I had a agreement with the property management that I could get out of my lease early because i was a temporary tenat. I wanted the Five month lease cut to four months but she said it would be better if I didn't change it for four months because i save a 100 a month for a five month lease.( i should have never agreed). There was a part in the lease that said we had to give 60 days notice before we left. I told her and the manager I would go ahead and do the letter at that time. They said don't worry about it since it is a short term lease. There was a blank for my initials next to the item about the 60 days lease. I told I would leave it blank since it had nothing to do with me. They said that was fine. Well when it was time to leave I gave them a week notice and noticed it was someone new in the office.(the girl that i had talked to before was fired) I told her about the agreement I had and she said it doesn't say it in the lease. I got the manager and she said she didn't remember me. She said she would have never agreed to any of that. Well I got my roommate who was there when we signed the lease. The manager all the sudden did remember, but she said we had to give 30 day notice. Long story short she never said that and my roommate was a witness. I showed them in the lease were I didn't initial that part of the statement about the 60 days. She said it doesn't matter. Well I left a 30 day letter and moved. A month later I got a bill from the property management. It was for 3/4 of the rent. The numbers just didn't add up to what i owed. I called the apartment complex and asked for them to explain the numbers. She didn't really understand them and she was just guessing. After a long conversation i told her i would pay half, but i need a copy of the lease.(by the way i was never given a copy the whole time i lived there i asked three times) She said she would get back with me the following week. I never heard from her again. This conversation was the end of sept. January i get a letter from a collection agency that was sent to my mother in law's address. I called the agency and said I would pay half but I needed to talk to the apartment complex. He said no either pay all or they are putting it on my credit that night. My credit is perfect and i freaked out. I said give me time to talk to the apartment complex before you put it on my credit. I asked him what it said i owed for. he said for a water bill and for breaking my lease.(i didn't owe for water). It said on the letter I had 30 days to dispute before they take action. I asked him about it and he said he had sent mutiple letters. I have not recieved one letter before that one. Well I asked to pay half and he said no and hung up. I talked to the property manager again and told her I would pay the whole thing if it doesn't go on my credit. I asked for a copy of the lease again and she said she would send it. She said she would call the CA and tell them to stop. She called me back and said she left a message for the CA. This was on a friday. i called her on the following monday and she said she has not heard back from them. She said she would call them again. I told her I would go ahead pay but i need that lease. I trusted she would send the lease so i went ahead and mailed a check. Well this morning i get a notification that the CA reported it on my credit. I don't have anything in writing and don't feel like there is anything i can do. Does anyone have any advice. I don't feel like I owe the money in the first place but I will pay it to keep my credit clean. they have not cashed the check yet and I am going to stop payment if i have time. Thanks in advance.
just wanted to add what the letter the CA sent. DEAR xxxxxxx It is imperative that you give this matter prompt attention. The above referenced account has been placed with this office for collection. NCS inc. has been authorized to recover this debt by way of credit bureau reporting(following this initial 30 day validation period) as well as other remedies available under the law. It is our intention to pursue this debt unitil resolved. However, if you contact our office, we will work with you to satisfy this debt in a friendly manner. Your representative will review and explain all charges assessed, consider your individual circumstances, and assist you in resolving this matter. Plese be assured that you may still avoid the aforementioned consequences. We encourage you to take advantage of this oppurtunity so we may settle this debt amicably. Cordially, Willimam Haynes Collection Representative 404-419-1466 The date on this letter is DEC. 28 2010.... this to me sounds like the initial letter...he says he sent mutiple but i have never recieved them.
Do not stop payment on the check. That can open up an entirely new course of action for fraud, since a check is a written promise to pay. In sending that check, you acknowledged that the debt is valid and due. The only way I would feel comfortable issuing a stop payment would be if they fraudulently obtained that check (such as stealing it from your checkbook or presenting false documentation to you). I understand that you believe that you got misled by the landlord, but since you have nothing in writing, this would be extremely difficult -- if not impossible -- to prove. Unfortunately it sounds like you learned two expensive lessons: 1) Always get things in writing, no matter what. 2) Always validate debts before you pay them.
