Consumer complaint received 2025-10-14 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt is not yours
Company: Dorough & Dorough, LLC
State: GA

Complaint narrative:
Dorough & Dorough , LLC, which is the collections attorney office, put a lien on my house without giving me notice that they were going to do this over some trumped up HOA charges. They did not give me proper time to dispute and to dispute the documents they sent after I requested the dispute. They had already put a lien on my property and are forcing me to pay something I should not owe and do not agree that I owe. When I bought the property in XXXX of XXXX, the fence was old and already in disarray but they bother me constantly about the fence, the grass, the gate, the chimney, or whatever they can find. I found out about the lien on my property Monday, XX/XX/XXXX from my agent. I also found out that the HOA has sent the alleged charges to a collection agency on this same date. I want these people to allow me to enjoy my home in peace and stop harassing me. They have doubled up fines, charges, and late fees, and I would like to request my money be returned. I have been trying to contact them numerous times to no avail since I found out about this XXXX. XX/XX/XXXX, I disputed the charges and sent in the dispute based on my not knowing how they came up with such a large amount for fees and I needed to know where all of these charges and amounts were coming from. I sent the dispute to the email address on the letter, which was XXXX and XXXX. XX/XX/XXXX, the collections Paralegal, XXXX XXXX, from Dorough & Dorough , LLC, which is the collections attorney office, sent a response and attached the CCRs, a list of charges that included several late fees, many frivolous repeat fines, some assessment charges, and a way to pay to have the collection amount fulfilled. In the email, she stated that I owed {$1500.00} total plus a {$46.00} attorney fee and she assured me that " upon paying in full and the payment processing we will release the lien that was filed against the property and are happy to provide you with a copy of this release. '' Those were her exact words. ( response attached ). I replied to this email on XX/XX/XXXX, telling them that I disagreed with the accusations. For one, because for many of those complaints from the HOA, I was in the process of correcting and had corrected some of those items even with no clear direction of what they wanted me to do to make them acceptable. I explained that back in XX/XX/XXXX, the HOA community manager told me that once I sent proof that some specific items were corrected and that I was actively working to resolve the matter, he would remove the fines. I sent this proof to him. I also corrected and fixed many of these items even though these items were this way before I moved into the property and even though I was also going through a financial hardship. To make matters worse, the HOA locked my account and blocked me from being able to see or pay any fines or assessments through the portal or to communicate with them, which caused me not to be able to make any payments to them or see any notices for payments and other necessary information. They also blocked me from communicating with anyone in the HOA dept. besides the phone rep named XXXX, who is rude, which doesn't allow me to get clarity on what they need and how I can fix any problems. I did need the XXXX removed from my property immediately because I was in the middle of trying to do a refinance and my rate was about to expire. I told them time was of the essence. Plus, this was the best time for me to do my refi based on my circumstances. So, I explained that I would pay this fine at the moment even though I do not agree with it. So, I paid the fine XX/XX/XXXX. They did not tell me before I paid this that it will take them 2 weeks to process my payment. Why does it take 2 weeks? That's absurd. I want them to release this XXXX and fees and send me a copy of all HOA financial documents and receipts. Also, this HOA is also trying to charge me more money than they said I had to pay. They told my closing attorneys that I owe {$1700.00}. So they seem to have already added more fees in the amount of {$170.00} to what I was told I owed to clear the debt and remove the lien. Now, where is this extra money coming from, and when will this end? I feel like I am being unfairly treated and charged repeatedly and that the HOA Is harassing me to force me to move away.

Company response to consumer: Untimely response