Consumer complaint received 2021-12-24
Company: EQUIFAX, INC.
State: NC
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: False statements or representation
Sub-issue: Attempted to collect wrong amount

Complaint:
The purpose of my dispute is to get my credit score corrected with XXXX and Equifax as I am in the process of obtaining a mortgage loan. My credit score before this incidence was over 800 as I have been very responsible with my finances and paying ALL of my bills on time and in full via automatic payments. 
I purchased and closed on a new construction home on XX/XX/XXXX. This is an investment property, so I have never lived in this house. I called XXXX XXXX to have the account switched to my name on XX/XX/XXXX. I also called XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX to take over the accounts on XX/XX/XXXX. I found a tenant who officially moved into the house on XX/XX/XXXX and who would take over the utility bills. She called and have the utility switched to her name and took over the utility bills from XX/XX/XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, when I went to the house to give the house key to the tenant, I noticed that the construction workers who were working on the house next-door to mine was using my electrical outlet and I reported this to the builder with a picture of the worker 's microwave plugged into my outlet as evidence. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a notification from my XXXX XXXX that I established an account with XXXX and XXXX. I thought it was a fraud at first as I did not recognize this company. After calling XXXX and XXXX, I found out that they are a collection agency and that I have an unpaid {$140.00} bill from XXXX XXXX for this rental property. I thought this was a mistake as my XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX bills were paid automatically using my card on file. I know for sure that I had called all three utility companies on XX/XX/XXXX and took over the accounts and was sure that I would have either provided a forwarding address for the bills to be sent to or a credit card on file for the payments to be deducted automatically. I wondered why XXXX XXXX XXXX was the only bill that was not paid. After calling XXXX XXXX to inquire about the bill that I have never received, XXXX XXXX sent me a copy of the bill to my email. The bill was from service date of XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX. I reached out to the builder and informed them of the bill, since the builder legally owned the house from XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX and I had notified the builder on XX/XX/XXXX that their workers were using my electrical outlet, the builder agreed to pay for the entire bill. I called again and explained to XXXX XXXX that I did not legally own the house until XX/XX/XXXX and although I legally owned the property from XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX, I had no knowledge that the bill was not paid as XXXX XXXX never sent me any bill to my primary address nor contacted me via email or phone calls to notify me of the bill. Since my XXXXXXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX bills were paid, I thought the XXXX XXXX bill from XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX was also paid automatically. Also, the {$140.00} bill from XXXX was not my bill as I did not own the house until XX/XX/XXXX. I asked XXXX XXXX why I have never received the bill and was told that XXXX XXXX sent the bill to the service address and not my primary address. When I asked XXXX XXXX why the bill was not sent to my primary address, I was told that I did not provide a forwarding address. I find that hard to believe as the reason I called XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX was to have the bill switch to my name, surly I would have given a forwarding address or a credit card on file for the automatic payment. When I asked XXXX XXXX to send me a transcript of the conversation of the call on XX/XX/XXXX, I was told that they can not send me the transcript. I explained to XXXX XXXX that if they had tried to contact me and if I was aware of an outstanding bill, I surely would have paid my bill. However, XXXX XXXX made no attempts to contact me. They insisted that they sent the bill to the service address, and I informed them that the service address is a rental property and that the tenant denied having seen anything in my name. XXXX XXXX further insisted that they don't have to try to contact me via any other means. The {$140.00} was paid by the builder shortly after I informed the builder of the bill, surly if the bill is not the builder 's responsibility, they would not have paid for it. When I called XXXX XXXX to have them clear my name with XXXX and XXXX, XXXX XXXX informed me that XXXX and XXXX would have to reach out to them. When I reached out to XXXX and XXXX and informed them of the situation and that the bill was already paid by the builder, XXXX and XXXX insisted that they have not seen the updates from XXXX XXXX and even if the bill was paid that I am still the one responsible for the bill. 
I started the dispute process with XXXX, Equifax, and XXXX. XXXX cleared my name the same day and my credit score with XXXX is XXXX. Today I got an email from Equifax stating that they agree with XXXX and XXXX that I am responsible for the bill, and therefore my credit score is still only XXXX.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation