kodanarmadillo
Junior Member
My state is Virginia.
First, a little background. In September last year, I moved out of my apartment and, understandably, the apartment managers tried to sue for the money they were owed. However, I never got served and wasn't even aware of the court date, so they won the initial judgment.
After learning of this, I went in to court, reopened the case, and set a new court date in January. I wound up winning the case - they still got possession of the apartment, naturally, but the money judgment was vacated completely and I was told I owed no money.
Fast forward to February. I think I'm in the clear, but I get a phone call from a debt collector. They say that the apartment management sold the debt to them right after winning the case. I let them know I had the case taken back to trial since I was never served and had legal grounds to vacate, and that I won. They ask for proof, so I fax them a copy of the document.
After, I get another call saying that the judgment I got is irrelevant, and they still have the legal right to collect. I send all the documentation I have showing there is no money judgment, and I don't hear from them again after that.
However, I notice now (many months later) that they reported me to the credit agencies and it's hurting my credit after all. Talked to a couple people (haven't contacted a lawyer yet) and they think collections is just trying to make things harder on me and coerce me into paying a "debt" I don't owe. They haven't tried to file a lawsuit yet, and that's after several months from first contact - someone said they're allowed to report me, but trying to sue would be grounds for a countersuit. I also called the courthouse and they said the deadline for them to return to the case was up, so the money judgment being vacated is final.
Is there anything else I should do before just faxing the documentation showing I won my case to the credit agencies? Anything else I should know? Since the collections agency isn't suing are they still within their legal rights? Thanks.
First, a little background. In September last year, I moved out of my apartment and, understandably, the apartment managers tried to sue for the money they were owed. However, I never got served and wasn't even aware of the court date, so they won the initial judgment.
After learning of this, I went in to court, reopened the case, and set a new court date in January. I wound up winning the case - they still got possession of the apartment, naturally, but the money judgment was vacated completely and I was told I owed no money.
Fast forward to February. I think I'm in the clear, but I get a phone call from a debt collector. They say that the apartment management sold the debt to them right after winning the case. I let them know I had the case taken back to trial since I was never served and had legal grounds to vacate, and that I won. They ask for proof, so I fax them a copy of the document.
After, I get another call saying that the judgment I got is irrelevant, and they still have the legal right to collect. I send all the documentation I have showing there is no money judgment, and I don't hear from them again after that.
However, I notice now (many months later) that they reported me to the credit agencies and it's hurting my credit after all. Talked to a couple people (haven't contacted a lawyer yet) and they think collections is just trying to make things harder on me and coerce me into paying a "debt" I don't owe. They haven't tried to file a lawsuit yet, and that's after several months from first contact - someone said they're allowed to report me, but trying to sue would be grounds for a countersuit. I also called the courthouse and they said the deadline for them to return to the case was up, so the money judgment being vacated is final.
Is there anything else I should do before just faxing the documentation showing I won my case to the credit agencies? Anything else I should know? Since the collections agency isn't suing are they still within their legal rights? Thanks.
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