Consumer complaint received 2024-08-05
Product: Debt collection — Rental debt
Issue: Written notification about debt — Didn't receive notice of right to dispute
Company: FAIR COLLECTIONS & OUTSOURCING, INC. (MI)

I have not received a response to my last email sent on XX/XX/XXXX to the creditor. I am hoping this will be removed off my credit report while this is being disputed as I stated in prior emails, this is negatively impacting my credit and was reported prematurely to the credit bureaus with a settlement date of XX/XX/XXXX, and reported on XX/XX/XXXX to one report and XX/XX/XXXX to the other XXXX. I was given no time to communicate and/or try to resolve this manner in a timely fashion. 

In addition to the rental property did not follow state law, the balance owed is for rent during the pandemicXXXX XXXX  XXXX implemented statewide on XX/XX/XXXX protected tenants financially. The XXXX XXXX act aimed to protect residents who were struggling as a result of XXXX. Tenants were protected under this legislation. Landlords were prevented from charging tenants late fees or any interest on past due rent that accumulated between XX/XX/XXXX through XX/XX/XXXX. After XX/XX/XXXX, landlords that received any type of government assistance during XXXX, were unable to sue the tenant for unpaid rent. There were protections to tenants if they completed the declaration form declaring they have a XXXX related financial distress. That document was submitted to the rental property. 

XXXX XXXX XXXX and the XXXX of XXXX XXXX had additional tenant protections. These included extended eviction moratoriums and additional requirements for landlords seeking to collect unpaid rent. 

Legal requirements state landlords must provide tenants with proper notices and offer the opportunity for repayment plans before sending debts to collections. This did not happen even though I made several calls with no return calls from the rental property. 

In XXXX XXXX XXXX, there are specific legal requirements that landlords must follow before sending unpaid XXXX rental debt to collections. During the XXXX pandemic, several protections were put in place to help tenants manage rental debt incurred during this time. Here are the steps landlords are generally required to follow before sending unpaid rent to collections : XXXX. Provide Proper Notice : Landlords must provide tenants with written notice that details the amount of unpaid rent and informs tenants of their rights under local XXXX tenant protection laws. XXXX. Opportunity for a Repayment Plan : Landlords must offer tenants the opportunity to enter into a repayment plan for unpaid rent accrued during the XXXX emergency period. This is in accordance with local and state laws that XXXX have been enacted to protect tenants. XXXX. Wait for the XXXX XXXX : If there was an eviction moratorium in place, landlords XXXX have been prohibited from taking collection actions until after the moratorium ended. XXXX. Comply with Local Ordinances : In XXXX XXXX XXXX, there are specific ordinances that provide additional protections for tenants. Landlords must comply with these local rules, which XXXX include offering repayment plans and adhering to specific notice requirements. XXXX. XXXX XXXX : All communications regarding rental debt and repayment options should be documented in writing. This helps ensure that landlords have met their legal obligations. If you did not receive proper notice or an offer for a repayment plan and your debt was sent to collections, you might have grounds to dispute the collection action. Here are some steps you can take : XXXX XXXX Laws : Check the specific tenant protection laws in your area to understand your rights regarding XXXX rental debt. Document Your Attempts : Keep records of your attempts to contact the landlord, including dates, times, and details of any calls or correspondence. Contact a XXXX Rights XXXX : Seek advice from a local tenants rights organization or legal aid service. They can provide guidance and XXXX assist with disputes. Dispute the XXXX : You can dispute the debt with the collection agency by providing evidence that the landlord did not follow proper procedures. XXXX XXXX : Consider consulting with a tenant attorney who can advise you on potential legal actions against the landlord for not complying with local requirements. 

I was not offered a payment plan to pay back the debt before the company purchased the debt. I made several attempts to XXXX XXXX attorney to enter into an agreement and I never had any of my calls returned. I have kept very good records of all of this. 

I am requesting communication via telephone, not email to discuss next steps with this dispute. I can be reached at XXXX as the communication they sent to me on XX/XX/XXXX I never received due to it going to my spam email as I stated in a previous email. I deactivated that email and had to reactive it to find the email XXXX sent me. I am now possibly going to lose an opportunity to purchase a home with this on my credit. The manner in how this was handled was unfair, and could have been resolved in a better way without this being reported on my credit reports. I can not pay {$32000.00} or even the settlement of {$19000.00} in a lump sum. It's unfair to ask me to pay the balance all at XXXX time. When I asked what were my options, I was informed to pay the {$19000.00} by XX/XX/XXXX.