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AIBU?

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Original poster

Neighbour made a mistake and now wants money

422 replies

DomingoFlamingo · 20/09/2016 02:55

Neighbor moved in about 10 months ago - its a house converted into flats with a communal hallway, front door and letterbox (I live upstairs, she lives downstairs) since she moved in we've had several issues including persistent loud music and her "borrowing" my things that then take several weeks to be returned (if at all)

Then today she knocks on my door with a letter address to me and dated July. She then proceeds to tell me that the letter (a bill) was picked up by her son and she didn't bother to read the name on the front until today when she went to pay again.. hence she's (somehow) been paying my bill since July Hmm and I now owe her a 3 figure sum for doing so......

I'd have normally payed this bill in installments throughout the year, but she payed the whole amount in two payments. Because of this I don't have that amount of money available to pay her back immediately (I work part time and its nearly 4 weeks wages for me)

She's asked for the money by the end of the week, I've offered to pay her in installments but she refused the offer and said she wants it in one go or she'll call the police. :( is she BU or am I? I will/would pay her back but I simply can't afford the whole amount in one go......

OP posts:
merrymouse · 20/09/2016 07:47

A refund would leave the account overdue.

Technically, the OP hasn't paid the bill and needs to contact the company as soon as possible to sort out payment. As the account is overdue this may not be as simple as a standard monthly direct debit. However, it should be better than paying everything by the end of the week.

PrettyBlueDressForTheXmasBall · 20/09/2016 07:47

She needs to get a refund from the company and you need to setup a payment plan with company. If you pay her, even if she has paid the bill (unlikely), she could get money from you and then a refund from the company. Leaving you liable to pay the company and out of pocket from paying her first.

TeaRexit · 20/09/2016 07:49

Sounds like a scam

Ldnmum2015 · 20/09/2016 07:54

She opened you mail illegally, the police would take that very seriously if you were to complain.

youarenotkiddingme · 20/09/2016 07:54

She opened your mail - I'm sure there is laws against that?

Plus you've no written communication she paid and you pay her back. She can obviously prove she paid but has no defense about how and why with admitting to opening mail belonging to someone else.

Ask for bank details and artange SO for 12 months. Send the letter to ask this recorded delivery and keep a copy.

TheCommunalRibena · 20/09/2016 07:56

The whole thing smells of BS. The whole.

LynetteScavo · 20/09/2016 07:57

Do not pay her a thing! Ever!

If she is stupid enough to pay someone else's bill that is her fault. I'm pretty sure if this went to court she'd be found to be at fault.

Let her go to the police (she won't!)

Don't engage with her about this except to tell her you are asking the company to refund her. Tell her she needs to speed to the company, not you.

SemiNormal · 20/09/2016 07:57

She wants money from you - obviously there'd be no trace on that. Then she would contact said company and demand her money back from them too, that would be my guess. Tell her to sort it out with them and that you have been advised by a solicitor not to pay a penny to her as it is the company that owes her the money and not you.

Foslady · 20/09/2016 07:57

Ask for a statement from the company to get proof any payments have been made

DragonMamma · 20/09/2016 07:58

eurochick I was thinking the same thing. Can you imagine all these solicitors giving out a few hundred quid an hour in free time Hmm

acatcalledjohn · 20/09/2016 07:59

Assuming she isn't trying to scam you:

Follow PPs' advice and call the company concerned to set up a payment plan (and check whether she's actually paid it). Then if she threatens the police again, you can point out that opening and withholding? post with the "intent to injure any other person" (she has caused you financial difficulty) is a crime, as well as say that you've spoken to the company involved and she is to sort her payment error to them out with them.

Yes, you should have noticed you were missing a bill (can you set up e-billing?), but at the end of the day her money issues are her own fault. She is in a shared building so it's imperative she checks the name on any post before ignoring it/opening it.

LynetteScavo · 20/09/2016 07:59

The words "your mistake, your problem" may slip out of my mouth but I don't handle situations very well so that's probably not the way to go.

NoFucksImAQueen · 20/09/2016 08:00

Sorry nothing more to add just want to follow this. Does anyone know how you add something your watched list on the app without having to post on it?

YelloDraw · 20/09/2016 08:00

I echo what everyone else said. Everything should be sorted through the company - do not hand over any cash to her.

eurochick · 20/09/2016 08:03

Nope dragon. I'm a lawyer and the only thing I have to sell is my time!

Pagwatch · 20/09/2016 08:03

How is it possible to pay a bill that is not yours. When I call to pay anything I confirm my name, my address, my account reference.

This is bollocks.

AdaLovelacesCat · 20/09/2016 08:06

Do you mean the whole story is bollocks Pagwatch?

Mix56 · 20/09/2016 08:06

If she paid yours, did she them pay her own? if not wouldn't she have been cut off?
Isn't it illegal to open your post.?
I would call the company to see what was done.
Maybe they can reimburse her, & you set up your payments
Either way, You are not paying her in a lump sum. Not your problem.

LadyConstanceDeCoverlet · 20/09/2016 08:06

I don't understand why people assume she must have paid online or by phone. She could have paid by cheque - the recipients wouldn't have been in the least bothered if the cheque was signed by someone other than the account holder. That's not to say it happened, but it is at least possible. And I do agree you would be naive to accept she paid without checking. I'm also not sure why PP are saying it's a utility bill - the mention of options to pay and regular instalments sounds a bit like council tax to me.

However, if she paid this it must mean she also owed money to whoever it was on her own account, and she needs to explain therefore why she apparently paid them twice over without noticing. If she didn't pay her own bill, she would have been getting reminders - but anyway if that is the case she can just ask the recipients to transfer it to the credit of her own account. You need to make it very clear that she has to get on to the payee and sort it out with them, and that the problem is nothing to do with you.

Pagwatch · 20/09/2016 08:09

Even if she paid by cheque that requires filling in stuff.

It's beyond implausible.

ladylanky · 20/09/2016 08:10

Someone's making stuff up here. What kind of bill can be paid without ever mentioning the name of the account holder??

LIZS · 20/09/2016 08:18

Surely anyone can pay a paper bill using the attached paying in slip. I'm not sure why so much Hmm

Op if you normally pay installments has it been double paid, in which case your account will be in credit or did 3 months' of payments never leave your bank.

AntheaBelvedon · 20/09/2016 08:19

If she paid by cash at a paypoint then she would just handed over the bill and the money, no checking of details etc.

But I think it sounds like a scam too.

NightWanderer · 20/09/2016 08:20

I live abroad and we do get bills like this, so it's possible the OP lives abroad too. Here, things like health insurance and pension payments are invoiced for the year/or in three parts but you can request to split up payments into months. You just take them to a bank, PO, or shop and pay them, no questions asked. Names aren't written in English either so it's easy to get confused.

Or maybe not. I don't know.

shovetheholly · 20/09/2016 08:20

Ring the company and check whether the bill HAS actually been paid, and by whom. I agree with PPs - this stinks of BS.

IF it turns out she's telling the truth, explain the situation to them and see what they suggest.

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