Received invoice for £6 after a decade

sgt_bilko_2

I really wasn't sure where to post this but I figured somebody here would have an idea of what best to do. A few months ago I received an invoice by email out of the blue dated three months previously and claiming that I owed this company the enormous sum of £6.00...

I do actually know the company but haven't had any dealings with them in a decade and the transaction in question supposedly dates back to 2005, though I have no records of anything confirming it. This was the first correspondence I had received from them in a decade.

I thought it was so ridiculous that I ignored it but they have since sent two follow up email reminders threatening "further action".

From what I've read online this is statute barred. My credit rating is excellent and paying this wouldn't change my life but part of me is annoyed by such silly behaviour and I don't want to encourage them.

It remains a mystery just what action they intend to take over £6.00 after more than ten years but what is the best way to answer these people? The last thing I want is a long string of emails over £6.00 because I am starting to think they are either desperate, insane or both.

vlad

It is SB, and they are unlikely to take any action due to the cost of doing so, personally for 6 quid i'd just pay up.

HappyMJ

sgt_bilko wrote: »

I really wasn't sure where to post this but I figured somebody here would have an idea of what best to do. A few months ago I received an invoice by email out of the blue dated three months previously and claiming that I owed this company the enormous sum of £6.00...

I do actually know the company but haven't had any dealings with them in a decade and the transaction in question supposedly dates back to 2005, though I have no records of anything confirming it. This was the first correspondence I had received from them in a decade.

I thought it was so ridiculous that I ignored it but they have since sent two follow up email reminders threatening "further action".

From what I've read online this is statute barred. My credit rating is excellent and paying this wouldn't change my life but part of me is annoyed by such silly behaviour and I don't want to encourage them.

It remains a mystery just what action they intend to take over £6.00 after more than ten years but what is the best way to answer these people? The last thing I want is a long string of emails over £6.00 because I am starting to think they are either desperate, insane or both.

I'd send an email stating the debt is statute barred and to leave you alone.

I personally would not pay even though it's only £6. Your credit will not be affected either way. You could ignore them completely it doesn't matter so just the one email would be more than enough.

sourcrates

sgt_bilko wrote: »

It remains a mystery just what action they intend to take over £6.00 after more than ten years but what is the best way to answer these people? The last thing I want is a long string of emails over £6.00 because I am starting to think they are either desperate, insane or both.

statute barred, prove otherwise, goodbye !!

sgt_bilko_2

I've ignored it for a few months now and this latest email may have been a final try on but it strikes me they are either in deep trouble or a bit weird if they are trawling through ten year old accounts to send out repeat requests for such tiny sums. I doubt if £6.00 even covers their time spent in admin.

What annoyed me most is that they didn't send a nice note with a bit of humour explaining they would be grateful if I could pay it now. Instead they sent an abrupt invoice in September but back dated three months claiming it was now overdue, as though I wouldn't notice it was in reference to something from 2005. I figure they are either nuts or beyond caring what people in the same trade will think of them.

UPDATE: I just did some research on the internet and it now appears the company owner is in Canada, whereas they were previously in the UK. It would also be considered statute barred in Canada.

CalumHeath

Don't pay it; it's statue barred. You can either write to tell them this or let them find out the long way round - if they do decide to pursue the £6.00.

Million_Percent

Firstly, try and find out if you do owe the money. Presumably this company can tell you what the money is owed for and what payments you have made previously. If it turns out that you do owe it, then just pay it. For the sake of £6 it will stop all the hassle.

Remember statute barred doesn't mean you don't owe the money, it simply means they cannot take court action against you. They are still entitled to hassle you directly for payment within the limits of the law.

National_Debtline

sgt_bilko wrote: »

UPDATE: I just did some research on the internet and it now appears the company owner is in Canada, whereas they were previously in the UK. It would also be considered statute barred in Canada.

Hi sgt_bilko


For what it's worth, it doesn't matter at all where the creditor is based. The time limits are based on where you, as the debtor, reside, as this is where any legal action would have to be brought.


Either way, it appears to be well and truly statute barred so it's up to you whether you pay or not.


Dennis
@natdebtline

Sazzie23

Think they are having a laugh, OR its some scam?

homelovin

A few months ago I received an invoice by email out of the blue dated three months previously and claiming that I owed this company the enormous sum of £6.00...

Can I just check something? The invoice was dated from 3 months ago? Are you sure this isn't either a valid thing from 3 months ago, or an error from 3 months ago?. Are you just jumping to conclusions that it is from 10 years ago as this does seem an odd thing to do for such a little amount. Can you not reply asking them what is it for because you can't recall ordering/using/booking their services from 3 months ago and see what they say. You aren't admitting anything with that.

sgt_bilko_2

Sorry for not replying earlier but I did not receive any notifications of further forum posts. In response to the point by Million Percent that:

"They are still entitled to hassle you directly for payment within the limits of the law."

Surely the whole point of something being statute barred is that they cannot hassle you after 6 years because continued requests are deemed by law to be harassment.

To homelovin: The invoice was artificially backdated 3 months at time of receipt but specifically referenced a supposed sale from a decade before for the paltry sum of £6.00 and I have no record of this.

They have provided no evidence to back up this claim and simply produced an invoice accompanied by unspecified threats of further action that they have now followed up numerous times. At first I did wonder if this was a scam.

This morning they sent yet another email but finally saying that my account "may be closed unless we hear from you very soon". I closed the blasted account more than a decade ago because they were completely hopeless!!

I have avoided contacting them so far simply because they cannot be totally sane to start sending out invoices for £6.00 after more than a decade and then issue continued follow ups. Surely the time they have spent in correspondence has cost them more than that.

Had they sent me a pleasant email in a lighthearted fashion asking for payment I would most likely have paid it immediately and forgotten it but their actions here appear underhand and dare I say it aimed to deliberately annoy.

Last week I checked my Experian credit rating and scored a perfect 999. I live modestly and within my means, always paying legitimate bills on time but these people are crackers. I think I will send them a reply today and tell them to take a flying leap.