Collection agency- Bring it on?

[alienlovechild 75]

I'm currently dealing with a collection agency and I'm contemplating my next move.

Here's the deal. We moved out of our apartment in September and paid an additional month's rent ($705.10 for October) for not giving 60 days notice. We finally got part of the security deposit back minus the water bill in December. The apartment complex never tried to contact us.

In January, we got a letter from a collection agency claiming we owed $135.57. There's no itemized list of charges just this stuff:

10/2 Move out refund reversed $62.25

10/2 Prog Gen Reverses $73.32

Other oddball items

10/2 Apartment rent ($0.36)

10/2 Security deposit refund $1.07

If I don't pay up on this charges, what's the worst that can happen as I already live in a house and can buy a car without a car loan?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

If I don't pay up on this charges, what's the worst that can happen as I already live in a house and can buy a car without a car loan?

Some of these collections guys can be very sleazy. They'll call you in the middle of the night, curse at you, etc. Not most, but some.

I'd definitely call and find out what the 2 larger charges are. If you really owe them, pay. It's still a small amount of money and may not be worth the headache. If you don't really owe them, attempt to resolve with the apartment complex. Keep records or notes of your resolution attempts (when, what was said) and then if they don't back off I'd ignore it unless the collections people begin harassing you... at which point I'd sue.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I don't understand how you would something from a collections agency when it's less than 90 days outstanding. Sounds fishy to me.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I don't understand how you would something from a collections agency when it's less than 90 days outstanding. Sounds fishy to me.

It is a bit. You have to be delinquent for a while before it gets reported to collections and the credit bureaus.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

You should have heard from the apartment management office well before it went to collection. Something doesn't sound right.

[Wyld Blu 35]

I do collections for a living, not for an agency, but for a private company.

In the USA, there is something called the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act. The laws vary to some degree from state to state, but there are specific rules collectors have to follow or their companies can be fined. Harassment is STRICTLY forbidden, no calling after a certain time, not threatening, no name calling and many other items are NOT allowed. Google it.

Not paying a debt can ding your credit if they report you to one of the credit agencies. Not all companies report, but many do and down the line somewhere, that might affect you. My best advise to you is to pay it. It isn't much money and the longer you don't pay it, the more finance/interest charges will add up...dinging your credit even more. Make an arrangement with them. On the other hand, if you truly feel like you don't owe it, take them to small claims court. Don't just ignore it. Most likely they WILL write it off as a bad debt, but that will take years to come off your credit reports. My opinion is that it isn't worth it for that little amount of money.

-Blu-

[K and L 27]

Here's the obvious question: have you contacted your old property manager to see what's up?

[spookyturtle 9,466]

I do collections for a living, not for an agency, but for a private company.

In the USA, there is something called the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act. The laws vary to some degree from state to state, but there are specific rules collectors have to follow or their companies can be fined. Harassment is STRICTLY forbidden, no calling after a certain time, not threatening, no name calling and many other items are NOT allowed. Google it.

Not paying a debt can ding your credit if they report you to one of the credit agencies. Not all companies report, but many do and down the line somewhere, that might affect you. My best advise to you is to pay it. It isn't much money and the longer you don't pay it, the more finance/interest charges will add up...dinging your credit even more. Make an arrangement with them. On the other hand, if you truly feel like you don't owe it, take them to small claims court. Don't just ignore it. Most likely they WILL write it off as a bad debt, but that will take years to come off your credit reports. My opinion is that it isn't worth it for that little amount of money.

-Blu-

Pay it even if he doesn't owe it? Great advice.

[Wyld Blu 35]

Pay it even if he doesn't owe it? Great advice.

IF you had read the whole thing...you would have SEEN that I suggested he take them to small claims court if he felt he didn't owe it, but to not just ignore it. Try reading THE WHOLE POST before posting nasty remarks. DUH.

-Blu-

[spookyturtle 9,466]

IF you had read the whole thing...you would have SEEN that I suggested he take them to small claims court if he felt he didn't owe it, but to not just ignore it. Try reading THE WHOLE POST before posting nasty remarks. DUH.

-Blu-

This is what I read:

On the other hand, if you truly feel like you don't owe it, take them to small claims court. Don't just ignore it. Most likely they WILL write it off as a bad debt, but that will take years to come off your credit reports. My opinion is that it isn't worth it for that little amount of money.

[NickD 203]

Here's the obvious question: have you contacted your old property manager to see what's up?

Very obvious question and bit crazy since the apartment complex never contacted you for payment. A collection agency does not work on their own, someone contacted them, and why? When they never attempted to settle any disputes with your first. Collection agencies also charge a bundle, whoever filed that claim wiht them would be lucky to even get half of that amount. Don't post that here, contact the apartment complex and find out what's going on. Could even be an error on their part confusing you with another renter.

[natty bumppo 297]

Here's the obvious question: have you contacted your old property manager to see what's up?

it's too obvious ... hence the thread ...

[Wyld Blu 35]

This is what I read:

On the other hand, if you truly feel like you don't owe it, take them to small claims court. Don't just ignore it. Most likely they WILL write it off as a bad debt, but that will take years to come off your credit reports. My opinion is that it isn't worth it for that little amount of money.

Exactly, if he doesn't feel he owes it, sue them. However, for that amount of money, it probably isn't worth it. It would probably cost him more to deal with the whole small claims court, filing costs, time off work, gas to get there, even food for the day. It generally comes down to if it is worth it to you, to go through all that to go to court, then go for it. However, my advise AGAIN is to just pay it and be done with it.

-Blu-

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

Take them to small claims court. if you have a case you can reverse the judgment. If you win, you can charge them for lost wages and inconvenience.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Exactly, if he doesn't feel he owes it, sue them. However, for that amount of money, it probably isn't worth it. It would probably cost him more to deal with the whole small claims court, filing costs, time off work, gas to get there, even food for the day. It generally comes down to if it is worth it to you, to go through all that to go to court, then go for it. However, my advise AGAIN is to just pay it and be done with it.

-Blu-

So you did advise him to pay it even if he doesn't owe it.