Advice on unpaid bills...

LittleladyGLG

Hi there,

I have a contract with Orange which I haven't paid since January of this year. It's an online contract so I do not get bills through my door. Since I have stopped paying the bill they have (obviously) barred my phone for incoming and outgoing calls. They have also barred my internet account so I don't actually know how much I owe them at all since I cannot log on to find out. Since I have stopped paying the bills I have received only one letter I think from Orange around March time. And that is it.

I have called them once around the same time to explain to them the issue, which is that I had been in a major car accident and been signed off sick from work, being a student and a waitress I obviously did not get even remotely acceptable SSP. I asked if they could perhaps freeze the account for a couple of months while I got back on my feet and add the extra months on the end of the contract, which they refused. I have been working again since the end of April but have been using the money to pay off a back log in rent which I have now sorted out.

I have been living at a different address for over a month now so obviously they have no way to contact me (not that they have bothered anyway, even when I was living at the old address). I have my settlement from the accident due to come through in the next few weeks and I'm not sure how to approach the subject.

Should I just ring them and settle the balance? Should I sort out a payment plan so it wont be such a chunk of my money? Should I bother at all? They have only contacted me once about the money and I have heard nothing more. I don't want to end up with the debt collectors at my door, if they have a way to find out where clients live?

I'm quite unsure what to do, any advice would be fantastic.

Thank you xx

OTTO

Think it would be best to phone and discuss the situation with someone first. Hopefully they will be helpful, and get someone to ring you back who has authority to settle the outstanding amount.
Get names and phone number extensions if possible, and make notes of your conversations.They may ask you to write, and agree a timeframe and an affordability plan that suits your situation.

Good luck

stugib

LittleladyGLG wrote: »

Should I just ring them and settle the balance? Should I sort out a payment plan so it wont be such a chunk of my money? Should I bother at all? They have only contacted me once about the money and I have heard nothing more. I don't want to end up with the debt collectors at my door, if they have a way to find out where clients live?

I'm quite unsure what to do, any advice would be fantastic.

Debt collectors tend to be quite good at tracking down people that have moved address, it's their job! Personally, I would want peace of mind that I wasn't waiting for a knock on the door for the next 6 years. I've known O2, for example, chase debts a couple of years later.

Only you can answer whether to pay none, all, or in instalments based on your financial situation situation, the payout, and your conscience.

jasonwatkins

Orange have told me that they do do a temporary disconnection for people going out of the country for up to 6 months, and they've offered to do this for me from november because of my circumstances, so i'm surprised they told you they couldn't do this for you.

If you were up to date with your bill at the time of the accident, and then stopped paying it because you needed to prioritise your outgoings and make sure your rent was paid up, then I do think they are being very unreasonable.

What might be worth doing is work out how long you have left on your contract and offer them a settlement based on, say, half of that.

I would make a particular point of telling them that because your accident has left you behind on all of your outgoings, you are taking advice on declaring bankruptcy, so it would be in their best interests to negotiate on a settlement if they want any money at all.

joanneinwonderland

I think you should write to them detailing an explanation for the unpaid bills just so there is a written record of your situation as well as the phone call you made at the time.

In the letter you should request the outstanding amount then once they have advised that then decide whether to offer the full amount or agree a payment plan for it. Wait and see what it is first before agreeing to pay off thewhole amount.

Good luck!

xx