Anyone know how to solve a unjustified debt?

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
19
81
This was a water bill held in my roommates name, however; due to the wording of the lease I am too responsible.

Problem is I found out about the past-due amount over 3 months after moving out, the water company would not talk to me due to me not being listed on the bill...it was a small apartment the final bill was $21x! Obviously an error.

No one could provide this so-called bill until almost a year later, and the copy I got showed it was faxed prior to when I asked. Currently and at the time the water company didn't keep records past one year. So now there is no proof of anything, other than someone at my address had a water account.

Anyways, we go back and forth over me just paying them vs me getting an itemized bill. This went on a year until I stopped contact due to them calling back any number I called from to ask about me and my bad debts yet never providing me what I need to do to resolve it, only I need to 'write a check for $2xx and mail it here, then we will tell you what can resolve this'

I tried to pay them off last year after not hearing from them for several years, and got the same treatment (told them I was calling from work, but it was 7pm...I would have a check out tomorrow or the day after the latest, she called back at 9am te next day asking is 'alkemyst' there? I need to see if he mailed out the past-due check he owes us...I played along until finally telling her it's 9 in the morning I have the check here, but I am not mailing it now). She will not send me a 'bill', she wants me to send $21x to her, then they will figure it out. I want a final bill and release.

It's not the 200 bux that's the problem...I don't want to pay $200 and then be told I am not done. This is over a month or two of water in an apartment that I was never on the bill for.

Most of the lawyers I talked too want way more than $200, and haven't made any promises. I am thinking taking it to small claims possibly.
 

Vette73

Lifer
Jul 5, 2000
21,503
9
0
If it is not on your credit report then I would not worry about it. If it is on your credit report write a letter saying that is is not your bill and you want proof that it is yours. If they can not show YOU owe it, then it will be removed.
I had that happen before, and a simple 1 page letter fixed it.
 
Aug 27, 2002
10,043
2
0
Originally posted by: Marlin1975
If it is not on your credit report then I would not worry about it. If it is on your credit report write a letter saying that is is not your bill and you want proof that it is yours. If they can not show YOU owe it, then it will be removed.
I had that happen before, and a simple 1 page letter fixed it.
yup, get a credit report, and see what's really going on.
 

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
19
81
Originally posted by: lobadobadingdong
Originally posted by: Marlin1975
If it is not on your credit report then I would not worry about it. If it is on your credit report write a letter saying that is is not your bill and you want proof that it is yours. If they can not show YOU owe it, then it will be removed.
I had that happen before, and a simple 1 page letter fixed it.
yup, get a credit report, and see what's really going on.

ok to fast forward....


It's been since 2001..I have had quite a few CR's since then, esp since I work in the mortgage industry.

not my debt, my name was never on it, my name was on the lease, and the lease said leins against the property are jointly shared.

Still never got any kind of bill until over a year later.

Contested this debt, it got removed once..however it's now back on and reported each month since 2001.

My real problem is I can pay it easily, still there is no bill to me, no promised resolution, and on top of that any kind of normal negotiation. My first call was one my cell that my ex-roommate gave them telling them I can easily pay it. They basically stated that and asked if I was sending a money order or would I give them my CC over the phone.

 

Vette73

Lifer
Jul 5, 2000
21,503
9
0
You also said they have called you at work? That I know is against the law. I would file a complaint against them if they do it again. If they call you then tell them if they wish to contact you in the future they can MAIL you any request then have in writing and that is the ONLY way you allow. Make sure oyu get the persons name, time, and date.

After that if they put the charge on your credit report again then have it removed and ask the credit agency for a letter saying it was removed as it can not be proven it is yous. If they put it back on again send the letter to the agency again and tell them you want to full contact info for the company doing it as you plan on filing harresment charges against them.

File complaints at the state and federal level and I bet they will leave you alone real fast.
 

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
19
81
Originally posted by: Marlin1975
You also said they have called you at work? That I know is against the law. I would file a complaint against them if they do it again. If they call you then tell them if they wish to contact you in the future they can MAIL you any request then have in writing and that is the ONLY way you allow. Make sure oyu get the persons name, time, and date.

After that if they put the charge on your credit report again then have it removed and ask the credit agency for a letter saying it was removed as it can not be proven it is yous. If they put it back on again send the letter to the agency again and tell them you want to full contact info for the company doing it as you plan on filing harresment charges against them.

File complaints at the state and federal level and I bet they will leave you alone real fast.

I have her 'name' it's obviously a pseudonym...but she claimed it's called skip-tracing.

the company has caller-id tatics.


