Consumer complaint received 2026-03-07 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Rental debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt was paid
Company: National Credit Systems,Inc.
State: GA

Complaint narrative:
I sent this information to the National Credit Systems ( a collection agency, expecting them to answer back and take my concern seriously ) wrong move on my apart. But here are the original messages showcasing that the acoount I had with them, should have never been reported to collections : Sent on XXXX/2022 " Hello, This is in reference to account number XXXX. I emailing more information regarding my previous dispute that I did on the phone XX/XX/XXXX2022 with XXXX XXXX. The last communication that I received from XXXX was on XXXX XXXX,2022, saying that the information the Retreat at Johns Creek to collect on the debt is supposedly correct. I say supposedly because in my initial dispute the reason why I disputed the debt, was because there was never mention that we had to pay the full balance or we would be sent to collection. The understanding was, as long as we made payments to take care of the balance it would not be sent to collections. The reason why that was the case was because they accepted partial payments from us towards paying off the balance, there was never information that we had to pay it off in full or we were going to collections. In fact in the information that is the other email that was forwarded over to you, it says that we need to remit payment, but it does not state the amount that needed to be remitted within 14 days. The other part of the information they provided that is misleading is that they accepted the payments from my wife to take care of the balance, to pay it down. If we had to pay the balance off in full, then they would not have accepted the partial payments to begin with. The reason for my dispute, is due to them not informing us we would be sent to collection if we did not pay the balance off in full. I thought that when a creditor sends you to collection, you would have to be 60 to 90 days delinquent, which we were not because, a payment was done every month. Now my credit is effected due to miscommunication by the agent at XXXX, the letter that was sent on XXXX XXXX, XXXX, did not say I needed to respond by a certain date in order to prevent the debt effecting my credit. Under Regulation F, it says that collection agencies must contact the consumers before sending the collections to creditors. The representative only communicated with me once over the phone, and there was no deadline that was agreed upon thay stated I had to make a payment to XXXX or respond back to XXXX to handle the debt. On XXXX/XXXX is when I received the first letter from XXXX regarding the debt, and that I had until XXXX, XXXX to call or write to dispute the debt. I called XXXX XXXX, spoke with XXXX XXXX to dispute the debt. On XX/XX/XXXX2022 I received a letter regarding the dispute, but no other communication after until yesterday the collection was sent to credit bureau. I believe this is considered " passive collection '', which Regulation F prohibits against. I have also attached emails regarding the communication from The Retreat at Johns Creek acknowledging the partial payments, again my dispute is that we should have not been sent to collections, because we were told by the representative XXXX XXXX, that we did not have to pay the balance in full, and that as long as we took care of making payments towards the balance we would not be sent to collections. If you all can please ask them for the dates of when the partial payments were made as well, that would be also helpful. Again I disputed this collection on XXXX XXXX, 2022 over the phone, received information that supposedly the other party was correct, and then there was no other communication shared with me than that. Please help me with understanding because I feel that reporting the collection to my credit report, before informing me of that, after I tried to dispute the collection, and I am still disputing the collection is classified as " passive '' collection and a violation of Regulation F. Please call me as soon as possible at ( XXXX ) - XXXX to help me understand. Attached is email conversation between Retreat at Johns Creek and us. XXXX XXXX '' * Will include documented proof to this complaint * Second email that was sent same day : " Based upon the information that I have provided to you, we should not have had to pay an early termination fee because we abided by the guidelines, that we're set forth in the lease agreement, the only payment that we should have been responsible for were the late charges, according to the information we provided to them, and what it says in the lease agreement. In which we already took care of paying the rent charges for {$240.00} and our deposit as well, should suffice. They actually owe us {$410.00} because we should have only been charged {$290.00} plus the {$240.00} which equals {$540.00}. Our deposit was {$450.00} and we made payments for {$500.00}, totalling {$950.00}. Due to us providing a written notice 60 days before moving out, we should not be responsible for the reletting charge, because we abided by the contract agreement. Attachments and documentations have been sent in other emails, but I will forward again. Please have someone contact me at XXXX. '' These emails are the surrounding what happened, when we had moved out of The Retreat at Johns Creek, I will attach all proof to show that I am actually owed money from the complex, instead of me owing them money. Also this has been on my report for about 5 years now, and has burden me financially credit wise. I never reported this information to CFPB before, because I thought I initially did, but have now discovered it was only to the collections agency, that is still trying to collect on the debt, ( I will upload the most recent email from them as well ). I am owed money from The Retreat at Johns Creek, I do not owe them anything.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation