Solictors bill from over 7 years ago

ahnowbrowncow

A relative received a letter from their solicitor saying something about archiving files, they have an outdated will, documents from a divorce and the deeds of the house with their solicitor.

It states they owe about €200 in interim fees. After ringing the solicitor numerous times they were eventually told it was regarding maintenance fees for their daughter going to college in 2005, they said they rang the father (divorced) and college regarding maintenance. The solicitors state that this file was asked to be kept in abeyance (open), my relative disputes this as they have no recollection of doing so and had no reason to do so either.

2005 was the last contact they've had with their solicitor until now, I thought that if it's over 6 years you can't collect a fee and maybe that's why they're trying to say the file was asked to be kept open.

They're being very unhelpful and giving out very little information and I know it's not a large sum of money but it's still an unexpected bill so any advice would be appreciated.

GerardKeating

ahnowbrowncow wrote: »

A relative received a letter from their solicitor saying something about archiving files, they have an outdated will, documents from a divorce and the deeds of the house with their solicitor.

It states they owe about €200 in interim fees. After ringing the solicitor numerous times they were eventually told it was regarding maintenance fees for their daughter going to college in 2005, they said they rang the father (divorced) and college regarding maintenance. The solicitors state that this file was asked to be kept in abeyance (open), my relative disputes this as they have no recollection of doing so and had no reason to do so either.

2005 was the last contact they've had with their solicitor until now, I thought that if it's over 6 years you can't collect a fee and maybe that's why they're trying to say the file was asked to be kept open.

They're being very unhelpful and giving out very little information and I know it's not a large sum of money but it's still an unexpected bill so any advice would be appreciated.

The rule is six years since they last tried to collect, if the phone call story is true, then they are within their rights, and they may have a record of the aptempt.

ResearchWill

GerardKeating wrote: »

The rule is six years since they last tried to collect, if the phone call story is true, then they are within their rights, and they may have a record of the aptempt.

It not last trying to collect,it's six years from the person who owes the money admitting the debt.

ahnowbrowncow

GerardKeating wrote: »

The rule is six years since they last tried to collect, if the phone call story is true, then they are within their rights, and they may have a record of the aptempt.

The solicitors rang the father in regarding the maintenance in 2005. There has been no contact with the solicitors since that period in 2005 up until now when they sent this letter out and this is the first time my relative has even heard they owe anything because I assume everything was settled 7 years ago.

The solicitor refused to tell us when the last contact was with them when they were asked twice.

So what happens now, is it up to them to prove that it's been under 6 years or up to us to prove that it has been over 6 years?

Procrastastudy

ahnowbrowncow wrote: »

The solicitors rang the father in regarding the maintenance in 2005. There has been no contact with the solicitors since that period in 2005 up until now when they sent this letter out and this is the first time my relative has even heard they owe anything because I assume everything was settled 7 years ago.

The solicitor refused to tell us when the last contact was with them when they were asked twice.

So what happens now, is it up to them to prove that it's been under 6 years or up to us to prove that it has been over 6 years?

If it was me I'd be leaving it well alone - I know opening my big trap gets me in all sorts of trouble.