Newspaper Bill Help

Knightsbridge.J

Just looking for a bit of advice, I've received a bill from my local newsagents for my newspapers and magazines since 2005. Previously I had asked for a bill on repeated occasions and stopped in 2008 as although I was assured a bill would be forthcoming, none arrived. I have now received a bill for £1900, I fully intend to pay for the services I have had however due to length of time that has passed since my previous bill and the amount I feel slightly aggrieved at being asked for this amount at such short notice. Can anyone help me with this?

P.s admittedly I have been somewhat foolish in that I haven't kept records of the amount of credit I was in at the point of my last bill but I remember that I was in credit. I also have failed to keep up to date with changes to newspaper prices and the amount of newspaper vouchers that I have used over the past 8 years.

keyser666

Seriously? That is one nice paper shop

Hintza

keyser666 wrote: »

Seriously? That is one nice paper shop

I think I prefer, one seriously disorganised paper shop!

gb12345

Knightsbridge.J wrote: »

Just looking for a bit of advice, I've received a bill from my local newsagents for my newspapers and magazines since 2005. Previously I had asked for a bill on repeated occasions and stopped in 2008 as although I was assured a bill would be forthcoming, none arrived. I have now received a bill for £1900, I fully intend to pay for the services I have had however due to length of time that has passed since my previous bill and the amount I feel slightly aggrieved at being asked for this amount at such short notice. Can anyone help me with this?

P.s admittedly I have been somewhat foolish in that I haven't kept records of the amount of credit I was in at the point of my last bill but I remember that I was in credit. I also have failed to keep up to date with changes to newspaper prices and the amount of newspaper vouchers that I have used over the past 8 years.

Not really sure what help you are after as you haven't actually asked a question.

Is the bill broken down or have they just said "you owe us £1900"? - you could argue with them that the payments outstanding from more than 6 years ago are now Statute Barred.

As to your possible credit from the previous bill - if you've got no record then there is not really much that you can do about that if they deny it.

Regarding paying what you owe - you could try and ask them if they will allow you to pay it in installments as it is their fauld for not billing you (although why you didn't go in occasionally and pay them what you thought you might owe is another matter).

antrobus

The Limitation Act applies. Brief summary; that portion of the bill relating to deliveries prior to April 2007 (or whatever) is unenforceable. Probably.

lincroft1710

How can a business survive if it still provides goods and services, yet neglects to bill the customer for 8 years. It is also being optimistic in expecting that customer to have religiously ring fenced the money they should have paid, so they can just hand over the £1900. However, this is exactly what the OP should have done.

The charges for any paper, magazine or delivery can only be legally enforced if these items/services were supplied within the past 6 years.

In any case the newsagent should have itemised the bill into weekly or monthly charges, so that the OP could do a rough check to see if the final bill looks reasonable.

arcon5

You did though seem to acknowledge owing them money in 2008, although an unknown amount, so i'm not sure if the statute of limitation applies yet.

A full and final settlement offer seems in order.

I suppose you could ignore it or deny the debt and see how they proceed..

gb12345

arcon5 wrote: »

You did though seem to acknowledge owing them money in 2008, although an unknown amount, so i'm not sure if the statute of limitation applies yet.

Only if they acknowledged it in writing or made a partial payment.

gb12345

lincroft1710 wrote: »

How can a business survive if it still provides goods and services, yet neglects to bill the customer for 8 years.

Years ago when I was a paperboy, we would deliver a bill once a week to each house on our route. If the bill wasn't paid by the following week a reminder would be delivered with the next bill and paper delivery would stop until the payments were up to date. The paper shop is still going strong 30 odd years later (the only one in the town that is still delivering papers).