Anyone else seeing a rise in attempts to reclaw old bills?

[d000hg]

I got a letter from Prac about a £40 utility bill debt from 5+ years ago that they've bought (I checked and they are a legitimate company, not a scam organisation). I think from the few weeks after I bought a property before switching supplier.
In the last few months I've had several letters from the council about a different property I formerly owned and rented out, demanding outstanding council tax for periods anywhere between 2 and 6 years ago which they've never asked about previously.
In both cases a faff to prove as it means digging through old records, and they may well all be legitimate.

I was just curious really if others have seen similar - is it a sign everyone is metaphorically searching down the back of the sofa for lost change that wasn't worth chasing before? Or just a coincidence I've had several in the last year?

[willendure]

No particular rise, but I had one of these about a £6 mobile phone contract bill that I had not payed many years before it was bought by a Prac-like debt recovery business. I ignored it and they put a default note on my credit record which stayed there for 6 years. I don't know if it really made any difference, as I was succesfully able to remortgage despite it, and despite it lowering my score a good amount. Just to warn you.

[jamesbrown]

No particular rise, but I had one of these about a £6 mobile phone contract bill that I had not payed many years before it was bought by a Prac-like debt recovery business. I ignored it and they put a default note on my credit record which stayed there for 6 years. I don't know if it really made any difference, as I was succesfully able to remortgage despite it, and despite it lowering my score a good amount. Just to warn you.

Right, I think that's the main/only concern, the effect on your credit rating. But if you don't care about that, hey ho. If it seems legitimate (because it's referring to a period where you were using energy but probably not paying for it), then it's probably legitimate. I expect they have a bazillion of these things to work through and probably risk weight them, so perhaps it takes a long time to get around to some of them, the ones involving smaller amounts, for example.

[vetran]

Back billing rules may apply

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/check-energ...-billing-rules

• You can’t be charged for gas or electricity used more than 12 months ago if you have not been correctly billed for it, or informed about it via a statement of account, before. This includes situations where a supplier increases your Direct Debit because it was set too low. Suppliers cannot use this to recover any shortfall for a period longer than 12 months ago.

I imagine this applies to selling old unconfirmed debts.

[jamesbrown]

Back billing rules may apply

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/check-energ...-billing-rules



I imagine this applies to selling old unconfirmed debts.

Good find, I wasn't aware of that.

[Paddy]

I got a letter from Prac about a £40 utility bill debt from 5+ years ago that they've bought (I checked and they are a legitimate company, not a scam organisation). I think from the few weeks after I bought a property before switching supplier.
In the last few months I've had several letters from the council about a different property I formerly owned and rented out, demanding outstanding council tax for periods anywhere between 2 and 6 years ago which they've never asked about previously.
In both cases a faff to prove as it means digging through old records, and they may well all be legitimate.

I was just curious really if others have seen similar - is it a sign everyone is metaphorically searching down the back of the sofa for lost change that wasn't worth chasing before? Or just a coincidence I've had several in the last year?

Petty debts are sold off to collection agencies. e.g. A debt of £100 will be sold off to an agent for £50. If that agent is unsuccessful then that agent will sell the debt on for £20, that agent may write to the debtor and offer to settle for £50. If unsuccessful the debt could be sold off to yet another agent for £1.00.

The main issue is your credit rating. The best thing to do is to write to them and state that you do not owe the money and ask them to stop writing to you. There are template letters on the Internet for that.

[d000hg]

Good find, I wasn't aware of that.

Me neither, thanks. As Paddy suggests that seems to be the case here... or at least they are offering me a "50% discount" if I pay quicker. Far as I can tell it may well be a legitimate debt and they are just seeing who will bother paying but I have no way to check easily. I've contacted them to say I am not aware of the debt, requesting proof if they want me to consider it.

[SueEllen]

Me neither, thanks. As Paddy suggests that seems to be the case here... or at least they are offering me a "50% discount" if I pay quicker. Far as I can tell it may well be a legitimate debt and they are just seeing who will bother paying but I have no way to check easily. I've contacted them to say I am not aware of the debt, requesting proof if they want me to consider it.

Gas/Electricity bills tell them to bug off.

Council tax you have to sort out as it is a criminal offence to not pay it if you are liable. So just find the paperwork to show that you weren't responsible for the council tax for the period under dispute or pay it.

Not being horrible but always keep on top of the bills for any property you own. Councils in particular are useless until they get your name and start chasing you.

[Paddy]

Gas/Electricity bills tell them to bug off.

Council tax you have to sort out as it is a criminal offence to not pay it if you are liable. So just find the paperwork to show that you weren't responsible for the council tax for the period under dispute or pay it.

Not being horrible but always keep on top of the bills for any property you own. Councils in particular are useless until they get your name and start chasing you.

Council Tax is a very peculiar form of law, it is quasi criminal but also civil. I suggest buying "CPAG: Council Tax Handbook 13th edition by Alan Murdie & Paul Moorhouse". (the book saved me £12k)

[d000hg]

Not being horrible but always keep on top of the bills for any property you own. Councils in particular are useless until they get your name and start chasing you.

I don't actually own the property I'm getting council tax letters about any more The first instance was about 5 years ago where they apparently went the entire route through to a court hearing against me without me ever knowing, because they weren't able to find my correspondence address (even though they had sent stuff to it previously). Eventually got them to apologise and remove all fees and I paid the bill which was owed.
They told me there were no outstanding bills and my account was closed, then a few months later I got another letter telling me I owed for another period about 2 years back.
Our council are normally red hot on this - I've had a CTax bill waiting for me when I've moved into a new house before!