Consumer complaint received 2020-01-15
Company: National Credit Systems,Inc.
State: CA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt is not yours

Complaint:
I, along with 3 other roommates rented a 4 bedroom apartment at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, Illinois XXXX from XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) in year XXXX. I signed here as I am a XXXX  at the University XXXX XXXX, XXXX ( XXXX ). The four of  us signed a joint lease with a rent charge of $ XXXX/month each. The lease was from XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX. I also paid a security deposit of {$540.00}. The total security deposit paid for the entire apartment by all four of us was {$540.00} x 4 = {$2100.00}. 

In XX/XX/XXXX, I signed a lease with XXXX for another apartment in the same building for XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX. The lease was a joint lease with 2 of 3 of my previous roommates. We signed to pay a rent of $ XXXX/month. XXXX asked us to pay the difference of our old rent ( {$540.00} ) and new rent ( {$650.00} ) as the security deposit. Thus, each one of us paid $ XXXX $ XXXX {$100.00} for the deposit, in addition to the {$540.00} they already had as a deposit. In total, I had paid {$650.00} for my security deposit with XXXX. 

In the middle of this XXXX XXXX-XXXX XXXX lease, the apartment complex was bought by a new property management company, XXXX XXXX. We were told that the signing of our next XXXX  XXXX-XXXX XXXX lease is still valid, as all previous leases would be transferred to XXXX XXXX. 

In XXXX of XXXX after move-out, I received a charge of {$670.00} from XXXX XXXX, citing cleaning charges, carpet replacement, and repainting. This charge was for the full apartment of 3 people, and yet I was the only one to receive it. The charge per person should have been $ XXXX/3 = {$220.00}. We returned the apartment in the same condition we received it. For using this apartment of 1 year, the charge of ~ {$670.00} seems excessive and unilateral. Additionally, I have photographic evidence of damaged carpet during move-in, which XXXX XXXX  is attempting to charge us for. 

I have yet to receive my security deposit of {$650.00} back. XXXX XXXX, as per the law, is supposed to send the deposit back within 15 days of move-out. However, it has been 5 months and still my deposit has yet not been returned. 

Instead, on XX/XX/XXXX, I received a letter from the National Credit Systems Collections Agency stating that I owed a debt of {$670.00} ( the full apartments cleaning charges ) to XXXX XXXX, which is factually incorrect. Instead of giving me my deposit back, I was charged the cleaning charges for the full apartment which is again incorrect. I sent the National Credit Systems a description of what had occurred to no response. I also tried to talk to various employees but left to only leave voicemails that were never returned. 

I tried to resolve this issue by speaking to the property manager of XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. He assured me that he will get back to me by XX/XX/XXXX with resolution. However, as usual, XXXX XXXX property managers have failed to get back to me in a timely manner and resolve the issue.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation