Old district-heating bills in Bulgaria: what to check when a demand arrives

Identify what you have received

A supplier’s statement or a collection demand is different from a court order for payment. Check the sender, case number, amounts, periods and service date. Keep the whole set, including the envelope and notice of service.

If court papers have arrived, check the procedural deadline without waiting for a reply to a general enquiry sent to the company. Article 414 of the Bulgarian Code of Civil Procedure provides one month from service to object to an order for payment; other documents and procedures may require different steps.

Three-year limitation does not mean automatic deletion

Interpretative Decision No 3/2011 of the Supreme Court of Cassation considers periodic payments under Article 111(c) of the Obligations and Contracts Act, including claims by district-heating companies. It is important to limitation analysis but does not automatically decide every dispute.

The due dates of individual claims, suspension or interruption events and any prior judicial determination must be examined. Acknowledging a debt, entering a settlement or court collection steps may matter. As a general rule, limitation is not applied by the court of its own motion.

Check the basis of the claim too

Beyond the age of the bills, relevant matters include ownership or rights of use during the period, contractual relations, readings, adjustments and payments. Not living in the apartment does not by itself establish that nothing is owed.

Request a breakdown of principal, interest and costs and compare it with payment records. Do not sign an instalment arrangement just to stop calls without understanding what you acknowledge and how it may affect your defence.

Prepare the file for review

Illustrative example: a demand gives one total covering several years. Parts may have different due dates, payments or previous proceedings. The overall total does not provide a reliable answer for each component.

Gather the demand, court papers, period-by-period statement, payment records and property documents. Put them in date order. A lawyer can then assess the amount, limitation and appropriate procedural response together. Neither the age of a bill nor submitting a complaint guarantees that the claim will fall away.