 

KarenMarie

Elite Member
Sep 20, 2003
14,372
6
81
Originally posted by: Marlin1975
If it is not on your credit report then I would not worry about it. If it is on your credit report write a letter saying that is is not your bill and you want proof that it is yours. If they can not show YOU owe it, then it will be removed.
I had that happen before, and a simple 1 page letter fixed it.

This is exactly correct. I just went thru this. I had cable internet when I lived in Nashville, and I transferred the account to NJ when I moved. Here we are 5+ yrs later and I am getting a letter from a collection agency saying I owe $63.50 to Comcast. I was like WTF? So, I called Comcast and they ran all my account from day 1 and there is no bill. I tell the collection agency that and she tells me that I need to prove I dont owe it. A little research tells me... no, she has to prove that I do owe it. I ask her to produce a bill in my name. She cannot. She hands me a song and dance how they bought the debt from another company and she cannot get the original and yada yada yada..

Well, if no one can produce a bill in your name, then you dont owe it. If it is on your credit report... one letter will clear it up.

:)

EDIT
 

stars

Golden Member
Feb 27, 2002
1,068
0
0
Dispute it w/ the BBB it will look better than having it show up as unpaid.
 

rahvin

Elite Member
Oct 10, 1999
8,475
1
0
No phone calls, you have to ask for proof in the writing, if they fail to provide it then afirm the the negative you can sue them for IIRC $1000 per incident for violation of the fair credit reporting act of 1977. Send a registered letter to the company that has put the negative on your record, demand written proof of debt. When the fail to provide it challenge the negative, if they affirm it after that letter you can sue them for $1000 plus any damages you suffered as a result. And after 7 years it goes away anyway, if you wait 2 more it goes away anyway. :)
 

Keyvan

Senior member
Dec 13, 2004
353
0
0
Originally posted by: Marlin1975
You also said they have called you at work? That I know is against the law. I would file a complaint against them if they do it again. If they call you then tell them if they wish to contact you in the future they can MAIL you any request then have in writing and that is the ONLY way you allow. Make sure oyu get the persons name, time, and date.

After that if they put the charge on your credit report again then have it removed and ask the credit agency for a letter saying it was removed as it can not be proven it is yous. If they put it back on again send the letter to the agency again and tell them you want to full contact info for the company doing it as you plan on filing harresment charges against them.

File complaints at the state and federal level and I bet they will leave you alone real fast.

i agree.


with people like that you have to be assertive to the point of almost being rude. it's unfortunate imo, because that makes their jobs harder, but they're just asking for it.
 

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
19
81
Originally posted by: rahvin
No phone calls, you have to ask for proof in the writing, if they fail to provide it then afirm the the negative you can sue them for IIRC $1000 per incident for violation of the fair credit reporting act of 1977. Send a registered letter to the company that has put the negative on your record, demand written proof of debt. When the fail to provide it challenge the negative, if they affirm it after that letter you can sue them for $1000 plus any damages you suffered as a result. And after 7 years it goes away anyway, if you wait 2 more it goes away anyway. :)

They have faxed me a form that basically states water service, the gallons, and the total. It's not broken down by month or anything (still my name is not on it). The problem I had at the time was obviously there was an error, but when I was notified it was too late to fix.

I may send them a registered letter after all, demanding some sort of actual bill and a statement that paying that bill is a closure to the issue. All I have received is a coupon that basically states 'remit at once the amount below:'

They are also reporting this as a new debt each month, that way it will never come off. Date opened was 2001 and last transaction date listed currently is 7/05. I am not sure if that is illegal either.
 

emmpee

Golden Member
Nov 26, 2001
1,100
0
0
Originally posted by: alkemyst

I have her 'name' it's obviously a pseudonym...but she claimed it's called skip-tracing.

the company has caller-id tatics.

*67 before dialing to block your number from showing up on their caller ID (unless you are calling a 800/888/877/866 number)
 

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
19
81
Originally posted by: emmpee
Originally posted by: alkemyst

I have her 'name' it's obviously a pseudonym...but she claimed it's called skip-tracing.

the company has caller-id tatics.

*67 before dialing to block your number from showing up on their caller ID (unless you are calling a 800/888/877/866 number)


Thanks for the obvious, and why almost all financial / collection agencies use ANI via toll-free numbers.
 

Toasthead

Diamond Member
Aug 27, 2001
6,621
0
0
unpaid bills is good for your street cred though....so you got that going for ya.
 

emmpee

Golden Member
Nov 26, 2001
1,100
0
0
Originally posted by: alkemyst
Originally posted by: emmpee
Originally posted by: alkemyst

I have her 'name' it's obviously a pseudonym...but she claimed it's called skip-tracing.

the company has caller-id tatics.

*67 before dialing to block your number from showing up on their caller ID (unless you are calling a 800/888/877/866 number)


Thanks for the obvious, and why almost all financial / collection agencies use ANI via toll-free numbers.

Since you stated Caller ID and not ANI, figured I'd try to be helpful.
 

woowoo

Platinum Member
Feb 17, 2003
2,092
1
0
Why not just pay it?
You do owe it so it is a valid entry on your credit report.
 

emmpee

Golden Member
Nov 26, 2001
1,100
0
0
Originally posted by: woowoo
Why not just pay it?
You do owe it so it is a valid entry on your credit report.

From the original post...

She will not send me a 'bill', she wants me to send $21x to her, then they will figure it out. I want a final bill and release.

It's not the 200 bux that's the problem...I don't want to pay $200 and then be told I am not done. This is over a month or two of water in an apartment that I was never on the bill for.
 

woowoo

Platinum Member
Feb 17, 2003
2,092
1
0
Why do you need a bill?
Your check is your reciept.

They should be asking you for the full amount that you owe.
Why would they ask you for less?
 

crystal

Platinum Member
Nov 5, 1999
2,424
0
76
Because they could come back and said you still own them some more for "fees", "services" and "fines" that kind of things.
 

exilera

Senior member
Apr 12, 2005
940
0
0
Originally posted by: rahvin
No phone calls, you have to ask for proof in the writing, if they fail to provide it then afirm the the negative you can sue them for IIRC $1000 per incident for violation of the fair credit reporting act of 1977. Send a registered letter to the company that has put the negative on your record, demand written proof of debt. When the fail to provide it challenge the negative, if they affirm it after that letter you can sue them for $1000 plus any damages you suffered as a result. And after 7 years it goes away anyway, if you wait 2 more it goes away anyway. :)

This is excellent advice. I'm going through the same thing. Thanks a million for posting this.
 

dabuddha

Lifer
Apr 10, 2000
19,579
17
81
Originally posted by: woowoo
Why not just pay it?
You do owe it so it is a valid entry on your credit report.

What's to stop the company from claiming he still owes them money? He needs to get it in writing from the company that once $023403240 is paid, the account is considered paid and closed.
 

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
19
81
Originally posted by: woowoo
Why do you need a bill?
Your check is your reciept.

They should be asking you for the full amount that you owe.
Why would they ask you for less?

Do you still live at home or something?

My check would be a reciept for what I PAID.

It's obvious this company is playing games. Technically I never even owed the $200...it's for two months of water in an apartment I didn't spend much time at the last month....my bills were $20-30 tops each month.

However, $200 is nothing really to clean up this whole deal...my bet is on me sending in the cash and then getting a new amount.
 

Homerboy

Lifer
Mar 1, 2000
30,890
5,001
126
collectors calling you at work is NOT against the law unless you specifically tell them not too.
 

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
19
81
Originally posted by: Homerboy
collectors calling you at work is NOT against the law unless you specifically tell them not too.

always it is if they disclose matters to third parties though....

I have asked and written in to be only contacted via mail.
 

Dulanic

Diamond Member
Oct 27, 2000
9,971
592
136
Originally posted by: alkemyst
Originally posted by: rahvin
No phone calls, you have to ask for proof in the writing, if they fail to provide it then afirm the the negative you can sue them for IIRC $1000 per incident for violation of the fair credit reporting act of 1977. Send a registered letter to the company that has put the negative on your record, demand written proof of debt. When the fail to provide it challenge the negative, if they affirm it after that letter you can sue them for $1000 plus any damages you suffered as a result. And after 7 years it goes away anyway, if you wait 2 more it goes away anyway. :)

They have faxed me a form that basically states water service, the gallons, and the total. It's not broken down by month or anything (still my name is not on it). The problem I had at the time was obviously there was an error, but when I was notified it was too late to fix.

I may send them a registered letter after all, demanding some sort of actual bill and a statement that paying that bill is a closure to the issue. All I have received is a coupon that basically states 'remit at once the amount below:'

They are also reporting this as a new debt each month, that way it will never come off. Date opened was 2001 and last transaction date listed currently is 7/05. I am not sure if that is illegal either.

It is 100% illegal to reage an account which they are doing.