To have argued with the dentist receptionist.

[songlark]

A letter came from the dentist saying dh owed £18. He last saw the dentist in April when he paid in full for a plate. At this dentist (and probably all of them) there is a sign saying all dental work has to be paid immediately on completion) which dh did. So now 7 months later a letter comes saying dh owes £18, to be paid in 7 days. So I phoned them up and spoke to the receptionist and asked what the £18 was for. She didn't have a clue and said to leave it with her and she'd have to ask the nurse and she'd get back to me. She's just phoned back and said it was because he had actually had 2 plates, the first one being a tempory one and the 2nd(permanent one) was given him past the time limit.(which was 4 months later because he works away). If this is their rule fair enough nd he would have gladly paid on the spot when he paid in full. I told her this and asked her how come 7 months later they've suddenly decided to ask for the money. She said if you don't pay they will then demand much more(about £250) because she said they would have been entitled to this before because it was 2 plates. It ended with me saying that he wouldn't pay(mainly because she put my back up with her nasty tone). My dh now tells me I shouldn't have argued and just pay it. WIBU in thinking the dentist should have asked at the time and not 7 months later.

[Optimist1]

Dentists are human, their receptionists are human - ever heard the expression "human error"? The receptionist may not have explained the situation to your satisfaction, but YABU. (Try to think of it as a 7-months interest-free payment if it makes you feel better).

[ilovesooty]

YABU. It isn't your dental bill anyway and you interfered on your husband's behalf when he'd seemingly have preferred you not to.

[songlark]

Thank you for pointing out dentists and receptionists are human. I am as well and therefore entitled to be spoken to in a nice way. They made a mistake, fair enough, but it wasn't my husbands mistake therefore they shouldn't be demanding money after 7 months.

[WhatTheFoxSays]

Tbh, I'd just pay. Strange that they waited seven months though.

[Festered]

I wouldn't pay it tbh.They gave him the wrong price at the time-she shouldn't have been nasty with you, and a letter saying something you didn't have a clue about needs to be paid within 7 days?!Surely it shoudl have explained what it was for!

[Insanityismymiddlename]

To be fair the dentist receptionist has already broken the data protection act by discussing with you about your husbands debt.
I wouldn't pay it on those grounds alone.

[MsUumellmahaye]

yip, she shouldn't have discussed, patient confidentiality.

[DoJo]

YABU - the law allows (IIRC) 6 years for debts to be chased up, so the fact that they didn't pick it up until now is neither here nor there in terms of the fact that it is owed, although I would want to see proof that it WAS owed before paying it. She shouldn't have discussed it with you, though, and if your husband is happy to pay it then you should just leave it alone.

[Mrsmorton]

The data protection act and patient confidentiality are two different things.

I'd just have left it to H to deal with tbh.

[songlark]

DoJo, I'm not disputing the facts about debts being chased up for 6 years or so. This isn't a debt that he refused to pay. The point of the matter is he wasn't aware at the time of this £18. He should have been told at the time. Imagine if a plumber or an electrician did some work for you back in April, then he sends you a bill for another amount of money that you weren't told of at the time. I'm sure most of you would dispute it. Whichever way you look at it they've got to be in the wrong. I took it on myself to phone them because dh was away and he asked me to phone them. He agrees they're out of order but says we'd better pay to stop it going further. I bet there's a law somewhere to protect people from this kind of thing(demanding money in 7 days without knowing what it's for and never been told in the first place), but just can't be bothered with it all.

[Gobbolinothewitchscat]

I wouldn't dispute it - if someone can clearly demonstrate that I owe them money, I pay my debts

The law states that debts will only extinguish after 6 years (in England. 5 in Scotland) so anyone who says I owe them money, has that period of time to chase them. I can't arbitrarily chose not to pay

What I am entitled to is a clear breakdown of why I owe the money and how the debt has been calculated to let me dispute it, if I don't agree. Why don't you ask for that?

[kali110]

If your husband is saying pay why dont you just pay?
Plus why ask aibu if you dont think you are?

[songlark]

Kali, what do you mean "why don't you just pay". You're missing the point. I will be paying but that doesn't mean I think it's right. I can also ask aibu if I don't think I am. I wanted to know what everyone else thought...isnt that what this sections all about???

[mitchsta]

I'd just be glad I didn't have to pay the £250