Very old water bill

albion74

I was recently contacted by Thames water about an unpaid bill from 2002. I lived in a flat in Kilburn, London at the time and left in September 2002. As far as i was concerned i had paid all my bills. They are now chasing me for payment. After questioning the girl at the call centre it turns out that the account had been created in 2007 (5 years after i had left the property) and then backdated until 2002. It took them until now to find me, initially they were wanting payment for the period April 2002 until 2007, and now they are chasing payment for the period April 2002 - September 2002. Apparently there have been no water bill payments on this account at all, even now there is a tenant living at that address not paying a water bill, thats 9 years! I dont remember if i paid a water bill or not. Can anyone advise me as to whether i legally have to pay this bill?

GlynD

I think the statute in England is five years. My inclination would be to write back and tell them you do not admit the debt and point that out.

Cardew

Welcome to the forum.

The statute in England is 6 years(5 in Scotland)

However that 6 years is the time allowed to raise a bill. For instance if a company discovered I was liable for good/servicing I had received in August 2005, they could raise a valid bill now. As that bill was raised within the 6 year period, it remains a valid bill forever!

For instance if a gas bill was raised today. I couldn't go abroad before it arrived, be untraceable, and come back in 10 years and claim that the bill was no longer valid.

So from what you have stated, i.e. the bill was raised in 2007 for water services back to 2002, it is a valid claim.

Gothicfairy

Legally : if the bill is yours and you were responsible for the property for that period then yep..you have to pay it.

Also your account will have nothing to do with anyone else in the property. The new tenants will have their own account and that will not be linked to yours.
Clearly no payments were made on your account so you would be hard pushed to argue you didn't owe them anything.

Cardew

I think the statute in England is five years. My inclination would be to write back and tell them you do not admit the debt and point that out.

marcolin wrote: »

that my opinion

The problem is that will result in the debt being passed to a Debt Collection Agency and have an affect your credit record. Not only that but real hassle from the DCA.

The OP was in the property, it seems pretty obvious that he didn't pay for any water as no bills were raised.

If a valid bill is raised for that period, the defence he could have is:

1. I wasn't in the flat.

2. I paid the water bill.

If it goes to Court, who do you think would win?

Gothicfairy

marcolin wrote: »

that my opinion

Based on what ?

It is 6 years for a start so clearly the advice is wrong ( meant well of course but wrong all the same)

If the bill is their responsiblitly , and it would seem it is then they need to pay it..Nothing else is going to work .