Bills for previous address - have we got away with it?

philips9071

When we moved there were outstanding utility bills for our old address, and I gave them our new address to forward them onto. Instead they started sending them to our new neighbours, who handed the first couple of letters onto us, but we've heard nothing since. And that was 6 months ago.

In the back of my mind, someday a massive bill written in red ink is going to finally come through our letter box... but there's a little part of me that thinks they may have given up by now.

Anyone else been in this position?

Cardew

So presumably you just ignored the 'first couple of letters'? Were there more?

It is almost certain that the Utility company will 'sell' the debt to a Debt Collection Agency(DCA) who will attempt to find you for payment and costs.

This will almost certainly result in an entry against your credit record, with a possibilty of court action.

Is there any reason that you feel you shouldn't pay your bill? Or is that your definition of Money Saving?

spiro

You say "they started sending them to our new neighbours", could this be you gave them the wrong address? Once a DCA has the debt they may well visit your new neighbours and fi by then they know you name they weill point them in your direction. They will also check with other companies etc to find your current address.

inventors

did you open the bills?- were they the final bill for your last address? if you'd never got your bill at all then maybe a mistake had been made, but as you have got bills (just to the wrong address) then it's hard to avoid really, particularly if they have your name on it. i've no idea how long it takes before the debt collectors get involved, might be worth asking your neighbours if they received any more bills

Wickedkitten

Of course you haven't got away with it, don't be silly. If I were you, I'd make sure you have a ready supply of dosh saved up under your mattress for when the debt collectors do find you, shouldn't be that hard either seeing as how the neighbours know your current address and can quite easily pass it on, not to mention I suppose you are on the electoral register and all that.

cajef

philips9071 wrote: »

Anyone else been in this position?

I doubt it, most honest people do not try to avoid paying outstanding bills when they move home.

anewman

We received numerous letters about an outstanding utility bill to a name we have never heard of before. Wrote "not at this address" on one or two and stuck em in the postbox, but they kept sending them. I think they were from supposed debt collectors, and nothing ever came of it that we're aware of, but then again I have no idea who the people named on the letters are.

spiro

anewman wrote: »

We received numerous letters about an outstanding utility bill to a name we have never heard of before. Wrote "not at this address" on one or two and stuck em in the postbox, but they kept sending them. I think they were from supposed debt collectors, and nothing ever came of it that we're aware of, but then again I have no idea who the people named on the letters are.

Possibly someone who who moved knowing a large bill was coming and gave a bogus fowarding address. That doesn't mean they wont stop chasing it, just that they will look elsewhere.

anewman

Yeah I suppose they could well have done things like look at the electoral roll to figure out they weren't at our address, and maybe were able to find their correct address.

Pincher

I got some letters through the letterbox, addressed to NO NAME (not OCCUPIER), and my correct address, from the Borough of Brent, demanding unpaid council tax. I do not live , and have never lived in Brent. I Returned To Sender the first letter, but they kept coming, so I called them up to stop it.

The letters were threatening to take NO NAME to court! :rotfl:

They were really keen to pin the debt on me, and wanted to know my name. Like I was born yesterday. There seems to be nothing that prevents a company from making up fictitious debts and then pin it on anybody.

kjsmith7

They will eventually catch up with you, and by that point it'll be with a debt collection agency with extra charges added on. Not to mention that suppliers report defaults to credit reference agencies.