Consumer complaint received 2019-04-05
Company: FAIR COLLECTIONS & OUTSOURCING, INC.
State: GA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: I do not know
Issue: False statements or representation
Sub-issue: Attempted to collect wrong amount

Complaint:
I lived in XXXX XXXX XXXX for 3 years and then decided to move out because we were in the process of trying to purchase a home.. AND our apartment had several water leaks, causing a horrible smell and one leak where the air conditioner unit went out and flooded the apartment. The complex did not fix the issue. They sent a humidifier to stay in the apartment for 7 days to dry out the carpet. I sent them a written 60 days notice as required by my lease on XX/XX/2017. It was accepted by the complex. I was XXXX months XXXX  at the time when I moved out, so I hired a moving company and a cleaning company to clean out the apartment. On XXXX the XXXX, After a walk through of the apartment with an office worker, I was told that everything was fine and I would only have to pay the prorated rent of {$230.00} for XX/XX/XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX plus the water bill for XX/XX/XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX. I asked why did I have to pay for XX/XX/XXXX & XXXX when today is the XXXX and I'm turning in my keys and doing the walk through today. She stated because my 60 noticed wasn't officially received until the XXXX but you didn't fill out the move out form until the XX/XX/XXXX, so your rent is prorated until the XXXX of XXXX. I said ok. We had already signed a lease for another place to move in on the XXXX. The office worker said everything looks good. Thank you and good luck to you. and said they will contact me once the water bill come out at the end of the month. I left my forwarding address and both personal and work cell phone numbers so they could contact me as soon as the water bill came out. I asked was there anything that I needed to sign saying that was all I had to pay and she stated no, we'll send you your final bill for the prorated rent and the water bill. By Mid XXXX I hadn't received a bill so I called the apartment to find out why I hadn't received the bill. I was told the manager wasn't available and I would have to speak with her. I called back a week later and got the same response. So I eventually went there around the beginning of XXXX to speak with the manager so we could get this resolved. I was told that my bill had been sent to collections for non payment. I was really upset because all this time no one sent me any bill nor contacted me to pay the bill. So I asked what was the name of the collection agency and the manager told me I would have to call their corporate office. I called them several times to only get a voicemail that was full every single time I called. So as time went by, I never received any communication from anyone regarding this bill and it wasn't on my credit reports since we were trying to purchase a home at the time. In XXXX of 2017, Fair Collections and Outsourcing shows up on my credit report with and astronomical bill for over {$7000.00}. I was FURIOUS. I contacted them basically asking for a breakdown of charges, because when I moved out I was told that I would only have to pay prorated rent and water bill. There WAS ABSOLUTELY NO DAMAGE NOR DID WE TRASH THIS APARTMENT. We hired a moving and cleaning company to help me since I was XXXX months XXXX at the time we moved out. They refused to give me a breakdown over the phone, so I wrote a letter asking them for the break down of charges. I'm baffled as you will too once you see the attached bill. There are SEVERAL things wrong on this bill. 1st, my deposit was {$400.00} and not {$200.00}. Secondly, there are charges for prorated rent for {$400.00} ( which was NOT what I was told I'd have to pay ), Thirdly, there's 2 trash out fees which one is {$1800.00} ( again, we hired a moving & cleaning company & the office worker who did my walk through said everything was good and they'd send me my final bill, which never happened ). There's a termination fee of {$2000.00} ( why do I owe a termination fee, when I gave a 60 days notice as my lease required ) Fourth, paint and carpet after being in an apartment for 3 years and 3 months is normal wear and tear. Also being in an apartment with one flooding of the entire apartment ( which messed up furniture, children toys and clothing that was in their closets ) another flooding into the boys closet which was caused by the hot water tank leaking into their closet. Also not to mention a fire in the apartment above us which caused the sprinkler system to go off and mess up furniture again and wall paintings, wall artwork. This painting and carpet charge as well as blinds for {$300.00} which none had to be replaced, should be consider as normal wear and tear as Georgia laws says. FCO refused to remove this bogus bill from my credit report which has caused us not to purchase a home. I want this bill deleted from all major credit bureaus and for them to not to be able to sell this bogus bill to another debt collector. I have reached out to the apartment complex and they have been bought out by another property management company and I was told that I would have to deal with FCO directly. However I'm hoping the CFPB will put a stop to companies like this for filling bogus bills and reporting to the Credit Bureaus.

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