Consumer complaint received 2023-06-18
Product: Debt collection — Other debt
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action — Threatened or suggested your credit would be damaged
Company: I.C. System, Inc. (CA)

Below is a written response Ive prepared for I.C. System Inc, a debt collector on behalf of XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX I.C. System Inc., Im writing in regards to Ref XXXX and to dispute the entire amount of {$1600.00} XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX is attempting to collect. I do not dispute residing at the address or that services were in my name, Im not sure why five zeros precede said account number, and I do strongly believe XXXX had a responsibility in ensuring the electrical service they supplied to the home were in safe conditions. 
On XX/XX/XXXX I took up residency at the above mentioned location, the outlet in my sons bedroom was faulty and needed to be serviced, shortly after that half the power in the home went out supposedly because we plugged in a humidifier when one of the kids were sick. In XXXX an outlet at the kitchen counter sparked and started smoking for no reason it wasnt in use. For 6 years the Wifi had an unstable connection according to our cable provider. In XXXX a brand new blender that was only used twice sparked and started smoking while my son was making a smoothie. From XXXX XXXX different XXXX vacuums XXXX blown out, The master bedroom lost power so often my beautiful vanity with XXXX touch dimmer lighting blew out. In XX/XX/XXXX the toaster sparked and started smoking, the clothes dryer constantly shorted out and would only work every other load, there was no cover plate on that outlet, nor was there one for the irrigation system in the garage for 5 years, the irrigation system never worked in six years either. If the treadmill was in use in the garage all power in the home above the garage was lost, that happened several times a week. If an air purifier was in use there was also a brown out in half the house. The entire HVAC system was faulty and ran overtime, yet we needed a cooler environment due XXXX and perennial XXXX and the home being so humid, in fact XXXX had a medical baseline form on file throughput the duration of our tenancy. It would later be discovered that in XXXX unpermitted work was performed on the HVAC system, the compressor in the yard and the evaporator coil in the garage were replaced but that particular evaporator coil had a known manufacturer defect and was recalled. On XX/XX/XXXX the dishwasher started smoking and almost caught fire around XXXX XXXX  and I couldnt get it to turn off until the fire department was already en route, that smoke and burnt rubber/plastic smell burned our throats for at least three days. The first time the fire department came was when a carbon monoxide detector sounded move to fresh air XX/XX/XXXX. Half of the outlets in the house had been moved from their original location, either up down or to the left or right from where they originally were placed. 
In XXXX XXXX I called XXXX ( spoke to XXXX ) requesting them to come out and perform a safety inspection of the electrical panel and or system I was told they could not come out without landlord ( Invitation Homes ) approval because they could be sued, I was referred to XXXX XXXX department ( spoke to XXXX ) because I was income qualified, that department reached out to property management ( XXXX ) requesting approval and services were refused, XXXX also referred me to XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX that also had a similar weatherization program and could possibly replace the HVAC system if allowed by property management, but those services were also refused. In XX/XX/XXXX property management sent a vendor that submitted an expedited work order which I will attach to inspect the electrical system because it posed serious risk of electrocution for occupants and children that work was refused. 
In the meantime Code Enforcement had come out to the home three times ( at my request ) from XXXX XXXX XXXX for issues ranging from plumbing, rodents/wildlife, dry rot/toxic XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX come out there separate times for the smell of gas capping off a gas line at the water heater in XX/XX/XXXX because whoever converted it to electric didnt cap off the line, a hazardous XXXX yr. old stove in XX/XX/XXXX, and for the furnace in XX/XX/XXXX, in XX/XX/XXXX two different vendors turned off the gas line to the XXXX yr old furnace advising replacement. 
This electric bill had been certified with the XXXX XXXX program from XXXX, yet they never paid anything to XXXX  or XXXX XXXX XXXX  in two years the only utilities they paid were directly to property management for trash/sewer. The electric bill was also certified with XXXX but they didnt contact me until after I vacated stating they couldnt assist on a closed account yet it was active when I submitted it. 
I later found out XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX does perform safety check inspections yet I was refused XXXX because they cared more about being sued by the landlord than the welfare of my children and I. On XXXX XXXX we vacated the house 8 days before planned and checked into a hotel because I could no longer stay or stand the conditions we were forced to live in for six years. I officially handed over keys XX/XX/XXXX We lived in XXXX different hotels for well over a month, yet I updated my address with XXXX so this bill wouldnt be sent to collections without my knowledge or a chance to explain our situation while we rebuild our lives and everything we lost. 
Thank you in advance for allowing me respond in writing. 

Kind Regards, XXXX XXXX