Consumer complaint received 2023-02-15
Company: Aldous & Associates, PLLC
State: FL
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Communication tactics
Sub-issue: Frequent or repeated calls

Complaint:
My son is a XXXX XXXX. I co-signed for an apartment near his school. The lease was for one year ( XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX ). All rents were paid on time and in full. My son moved out of the apartment on XX/XX/XXXX. 

Several weeks later, on XX/XX/XXXX, I received a collection letter asking for payment of {$230.00} ( see letter below ). 

XXXX XXXX XXXX - of XXXX XXXX XXXX Aldous ALDOUS -- & ASSOCIATES -- Attorneys at law Office Hours : Mon - Thu XXXX to XXXX ( MST ) Fri XXXX to XXXX ( MST ) XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, FL XXXX Reference # XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, UT XXXX Phone : ( XXXX XXXX XXXX If you continue to ignore your financial obligations, the creditor may choose to report information about your account to credit bureaus. Late payments, missed payments or other defaults on your account may be reflected in your credit score. 
At this time, no attorney with this firm has personally reviewed the particular circumstances of your account. You can also pay online by clicking the 'Pay Now ' button at www.aldouslegal.com.

This law firm has been retained by XXXX XXXX XXXX to collect the total amount as a-result or your defaulted contract with the Company. We are trying to collect a debt that you owe to XXXX XXXX XXXX We will use any information you give us to help collect the debt. Aldous & Associates is a debt collector. Our information shows : You had an agreement with XXXX XXXX XXXX and the How can you dispute the debt? 
Call or write to us by XX/XX/XXXX, to dispute all or part of the debt. If you do not, we will assume that our information is correct. 
If you write to us by XX/XX/XXXX, we must stop collection on any amount you dispute until we send you information that shows you owe the debt. You may use the form below or write to us without the form. You may also include supporting documents.

What else can you do?

Go to www.cfpb.gov/debt-cotlection to learn more about your rights under federal law. For instance, you have the right to stop or limit how we contact you.

Contact us About your payment options. 


I replied to the letter and mailed it to the law firm on XX/XX/XXXX. I called the law firm, and they verified reception of the letter on XXXX. According to their letter, once an amount is disputed, all emails and collection processes cease. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a third notice of collection email from Aldous & Associates law firm ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX On XX/XX/XXXX, I called the number located on the letter and talk to the supervisor XXXX XXXX. I inquired as to why I had received a third notice e-mail requesting payment while the process was still being contested. He informed me that the e-mail was automatically sent and was a mistakeMr. XXXX exact words they shouldn't have sent it to me and he would take care of it ( FYI- our conversation was recorded by them if verification is needed ). 

Further, I also informed XXXX XXXX that I hadn't received any other notifications, so how could this be my third notice. He informed me that they mailed two notices to the XXXX apartment address that my son had moved out of on XX/XX/XXXX. I informed him I was only a cosigner and had never lived there. Plus, why would you mail letters to an apartment that was unoccupied by the defendant. XXXX XXXX once again apologize for the mix up. He told me he would take care of it and to wait for a reply about the decision. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a notice from my credit monitoring service about a negative reflection on my credit. Thinking fraud, I logged in and found out that Aldous & Associates had put a negative report for {$230.00} on my credit report. I promptly called XXXX XXXX XXXX at the collection law firm of Aldous & Associates, and he told me a decision letter had been mailed out on XX/XX/XXXX from Utah. I informed him that I had not received any letter. He informed me that it's automatic and there is nothing he could do, but I should pay the money to show that it was settled. I informed him that this was not acceptable, as they had not given me proper time to make a decision about payment because I had not received any notification before they reported it to a credit agency. 

My concern and compliant is that this organization does not follow their own rules or the law which is due process in a timely manner including the no ongoing harassment communications during the dispute process. Also, there was no proper notification of a decision before taking an adverse action. Usually when a decision is made, you have time ( pay by 10 days, etc. ) to settle the amount before an adverse action is taken. My son informed me the apartment complex has a history of bullying students into paying. If they had emailed me the final decision, I could have chosen a course of action. They had no problem emailing me collection notices. Why mail something to me now thats going to take days to reach me in Florida. The letter finally arrived on XX/XX/XXXX ( six days after adverse reporting on my credit ). Absolutely, no chance to make a decision or pay before adverse reporting was done. Thus, I hired an attorney who made an inquiry to Aldous & AssociateXXXX about this situation, and he has been unable to get any reply or communication reciprocate to him. Thus, I filed a complaint with the Utah Bar Association against XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX at Aldous & Associates, and they referenced me to you. 

My Attorney : XXXX XXXX XXXX. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, FL XXXX Phone : XXXX Fax : XXXX PS. I have all emails of continued collection communication during the dispute process as proof. Thanks. 

XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation