Consumer complaint received 2021-12-16
Company: Southern Management Systems Inc.
State: FL
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt was paid

Complaint:
The repeated attempts by XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX, FL and the debt collection agency Southern Management Systems is now considered harassment and it not resolved completely within 10 business days I will pursue legal action. 
The alleged debt is not owed and I fulfilled my obligation as a guarantor for my daughter on this apartment while she attended XXXX. My daughter is XXXX XXXX and the apartment complex initially tried to collect this bogus debt from her earlier in XXXX. After unsuccessful attempts to resolved the issue with the new leasing office manager at XXXX XXXX earlier this year ; we filed the requisite disputes and complaints and the collection item subsequently removed from her credit file ; however, they negatively impacted her credit score approximately 100 points for over 90-days. That is evident on the attached trend from XXXX on her credit file. That is relevant because the ongoing illegal efforts to collect a debt not owed and the collection item placed on my file Southern Management in XX/XX/XXXX has caused a drastic decline in my credit score. This is impeding approval for the purchase of a primary for my wife and I as we work with our mortgage broker from XXXX. 
I tried to resolve by contacting the XXXX XXXX at XXXX XXXX to no avail. XXXX worked with the leasing office manager at the time ( XXXX ) to execute the proper sublease of her room in the apartment to XXXX XXXX ; XXXX moved into the apartment on XX/XX/XXXX and we paid every rent due on time through XX/XX/XXXX and XXXX assuming the sublease in XXXX. XXXX remained in the apartment with all rents paid through XX/XX/XXXX and thus fully satisfying the lease obligation to XXXX XXXX. The leasing office manager has tried to falsely claim that XXXX did not sublease the apartment, but that can easily be disproved by the fact XXXX moved in and XXXX XXXX collected rents due from her from that period forward. 
I do not recall the name of the lady I spoke with in the leasing office who assumed the role after XXXX left the organization, but she well aware of the apartment transaction history. Not only have they knowingly tried to collect on debt not owed ; they subsequently issued a false statement to the debt collection agency Southern Management Systems mailing address XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, FL XXXX. 
We have put three children through university, rented numerous apartments as they completed their education, we have impeccable credit with credit scores generally in the mid to high XXXX historically and have never walked away from a debt owed. This is not an issue of money ; we will provide our current bank balances to reflect that we could easily pay this debt off if it was legitimate. These apartment complexes and debt collection agencies operate a very deceiving tactic and tend to generally assume they will get a recovery or settlement by harassing, bullying, operating with intent to destroy the credit files of students and guarantors through their abusive practices. 
I have field disputes for the debt collection with each of the credit repositories : XXXX ( report # XXXX ) XXXX ( report # XXXX ) XXXX ( report # XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation