evan9381 Posted June 17, 2009 Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 just want some opinions on how you might handle this...doing collections, ive got a pretty good idea, but i wouldnt mind hearing something else. end of march, i bought a house, and moved out of my apartment. i paid rent through march 29 (moved out on the 28th), did walk thru with maintenence, he noticed 2-3 little things id have to cover. i went back to the office with him, talked to the manager. gave her a check for the 1/2 off 1st month i got (had to pay back for not going full 13 months on lease) and $199 for releasing. all together, it was under $500. she said she would have to add up the things maintenence marked down, and she would send me a bill for the final amount. no big deal. i give her the check, with my new mailing address (which was also on my notice to vacate), as well as my cell # on the check (same as what they have on file since i moved in)...ive got the copy of the check on my bank statement to show this so i dont get any letters, any calls, anything. guy at work is a landlord on the side, and told me they have to bill me within 30 days of me leaving, so i figure they werent going to bill me. fast forward to today. i get a text from my GF, who says she got a letter from a collection agency saying she owes $246. now this pisses me off because #1, her credit report will now show a collection account #2, she never did anything with the complex. only had her name on the lease because she was a resident over 18. I ALWAYS paid the rent for the 2 years 10 months i lived there. never once did she pay it. #3, they made no attempt to contact me (or her for that matter) to pay it. its fucking $246. why would i go in, voluntarily give you a check to reimburse you for a concession and releasing fee without even being asked for it by them, and then try to skip out on $246 so now ive got to deal with this agency over some BS. i know what i can do about this as far as FDCPA/FCRA/FACT act, just trying to see if anyone else has dealt with some complete bullshit like this... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LJ Posted June 17, 2009 Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 I thought it only showed up on your credit after a certain number of days being in collections. I had collections from the Dispatch before and it's never shown up on my credit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nurkvinny Posted June 17, 2009 Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 Not the same, but - I moved out of my first apt on or just before Dec 31, paid through the end of the year. This was a 1 bedroom $295 a month junker. Late Spring came around, and I got a bill for $175 for a "grease spot" on the living room carpet. I can only assume they used that term because I worked next door to my apt, as a mechanic. I had pictures from move-out day. I told them to prove it; they said they had pictures. I filled them in with the fact that I had dated pictures from move out day and to prove I did it ( I did not ). They called me and very we're-better-than-youish said, "Do you really think WE would waste our time on YOU or $175 if we weren't sure we were right?" I faxed them a letter with my (dad's) lawyer's number, and I never heard back from them. Sorry for the long reply, but the point is, SOME of these bastards will try anything to get some extra vacation spending cash. In your specific case, I would make them press harder. You should have access to all the steps you can take to fight the collection appearing on her credit pull. But, don't do anything stupid like looking her up at work; as you likely know, people get canned for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evan9381 Posted June 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 Not the same, but - I moved out of my first apt on or just before Dec 31, paid through the end of the year. This was a 1 bedroom $295 a month junker. Late Spring came around, and I got a bill for $175 for a "grease spot" on the living room carpet. I can only assume they used that term because I worked next door to my apt, as a mechanic. I had pictures from move-out day. I told them to prove it; they said they had pictures. I filled them in with the fact that I had dated pictures from move out day and to prove I did it ( I did not ). They called me and very we're-better-than-youish said, "Do you really think WE would waste our time on YOU or $175 if we weren't sure we were right?" I faxed them a letter with my (dad's) lawyer's number, and I never heard back from them. Sorry for the long reply, but the point is, SOME of these bastards will try anything to get some extra vacation spending cash. In your specific case, I would make them press harder. You should have access to all the steps you can take to fight the collection appearing on her credit pull. But, don't do anything stupid like looking her up at work; as you likely know, people get canned for that. yeah, and she would have to have an account there for me to even pull it...i dont have anything to pull a credit report on just anyone. ill probably try first to contact the company and see if i can get a dummy to disclose information to me without her permission, and go after them for FDCPA 3rd party disclosure. if not, shoot them a validation request, and if they get that far and its not on her credit report, ill try to settle it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akula Posted June 17, 2009 Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 Does anyone else see the irony that Evan works in collections and is mad that his GF was sent to collections? Evan, does this mean that you might be a bit easier on the person you call that says this isn't a valid collections situation? I used to get called all the time for some other douche that has the same name as me and it was hell getting those idiots to believe me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowflake Posted June 17, 2009 Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 Sounds like a Lifestyles community. Ive had the same problem. I went in to talk to the manager blah, blah, blah and I was escorted out by the police but I made my point and all was taken care of... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KillJoy Posted June 17, 2009 Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 Was her name used in the Credit Qualification portion of the Lease? If not, they have no reason to collect the $$$ from her??/ KillJoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BloodRed Posted June 17, 2009 Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 Who is the owner of the complex? Ardent Properties? I will LOL if it is. You will starting getting very threating phone calls from a guy named TC. Fun guy to deal with, and a complete moron. My wife and me both work in collections, so like you, we know how this game is played. He finally refused to talk to us and said would only talk to our lawyer. We have talked to our lawyer about it and we are ready if they ever put it on our credit history or file a case againist us in court. And Evan, if it is Ardent Properties/Triangle Realestate, PM me, I have all the scope on this ass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evan9381 Posted June 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 Does anyone else see the irony that Evan works in collections and is mad that his GF was sent to collections? Evan, does this mean that you might be a bit easier on the person you call that says this isn't a valid collections situation? I used to get called all the time for some other douche that has the same name as me and it was hell getting those idiots to believe me. not in the department im in. disputes usually have do be done in a certain amount of time, with us, its 60 days. the stuff i collect on is 210+ days delinquent. i think in 2 years, i could probably count on 1 hand the number of accounts that shouldnt have gotten that far...figure i call ~100 accounts a day, ~250 days/yr, 2 years...its a verrrry low %. most of it gets weeded out in our collections before write off Was her name used in the Credit Qualification portion of the Lease? If not, they have no reason to collect the $$$ from her??/ i think it was, if im remembering correctly (since its been a couple years), she did have to take pay stubs in. regardless though, i always paid the rent...they said because she was over 18, she had to be on the lease to live there. all they had to do was call me and say "hey, your final amount due is XXX" and it would have been done. shady that they sent her to collections a) without contacting us and b) NOT ME! i didnt get a collections letter, only her. both of our names were on the lease! im going to radio shack in a bit to pick up a call recording device, hopefully the one i found is not site-to-store only so i can get this taken care of today. if not, ill just have to order it and take care of it in a few days... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evan9381 Posted June 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 Who is the owner of the complex? Ardent Properties? I will LOL if it is. You will starting getting very threating phone calls from a guy named TC. Fun guy to deal with, and a complete moron. My wife and me both work in collections, so like you, we know how this game is played. He finally refused to talk to us and said would only talk to our lawyer. We have talked to our lawyer about it and we are ready if they ever put it on our credit history or file a case againist us in court. And Evan, if it is Ardent Properties/Triangle Realestate, PM me, I have all the scope on this ass. i dont think its either of those. im not going to post up the complex/management just yet...once its done and over with, ill be more than happy to though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buck531 Posted June 17, 2009 Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 Getting fucked by an apartment.. mmmmmmmmm... bring the lube. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ansonivan Posted June 17, 2009 Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 Send the collections agency a DV letter, google "dv" or "debt validation" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evan9381 Posted June 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 i know what it is. ive picked up the call recorder this morning. tried calling once but no one answered the phone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twistedrx7 Posted June 17, 2009 Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 is this the complex off of waggner? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDHG940 Posted June 17, 2009 Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 i know what it is. ive picked up the call recorder this morning. tried calling once but no one answered the phone. You could call the news station six on your side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evan9381 Posted June 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 im pretty sure i can handle this myself i called the complex, spoke to the manager. she is making excuses that she did not have a forwarding address for me..this is BS because it was on our notice to vacate, AND the check i gave her and said "heres my new address and same cell #, contact me for the final bill". she agreed that she did not send me anything showing the remaining balance, but still sent it to this collection agency. i pointed out that she never called me or my g/f to say there was a balance due, and neither of our cell phone #s have changed. shes supposed to be calling me back today, and im going to have my trusty call recorder waiting for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShoMeSomeFun Posted June 17, 2009 Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 This happened to my girlfriend as well in an apartmend complex in Atlanta. She wasn't on the lease for the apartment, her friend was the only sole lease holder. She was only registered living there and they said they only needed her identification to do a background check. After living there for 5 months she found out that her friend had some serious intervention issues so she moved out. Well her friend ended up getting evicted for the rest of the months on the lease. Fast forward about a year my girlfriend is applying to go back to school and can't get finacial aid because the apartment complex turned her friend, another roomate, and herself into collections for 5,000 dollars each. In short there isn't a dam thing she can do about it and her credit is fucked up beyond belief and thats the only thing she owes on, has paid all her credit cards off, and her car but that collections claim is a pain in the ass. If you find a way to beat it, please post how for the rest of us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evan9381 Posted June 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 me trying to "beat" it at this point would be out of spite for them fucking us over for this little amount. im not disputing i owe them from the time i moved out to the time they leased it again. im just furious that they made no attempt to contact me before sending it to collections. i gotta run to officemax and get my own recorder...i borrowed the one i used earlier from the doctor my mom works for, but he needs it back...i was hoping this would be done, but it looks like its gonna be strung out. oh well...$34 for the recorder, $9 for 2 tapes, and $24 for the recording mic/earphone thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mensan Posted June 17, 2009 Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 I wouldn't call or talk to them at all. I would send a letter to the collection agency stating everything you told us (you should have a copy of the canceled check with your forwarding address), and in the letter demand that they cease and desist all contact. Also contact the AG of Ohio and file a consumer complaint for questionable business practices. If they contact you again, take them to court, sue them for FDCPA violations and get a restraining order. If they take you to court, win the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evan9381 Posted June 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2009 guy at work is a landlord, said that by law, they have 30 days from when i vacate to send me a final bill. im going to send the C&D to the agency tomorrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerTurbo Posted June 18, 2009 Report Share Posted June 18, 2009 I was sent two collection notices for an Xbox monthly magazine I never subscribed to. By the third mailed notice I called into a message system to dispute it. Had the option to declare it as a fraudulent subscription that I did not request. That ended up being my fix,... obviously does not apply to you, but it was a waste of my time and aggravation. All for $15 too.... who the fuck collects on $15? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evan9381 Posted June 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2009 update - got a notice in my name in the mail. bitch at complex still hasnt called me back...go figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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