Old water bill from over 3 years ago...showing up at bill collector

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Svnla

Svnla

Lifer
Nov 10, 2003
17,986
1,388
126
I used to live at a house and moved out 3 years ago.

Just received a letter from a local bill collector for a water bill from the city for around $35. I called the water bill department and they said the final bill did not get send out to my new address for some reasons and now I have to pay that bill via the bill collector and can't pay directly to them.

WTH??

If I pay it to the bill collector, would that mess my credit up? Something like "new settlements"? What should I do? I never have a bill collector before.

TIA>
 
Svnla

Svnla

Lifer
Nov 10, 2003
17,986
1,388
126
Originally posted by: HappyPuppy
Have you checked your credit report?
Click to expand...

I just did <from the 3 free reports once a year>. I just receive the collector letter AFTER I checked my credit reports.

What piss me off is the water department did not forward it and waited for over 3 years and it was their fault and now I have to deal with it and I can't even pay them directly to avoid the bill collector.
 
umbrella39

umbrella39

Lifer
Jun 11, 2004
13,816
1,126
126
Does it actually appear on your credit report? I would send the CA a debt validation letter 1st to make sure they have some sort of proof they either own or have been assigned the debt. If it is already on your CR you are going to have to deal with this bill collector and yes, it negatively affects your CR and FICO score unless they will accept PFD.

HTH and ignore the assholes. Doesn't sound like you skipped out on some huge debt, FFS, it is just a $35 water bill. Shame the OC will not accept payment directly from you.
 
V

Viper GTS

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
38,107
433
136
First things first find out if it's been reported to the CRA's yet. If not, just pay the DCA & be done with it. Get it in writing from them that they will not report it to the CRA's. Yes it sucks but no harm done.

If it HAS been reported, talk to the CA & see if they'll delete it in exchange for payment. Keep in mind that they probably paid pennies on the dollar for the debt so collecting anything from you is a win for them (nearly pure profit). This is why you can no longer pay the city, they don't own the debt anymore.

Viper GTS
 
kranky

kranky

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
21,019
156
106
Best to pay it, but you need to make sure it doesn't leave a black mark on your credit. Get an agreement in writing from the bill collector that they will remove any derogatory information from your credit report upon payment.

The worst thing would be to pay it and still have the blemish on your credit record.

Check creditboards.com Credit forum for information on "PFD" (pay for delete).
 
G

George P Burdell

Lifer
Aug 25, 2004
11,151
1
81
Originally posted by: Viper GTS
First things first find out if it's been reported to the CRA's yet. If not, just pay the DCA & be done with it. Get it in writing from them that they will not report it to the CRA's. Yes it sucks but no harm done.

If it HAS been reported, talk to the CA & see if they'll delete it in exchange for payment. Keep in mind that they probably paid pennies on the dollar for the debt so collecting anything from you is a win for them (nearly pure profit). This is why you can no longer pay the city, they don't own the debt anymore.

Viper GTS
Click to expand...

 
V

Viper GTS

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
38,107
433
136
Originally posted by: umbrella39
Does it actually appear on your credit report? I would send the CA a debt validation letter 1st to make sure they have some sort of proof they either own or have been assigned the debt. If it is already on your CR you are going to have to deal with this bill collector and yes, it negatively affects your CR and FICO score unless they will accept PFD.

HTH and ignore the assholes. Doesn't sound like you skipped out on some huge debt, FFS, it is just a $35 water bill. Shame the OC will not accept payment directly from you.
Click to expand...

Assuming this is the first CA that has it the odds are excellent that they will be able to properly validate the debt. Plus since it's such a small amount it's hardly worth dealing with - The time, effort, and postage required to play hardball with a CA isn't worth $35 IMO.

The best strategy is to make sure it never touches his credit report, & just pay it + move on with life.

Viper GTS
 
ViviTheMage

ViviTheMage

Lifer
Dec 12, 2002
36,189
87
91
madgenius.com
Originally posted by: Viper GTS
First things first find out if it's been reported to the CRA's yet. If not, just pay the DCA & be done with it. Get it in writing from them that they will not report it to the CRA's. Yes it sucks but no harm done.

If it HAS been reported, talk to the CA & see if they'll delete it in exchange for payment. Keep in mind that they probably paid pennies on the dollar for the debt so collecting anything from you is a win for them (nearly pure profit). This is why you can no longer pay the city, they don't own the debt anymore.

Viper GTS
Click to expand...

:thumbsup: exactly.
 
Svnla

Svnla

Lifer
Nov 10, 2003
17,986
1,388
126
Kranky - the amount is small, no big deal. Like you said, I just don't want to pay it and then have a dink as "deadbeat" in my CR. Right now I want to figure out the best way to make it go away AND not mess up my CR.

Viper - no it has not been reported to CRA because I just checked all my 3 free reports last month. Hopefully, I can tell the DCA not to report in exchange of payment.

To others that said just pay the bill. Well, I would pay IF I knew I owed it. I didn't know about it for the last several years. And I am not even sure it is mine. I will have to stop by in person at the water department this week.

 
V

Viper GTS

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
38,107
433
136
Originally posted by: Svnla

Viper - no it has not been reported to CRA because I just checked all my 3 free reports last month. Hopefully, I can tell the DCA not to report in exchange of payment.
Click to expand...

You need to check again. One month old is not recent enough if you just got the letter.

I would spend the $15 or whatever a month of TrueCredit costs & start pulling your report every couple days while you deal with this. Since you've burned your free reports for the year you'll need a way to cheaply get multiple reports.

Viper GTS
 
umbrella39

umbrella39

Lifer
Jun 11, 2004
13,816
1,126
126
Originally posted by: Viper GTS
Originally posted by: umbrella39
Does it actually appear on your credit report? I would send the CA a debt validation letter 1st to make sure they have some sort of proof they either own or have been assigned the debt. If it is already on your CR you are going to have to deal with this bill collector and yes, it negatively affects your CR and FICO score unless they will accept PFD.

HTH and ignore the assholes. Doesn't sound like you skipped out on some huge debt, FFS, it is just a $35 water bill. Shame the OC will not accept payment directly from you.
Click to expand...

Assuming this is the first CA that has it the odds are excellent that they will be able to properly validate the debt. Plus since it's such a small amount it's hardly worth dealing with - The time, effort, and postage required to play hardball with a CA isn't worth $35 IMO.

The best strategy is to make sure it never touches his credit report, & just pay it + move on with life.

Viper GTS
Click to expand...

:) I wasn't trying to suggest DV'ing them to play hardball, just to make sure the OP pays the right junk debt buyer. I have seen a few times when the more than one CA has bought the same debt. No sense paying the wrong guy imo.
 
EagleKeeper

EagleKeeper

Discussion Club Moderator<br>Elite Member
Staff member
Oct 30, 2000
42,589
5
0
If the CA will nto work with you, then get a Postal MO and mail it to the city water department with the old account number on it.

Initially have a return receipt.

Some one from the city will sign for it.
Then it will be up to the water department to process the payment.
As long as you have a copy of the payment and the return receipt, the city can not claim that they did not have payment.
Do not put a return address on the MO and on the payment envelope.
The city apparently does not have a current address for you; so the MO will either sit around (not your fault if it is not processed), or they wil just post it to clear up the accounting.

After a couple of weeks, check if the MO is cashed.
And/Or tell the CA to blow off, you have a return receipt that the money order was received by the city for the bill.
 
jlee

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,518
223
106
Originally posted by: Common Courtesy
If the CA will nto work with you, then get a Postal MO and mail it to the city water department with the old account number on it.

Initially have a return receipt.

Some one from the city will sign for it.
Then it will be up to the water department to process the payment.
As long as you have a copy of the payment and the return receipt, the city can not claim that they did not have payment.
Do not put a return address on the MO and on the payment envelope.
The city apparently does not have a current address for you; so the MO will either sit around (not your fault if it is not processed), or they wil just post it to clear up the accounting.

After a couple of weeks, check if the MO is cashed.
And/Or tell the CA to blow off, you have a return receipt that the money order was received by the city for the bill.
Click to expand...

He doesn't owe the city anymore- he owes the CA..
 
DrPizza

DrPizza

Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
Mar 5, 2001
49,601
167
111
www.slatebrookfarm.com
Originally posted by: JLee
Originally posted by: Common Courtesy
If the CA will nto work with you, then get a Postal MO and mail it to the city water department with the old account number on it.

Initially have a return receipt.

Some one from the city will sign for it.
Then it will be up to the water department to process the payment.
As long as you have a copy of the payment and the return receipt, the city can not claim that they did not have payment.
Do not put a return address on the MO and on the payment envelope.
The city apparently does not have a current address for you; so the MO will either sit around (not your fault if it is not processed), or they wil just post it to clear up the accounting.

After a couple of weeks, check if the MO is cashed.
And/Or tell the CA to blow off, you have a return receipt that the money order was received by the city for the bill.
Click to expand...

He doesn't owe the city anymore- he owes the CA..
Click to expand...

Did he sign a contract with the city that allows them to sell his debt to a different agency? Personally, I'd also lean toward paying the city, contacting the bill collector afterwards and tell them that you've paid the city, and let them sort it out.
 
jlee

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,518
223
106
Originally posted by: DrPizza
Originally posted by: JLee
Originally posted by: Common Courtesy
If the CA will nto work with you, then get a Postal MO and mail it to the city water department with the old account number on it.

Initially have a return receipt.

Some one from the city will sign for it.
Then it will be up to the water department to process the payment.
As long as you have a copy of the payment and the return receipt, the city can not claim that they did not have payment.
Do not put a return address on the MO and on the payment envelope.
The city apparently does not have a current address for you; so the MO will either sit around (not your fault if it is not processed), or they wil just post it to clear up the accounting.

After a couple of weeks, check if the MO is cashed.
And/Or tell the CA to blow off, you have a return receipt that the money order was received by the city for the bill.
Click to expand...

He doesn't owe the city anymore- he owes the CA..
Click to expand...

Did he sign a contract with the city that allows them to sell his debt to a different agency? Personally, I'd also lean toward paying the city, contacting the bill collector afterwards and tell them that you've paid the city, and let them sort it out.
Click to expand...

I dunno..ask him.. :p
 
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