Consumer complaint received 2022-11-12
Company: St John Rossin & Burr, PLLC
State: FL
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action
Sub-issue: Seized or attempted to seize your property

Complaint:
I received a letter from the company ROSSIN & BURR PLLC LAW OFFICES demanding that I start paying them rent to them and their Client XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX instead of the alleged landlord who is in fact ( MY MOTHER ) the property owner, not my landlord and we DO NOT PAY HER RENT. WE ARE OWNERS I DO NOT HAVE A RENTAL CONTRACT OR LEASE AGREEMENT WITH ANY OF THESE COMPANIES. Our family owns the home and does not pay lot rent. However they claim to have a contract with XXXX XXXX XXXX and my Daughter XXXX XXXX XXXX. We never signed any lease agreement that would involve paying this company in the first place. Its one thing to be harassed about a debt that is valid, but this claim is frivolous and not my debt. 

This lawyer is stating I have an obligation to pay him. He is threatening to evict me within 30 days if I dont all of a sudden start paying him rent. THERE IS NO RENT FOR HOME OWNERS! We have a warranty deed. We have never received one bill at our address XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Florida XXXX, from either XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX or ROSSIN & BURR until XX/XX/XXXX. He is demanding erroneous attorney fees that I and my family do not owe him. Their client has not once sent a bill for anything thus far. 

This company also failed to disclose that I have a right to dispute the debt which goes against the Fair Debt Collections Act ( see attached letter from the attorney with NO disclosure of my rights with the FCRA and FDRA I am seeking damages for pain and suffering as this attorney has cause myself, my daughter and the rest of our family a great deal of suffering since the time we arrived in XXXX XXXX He has sent over 5 letters this week alone demanding {$3200.00} or I will be evicted. Which is quite excessive and pure harassment. This company is in violation on multiple counts. 

15 USC 1692i 811. Legal actions by debt collectors ( a ) Venue Any debt collector who brings any legal action on a debt against any consumer shall -- ( 1 ) in the case of an action to enforce an interest in real property securing the consumer 's obligation, bring such action only in a judicial district or similar legal entity in which such real property is located ; or ( 2 ) in the case of an action not described in paragraph ( 1 ), bring such action only in the judicial district or similar legal entity -- ( A ) in which such consumer signed the contract sued upon ; or ( B ) in which such consumer resides at the commencement of the action. 

( b ) Authorization of actions Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to authorize the bringing of legal actions by debt collectors.

15 USC 1692j 812. Furnishing certain deceptive forms ( a ) It is unlawful to design, compile, and furnish any form knowing that such form would be used to create the false belief in a consumer that a person other than the creditor of such consumer is participating in the collection of or in an attempt to collect a debt such consumer allegedly owes such creditor, when in fact such person is not so participating. 

( b ) Any person who violates this section shall be liable to the same extent and in the same manner as a debt collector is liable under section 1692k of this title for failure to comply with a provision of this subchapter. 

15 USC 1692d 806. Harassment or abuse A debt collector may not engage in any conduct the natural consequence of which is to harass, oppress, or abuse any person in connection with the collection of a debt. Without limiting the general application of the foregoing, the following conduct is a violation of this section : ( 1 ) The use or threat of use of violence or other criminal means to harm the physical person, reputation, or property of any person.

( 2 ) The use of obscene or profane language or language the natural consequence of which is to abuse the hearer or reader.

( 3 ) The publication of a list of consumers who allegedly refuse to pay debts, except to a consumer reporting agency or to persons meeting the requirements of section 1681a ( f ) or 1681b ( 3 ) 1 of this title.

( 4 ) The advertisement for sale of any debt to coerce payment of the debt. 

( 5 ) Causing a telephone to ring or engaging any person in telephone conversation repeatedly or continuously with intent to annoy, abuse, or harass any person at the called number.

( 6 ) Except as provided in section 1692b of this title, the placement of telephone calls without meaningful disclosure of the caller 's identity.

15 USC 1692f 808. Unfair practices A debt collector may not use unfair or unconscionable means to collect or attempt to collect any debt. Without limiting the general application of the foregoing, the following conduct is a violation of this section : ( 1 ) The collection of any amount ( including any interest, fee, charge, or expense incidental to the principal obligation ) unless such amount is expressly authorized by the agreement creating the debt or permitted by law.

( 2 ) The acceptance by a debt collector from any person of a check or other payment instrument postdated by more than five days unless such person is notified in writing of the debt collector 's intent to deposit such check or instrument not more than ten nor less than three business days prior to such deposit. 

( 3 ) The solicitation by a debt collector of any postdated check or other postdated payment instrument for the purpose of threatening or instituting criminal prosecution.

( 4 ) Depositing or threatening to deposit any postdated check or other postdated payment instrument prior to the date on such check or instrument.

( 5 ) Causing charges to be made to any person for communications by concealment of the true purpose of the communication. Such charges include, but are not limited to, collect telephone calls and telegram fees. 

( 6 ) Taking or threatening to take any nonjudicial action to effect dispossession or disablement of property if -- ( A ) there is no present right to possession of the property claimed as collateral through an enforceable security interest ; ( B ) there is no present intention to take possession of the property ; or ( C ) the property is exempt by law from such dispossession or disablement.

( 7 ) Communicating with a consumer regarding a debt by post card.

( 8 ) Using any language or symbol, other than the debt collector 's address, on any envelope when communicating with a consumer by use of the mails or by telegram, except that a debt collector may use his business name if such name does not indicate that he is in the debt collection business. 

15 USC 1692k 813. Civil liability ( a ) Amount of damages Except as otherwise provided by this section, any debt collector who fails to comply with any provision of this subchapter with respect to any person is liable to such person in an amount equal to the sum of -- ( 1 ) any actual damage sustained by such person as a result of such failure ; ( 2 ) ( A ) in the case of any action by an individual, such additional damages as the court may allow, but not exceeding {$1000.00} ; or ( B ) in the case of a class action, ( i ) such amount for each named plaintiff as could be recovered under subparagraph ( A ), and ( ii ) such amount as the court may allow for all other class members, without regard to a minimum individual recovery, not to exceed the lesser of {$500000.00} or 1 per centum of the net worth of the debt collector ; and ( 3 ) in the case of any successful action to enforce the foregoing liability, the costs of the action, together with a reasonable attorney 's fee as determined by the court. On a finding by the court that an action under this section was brought in bad faith and for the purpose of harassment, the court may award to the defendant attorney 's fees reasonable in relation to the work expended and costs. 

( b ) Factors considered by court In determining the amount of liability in any action under subsection ( a ) of this section, the court shall consider, among other relevant factors -- ( 1 ) in any individual action under subsection ( a ) ( 2 ) ( A ) of this section, the frequency and persistence of noncompliance by the debt collector, the nature of such noncompliance, and the extent to which such noncompliance was intentional; or ( 2 ) in any class action under subsection ( a ) ( 2 ) ( B ) of this section, the frequency and persistence of noncompliance by the debt collector, the nature of such noncompliance, the resources of the debt collector, the number of persons adversely affected, and the extent to which the debt collector 's noncompliance was intentional.

( c ) Intent A debt collector may not be held liable in any action brought under this subchapter if the debt collector shows by a preponderance of evidence that the violation was not intentional and resulted from a bona fide error notwithstanding the maintenance of procedures reasonably adapted to avoid any such error.

Company response to consumer: Untimely response