Help! £490 Water bill from a house I moved out of 10 years ago! Where do I stand?

[gabid]

Today I received a final demand water bill from a property I rented with 3 friends 10 years ago. I was the first to move out, the others followed within 6 months and it seems I didn't make sure my name is off all bills. The bill must have been paid by subsequent tenants - until now! I am liable?

I have moved across the country, bought a house and moved since. I wonder how they found me?

I need some advice about how to deal with this/get out of it. Do I ignore it and pretend the letter has not reached me, or do I have a case calling them and proving that I have not lived there/don't own the property and have certainly not used the water?

They're probably trying you as a last resort if the other tenants haven't been paying.

I had this with a gas bill a few years ago. I just had to prove that I wasn't living at the address during the billed period and that was that. Council tax bill/electoral role should be fine.

is it not statute barrred after 6 years? I am sure it will be too old to chase you for. Is it from the company or a fake bailiff firm? If the latter ignore and don't respond.

If I were you I'd go to my nearest Citizens Advice Bureau or perhaps ring the water company and explain you told them 10yrs ago you had moved out, it might work but if the Bill is in your name then you could be stuck with it.

Whatever you do don't ignore it, they wont go away

Thanks, the bill is from the water company, headed 'final demand' saying that they wrote on 12 February (I have not had a letter before), but not threating with legal action.

I would just call them and explain their mistake as a first step. It should be fine, honestly.

'i no longer live there, i have lived here X years...'

whatever they've done, they certainly haven't kept up with the need to 'maintain regular contact with creditor' - a customer list not updated in 10 years.....sloppy.

I just looked up 'statue barred debt' - the 6 years, I believe, is relating to a debt that is 6 years old. The bill I got doesn't state the bill period, but I assume the debt is more recent, e.g. a tenant moved out and didn't pay within the last year or so.

Jareth - I hope you are right, that would be a relief. Good idea, will make it their mistake.

Don't contact them and do not admit the debt, there's a standard letter on money saving expert about barred debts you need to print off and post.

Heswall - but is it a barred debt if the charge relates to water consumption during 2011? That is what I assume - it has not been paid and it still has my name on the bill.

That's just incorrect, my worry would be if you engage with them at all they might hound you forever more.

They would not be able to "hound" anybody if they can prove they have lived elsewhere though.

Sorry Heswall, but as long as the op can prove she was living elsewhere then she can't be held responsible for the bill.

OP - don't suppose you have a water bill from the same company for your current address, do you?

I have a water bill from another company for the period since moving out of the said property, so from June 2003 to now. Also Council Tax bills and TV licences.

I am planning to ring them tonight, explaining that I moved out in June 2003, that I have paid my bills and told them that I was moving - and that I know that because I always make sure I call all utility companies when I move.

I hope that will work.

Make sure you ask what the billed period is first off :)

See either CAB or get half hour free with a solicitor. Oh, or Consumer Direct might be of use?

Thanks all!

I just called them - I need to send them a letter stating when I moved out together with some evidence that I have been living somewhere else, e.g. a water bill from that period.

I am relieved!!! Can thing other ways to spend £500 than to give it to Thames Water!

think

glad it is sorted - sorry I was wrong about statute barred, I thought it was an incorrect old bill that wasn't yours, not an incorrectly produced newer one.

It was a correct bill for the use of water at that property. The bill was relating to an unpaid bill for the period from 2008 to now. So someone has lived there and paid water under my name and from 2008 it wasn't paid and no-one replied to the demands.

I assume someone has done some invistigating and found me in the hope of getting the money.

If they had decided that I have to pay because my name is on the bill then I would have been better off not replying - so the debt would only have been 'statue barred' in 2 years time as I see it - I didn't know that either though. Fortunately, they don't hold me responsible if I can proof I haven't lived there.

I prefer having things sorted, rather than waiting and hoping on some dubious demands.

Glad you got it sorted