Assistance with Collection Costs and Wrong Address

Questioner

Yesterday I was approached by a collection agency with the message that I still have to pay a bill. It turns out to be a dentist bill of €11.33 from June 2017 that was sent to my old address where I have not lived for 1.5 years. Of course I want to pay the bill but I think that I should not have to pay the collection costs of €40 + 11.33 because I never received the bill. The original invoice was sent by an administration office. When I asked the administration office, it turned out that they still had the wrong address in their administration. They say that they are taking over the address of the dental practice. I am also quite certain that I did give my address to the dentist when I moved in June 2016, but I cannot prove that. Incidentally, my health insurance was able to find in their system that they already had my correct address in 2009. Now I have already contacted the collection agency and said that I want to pay the bill, but not the collection. They indicate that they will continue with the procedure until they have the full amount. What do you advise me to do? Am I within my rights if I refuse to pay the collection costs because they sent the bill to the wrong postal address and did not call or email me until yesterday? Please advise

Lawyer

€40 is the minimum amount for collection costs for an unpaid claim. If you rely on the fact that you have moved and that you reported it in time, you will have to make this plausible in order to avoid those collection costs.

Lawyer

Indeed, you must prove that you have provided your new address.