Illegible debt validation

[Morticia77]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

 

[quincy]

You can add details by using the "reply to thread" feature. Please include the name of your state. Thanks.

 

[Morticia77]

In Washington state

I don't know what happened to the details I'd written before.. Sorry. I'm in Washington state. I received a letter from an attorney on behalf of the leasing company that I rented an apartment from a few years back. The letter stated I owed $700+. I requested and received validation, but what was sent was blurry and completely illegible. So much so that someone had handwritten the total amount owed, but the rest of the document (maybe the lease, I can't tell) including all the charges adding up to the total, I can only make out a few words. What should I do? And if they can't provide a legible copy, can to still persue their collections?

 

[quincy]

I don't know what happened to the details I'd written before.. Sorry. I'm in Washington state. I received a letter from an attorney on behalf of the leasing company that I rented an apartment from a few years back. The letter stated I owed $700+. I requested and received validation, but what was sent was blurry and completely illegible. So much so that someone had handwritten the total amount owed, but the rest of the document (maybe the lease, I can't tell) including all the charges adding up to the total, I can only make out a few words. What should I do? And if they can't provide a legible copy, can to still persue their collections?

Do you remember whether you had a balance owing of $700 on an apartment from a few years back?

 

[FlyingRon]

Alas the standards for debt validation are minimal. The request and response are entirely perfunctory. Be prepared to mount a real defense.

 

[adjusterjack]

What should I do?

Call up and ask for a better copy.

And if they can't provide a legible copy, can to still persue their collections?

Yes, they can pursue it.

But if it gets to court they might not be able to prove it.

 

[Morticia77]

Do you remember whether you had a balance owing of $700 on an apartment from a few years back?

I believe after move out they sent this exact thing, blurry and illegible, telling me I owed them, but ignored my request for a clearer statement. Then nothing for 2+ years until the most recent letter from their attorney.

 

[Morticia77]

Call up and ask for a better copy.



Yes, they can pursue it.

But if it gets to court they might not be able to prove it.

Thank you for responding, I'll call today

 

[Morticia77]

Call up and ask for a better copy.



Yes, they can pursue it.

But if it gets to court they might not be able to prove it.

Update:

I called them today and spoke with a person who barely spoke english. I explained that the verification wasn't legible. She kept repeating the total and asking how I wanted to pay it. After the third time I explained I couldn't read the verification she asked what I wanted her to do about it. I said I want a clear copy of this verification because I don't agree with it and it's unreasonable to expect someone to just pay a $700+ bill when they can't read what the bill is for. Her response was she would send me another letter but nothing would change and again asked how I was going to pay this. I guess I'll see what they send, but the way she acted and treated me feels dodgy

 

[FlyingRon]

Understand the VALIDATION is not proof. It's just a verification that they checked and the debt is yours. Even if you could read it, it probably wouldn't be too enlightening. The VALIDATION isn't even likely admissible (if 100% legible in court). They'll have to show an actual contract between you and them.