Consumer complaint received 2020-07-08
Company: FAIR COLLECTIONS & OUTSOURCING, INC.
State: MS
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Written notification about debt
Sub-issue: Didn't receive enough information to verify debt

Complaint:
In XX/XX/XXXX we rented a home from XXXX XXXX. Throughout our 2years 4months lease we experienced SEVERAL problems with the home that caused my family to be temporarily displaced. The first issue came in XX/XX/XXXX. We had an extreme case of termites to where we had to move into a hotel for a week so the home could be treated. Then in XX/XX/XXXX, there was a roof leak. However, it didn't require us to move out but we did have several buckets around the livingroom to catch the water until the roof was patched because it was never repaired correctly. The next issue we had was in XX/XX/XXXX were the septic tank backed up into the home and we were yet again forced to stay in a hotel until this problem was fixed. We contacted XXXX on each of these instances to make sure they were going to reimburse us at the very least the hotel fees since we still had to pay rent. We were ok with them reimbursing us and/or taking it off the rent. During this process XXXX  was bought out by XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX came in and took care us by taking the hotel fees we paid off our rent. In XX/XX/XXXX, I was relocated to another state with my job. During my relocation, my company hired a moving and cleaning company to take care of everything while I was away. My sister did the final walk through with a representative from XXXX  ( Ms. XXXX ). XXXX notified me that everything was left in satisfactory condition and that I would only have to pay for replacement of blinds, new paint and carpet replacement. I asked how much would that be and she said she didn't know the figures right off BUT my security deposit ( {$3500.00} ) would be more than enough. 2 days later XXXX called me back and said good news you don't have to pay for carpet and paint because you were there 2 years and after that it's considered normal wear and tear and the company is responsible for that. However she did say that I would be responding for replacing 4 blinds that had been torn. I asked her to send me an itemized bill ASAP as we were purchasing a home in another state were I relocated to. We officially moved out in XXXX. We paid a higher rent ( month to month ) from XXXX to XXXX since we were not going to renew our lease due to me being relocated to another state. I NEVER received that bill. In fact I called several times where I either got a VM or I was given the run around or told I would have to speak to a different person everytime. Time went on and life happen. I got busy with my new job, we purchased our home. At this time I still haven't heard back from XXXX about an itemized bill. I really wasn't too worried about it due to the fact we had a deposit of {$3500.00} and I knew replacements of 4 blinds would not exceed that. Time went on and in XX/XX/XXXX we recieve an alert from all 3 major credit Bureaus that Fair Credit & Outsourcing had placed a collections for {$1300.00} on our credit reports. I was FURIOUS! I immediately reached out to XXXX XXXX and was told I would have to deal with FCO. I contacted FCO and explained what happened to see if they could help me or give me guidance on how to get this egregious bogus collections removed from our credit. I explained to the representative from FCO that we were in the process of filing a civil suit against XXXX XXXX because they NEVER returned our deposit or the funds and we were NEVER notified that we owed them anything. The representative was rude and wasn't helpful at all and continued to ask when and how I plan to take care of this debt. I have researched FCO and not to my surprise, they have a horrible XXXX  rating and most of the complaints from consumers who've experienced the same thing as we have. I've also seen where the CFPB has filed lawsuits agaisnt them for this very practice of not notifying consumers of alleged debts. This company has some questionable practices at best and need to be held accountable for ruining people 's credit which makes it harder for us to live. I have made a complaint with the XXXX and will do so with any other agency I need to in order to have them investigated and held accountable for the illegal practices of debt collecting. I would like to have this account deleted from our credit report and NOT sold to any other debt collector. I would also like for XXXX XXXX to refund us our deposit ( minus the 4 blinds ). I look forward to hearing back from the CFPB on their findings.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation