don't owe rent, but collectors want money
Date: Thu, 06/15/2006 - 23:30
Hi:
I have an interesting situation.
We lived in an apartment for 5 years, bought a house, finished out our lease, moved out.
A couple of months later, we received a collection notice, telling us we owed $3,000!
We had problems with our complex being sold 3 times in 2 years, and new managers each time.
This last time the manager told us to "go out to eat" when we told her our stove shot sparks when turned on (just to give you an idea as to why we moved), and other such responses. All of our written requests for maintainance were regularly thrown away as they reached the office. Several tenants had the same problem.
Consequently, we finished out the lease, paid up until the last day, had a walkthrough with the manager.
Two days before we turned in the keys, the current manger was fired, taking some of the paperwork, including our signed sheet of the walkthrough (she told us we would get a copy the next day).
Now they want money, without any explaination as to what justified the amount or action.
They even accused us of breaking the lease, which I have proof we were current until the last day in that place. Then they said were "filthy" when the other reason didn't work.
They have sent it to the major credit reporting companies, and now are telling us they will "garnish our wages, or put a lein onto our house.
Can they really do all that without letting us know the reason?
I don't believe so, but have NO idea as to what to do.
Any advice will be helpful.
Thanks!
I have an interesting situation.
We lived in an apartment for 5 years, bought a house, finished out our lease, moved out.
A couple of months later, we received a collection notice, telling us we owed $3,000!
We had problems with our complex being sold 3 times in 2 years, and new managers each time.
This last time the manager told us to "go out to eat" when we told her our stove shot sparks when turned on (just to give you an idea as to why we moved), and other such responses. All of our written requests for maintainance were regularly thrown away as they reached the office. Several tenants had the same problem.
Consequently, we finished out the lease, paid up until the last day, had a walkthrough with the manager.
Two days before we turned in the keys, the current manger was fired, taking some of the paperwork, including our signed sheet of the walkthrough (she told us we would get a copy the next day).
Now they want money, without any explaination as to what justified the amount or action.
They even accused us of breaking the lease, which I have proof we were current until the last day in that place. Then they said were "filthy" when the other reason didn't work.
They have sent it to the major credit reporting companies, and now are telling us they will "garnish our wages, or put a lein onto our house.
Can they really do all that without letting us know the reason?
I don't believe so, but have NO idea as to what to do.
Any advice will be helpful.
Thanks!
Is this a collection agency or the managment company?
Is this a collection agency or the managment company?
YAY! Tell us the name of the company collecting the debt. If it
YAY! Tell us the name of the company collecting the debt. If it is a collection agency, they have to validate the debt in writing showing the breakdown of the total amount.
