Consumer complaint received 2024-10-23 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Rental debt
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action — Threatened or suggested your credit would be damaged
Company: FAIR COLLECTIONS & OUTSOURCING, INC.
State: NY

Complaint narrative:
I lost my job during covid and I was told by my leasing office that I didnt have to worry about the rent because I can apply for XXXX XXXXXXXX Assistance that will help me with rent relief. 

I agreed to do this and I began the process. This began in XX/XX/XXXX. 

XXXX XXXX  Assistance began requesting information from me such as assistance amount needed, leasing agreement and proof of the balance due. I gave them all information I needed multiple times but they continuously asked for the same info and during this time there was a little wait in between each update because this was during peak covid. 

In XX/XX/XXXX, I decided to voluntarily vacate while I waited for XXXX  XXXX Assistance. After I told the leasing office that I would be vacating, they stuck an eviction notice on my door telling me I needed to turn in the keys by a certain date or they would continue the filing for eviction. 

I turned my keys in way before that date and I was told the eviction was cancelled and I just had to wait on XXXX XXXXXXXX Assistance for the balance relief. 

About XXXX or 6 months later around XX/XX/XXXX, I got a phone call from XXXXXXXX  XXXX Assistance asking for the ACH and leasing agreement so they can relieve the balance owed. The leasing agreement XXXX sent back to me was locked and inaccessible to anybody except them. I told them I needed the full leasing agreement so my application can be completed but they failed to send it. I also received a letter in the mail from Georgia courts telling me I have my court date for the eviction on XX/XX/XXXX. This was surprising to me as I was told that the eviction was cancelled since I voluntarily vacated. 

I contacted the leasing agents to get the information needed from XXXX XXXXXXXX Assistance and they told me I am no longer in their system as theyre now under a new management and they have no access to my account. As for the eviction, they told me that it was cancelled and I shouldnt have a court date and that the courts were backed up. That was proven to be a lie as the court told me there was never a file for cancellation in the first place. Because of this, I had to attend court through a zoom meeting just so I wasnt found guilty by default and the case was dismissed by a judge. However, the eviction is still shown on my rental history despite it being dismissed and I wasnt suppose to go to court for it in the first place.

The property manager told me I would have to contact XXXX corporate office to satisfy my balance since I am no longer in their system but they stopped responding to me completely when I asked for the contact information so I was never able to get the balance cleared. 

I was also never received a written document or any type of communication about the final balance or how much this balance was and when it was due until I hit my credit report. I did not get a fair chance to dispute or get it relieved by Berkshires corporate or XXXX XXXXXXXX Assistance.

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