Hi, long time poster - don't want anything identifying attached to my usual username.
DS attended a nursery some years ago and they are now chasing me for money they say I owe them, which I disagree with.
They are saying I owe upwards of £350 and are denying all knowledge of large payments I made in cash for around £200. One of these was for £150 and at the time I paid, the nursery staff said that she could not find the receipt book - at this point I had been using the nursery for a decent amount of time and had a good relationship with the staff we had a joke that I trusted her not to forget the payment for such a large sum and that I would collect a receipt next time I was dropping off/collecting DS. A receipt never appeared but I never really thought much of it at the time.
I had some financial difficulty and I was behind in paying his regular bill but made this large payment for summer childcare in one chunk in order to avoid adding to arrears. I was paying off the arrears gradually and wasn't made aware of any problems.
Eventually I stopped using the nursery but continued to make payments by bank transfer towards the arrears, keeping note of what I owed and stopping when his bill was cleared.
The nursery waited some time before contacting me (around a year) and then I received email and WhatsApp from them regarding outstanding bills.
We have gone back and forward over the past 4/5 years with them periodically asking for payment and me stating that the bill was clear. I went as far as having to go in to my old bank in person to have years of bank statements printed off and posted to me so that I could match up when I had paid with the invoices they were sending.
They outright deny any payments that I made in cash and as there is no receipt, I don't feel I have a leg to stand on.
The bill in question is from 2017 and they have emailed to say that If I don't pay it they will take legal action.
Just wondering if anyone can advise next steps. I can't afford to pay this money that I don't owe - I was certain the bill was cleared when I stopped paying, and I 100% know that I paid for the summer of 2017 in cash which they are now denying.
I am registered with a professional body for work and have to declare anything legal to them, I would prefer this not to go to court but I am a single parent on a low income - I can't afford to just pay it.
I have tried contacting citizens advice but their only suggestion was to contact the police re: missing cash which I feel should be up to the nursery, not me.
Does anyone know where I go from here? Worried about how I reply to them as I don't want to make myself liable for money I don't owe by responding so I haven't responded since they mentioned legal action.