How to Avoid Equipment Return Fees from Xfinity

Closing a Comcast Xfinity account or making changes to an existing plan usually requires sending equipment back and forth. This can often be the source of complaints, lost equipment, and equipment return fees. 

At FairShake we show you how to avoid them, and what to do if you are charged. 

Equipment from Xfinity

People might think they only need to return equipment when they cancel their Comcast Xfinity account, but you also have to return equipment if:

• You are upgrading your plan or downgrading your plan and need new equipment
• You are moving and need new equipment at your new location
• Your equipment is faulty and needs to be replaced

Comcast Xfinity purportedly makes it very easy to return equipment:

Go to their Digital Return Center at Xfinity.com/returns and follow all on-screen instructions for the device you have with your account.  

However, it is never really that simple. 

You need to make sure you return the right equipment. It is better to be safe than sorry. Depending on your account and plan you might need to return:

• A cable box
• Remote controls
• Wireless gateway
• XFi Pods
• Xfinity cameras
• Modems and routers
• Xfinity internet modems
• Xfinity voice modems

Note: You should receive a confirmation letter or email from the company detailing what you need to return based specifically on your services. 

How Long Xfinity Gives You to Return Equipment

You don’t have long. Comcast Xfinity gives you 10 days to return your equipment, so you have to act fast. 

Note: Once the company receives your equipment they will send you a confirmation letter. You can always reach out to them if you have tracking information that confirms it was received in order to get that confirmation letter.

What Happens if You Don’t Return Equipment

If you don’t return the equipment you get charged for it. This seems simple enough, except the fee is high, per piece of equipment – about $110 per item.

And if you don’t pay it, then eventually Comcast Xfinity can send the bill to a collections agency and it will end up as a bad mark on your credit score.

Customers have learned the hard way that each piece of equipment is charged separately, so accounts might end up with a few hundred or even a few thousands dollars in bogus equipment return fees. 

How to Return Your Equipment

When you are ready to return your equipment, you have to:

1. Log in to your account
2. Find the equipment return page
3. Check the corresponding boxes for the equipment you are returning based on what is associated with your account
4. Choose the reason for your return, and which return option you want: in person or by mail

By Mail

With UPS you can have it picked up in which case you get a prepaid shipping label and you put it onto the original box (the one in which your equipment was originally delivered to you). Alternatively you can drop it off and use any box you want. Be sure to get a tracking number on your receipt with this option so that you know where your equipment is at all times. 

In Person

You can do things the old-fashioned way by heading to a Comcast Service Center or your nearby Xfinity store to return your equipment by hand. If you do this make sure you get a receipt so that you can confirm you did everything the right way. 

Document Your Comcast Xfinity Equipment Condition

Before you send anything back, be sure to take photos. Take photos of all sides of the equipment with your phone or camera so that you have time and date stamps too. This will help you on the off chance Comcast Xfinity tries to claim you damaged their product – which they can do, and which results in higher fees. 

What Happens if Comcast Xfinity *Loses* Your Equipment

Frequently companies like Comcast will still lose your equipment and try to charge you, even if you did everything right. But you don’t have to let that happen. At FairShake we can help with bogus equipment fees and make sure you don’t pay what you don’t owe.

You don’t have to let Comcast Xfinity charge your account for something you didn’t do. Start your claim today!