Need quick help on a debt issue

[gandulfy]

What is the name of your state? WA

So here is my problem, I left an apartment complex at the end of july 06. I never recieved a final bill from the apartment complex even though I left a forwarding address. So last month I get a call from a debt collection agency saying that I owe the apartments 3600 dollars. I called them back and the woman from the agency was down right rude. Now being a stupid kid in college I have delt with 2-3 debt collection agencies in the past who all worked with me to get my debts paid off. This woman was not the latter. She told me I owed the full debt now and unless I paid it I would have my wages garnished by a court. So I asked her for an itimized bill since I have recieved nothing in the mail. She tells me over the phone that I owed 1295 for july's rent (which I paid and have the stubs from money orders for). And that I owed the rest as "misc" charges. I verified that she had my new address and asked her for a statement in the mail I also told her that I had paid july's rent and had proof of such payment, and that I would be willing to fax her a copy of the stubs and obtain the originals if neccisarry. I then told her that I was sorry but my current financial obligations (house of 5 kids) did not allow me to pay the amount in full. She told me to let her know how much I could pay but I had better call back with an amount over 50-100 dollars. I called her back the next day which she was out and left a message stating I could pay 200 a month for sure and would attempt to get the debt taken care of quicker. She never contacted me back, nor have I recieved a bill in the mail. Today I recieve a letter from them threatening litigation for an amount of 3600 dollars still not counting that I did pay july's rent. I need to know where to go from here, can they really garnish my wages even though I am attempting to work with them. What more do I need to do to get this settled. I have left them a message and will send a certified letter tommorow about refuting the amouth of 1295 from the debt. And stating the amount which I can pay currently. Am I SOL? Is there anything else I can do? I don't plan on contesting the other outrages amounts because I am sure thats worthless, but I can't pay the full amount now and I also don't want to agree to anything untill this matter with the last month is settled. What should I do?

Gandulfy

[moburkes]

They are not required to offer you payment arrangements. However, you made a mistake in waiting for a bill in the mail. If you knew that you owed money, you should have been calling THEM for the final bill.

[gandulfy]

Originally Posted by moburkes

They are not required to offer you payment arrangements. However, you made a mistake in waiting for a bill in the mail. If you knew that you owed money, you should have been calling THEM for the final bill.

So what are my options here? I didn't know I owed them money untill about 4 weeks ago at that point I told her I wanted a list of what I owed, (since she didn't quote me over the phone) and information on how to dispute the july's rent. Here is my situation, I currently agree to the terms of $2295 and I am willing to pay that. They already said they would take payments, although if they don't and take me to court thats another stumbling block I will cross. My biggest question right now is what to do about the july months rent. I have proof I paid and keep telling them that and offering said proof. I am worried about making any "promises" and then them coming back and stating well you agreed to pay that last months rent. Should I tell them the amount I can pay and begin paying on the other amount now? I just want this to go away even if it makes life difficult for a few months. But I don't want to pay something I have already given them.

[Alfie]

Originally Posted by gandulfy

So what are my options here? I didn't know I owed them money untill about 4 weeks ago at that point I told her I wanted a list of what I owed, (since she didn't quote me over the phone) and information on how to dispute the july's rent. Here is my situation, I currently agree to the terms of $2295 and I am willing to pay that. They already said they would take payments, although if they don't and take me to court thats another stumbling block I will cross. My biggest question right now is what to do about the july months rent. I have proof I paid and keep telling them that and offering said proof. I am worried about making any "promises" and then them coming back and stating well you agreed to pay that last months rent. Should I tell them the amount I can pay and begin paying on the other amount now? I just want this to go away even if it makes life difficult for a few months. But I don't want to pay something I have already given them.

Pay no attention to the huffing and puffing of collection agencies. They love to make all kinds of threats.

But first a little more facts please. Most apt complexes require some sort of security deposit. When you move out the rental agency/landlord must return it to you or give you an itemized bill of any deductions they make. (And just because they make them doesn't make them legal). What makes up this money they claim you owe? Did you have a lease still enforce when you moved? What are misc charges? If I were you I would not agree to anything until you get an itemized bill in writing.

[gandulfy]

This is sort of my question.

Let me try to be more clear here, the apartment manager did not like our kids for some reason (no we never had any problems with the apartments), so in july they told us we had 30 days to move out because they had chosen not to renew our lease. So I found a new place to live and we moved. They made an appointment to do a final walkthrough with me on july 30th but they never showed up. I forwarded my mail to the new address and left it with the address, just in case I also video taped the apartment. I expected to recieve a bill from them within the next month or so, the woman at the office told me that if my security deposit covered the rest of it then I would be fine. I knew that the carpets at least in some places would need to be replaced so I didn't care that much. Now in October I recieve a call from a debt collection agency saying I owe 3600 dollars to glenn park. Needless to say I was very confused, so I asked her what for, she told me I missed july's rent and owed for carpeting and other misc expenses. I was told her I did pay julys rent and had the money order stubs and could get any other information that they needed. She basically tells me to let her know what I could pay, and I tell her that I will talk with my wife and call her back which I did. She was out of the office so I left her a message, now it is about 3 weeks later and they have not sent me an itemized bill yet and still claim I owe julys rent. I have called them like 3 times and keep getting voicemails. I really don't want to agree to anything until that rent is taken off my bill so I am trying to figure out what to do.

[justalayman]

[url]http://www.atg.wa.gov/consumer/lt/deposit_return.shtml[/url]

first, go to the address above and read it. You should also read all pertinent landlord tenent laws for your state.

[url]http://www.atg.wa.gov/consumer/lt/textonly.htm[/url]



I t appears if the LL did not send you nitification within 14 days of your costs, he loses those claims. It would appear that unless the LL can prove he followed the law concerning your deposit and such, he may actually owe you more money than the collection agency is trying to get from you.

I believe there was a consumer affairs website on one of the pages I provided.

Call them.

[gandulfy]

Thanks! this is exactly what I was looking for