overpayed 5 years ago!

[myles1984]

I was overpayed 5 years ago and now my previous employer wants it back. I was'nt aware of the over payment at the time. Because i no longer work for this employer and the fact it was 5 years ago do i have to pay it back?

[ummmm]

Have you queried it?

[bednobs]

if the overpayment is right then yes you need to pay it back. As a rule of thumb, you could ask to pay it back over the amount of time it was paid to you (if yout an extra payment every month for a year for example, you could ask for a year to pay it back).
Look at it like this - if you realised they had underpaid you, would you think they shouldn't pay you?

[ummmm]

Before I even considered paying it back I would ask to see the proof of over payment..

[merciasounds]

Well, put it this way, if it was me underpaid, I'd think it was far too late to ask for it now - but then that's just me!

As a side note, I've filled in my tax forms correctly, but the tax people have taken too much tax off me for the last 6 years, and I can only get a rebate on the last 4 - and I've had to be darn quick about claiming that too.

[Xylene]

Agree with ummmm, ask for proof. If they send you any, write back and say you can't find any evidence of overpayment. Make them fight for it, they'll probably back off.

[myles1984]

Thanks, they are sending me proof in the post.