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If you miss a payment due date for one of your bills, savvy bill payers know how to approach this kind of oversight. They’ll reach out to the appropriate company and make a payment as soon as possible. But, what if the reverse happens and you do not receive a statement for a recurring bill such as your cellphone or credit card? Rather than wait and see what happens, here are a few ways you can take action if you don’t receive one of your bills.
See: 9 Bills You Should Never Put on Autopay
And More: Here’s How Much Cash You Need Stashed if a National Emergency Happens
Inquire Immediately
Whether the late statement is for your credit card or utilities, don’t wait for the company to reach out or assume that they will contact you first. Samantha Hawrylack, co-founder of How To FIRE, recommends bill payers reach out and inquire immediately about the delay.
“Delays in receiving a regular bill can be caused by a number of factors, including technical difficulties or simply an oversight on the part of the service provider,” Hawrylack said. “Regardless of the reason, it’s always best to err on the side of caution and reach out as soon as possible to avoid any potential late fees or other penalties.”
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Conduct Another Thorough Search
Let’s use the example that your billing statement for your cellphone bill is late. You normally receive an electronic statement via email, but it hasn’t arrived in your inbox. Double-check any spam folders to see if the statement could have potentially fallen through the cracks there. If you make payments online, you may log into your account and access existing statements there. You may find the statement is waiting there, but the email regarding your account statement experienced a delivery glitch. If you pay your bills using autopay, check your bank account to see if a payment was processed for this statement or not.
For those who receive paper billing statements, check your mailbox and any places where you keep your mail in your home. If a family member or roommate brought in the mail, ask if they might have seen it. Conduct a thorough search to make sure the billing statement didn’t accidentally get stuck inside a magazine or in a pile of letters. If you signed up for Informed Delivery from USPS.com, a daily email newsletter that allows you to digitally preview the print mail and packages you’re receiving each day, review previous emails to see if the bill was included in any scheduled mail arrivals. Conducting one final, thorough search will allow you to better determine the cause for the delay and how you can move forward addressing it.
Reach Out Using Several Contact Methods
Bill payers who immediately reach out to inquire about their missing statement may use a few contact methods. You can find the appropriate contact information on a paper billing statement or in your last email statement. Credit cards will often include their call center phone numbers directly on the card for customer support purposes.
Refer to this information to get in touch with the appropriate point of contact or log into your online account to reach out for additional live support. Remember to observe the days and hours of operation, including time zones, to ensure you are calling when the company is open and ready to assist you.
Make the Payment
Once you are able to get in touch with a customer service representative, Matthew Robbs, founder of Smart Saving Advice, recommends asking for the billing total. Ask if the company can send you a new bill, via email or mail, and make the payment on time.
Remember, just because you didn’t receive a billing statement, that does not mean that you do not have to pay your bill or that you can delay the payment. Be proactive and reach out as early as possible to ensure you have plenty of time to pay the bill. Waiting until the due date, or past it, will likely result in you paying late fees and potentially interest fees.
“No matter if your bill is lost in the mail, or email, your bills will still be due on the same date,” Robbs said. “It will still be your responsibility to pay them on time.”
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: What To Do If You Don’t Receive One of Your Bills
