Consumer complaint received 2022-11-21
Company: Consumer Collection Management. Inc
State: AL
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Written notification about debt
Sub-issue: Didn't receive notice of right to dispute

Complaint:
The main issue is XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX tried to charged us for an extra months rent and utilities when our lease ended XXXX, and we submitted to vacate 60 days prior. In XXXX XXXX, my two roommates and I signed a lease for a 3-bedroom, 2-bath apartment at the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX was the company managing the property during that time and unfortunately, we did not have a great experience. We were lied to about our unit being renovated, it was dirty, and on the first day, our family had to make repairs to a leak in the bathroom. We filled out a list of damages and we told them that we didnt feel comfortable signing off on the apartment until repairs were made. So, one of us turned in the paper, and once we told them that we werent going to sign until they made repairs they backtracked. XXXX XXXX, the property manager at the time, nervously handed back the papers and told my roommate that she wasnt taking them and that we had to sign. My roommate at the time shared that the way she was reacting made her fear that we wouldnt have a place to stay so she signed off due to our lack of options. 

From that day we dealt with issues with repairs, including XXXX inability to reach out to the electric company, XXXX since XXXX XXXX in regard to fixing our power meter. Which resulted in the risk of us almost losing power in our unit. With the addition of leaks, flooding, gaseous smells in the basement from the sewage drain, cricket, and spider infestations we were miserable. So, when XXXX reached out to tenants to inform us that the property would be switching hands they asked if we would like to renew our lease as it was ending on XXXX. 
That if we planned on leaving that we needed to submit an intent to vacate 60 days prior to the end of our lease otherwise our lease would remain in effect. One of my roommates submitted theirs first due to moving out of state. XXXX reached out to her over the company's messaging system to ask if the rest of us would be leaving as well. She informed them that we all were leaving, and asked for confirmation if we needed to submit individually as well. We were told to submit our intent to vacate through the XXXX app from which we used to make payments. On XXXX XXXX XXXX I submitted my intent to vacate and prepared to move out of the property. On XXXX XXXX XXXX my roommates shared that they received an email from someone stating that our lease was in effect and that rent was due XXXX XXXX. I reached out to XXXX to ask for confirmation that by in effect they were referring to our current lease set to end on XXXX which meant they were saying that we were still, understandably, responsible for our last month of rent in XXXX 

I was told that was correct, and that we set to move out. Now the last month of our lease we couldnt get ahold of anybody, and we didnt know who would be doing our final walk-through, if repairs that we had asked for months prior would be repaired, or what. On the day of my moveout XXXX, there wasnt anyone in the office the morning of and even when I left the property. In the hustle of moving all by myself, the one packet of information that I had that tied my name and my roommates to the apartment were packed away in a box at a friend's house. I didnt want to just drop the keys for no one to realize that they went to our unit. So, I decided to hold onto them to return to a person, hopefully, the next day XXXX. However, when I came by there still wasnt anybody in the office. There was even a sign that stated someone would return at XXXX. So I waited for as long as I could before I had to leave for work and recorded myself folding up the keys into some of our paperwork. I dropped it off in the rent box and left the property. We were so over dealing with that property that we let go of asking for our security deposits back if that meant we would never have to hear from someone about that property again. XXXX forward to XXXX XXXX XXXX, one of my roommates messaged in our group chat if we have received calls from a debt collector asking about not paying the last months rent or the last 16 days of utilities. She stated that the associate asked for me, and our other roommate, and she was wondering if it was a scam. Since the rest of us never received a call and we paid up on our last month's rent on XXXX XXXX XXXX and canceled all utilities that werent included in our monthly rent expenses (XXXXXXXX for rent, XXXX for water, XXXX for Sewer, and XXXX for trash)  that totaled to XXXX. We split rent and additional utilities 3 ways till closer to the end 2 of us paid for rent 50/50. We made sure either way we paid our rent. So, I called the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX to only get their voicemail. My roommate that received the phone call had her dad call the number back and he heard the phone pick up, there was no answer till the woman said hello, and when he asked who she was and what she was calling about she hung up the phone. So, even despite us reasonably writing off the situation as a scam I still called back to the property and left a voicemail explaining that we were previous tenants, and I asked if they had experienced a leak of tenant information because if they had I felt that they should contact previous tenants so they didnt get tricked. Never received a phone call back so we interpreted their lack of response as confirmation that that was the case, and went on about our lives because we tried. 

On XXXX I got a notification on my credit report that a new account had been opened. Now XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX so I assumed that it was one of my loans. I still double-checked to make sure and unfortunately, I saw an account opened for XXXX for Consumer Collections with XXXX XXXX XXXX listed as the original creditor. Now I havent received any communication from the current management of the property or CCM prior to this being sent to collections of them claiming that we owed this or that we were overdue and that if we didnt pay that we would be sent to collections. This has also been the case for my roommate that also never received a written debt validation notice from the collector with information about the debt theyre trying to collect since the first contact on XXXX XXXX XXXX. 

