Timeframe a bussiness can collect money from you?

Does anybody know if there is a time frame a business can collect money from you for services or goods? I ask because back in 2006 I was in a wreck with one of my cars, I took it to a body shop and got everything fixed and to my knowledge paid for, however just a few weeks ago I got a call from the body shop asking for me to pay $250 for a deductible, I called my insurance and they dunno what is going on they only took care of what they were billed for. The incident happened over 3 years ago and they are just now coming back saying I need to pay them?! Why would they let me take my vehicle if I hadn't paid? Can I just ignore them or should I call and tell them its stupid and offer to pay some of the money back? I don't even own that freakin car anymore..

 

posted in the wrong spot, oops

 

do you have your bill? it should say how much is paid. Call the body shop, maybe they confused you with someone else

 

No I don't have a bill and they have my car make/model and address so I don't think they mixed me up with anybody

 

take that back, I do have a bill they sent me a copy of it and it breaks down how $250 is owed.

 

i'd tell them to eat it and to get their heads out of their ass. it's been three years sorry about their bad luck

 

so after 3 years they decide to tell you that you owe $250? Or did they send you a copy of your bill?

Tell them go pound sand.


they must be hurting for money if there going that deep into there records

 

I just hope they don't try to report me to some collections or something, but I do find it kind of stupid they are coming at me now..

 

i think they would send you like second and final notices before they did anything like a collections agency.

If it does come down to that, send them half since it took them 3 years to call you..lol

 

It IS odd that it took them 3 years to find they were missing the money and get in touch with you.
But if you have a bill that outlines it-and they are looking for it...You might want to pay. Going to collections is bad juju and good credit is hard to build but easy to mess up.

 

maybe they will just take partial payment, its kinda stupid for them to come back now

 

any more input on this?

 

Even though the bill has your name/address on it, doesn't mean they didn't mix you up with someone else. I'd call them and ask them if it really is your bill and then why it took them 3 years to send a bill... Ask them to explain why you "owe" the $$$.

Do you have a deductable on your policy? Did you pay it when you picked the vehicle up?

If you really do owe it, I'd pay up - go with what BrunesDoesTRD said - it would be bad if you have good credit, and this screwed it up.

 

If they can prove that you owe it then I'm pretty sure you're still liable. But you can play with them - tell them you'll take 3 yrs to pay as they took 3 yrs to send it to you.

Or tell them you're flat broke and can't afford it: 'Things change a lot in 3 yrs don't ya know' etc etc

 

Are you saying that you have a copy of the original bill from years ago, or are you talking about a bill they just sent you?

If you have the original bill and it says you owe $250 that you never paid, I'd man up and pay it. It's stupid that they waited this long to try to get the money, but you always owed it. It's childish to try to get out of a debt just because they didn't service it timely. (If they were asking for back-interest, though, I'd tell them where they could shove that extra amount.)

If you're talking about a bill you just received and you have no indication that you ever owed the $250 back in the day, I'd be much more skeptical. I'd put up a fight.

My $0.02

 

I have a copy of what they sent me, not the original bill . I will give them a call and talk to them about why it took so long for them to get back to me..

 

Statue of limitations on this in the state of Texas is 4yrs..

I have not heard anything from these people for about a month, maybe if i can ignore them for another year I don't have to pay lol.. jk