What is the statue of limitation in Utah

Question

After 11 years being gone I just moved back to Utah, to the same town I lived before. Now the utilitie company tells me that I have an outstanding debt from 1997 which I know I dont have because I went and paid everybody before I left. I don't have receipts from 97 anymore so isn't there a statue of limitations in the State of Utah and how long is it.

Answer 1

According to http://law.findlaw.com/state-laws/civil-... the statute of of limitations for Collection of Debt on Account is four years.  However that site does not discuss possible issues such as whether your absence from the state could extend the limit.

Also, the statute of limitations only establishes a limit for filing a claim.  How are you going to get the utility company to open an account and provide utilities for you while they believe you owe them money?  The statute of limitations does not force them to do that.  There may be other law that would but you would need to talk to an attorney to find out.

If the claimed debt is small, I would suggest that you pay it while making it clear that you do not believe you owe it.  If it is a large amount and you have tried every way possible to clear it up with the utility, then you should try to find a consumer advocate group or an attorney that offers a free initial consultation to find out if there is anything else you can do.