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Mobistar - payment of bill from over 9 years ago
Hi everyone,
I received a letter today from a debt collection agency, Intrum, for almost 200euros. The letter didn't explain what the debt concerned and said if I didn't pay then I would be taken to court. Baffled, I called Intrum and they informed me that it concerned an old debt to Mobistar from 2009 (that has now increased from 84euros to 200). I don't even recall using Mobistar in the past and if I did then I'm fairly confident any bills were paid. In any case, does anyone know if there a statue of limitations on such debts?
I would appreciate advice on this.
Thanks!
Tell them you have never used Mobistar and they must have the wrong person.
There is a statue of limitations, but it's 10 years.
http://socialsante.wallonie.be/surendettement/professionnel/?q=Informati...
You should ask them for proof of the original debt (i.e. a copy of the invoice).
If they won't provide a copy, you'll be fine as the moment they take you to court, the case will be thrown out.
Actually, I didn't even read my own link, in fact, phone bills are 5 years.
Il existe toutefois de nombreuses exceptions à ce principe .....
Quelques exemples :
cinq ans pour les factures périodiques récurrentes de la vie quotidienne (eau, gaz, électricité, téléphone fixe ou mobile, internet, câble)
I would call first Mobistar( Now Orange) customer support. Give the your details so they can check their records about any unpaid debts. Debt collection agencies sometimes are trying to rip people of. No company will sent your file to a debt collection automatically. You must have received first letters from Mobistar to pay any debt which was due after you refuse to pay they may sent to a debt agency. However that would take 6 months up to 1 year and not 9 years
I agree with EDI that you should contact the phone company, but I suggest you do it in person with the collector's letter in hand.
Hate to disagree with EDI and SOCRATE, but I would absolutely not recommend you contact Mobistar. By doing so, you are recognizing that you may have a debt with them.
Tell the debt collection agency to produce evidence of your debt.
If this isn't your debt, no judge / court will enforce it. I would also suggest you immediately make an appointment with your local CPAS at the commune, as they deal with these types of cases all the time.
Of course, if it is your debt, then you better just pony up and pay it. I'll be blunt and say that "...if I did then I'm fairly confident any bills were paid...", doesn't sound 100% confident to me.
The debt collection agency is required to tell you exactly what the original bill was for, preferably producing a copy.
If they still insist without showing proof and there are other cases like yours, you can contact Test-Aankoop to take up your cause, there have been similar controversies in the recent past.
I don't even recall using Mobistar in the past and if I did then I'm fairly confident any bills were paid. "
You either did or you didn't. I could give you a list of exactly who I've had mobile contracts with for the past 20 years. I could certainly pinpoint which provider I was during a specific date in relation to a debt. Unless you have a PA that does everything for you it's strange that you aren't sure if you were a customer or not.
So basically - you were a customer - pay up. You weren't - challenge it.
