I've Slipped Through The Net....with Provider.

[ethelburga]

One of my main providers , with whom I set up some years ago, a direct debit, seems to not know me now by account number or email address.

I haven't, when checking my statements paid anything for quite a while...over a year.

If I make myself known, as it were, would I be liable for unpaid monthly amounts ?

Any help and advice greatly appreciated.

[Zacs-Master]

Providers of what? Income?

[mccfluff]

depends on what they were/are providing and if they are still doing so.

[factor-fiction]

It depends- what is the service? You wouldn't want to be cut off electricity for example

[ethelburga]

My phone and broadband! I'm just aware that if I have a problem I could be clobbered for a big bill.

[factor-fiction]

Do you not receive any bills - either by post or email or online?
What do they show?

[ethelburga]

No, never get any bills.just the odd email, so although they don't recognise my email when I've tried to check, I have to be somewhere in their system.
One of the original complications was that they thought I was a business, and if I get an email, it's always directed as if I'm a business.

[mccfluff]

are they still providing the service to you?

[ethelburga]

Yes. It all began when someone, a woman, rang from the provider, to do the usual stuff about the account as they do.
And I said... Look you think I'm a business. And I'm not . I'm a widow of 70! And she said ..I'll see what I can do, or words to the effect.

And not paid a penny since that conversation!

[ethelburga]

Any help appreciated, but got to fly off to my volunteer duty at my local Hospice. But hope someone may have a comment re the law with this tangle.

Thanks for the moment to you.

[gingejbee]

There may come a time when you will NEED to contact them....with a connection problem, perhaps and then they will act! These things have a habit of catching up with you eventually. Didn't you notice that you haven't been paying? I know that I would be well aware of this situation...and they may argue it, too.

[black_cat51]

yes, you would be liable for the unpaid amounts (after all, you received the service)

[factor-fiction]

Or could she argue 'estoppel' based on the conversation and the fact that the bills then stopped....

[jeffa]

Firstly, I would say that you are not doing anything illegal per se - it's not your responsibility to tell someone to send you a bill! However, there's no denying that you are receiving a service for which you are not paying, albeit through no fault of your own and, more importantly, you are in no doubt whatsoever about the way things are, so if (and when - count on it!) they twig, you will have to pay.

[mccfluff]

i think you need to call them and sort it out. its very odd that they haven't been in touch re nonpayment. You may be able to negotiate something with them, but the longer you leave it, the more you may have to repay....

[Daffy6543]

Could it be that you were paying over the odds as a business customer and you don't actually owe them?

[ethelburga]

No I do t think so. But I have ring them .

[royfromaus]

I would just put the money you think you should be paying to one side, if they do cotton on then you will at least have the money to pay.

I say this because I never got reimbursed the money I paid to Talk Talk when they made a miserable attempt to provide me with a internet service.