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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Asking for money 8 years later

133 replies

Jelly837363 · 14/01/2021 20:00

So situation is DH used to live in a house with 2 other housemates 8+ years ago. All bills were split equally but each housemate had one bill that they sorted out. Housemate A was responsible for sorting out the water bill. Housemate B sorted out electric. DH sorted out council tax.

Now it's been about 3 years since DH has heard from either of these housemates, they've all moved on with their lives. Until a few days ago housemate B sent a message saying that he has a CCJ from unpaid electric bill from when they all lived together. He said he doesn't know how much this is for but he will let them know a figure ASAP so they can pay their share.

Now I'm not happy with this. First of all this will be a much higher figure due to late fees etc from this being ignored for so long which I think is on Housemate B and not us. Also it was so long ago we have no idea if DH gave him money at the time and B decided not to pay or what.

Basically my stance is this is entirely B's problem and we aren't paying anything, especially not for the late fees etc. DH thinks he should pay his share of the original debt but nothing towards any late fees or penalty's. I would be okay with this so long as it isn't too much £ as money is right atm.

What do you all think would be a reasonable thing for us to do? Also is there any legal route Housemate B can take to force us to pay?
Thanks

OP posts:

littlepattilou · 14/01/2021 20:06

I am no expert, but I am pretty sure they have no chance of getting the money back. Was anything in writing?

I am sure there is a statute of limitations on stuff like these (6 years?)

But hopefully, someone more knowledgeable than me (in these matters) will be along soon.

ADayAlwaysHasToEnd · 14/01/2021 20:09

I wouldn't pay. He probably paid his share initially

christmasathomeagain · 14/01/2021 20:15

I wouldn't pay either.

At uni my first flat mate moved out half way through the second term. I then got the water bill for the first 6 months. I wouldn't have gone back to her for the bill but probably should have.

I am sure your DH will have paid his share years ago and it seems highly unlikely this is the first this guy new of it. He has clearly been holding off for years hoping it will go away.

CoRhona · 14/01/2021 20:17

I think your DH is doing a nice thing as he doesn't know if he paid it.

If they are his friends - despite the absence - it makes sense he'd want to do this.

yvanka · 14/01/2021 20:24

His friend is an idiot for letting it get this far and now he's chancing it. Ignore.

Ideasplease322 · 14/01/2021 20:29

Is this not a decision for your husband? Why so dismissive of his view?

If a man wrote this everyone would say he is sexist and controlling.

GabsAlot · 14/01/2021 20:36

why has he waited 8 years surely he wold of got notice by now

have you actually sletter with amount owed or just taking his word for it

Original poster

Jelly837363 · 14/01/2021 20:37

Because this is a potentially large sum of money that this person is requesting that will be coming from the family pot. I have not dismissed his view, we've spoken about it as a couple and are not sure what to do.
Please don't try and make this isn't a feminist issue when it clearly isn't.

OP posts:

GabsAlot · 14/01/2021 20:38

seen*

Original poster

Jelly837363 · 14/01/2021 20:38

No letter or any kind of paperwork as of yet. No amount for how much the debt is either. We are waiting for him to send this through, he said he will have it in the next few days.

OP posts:

Colouringaddict · 14/01/2021 20:39

It should be statute barred by now if the energy company has not been in touch?

GabsAlot · 14/01/2021 20:39

why shold your dh pay anyting when he pad the council tax-he should say well i done the council tax we'll call it even

Original poster

Jelly837363 · 14/01/2021 20:41

So apparently all the bills were split and they all paid 1/3 it was just that one person was in charge of each bill, as in they were named on the account and responsible for getting everyone's contribution and making sure it was paid

OP posts:

GabsAlot · 14/01/2021 20:42

it would be like paying twice

Hankunamatata · 14/01/2021 20:42

Agree with dh. Pay his part of original bill.

Cocomarine · 14/01/2021 20:43

I don’t think it’s your decision, though of course you’ll have an opinion. It’s up to your husband.

Why do you think there are late fees because he’s been ignoring it? If he’s happy to ask the others to cough up, wouldn’t he have asked them before the late fees were incurred?

I would be finding out it got to this point before I made my decision.
Final bill that went to old address, and resurfaced many years later when sold to a credit agency - so, more an honest mistake and probably not paid towards by any of them? That situation I’d be more amenable to paying a share.

Has he got actually CCJ or threat of one? If he’s let it get far without asking for them to pay, then he never intended to land it on them and may now be desperate. Depending on the amount and the friendship, I may wish to help him out of that hole.

Toilenstripes · 14/01/2021 20:46

I think he’s having financial difficulties and is looking for ways to get money. I’d write back that you’re happy to give him £50, if you can afford it, but otherwise you would have expected him to have paid the bill 8 years ago.

stillfeelingmad · 14/01/2021 20:46

It won't be statute barred because it sounds like the electric company has been chasing and corresponding and has taken them to court! Presumably in the name of housemate b who was named in the account

GabsAlot · 14/01/2021 20:46

by why is it hispart when they agreed that housemate would pay the whole thing and they took on other bills

Original poster

Jelly837363 · 14/01/2021 20:47

So I don't know if there will be late fees but I assume after so long of it being ignored and going to CCJ then the debt will have incurred fees?

OP posts:

Original poster

Jelly837363 · 14/01/2021 20:49

I don't think I explained very well. All housemates paid and equal 1/3 of every bill and it was one persons job to be responsible for collecting that money and paying it to the utilities.
So my DH would have been paying 1/3 of the electric bill for living there (or not as it seems)

OP posts:

thefirstmrsrochester · 14/01/2021 20:49

If it’s got to the stage of courts recovering outstanding amounts, housemate B should know exactly what’s owed and the penalty charges on top as it’s them who would have been receiving the demands surely? It can be difficult ‘settling’ an account as bills are estimated, but 8 years on and the housemate is springing this out the blue?

Original poster

Jelly837363 · 14/01/2021 20:51

So housemate B has said he was completely unaware of this debt until a few days ago when he became aware of the CCJ.
Not sure if this is true or not but he is saying he doesn't have any paperwork as yet so doesn't even know how much the outstanding debt is

OP posts:

peak2021 · 14/01/2021 20:56

I would have expected the electric bill to be larger than the water bill but possibly about the same or lower than the council tax. So DH may have paid more than 1/3rd in any case.

I'd be very reluctant to pay anything to someone who has tried to dodge payment for something for years, and has finally been caught out. Presumably you can find out the amount first?

CoRhona · 14/01/2021 20:56

So my DH would have been paying 1/3 of the electric bill for living there (or not as it seems)

But he can't remember if he did pay it, can he?

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