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Original poster

Woman refusing to pay bills when everyone else does

129 replies

jennylamb1 · 10/04/2025 11:49

In the hairdresser's a few weeks ago. A woman is telling the hairdresser that she doesn't pay any of her household bills (council tax, water, gas, electric) on principle. Saying that the council tax arrears letters are fake, that they make them up because when she went to court they hadn't sent a legal representative to defend themselves. Doesn't pay water bills because they can't cut you off because legally they can't. Talking about getting a new flat given to her with all new white goods etc (not sure how this came about, may have been homeless on the council's books if evicted). Sat there with lip fillers, nails done and a head full of expensive hair extensions.
It was annoying me because the hairdresser was 'oh, what are you like,' 'you crack me up,' this sort of thing as if it's OK, when plenty of honest people are getting stung by increased bills and paying their way, working families, pensioners etc. I get that she probably has a mountain of CCJs and a crap credit rating, but is this a thing now?

OP posts:
Daisyvodka · 10/04/2025 12:28

This reminds me, I used to work for a water company briefly, and at one point had someone ring up angrily asking why we were 'taking money out of their benefits for water, I'm on benefits I get it for free'

  1. It's not free.
  2. You are still getting it for free, it's just your arrears is now so big it's been agreed that we can take it direct from your benefits rather than waiting for you to pay us, which presumably someone has explained to you at some point, probably by yet another letter that you have ignored.

This was many years ago now! We also got a LOT of people asking why they should pay for water 'when it falls out of the sky' or drainage 'when it just goes into the drains'.

Staceysmum2025 · 10/04/2025 12:25

Tom Holland stated in an interview once he hadnt paid a water bill in years, didn’t realise he had to

Jabberwok · 10/04/2025 12:25

Gizlotsmum · 10/04/2025 11:55

Would suspect it isn’t quite as rosy as she makes out. However she was right legally you have to have access to a water supply so not paying the water bill doesn’t mean you won’t have water.

True, but they turn the water pressure down to a trickle so you can wash, fill a kettle but it takes minutes. Only done in cases where there has been no engagement with the water co.

Mumble12 · 10/04/2025 12:25

Isthismykarma · 10/04/2025 12:23

There’s loads on my estate that don’t pay their water or rent, they can get away with it so why bother.
They claim and that goes on bills and food then the women tend to work cash in hand at cafes etc and that pays for all the fun stuff. They will have a man living with them who does a trade job cash in hand too.
But you write this on mumsnet and its benefits bashing apparently.

Unless everyone on your estate is showing you bank and rent statements, I'd take it with a bucket of salt that they aren't paying rent. In cases where people are on Universal Credit, the rent would be deducted at source if they failed to pay.

Isthismykarma · 10/04/2025 12:23

There’s loads on my estate that don’t pay their water or rent, they can get away with it so why bother.
They claim and that goes on bills and food then the women tend to work cash in hand at cafes etc and that pays for all the fun stuff. They will have a man living with them who does a trade job cash in hand too.
But you write this on mumsnet and its benefits bashing apparently.

Ginmonkeyagain · 10/04/2025 12:23

Google Freemen of the Land. It's absolutely a thing and they are complete moon howlers.

Waterweight · 10/04/2025 12:22

Waterweight · 10/04/2025 12:21

Not impossible she's just fallen through the cracks or just lives in some black hole property

Show quote history

Meant to add we once stopped recieving water bills ,& were never chased (though we did get charged new ones when we moved with no mention of the old)

Waterweight · 10/04/2025 12:21

jennylamb1 · 10/04/2025 11:57

Well no, but I do believe that she went to court. The mentality in which you have absolutely no sense of responsibility for paying your way is what I find shocking.

Not impossible she's just fallen through the cracks or just lives in some black hole property

Mumble12 · 10/04/2025 12:20

It's definitely a thing, there are hoards of people that dont pay for things, have groups online as someone else said.

Council tax obvs did catch up with her if she went to court, so will now be having money deducted from either wages or benefits. Water is different, she may well not be paying that.

