Hotel has sent bill 16 months after stay do I have to pay?

bootman

I have recieved from a hotel a letter with a bill today for a stay back in March 2009!

I've changed credit cards several times and can't see if I actually paid or not but I'm guessing they would not send a letter unless they were sure.

Letter reads they have discovered that they had a problem with the credit card terminal after a financial audit and say my 2 night stay in 2009 was not ever charged to my card.

Can they ask for payment from March 2009? Are they just fishing for a response? Can I just ignore the fishing letter?

jimboban

bootman wrote: »

I have recieved from a hotel a letter with a bill today for a stay back in March 2009!

I've changed credit cards several times and can't see if I actually paid or not but I'm guessing they would not send a letter unless they were sure.

Letter reads they have discovered that they had a problem with the credit card terminal after a financial audit and say my 2 night stay in 2009 was not ever charged to my card.

Can they ask for payment from March 2009? Are they just fishing for a response? Can I just ignore the fishing letter?

Hi Bootman,

It's most certainly not a "fishing" letter, they can chase payment for a service (which you agreed you've had) - and could potentially 'enforce' (please don't turn this into yet another thread around enforcement etc!) for 6 years from the date that payment was due.

If you can prove that you paid it, then that should resolve the issue - if you can't then (as one would imagine they can 'prove' that you stayed and agreed costs) then it may be difficult (and/or immoral!) to avoid payment.

JB

Evilm

Have you checked your statements to see if a charge was there?

I would respond to it but I would find the hotels details independently rather than the ones used on the letter and phone them and check if they really did send the letter.

xocbc

You have no option here but check whether or not you paid it, which might mean getting a duplicate statement from the credit card company you were using at the time.

If you have not paid, yes they are well within their rights to demand payment.