I went in on XXXXXXXX prepared with all previous communications, bank statements, and records because I was sure that this was just a simple mistake between the switching of management and they would just need proof that I paid. The associate grabbed the assistant manager, and they looked and asked for my information. I provided my name, and they asked me when I moved out. I stated that I moved out on XXXX, The assistant manager asked the associate who handled the move-out, and the associate said someone named XXXX in a tone that sounded disappointed. I took that as an implication that something was mishandled so I shared that I also had documentation proving that I moved out, and I was told by the assistant manager, that they didnt need it. That all that was needed was my phone number (since the one they had listed for me started with XXXX and that was not what I put in my lease) and that while they couldnt get to it today they could get it done by Friday XXXX. She did state that the day I visited that it was delinquency day so when Friday came and I didnt hear an answer I decided to give them a little more time as they do operate on Saturdays according to their website. So, I called on XXXX to see if they were able to make progress on the situation. The assistant manager told me that they hadnt yet, but that they were on it. I asked again for confirmation if they needed anything from me, and I was once again told no. That they had my phone number that I provided XXXX and that was all they needed to fix the situation on 11/16. I received a phone call from the assistant manager and she asked if I had a move-out email. I informed her that I didnt have an email since I was told, (and kept documentation) of the previous management telling us that we didnt have to and to submit the intent to vacate through the app we used to pay rent. I shared that I had an email dated XXXX that our lease would be ending XXXX, the screenshot of the message from XXXX telling us to submit through the app, the email stating that the app was deactivated after we submitted our last month of rent, our cancellation of utilities, and even XXXX sending us a survey asking how our move-out was. I asked if that was okay and was told that it was. I asked if I could get a follow-up email on their progress with the situation going forward. I even swung by the next morning to show my recorded move-out videos to prove in real time that I didnt edit the dates and that I was just having a hard time sending them from my phone due to their size. (Which is also the case on the CFPB Website- I was able to upload shorter videos of locking up and dropping off the keys. However, the rest (I.e: moveout videos, issues with infestations, lack of repairs, and damages) I am happy to show. as I even showed the assistant manager) As I shared with the assistant manager I would have liked this situation to have been taken care of by today. XXXX  and she had confidence that they could get it done before. Then I received an email from the assistant manager informing me that she spoke with her manager and that she needed the actual email you sent stating that you were not renewing your lease. Again to my frustration, as I stated and provided documentation for, I didnt have one before due to the instructions given and the fact that the app was deactivated. So, I called the old management company XXXX asking if they could find the XXXX verification that I submitted. Thankfully they were able to find it, and I sent it over the same day (XXXX). I even swung by after I sent the XXXX verification to see if I could speak with the manager to confirm thats all they needed and see if they could take care of the situation that day since they had what they asked for. The assistant manager asked me if her manager asked me to come over. I explained why I was there and she informed me that her manager was on the phone, and I said that was fine and that I was willing to wait because I had hours before my next class, but to my surprise, I was told that her manager had to go through the ledgers. I was a bit confused by her reply because I understand they wanted verification that I submitted to move out. However, as I explained to them in my email on Friday, I'm having a hard time seeing how the email prevented the ledger search until now. The assistant manager seemed to be confused as to why I was still there and seemed curious as to if I would be leaving. So, I felt like I should go, but even before I fully left I turned around to ask if I could get an email and she headed towards the stairs. I thought I was speaking loud enough for her to hear me since there wasnt that much distance between us but it could happen. Now I asked the assistant manager if they could get this resolved before the XXXX (my next reporting cycle) and I was told yes. I sent an email out on Friday XXXX asking for updates, stated my frustrations with this apartment property, and how guidelines of the CFPB werent followed for the alleged debt. I told them that if the situation wasnt resolved by today I would be taking more formal means of remediation. I havent had contact with them since Friday. (XXXX) I told them that I feel like my good faith isnt being reciprocated, and its true I feel like Im not being taken seriously and taken advantage of. Even in transparency I managed to get access to my old email account and I managed to find the email stating that the Block as of XXXX was over the property, our lease was in effect (which was what  I reached out to XXXX for confirmation on) and that rent was due XXXX XXXX, and to pay on the app we had been using, and that the app would be deactivated XXXX. I just found two automated emails from XXXX that XXXX  rent is due, and an email about an autopay attachment. Somehow I am the only one to receive this email. There arent any follow up emails afterwards that I or my other roommates have received from Block in regards to being overdue on rent, or that if we didnt pay that we would be sent to collections. If we had received thorough follow through of communication early on then we would have taken care of this situation earlier on. The fact that none of us were contacted before this was sent to collections isnt on us. It is not our fault that in the shuffle of hands that our contact information was mishandled. This situation should have never gotten to this point. At this point were ready to release all recorded videos & even past & recent recorded conversations of damages, lack of repairs, and infestations to the XXXX XXXX XXXX  and so on.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation