Product: Debt collection

I had XXXX XXXX as my energy provider at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, TX XXXX on a 3 year contract which I honored and my payments were 100 % on time throughout the entire contract. Several months before my 3 year contract was to end, I received a call from XXXX that said 'since you have been such a wonderful customer, we want to send you a new XXXX Thermostat that could lower your electricity bills ' ... ..so I said " SURE, WHY NOT? '' I received the XXXX  Thermostat in the mail a week or so later but I never even took it out of the box ( frankly didn't know how to install it ) so it was put up on a shelf in its original box and I forgot about it. 

Months later at the end of my 3 year contract, I found out that XXXX XXXX was going to increase my rates by over 3Xs so I had no choice but to NOT renew my electricity contract with them and so I moved to another energy provider at the end of my contract with XXXX. 

When I received my final XXXX bill in XX/XX/XXXX ... .I was SHOCKED when I saw that they charged {$500.00} for the XXXX Thermostat they had insisted they send me!! I was furious so I called them this was wrong and they told me to simply mail it back and it would be taken off my bill. I mailed it back to the address THEY provided to me ( SEE ATTACHED CERTIFIED MAIL & DELIVERY CONFIRMATION ) and I assumed it would have been taken off the final bill. Later I learned that XXXX had sent me to collections ( Credit Management Control -CMC ) due to this {$520.00} charge for that same XXXX thermostat that I no longer had! 

This dispute with XXXX XXXX revolves entirely around the CHARGE OF THE EQUIPMENT that I never WANTED ... ..never ASKED for ... or ever USED ... .and THAT I ALREADY RETURNED TO THEM!! XXXX SEE THE ATTACHED - XXXX XXXX XXXX with XXXX Charge on it - says " Equipment Debit XX/XX/XXXX '' for {$500.00} ( plus {$25.00} in fees ) = {$520.00} ) I paid my final electric bill balance of {$350.00} on XX/XX/XXXX - ( SEE THE ATTACHED - Showing I paid my XXXX XXXX Bill but not the {$520.00} thermostat charge since I already returned it to them per their request ) Since it was still showing as a collections on my credit report in XX/XX/XXXX, I sent a Debt Validation Letter to CMS on XX/XX/XXXX asking for PROOF as to WHY they say I still owed this debt to XXXX XXXX SEE ATTACHED LETTER XXXX. They never responded to my request. I asked XXXX XXXX to supply me with information as to WHY they still think I still owe it and I never heard back from anyone. I did not sign a contract with XXXX or XXXX stating I would pay for the thermostat ( again ... .it was presented to me as a " gift '' for being a good customer! ) They never sent me any proof as to WHY they think I still owed this debt so I assumed it was taken off my credit report and so I moved on. I thought it was fixed since I never heard back from anyone! 

Now.many months later.I just applied a residential loan to and was DENIED shockingly because of THIS INACCURATE AND DEROGATORY ITEM that this is still reporting as a COLLECTION!! This is truly hurting my ability to obtain credit or a loan! I have disputed this charge with XXXX XXXX, with XXXX, the CMC, and with all 3 credit reporting agencies..yet it IS STILL ON MY CREDIT REPORT!!! WHY???! 
I DO NOT OWE THIS!!! 

As a consumer, I have done MY due diligence and I have no choice to retain an attorney and sue XXXX XXXX over this matter unless this {$520.00} charge is IMMEDIATELY taken COMPLETELY OFF all 3 of my credit reporting agencies! 

I dont just want it to show disputed or shown as a paid XXXX balance.. but I want this invalidated debt OFF OF MY CREDIT REPORT COMPLETELY! 

This information is INACCURATE and it is MISLEADING and you have the ability to remove it immediately so I can reapply for my home loan and that is what I expect to happen.