Unpaid $68 Dental Bill Dogs Utah Homeowner

cbs ^ | 3-1-10 | Associated Press

[cajuncow]

(AP) SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - A Utah woman who lost title to her house over an unpaid $68 dental bill has been given a reprieve.

The Utah Court of Appeals ruled Capri Ramos is entitled to another opportunity to void the sale of her house at a county auction for $1,550.

The collection agency North American Recovery sued Ramos in 1995 over the dental bill.

[IbJensen]

Pay the bill, stupid!

[gov_bean_ counter]

Should have borrowed her sisters dentures...

[Joann37]

Doesn’t it seem like there’s more to the story than is being reported?

[dfwgator]

Bush's Fault!

[gov_bean_ counter]

LOL!!!

[Vigilanteman]

Not a good tactic. A lot of these bottom-feeding collection agencies buy and resell debt so often, it becomes almost impossible to trace the original origin of the debt (someone with a similar name or address), who is actually entitled to collect it or even if it is legitimate.

Paying a debt you don't owe is like hanging a "Kick Me" sign on your record for all these bottom feeders.

[camle]

hmmm.... how did a judgement against her, which would probably create a lien on the property (the lien holder would get paid when the joint gets sold) become a forclosure-like sale?

and why did the house only bring 1.5K?

something isn’t well explained here.

[Charles Martel]

Maybe she signed something at the dentist’s office that she really should not have. Or maybe Utah has some odd laws that blur the line between secured and unsecured debt.

[JoeProBono]

[cajuncow]

“In the hearing, the judge will decide if the creditor should be allowed to collect the debt. If the debtor fails to appear, the judge has no choice but to decide on behalf of the creditor.”

http://www.bills.com/blog/can-creditors-for-unpaid-unsecured-debt-seize-my-home/

[Leisler]

In order for Dentists/Doctors and such to write off on their taxes bills, they have to make an effort to collect. I think, but am not sure, that turning outstanding bills over to an agency, is considered an effort.

[MamaTexan]

Debt collection agencies file for court hearings all the time, but people rarely bother showing up. The judge gives the debt collector a summary judgment [whether the debt is valid or not] and the debt collector can file on the loser's bank account and anything else they own....including property.

My guess is that's what happened here, that the lady was filed on and didn't show. If so, it's her own fault.

[camle]

so...
she doesn’t read what she signs and...
she doesn’t respond when served with papers...

not too bright, eh?

[Feasor13]

There’s also a statute of limitations on the debt. A debt from 1995 has probably run its course already anyway.

[magellan]

The ability to put a lien on a house for something which falls into small claims court should not be allowed, but that requires the local law to be changed. I had some jacka$$ fraudulent local heating and air company threaten to put a lien on my house over a disputed $50 bill.

Clark Howard suggested I pay the bill, but note what HVAC manufacturers the corrupt individual sold, and write a nice letter to them encouraging them to drop him as a reseller. The theory is if they loser has nothing to sell or service, he goes out of business.

In this particular case, every potential patient of dentist needs to know this happened. He will drop that collection agency quick if it causes him to lose patients.

The same goes for freeloaders. There should be a pariah list passed around between doctors and dentists. That way a freeloader goes to new dentists, fills out the paperwork, and PariahCheck(tm) comes back and says this is a freeloader, and the nice lady behind the counter says "I'm sorry, but we cannot accept you as a patient, because you have an outstanding bill at another dentist."

[Vigilanteman]

Correct. The statue of limitations is 3-5 years on debt collection in most states. But this just shows the length these bottom feeders will go to, doesn’t it?

[RJS1950]

Maybe the bill had already been paid but improperly recorded. I’ve had that happen several times. I also received bills for body armor that I did not order nor did I pay for it. I ignored the repeated bills and waited for them to try to contact me by phone which they did. The bill was for a police officer in another state with exactly the same name (not a common name either). The idiot collection agency simply did an internet search and found my name; assumed the customer was me even though they sent the product to another state. I have also had bills sent to addresses other than mine and I did not have any way of knowing that the bills were due or past due.

[wintertime]

I’m sorry, but we cannot accept you as a patient, because you have an outstanding bill at another dentist.”
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Hm? Very interesting!

[CholeraJoe]

As long as the creditor renews the lien periodically, it can last forever. I had one dog me for 15 years, until I finally proved that I didn’t owe it.