Consumer complaint received 2026-03-22 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Rental debt
Issue: Written notification about debt — Didn't receive enough information to verify debt
Company: FAIR COLLECTIONS & OUTSOURCING, INC.
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
I am disputing a debt of {$4400.00} that XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( FCO ), Account XXXX. XXXX, is attempting to collect on behalf of XXXX XXXX. I vacated my rental property at XXXX Snowy Egret Ct, XXXX XXXX, FL XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX, pursuant to a lawful lease termination for cause under Florida XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ), due to Invitation Homes ' sustained failure to maintain habitable conditions. Over XXXX months I submitted over XXXX documented maintenance requests covering a multi-month bathroom leak rendering a bedroom uninhabitable, a failed A/C system causing $ XXXX electric bills, a broken refrigerator, a hole in the kitchen ceiling, and a neglected pool. I filed a formal complaint with the Florida Department XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX ( FDACS Case # XXXX ) in XX/XX/XXXX, before this account was referred to collections. In XX/XX/XXXX, I sent FCO a timely written debt validation dispute letter requesting : ( XXXX ) itemized breakdown of charges ; ( XXXX ) copy of the lease agreement; ( XXXX ) proof the charges are legally enforceable under Florida law ; ( XXXX ) proof of FCO 's authority to collect ; and ( XXXX ) acknowledgment of my prior regulatory complaint. FCO responded on XX/XX/XXXX with only a one-paragraph form letter and the creditor 's account ledger. This does not constitute adequate validation because my dispute is specifically about the legal enforceability of the underlying charges not merely their existence on a ledger. Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ), XXXX XXXX. XXXX, a debt collector must provide sufficient validation of a disputed debt. Providing only a summary ledger without supporting documentation or addressing the legal basis of the charges does not satisfy this requirement. The ledger itself contains irregularities : liquidated damages of {$5600.00} were reversed and re-entered on the same date ( XX/XX/XXXX ) ; a late fee was charged after my move-out date ; and my {$2800.00} security deposit was applied against disputed charges rather than returned as required by Florida XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ). To my knowledge, FCO has not yet reported this debt to any credit reporting agencies. I am requesting that the CFPB require FCO to provide proper legal validation of this debt or cease all collection activity. In addition, the lease agreement identifies the landlord as XXXX XXXX Borrower XXXX XXXX XXXX Fair Collections & Outsourcing ( FCO ) claims to be collecting on behalf of Invitation Homes. FCO has not provided any documentation establishing the legal relationship between these entities, nor any evidence that XXXX XXXX has the authority to enforce, assign, or transfer the alleged debt. This raises significant concerns regarding whether the party on whose behalf FCO is attempting to collect has a valid legal claim. Without proof of ownership of the debt or proper assignment from the actual landlord identified in the lease, FCO has failed to demonstrate that it has the legal right to collect this debt. Any attempt to collect without proper validation or without establishing legal authority XXXX constitute a violation of federal law.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation