Sewage Treatment ......................21

Cook Consultancy & Technical Ltd .....4

Cranleigh Camera Club ....................38

Dandelion Farewells, funerals ...........11

DJ Experience ...................................45

DM Handyman ..................................23

Duke of Kent School .........................12

Evans Electrical.................................27

Flackwoods Solicitors..........................7

Flow-serve Plumbing, Drainage, Heating ..........................................17

GB Glazing Ltd ..................................20

George Potbury Forestry ..................39

GJ Coles, builder ..............................29

Goring Road Carpet Centre ..........OBC

Hamilton Cole TV & Satellite Equipment .....................................22

Holly Stone Hypnotherapy ................15

JC Plumbing ......................................21

JMB Gardening Services ..................34

Jonathan Carter, Tree Surgery..........35

KJ Cox Solicitor ...................................6

KJ Lammas Plumbing & Heating ......18

Landsmart.........................................17

Lee’s Locks .......................................29

Mac’s Private Hire ...............................8

Meadow Hall Veterinary Practice ......33

Meadows Wellbeing ..........................14

Miss Mop Domestic Cleaning ...........27

MW Wingate Painting & Decorating .17

MPS Home Improvements Ltd ..........20

N Francis Electrical Ltd .....................22

Oven Cleaning Direct ........................30

Oven Rescue ....................................23

Peacocks Builders.............................21

Pest Man ...........................................34

Peter Faulding (Specialist Group International) ...................................3

Petworth Festival...............................16

Petworth MOT Centre .......................40

PJM Building & Property Maintenance ..................................27

PW Jordan Upholstery ......................21

Rebecca Beauty Therapist ................12

Re-Nu Kitchens .................................26

Regal Roof Care ...............................19

Rudgwick Fencing .............................35

Shutters by Natalie ............................17

Slinfold Classic Car Show .................41

Slinfold Tennis Club 11

South Country, Landscaping .............37

St Catherine’s Hospice .....................10

St Mary’s Church ................................6

Sussex Carpet Brokers .....................28

Sussex Coin Company .....................31

Sussex Towing Brackets ...................41

Time Four ..........................................47

Titchmarsh Services, tree surgery ....39

Village Nurseries ...............................39