Either way, not sure the hairdresser could've said much more than that in that situation!

Edited to add - its exceptionally unlikely (verging on unheard of) that she'd be offered a new fully furnished flat if she'd been evicted from her old home for non payment of rent. This part I'm not sold on.

Octavia64 · 10/04/2025 12:06

If you don’t pay council tax they can take it straight from wages or benefits.

https://www.stepchange.org/debt-info/unpaid-council-tax-debt.aspx

JHound · 10/04/2025 12:05

If she is telling the truth she is likely to have CCJs, face legal action and have a credit score of 12 (as well as having some utilities cut off.)

She is likely lying.

SpringIsSpringing25 · 10/04/2025 12:04

What exactly did you expect the hairdresser to say to a client? A client that spends a lot of money by the sound of it.

& I agree that someone here is telling massive porkies.

Trumpsgoneloco · 10/04/2025 12:03

I did think they couldn't cut the water off.

Original poster
jennylamb1 · 10/04/2025 12:02

WillItEverWork · 10/04/2025 11:54

Worked in the debt collection industry and it’s totally a thing, there are loads of Facebook groups spouting dangerous advice to people on how to “avoid” paying back debts, they quote old obscure laws “help” people write template letters.

Unfortunately the people who get sucked in just get further in debt, and will then not engage with debt charities etc to help them. They usually believe in other conspiracy theories too, like new world order etc etc it’s shocking how “mainstream” it is though!

That was the thing, she was kind of evangelical about it.

OP posts:
Runningoutofpatiencefucksandmoney · 10/04/2025 12:01

Quiethouse · 10/04/2025 11:54

Likely deducted from their wages/benefits but they're too thick to notice. Or they'll have a charging order on their house.

Edited
Show quote history

Definitely not deducted from wages, because I pay them 🤣 I think a charge on the house is highly likely

Anyotherdude · 10/04/2025 12:01

Don’t criticise the hairdresser - her comments are just to be polite!

Hoppinggreen · 10/04/2025 11:58

Someone is definitely lying here

Original poster
jennylamb1 · 10/04/2025 11:57

Well no, but I do believe that she went to court. The mentality in which you have absolutely no sense of responsibility for paying your way is what I find shocking.

OP posts:
Octavia64 · 10/04/2025 11:56

gas and electric move you to a pre pay meter if you run up substantial debts. So you then either put money on the meter or go without.

council tax they absolutely will chase you.

Gizlotsmum · 10/04/2025 11:55

Would suspect it isn’t quite as rosy as she makes out. However she was right legally you have to have access to a water supply so not paying the water bill doesn’t mean you won’t have water.

WillItEverWork · 10/04/2025 11:54

Worked in the debt collection industry and it’s totally a thing, there are loads of Facebook groups spouting dangerous advice to people on how to “avoid” paying back debts, they quote old obscure laws “help” people write template letters.

Unfortunately the people who get sucked in just get further in debt, and will then not engage with debt charities etc to help them. They usually believe in other conspiracy theories too, like new world order etc etc it’s shocking how “mainstream” it is though!

Quiethouse · 10/04/2025 11:54

Runningoutofpatiencefucksandmoney · 10/04/2025 11:51

I know someone who is exactly the same. Hasn't paid anything for months, possibly years. How on earth do they get away with it. That's of course if they're telling the whole truth 🤔

Likely deducted from their wages/benefits but they're too thick to notice. Or they'll have a charging order on their house.

lazycats · 10/04/2025 11:54

She’s talking shite. You don’t get to not pay council tax just because you ignore the letters

MoreDangerousThanAWomanScorned · 10/04/2025 11:53

What did you expect the hairdresser to do? Order her out of the chair immediately in disgust? As others have said, this is bollocks and I imagine the hairdresser was only half listening to her nonsense.

thepariscrimefiles · 10/04/2025 11:53

Obviously, a hairdresser can't criticise a customer or she would lose business.

None of what this woman said sounds plausible. Otherwise, everyone would be doing it.