Whhat happens to an old collection account which you have neglected to pay? Just because they are no longer sending you invoices does not mean that this debt has disappeared. Old collection accounts do not disappear. If you had trouble in the past paying your bills, some of these accounts may have turned into collection accounts.
What that means is that the business where you owed money sold your debt to a company which specializes in collecting debts. This company will be paid by the business when they collect the bad debt. usually they receive a percentage of the debt payment as their commission.
Even if you have not heard from these creditors in years, more than likely they will show up on your credit report. There is no way to get rid of these debts except to deal with the business or collection agency. you may be able to negotiate a discount on the debt, but you will have to pay it to remove the reference on your credit report. When you pay it off, be sure to save a copy of the cencelled check. Often, the business will also send you a letter telling you the debt is paid and that they are removing references to it from your credit report. Be sure to save these letters as well. Clean credit reports are needed for you to be able to obtain a home loan.