Unexpected Bill

FredSmith_2

Hi all

I am currently on JSA.

I have had a bill through from a few years ago regarding a car I had and handed pack under the hire agreement.

The company have sent me a bill for £154 for valetting, and removing a scuff and scratch (2 years after I handed it back!)

I am only on JSA, do I have to pay it? Would a grant or loan be eligible to pay this?

Thaks

nomoneytoday

After 2 years i'd reject the bill, unless the collection report showed the damage at the time..

BigAunty

To verify if the bill is valid and should be paid or ignored, or the risk of it snowballing into a higher debt, go to the consumer forum. Someone there should tell you if/how you can dispute it. You might also want to pop over to the Debt Free wanabee board and the posters there could also perhaps advise you of various options to pay this back or write it off.

Your status, in terms of being on benefits, is irrelevant to any contracts or bills you have.

Another poster can tell you if there is a loan or grant that could cover this unexpected expense when you have limited income.

Glen_Clark

BigAunty wrote: »

Your status, in terms of being on benefits, is irrelevant to any contracts or bills you have.

It is until they claim the money and you can only afford £1 a week........
for a couple of weeks.......

somethingcorporate

I'd definitely want to know why it has taken them all this time to bill you, I'd expect them to have done this within a couple of weeks of you handing the car back.

Write a letter and find out why.

CKhalvashi

Unless there was something on the report when the car was returned, I'd reject the bill and ask them to come back with an explanation.

I've driven probably 200 hire cars in the last 10 years, and never had a bill for a car not being immaculate yet, let alone a stupidly high one. I also recall sending a Fiesta that had about 3 miles on it back with over 2000 miles on it a week later, and that was by no means overly clean, inside or out, when it went back. I think it had a scrape in it when returned, and Dagenham Motors billed me (I think about) £40 there and then.

CK