Consumer complaint received 2021-12-21
Company: National Credit Systems,Inc.
State: MI
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: I do not know
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action
Sub-issue: Threatened or suggested your credit would be damaged

Complaint:
( Co n't ) This is another proof they ( XXXX XXXX Apartments ) took advantage of our vulnerabilities and therefore can not garnish XXXX income. This is a predatory and frivolous claim. Based on this and the previous email, being head of household regarding this claim and as the sole financial income of our household we are requesting your agency to dismiss this claim. Also as you will see in the attached benefits statement letter ( which XXXX was aware of and we gave them a copy of a then current letter upon signing a lease ) is our current address in XXXX, MI. We have done nothing wrong and do not have anything to hide. 


Regards, XXXX XXXX XXXX or email -- -- -- -- Original message -- -- -- -- From : XXXX XXXX Date : XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) To : " National Credit Systems : XXXX '' XXXX Cc : XXXX Subject : RE : Account ID : XXXX Debt Investigated E-Mail To Whom it May Concern, We are disputing this claim based on predatory renting/leasing practices. 4 attachments ( XXXX XXXX XXXX  lease and termination of lease, 3 pgs XXXX Police Department incident report and forwarded statement/complaint to the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ) XXXX We also contacted other Discrimination/Fair Housing agencies after leaving XXXX in XXXX. There were only a few of such agencies who told us via phone " they were not the right agency, to call such and such agency '' which we did and emailed ( forwarded ) with no response despite them having/us giving them our then current cell phone number and email. With this being said we believe XXXX ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX broke/violated their own lease in accordance with THEIR lease/policy ( attached ) 3. Apartment Lease Agreement 3.7 Crime Free Policy which mentions Drug and Gang activity ( reflect to XXXX PD incident report attached ). If whomever read our forwarded statement/complaint to the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 1 . We were/are not from Arizona. 2. We were not aware of the environment/activity and signed a lease before we were showed the apartment. 3. We utilized the coordinated entry program through the XXXX XXXX ( qualifying under homeless and high risk vulnerability ). 


We told a Housing Specialist " XXXX '' we were seeking safety and security. XXXX in return told us " that XXXX was a nice place and welcoming community ''. Also XXXX from XXXX and XXXX told us they worked together. We were approved the same day we applied for XXXX and were told we could move in the next day with a letter to pay from XXXX. XXXX advertised themselves and they told us " they were a second chance rental '' which we believe is predatory as they would let anyone live/move in there with no background check or anything. AFTER signing a lease and upon moving into XXXX Village Apartments a leasing agent XXXX XXXX told us directly " when you have any issues DO NOT call the police, call our security '' which come to find out they ( XXXX ) never had any security in the first place. We moved into XXXX XXXX Apartments XX/XX/XXXX and THEY released us from our lease very readily in XX/XX/XXXX. When we left the apartment and called the police XX/XX/XXXX a police Sgt told us " I do not think you were made aware of where you moved to being as it is the most dangerous neighborhood in XXXX and if you were my family I would tell to leave immediately ''. The following/next day we asked XXXX XXXX if they would release us from our lease ( which THEY agreed ) and had police escorts meet us at the complex/apartment so, we could retrieve our personal belongings. This was a studio apartment and XXXX XXXX is also trying to charge us {$500.00} for furniture and trash removal. After we left Arizona XXXX told us over the phone " they were not required to inform us of the gangs and drugs ''. A biracial girl that works in the front office at XXXX told us " corporate was aware of the holes in the perimeter fencing, drug activity and they were waiting to hear back ''. 


Regards, XXXX XXXX -- -- -- -- Original message -- -- -- -- From : XXXX XXXX Date : XX/XX/XXXX XXXX AM ( XXXX ) To : XXXX Subject : XXXX : Re : [ XXXX ] Re : Fair Housing Complaint Sent from my XXXX -- -- -- -- Original message -- -- -- -- From : XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX Date XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX PM ( XXXX ) To : XXXX XXXX Cc : XXXX XXXX XXXX Subject XXXX XXXX XXXX [ XXXX ] Re : Fair Housing Complaint To : XXXX & XXXX XXXX XXXX : Fair Housing Complaint XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX of XX/XX/XXXX with attachment as well as your follow-up email this morning with police report attachments. We have attempted to contact you and left messages both times providing the contact information for the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX who are better suited to address your concerns. Information can be found here : http : //swfhc.com/enforcement Enforcement XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX offers full service fair housing services assisting clients with allegations of illegal housing discrimination by providing investigative assistance, counseling, mitigation of complaints, and referrals to resources across Arizona. 

swfhc.com If you are unable to access the website information, please call them at ( XXXX ) XXXX for assistance. 


XXXX has closed this complaint. 


Sincerely, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX of XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, AZ XXXX XXXX XXXX Confidentiality Notice : This e-mail and any attachments are intended only for the use of those to whom it is addressed and may contain information that is confidential and prohibited from further disclosure under law. If you have received this e-mail in error, its review, use, retention and/or distribution is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message and any attachments. 



From : XXXX XXXX Sent : Wednesday, XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX To : XXXX XXXX Cc : XXXX XXXX Subject : [ XXXX ] Re : Fair Housing Complaint To Whom it May Concern, Here is attached police report from XX/XX/XXXX to add to the complaint we filed XX/XX/XXXX in this reply. We also want to note in the lease with XXXX XXXX Apartments it states no gang members, affiliation and/or activity which we feel is another reason we were targeted/harassed. XXXX XXXX has yet to contact us about this matter and it has been over a month. 


Regards, XXXX XXXX XXXX Previous Address : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, AZ XXXX -- -- -- -- Original message -- -- -- -- From : XXXX XXXX Date : XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX  ( XXXX ) To : XXXX Cc : XXXX XXXX Subject : Fair Housing Complaint To Whom it May Concern, My wife and I are an XXXX couple ( XXXX  ). We are from the Midwest and moved into XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, AZ XXXX owned and operated by XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX. We were not showed the apartment until after we signed a year lease. Upon moving in we were told by management a ( XXXX XXXX ) not to call the police, that they have their own security ( which turned out to be false ). We were not told about the drug problems or the neighborhood. 


Our second night living at XXXX XXXX the downstairs neighbor directly under us was drinking, played loud rap music outside and made indirect gang insinuations towards XXXX. Every time XXXX went out the door to smoke or we left together the downstairs neighbors ( a XXXX man and XXXX female ) came out their door as if listening to us. The downstairs would come out and stare at us and speak to each other in a elevated tones, which we felt was very intrusive. A maintenance man did the same thing, yelling across the courtyard talking to someone else when he seen us outside. A family member who visited the next door neighbors behaved the same way. 


One day a young XXXX man was in front of the downstairs neighbor apartment pacing and when we were going into our apartment looked up and gave us a nasty look. Later that day we had our puppy out to potty and this same individual followed and walked past us, fist clinched, walking directly towards XXXX as if he was going to physically accost him. After this the XXXX male downstairs would engage with/say something to us ( as if being cordial ) every time he seen us. 


One night we had our puppy out and saw the male downstairs neighbor come from another apartment belligerent drunk, as we were going into our apartment looked up at us and said in slurred speech " XXXX my XXXX ''. A young XXXX female from the same apartment the downstairs neighbor came from drunk that night on another occasion walked past us when we had our puppy out with a nasty look on her face, walked very close to us to the point we had to move out of her way and she did not say excuse me. The final act towards us was XX/XX/XXXX when XXXX noticed a young XXXX male standing outside of our window smoking ( who we assumed was this same young XXXX female 's brother ). We feel all of these different people/groups were interconnected, targeting and trying to intimidate us motivated by us being a XXXX and XXXX XXXX couple. 


That evening we left our apartment immediately. We drove to a nearby truck stop, tried contacting XXXX 's " security '' by phone and were told by a maintenance man they did not have security. We called and left messages with management, then we called the XXXX police department. In this conversation with the police officer he told us " they do not respond to these type of calls, it doesn't sound like we were told, but where we lived was the worst and most dangerous neighborhood in the city of XXXX and he would advise his own family to leave there immediately ''. We slept in our vehicle at the truck stop that night because we felt unsafe to go back to our apartment. 


The next morning XX/XX/XXXX we called for a police escort ( which they did provide ) so we could get our personal belongings as we decided we were leaving the state all together. We simultaneously called XXXX XXXX apartments management to see if they would break our lease ( which they also agreed to/did that same day and we will attach a copy of in this email ). Upon us signing the early termination XXXX XXXX management told us we were responsible for providing copies of the police report to them. XXXX is trying to charge us {$1400.00} to break the lease and an additional {$550.00} furniture disposal, which would put us in an even more financial strain on top of the Pandemic, which was the reason we lived there in the first place. We called XXXX management told them this, they were trying to criminalize us, " told us they did not have to disclose anything us, the call was being recorded, they will see us in court '' and told us not to call back because we were upset and swearing. We also called the XXXX corporate office and left multiple messages to no avail or response. As we told XXXX XXXX apartments management and XXXX  corporate we have every intention on contesting the fees they are trying to charge us for early lease termination and/or civil action because we feel they took advantage of our situation, us not being from XXXX and we are an XXXX couple. 


P.S.- Upon request we can get copy of police reports from XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX. 


To add : During our stay at XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX from XX/XX/XXXX through XX/XX/XXXX management cut the water off nearly everyday. 


Regards, XXXX XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation