Consumer complaint received 2024-07-10
Product: Debt collection — Rental debt
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action — Threatened or suggested your credit would be damaged
Company: D.B.F. COLLECTION CORP. (NY)

I received a letter from DBF COLLECTION CORP in XX/XX/XXXX about a collection in the amount of {$12000.00}, collecting for XXXX XXXX XXXX. I responded, via cerified mail XX/XX/XXXX disputing this debt, they have since called and emailed me numerous times, even after our phone calls, they will email me with conflicting information or reiterating something that was not said like " this is our last attempt to contact you and if you don't respond we will send this to suit and you will face a judgement and your wages will be garnished, credit ruined, etc. ". Even more, they reported this collection on my credit months before even contacting me! I disputed this debt once I received the letter and explained to them that it is not a valid debt. I entered into a lease with XXXX XXXX XXXX ( aka XXXX XXXX XXXX ) XX/XX/XXXX. I used XXXX as a guarantor ( XXXX  party company ) and paid them a few XXXX dollars to act as cosigner. When it came time to renew my lease on XX/XX/XXXX for another year, I signed the lease they sent me electronically, so did my husband. Soon after on several occasions I was sent emails and phone calls from the management company that they would not renew my lease nor sign it on their end making it void, unless I went through XXXX XXXX  again. I asked them to go off my impeccable payment history and current credit score to avoid this, as Insurent costs thousands of dollars, I was not aware I would have to pay that every year to renew, I was made to understand it was a XXXX time fee when applying for the building, not after being a paying tenant without issue for a year. Anyways the answer was a NO. They told me if you came through XXXX, you must renew with them and we can not validate your lease unless you do so. I followed up for weeks with emails, phone calls and I either got no answer or this is " not approved answer ''. So basically my lease was not validated and I either needed to pay thousands to renew with XXXX, the XXXX  party company, OR find another place to live. I then gave them a XXXX  days notice in XX/XX/XXXX, and then to my surprise they contacted me and said I had a binding lease and for the first time I was sent a lease with their signature without a date ( via email ). I had never been provided a lease before, even though I asked for XXXX several times, had been told I was not renewed and had to move and now when I told them I was leaving in XXXX  days they told me a completely different story. They did not try to market my apartment nor show it, or do any due diligence to rent it out even when I gave them permission. And all they sent me were rude, harassing emails and phone calls threatening to ruin my credit and my business because I am self employed. This is why this debt is not valid. I have plenty of emails in writing where they tell me my lease is not valid and I can not renew and that they won't provide me with a written lease or sign on their end if I don't renew with Insurent. Now DBF calls me and is playing these games of " you signed '' doesn't matter what they did, no matter how much evidence and explanation I do. Or says things like " it's better to just pay them and not be sent to a judgement and risk your business, your assets and anything that belongs to you, even if it is their fault, or just hope that the judge sees your side of things ''. It is absurd and an absolute abuse of power. After being pressured and threatened I offered maybe a settlement could be spoken about, as they continuously threatened me with a judgement and the consequences, I have NEVER had a collection in my life much less a judgement, I take pride in an impeccable payment history with all of my creditors. They absolutely refused it and continued the threats. Now that I was made aware that what they are doing is illegal, I am filing this complaint in hopes of a resolution.