Consumer complaint received 2025-04-15 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Credit card debt
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action — Seized or attempted to seize your property
Company: Nelson and Kennard, LLP
State: CO

Complaint narrative:
Complaint against : Nelson & Kennard, Attorneys at Law ( XXXX ) Representatives mentioned : XXXX XXXX ( No. XXXX, XXXX ), XXXX XXXX ( XXXX, ext XXXX ) After surviving a XXXX situation that almost cost me my life XX/XX/XXXX, I had to enter a credit repair program. At the time I owed XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX {$9100.00}. I entered the debt relief program with XXXX XXXX, XXXX XX/XX/XXXX, and had been making payments of $ XXXX with the intention of reaching and paying settlements for all my debts owed, including my XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX account XXXX I was legally advised to forward all communications concerning my accounts to them. I would also like to note that all of my payments were made on time to XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX until 1 month into my credit repair program. 

In XX/XX/XXXX, I received a court summons claiming an amount owed of {$10000.00} to XXXX XXXX  XXXX. The court summons was for XX/XX/XXXX. I reached out to XXXX XXXX, XXXX. They had me fax over the litigation paperwork and said they'd assign an attorney to my case. Due to their own internal problems ( the firm is no longer able to negotiate settlements ), they dropped me as a client on XX/XX/XXXX with a cancellation notice, allowing me to speak to my collectors directly. I emailed the attorneys representing my case ( XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX ) on XX/XX/XXXX. I also called the office multiple times and hand-delivered documents to their XXXX office prior to our court date. I was attempting to explain the situation and enroll in a payment plan. No response was given. 

I had no representation in court to fight on my behalf, so the case was ruled in favor of XXXX  XXXX XXXX. I emailed Nelson & Kennard on XX/XX/XXXX, explaining the situation and asking to set up a payment plan. I also asked specifically for email communication, as my work does not allow me to take many phone calls during the day. No response was given. The email reads as follows : " Hello. 

I am reaching out to your office in attempts to establish a payment plan for my debt with XXXX XXXX XXXX. 

As previously stated in my unreturned emails, I had every intention of paying off this debt through my debt relief program with XXXX XXXX, XXXX. After getting away from a XXXX XXXX situation that almost cost me my life, I signed over Power of Attorney for this account on XX/XX/XXXX. I had no late payments on this account until one month into my program, in which I was advised not to contact XXXX XXXX  XXXX. My attorney gave me a notice of withdrawal on XX/XX/XXXX, leaving me with no representation or support for our XX/XX/XXXX court summons. I had been paying $ XXXX since XX/XX/XXXX to resolve this. 

It is obvious that I was taken advantage of by my law firm, leaving me with a debt that I have been wanting to settle for two years now. I am attaching my notice of cancellation from XXXX XXXX, XXXX. This will relieve them from any of my accounts, and allow us to speak directly. 

I am suggesting a payment plan of $ XXXX going forward starting in XX/XX/XXXX to resolve my debt. I am experiencing financial hardship from my program with XXXX XXXX, XXXX as well as other life circumstances. I hope you will find this arrangement reasonable and fair to all parties involved. 

Please email me here ( email given ) with any questions or concerns. 

Thank you for your time, _______________ '' I forwarded the email on XX/XX/XXXX to their main office, attempting to begin a payment plan at that time as well. No response was given. 

I emailed again on XX/XX/XXXX, forwarding my previous attempts. No response. 

While I was trying to establish email communication for several months, the offices of Nelson & Kennard would call me randomly during my working hours, leaving me voicemails to return their calls. When I would call back, I was forwarded to an automatic answering service that allowed me to leave a voicemail or request email communication. I had selected email communication several times and had also left many voicemails specifically requesting contact via email. On XX/XX/XXXX, I sent another email. I was angry, explaining how their office is the only reason we are not currently in repayment, and how I just want them to email me so we can finally set up the payment plan. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I finally received an email from XXXX XXXX ( No. XXXX ). No mention of my previous attempts at communication were given. Instead, I was told that I now owed {$11000.00}. This was a {$280.00} increase from the court summons. In our email exchange, I mentioned that I'm in a pretty bad spot financially, but that I had fully intended on taking care of the debt, and wanted to explore payment options. On XX/XX/XXXX, he mentioned that I now owed {$11000.00}. I asked why {$50.00} was added onto my amount, to which he replied " court transcript fees ''. I then began asking questions, such as why his firm took 6 months to return my emails. I had to ask the question 3 times before he answered it, forwarding my last time asking to the main office email to have other eyes on the conversation. He said that they went through the legal process " as required by statue ''. He then decided not to continue our conversation, although I was still very interested in setting up a payment plan. 

I then had to call the main office several times and email the main account ( XXXX ) due to lack of response. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a call from Nelson & Kennard representative XXXX XXXX ( ext. XXXX ). During this call, she stated that the only email the firm had received from me since the court date was on XX/XX/XXXX. I was asking her why it took 6 months for them to respond to my email. They denied that I had attempted to establish email communication. She insisted several times on that recorded call that I hadn't requested an email until XX/XX/XXXX. She tried to set up a payment plan with me, but I told her I would have to call her back later that same day, because I wasn't sure how much I would be able to afford. Both options given to me were out of my budget range, and there was no room for any compromise. She stated that I needed to have something set up soon as possible, by Wednesday the latest, because they had already sent out the execution for collection. Of course, this did nothing but upset me, considering all of the effort I had been putting toward rectifying the situation. 

I called XXXX back on XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX XXXX. Upon answering, I explained to her that I wanted to set up my payment plan, but that I had a question first. I mentioned the exact dates/times of the emails I had sent and forwarded to her law firm since XXXX. I asked her if there were any consequences for her law firm blatantly lying to me about my attempts to contact them. She then referenced me paying for an attorney to go after them, otherwise there would be no consequences. At this point, I am beyond frustrated, angry, hurt, and manipulated by this law firm. I said she was a " XXXX XXXX  '', but I wanted to set up the payment plan. She then said she didn't appreciate me cursing at her and she didn't have to help me. She then said she was signing the execution for my collection and that's how we'll move forward. I apologized and asked if we could just set up the payment plan for $ XXXX for 60 months going forward. She said she didn't have to do that and ended the call. I called back leaving XXXX voicemails apologizing, explaining that I'm just so tired of this firm playing with me in a vulnerable state, but asking for her to please not execute the collection as there was no need for it. I was willing to set up the payment plan right then and there. No response was given. 

I emailed XXXX XXXX shortly after on XX/XX/XXXX requesting the $ XXXX for 60 months going forward. No response was given from this email or the last ones from the previous week. I then emailed the main office ( XXXX ) the following message, including the previously forwarded messages since XX/XX/XXXX : " On Monday XX/XX/XXXX at around XXXX MST, I spoke with your representative XXXX XXXX XXXX ext. XXXX ). She repeatedly stated that you all had not received any emails from me since the court case on XX/XX/XXXX until XX/XX/XXXX. This is abhorrently false. As you can clearly see, I have been TRYING to set up a payment plan with you all since XX/XX/XXXX ( and on XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX ). After several attempts to email/call your firm, requesting an email back to establish communication, you WAITED SIX MONTHS to email me back.

I just do not understand why you would have to LIE and provide FALSE INFORMATION as attorneys. ( Unless the point was to sign the execution to go after wage garnishment ). I was already trying to do right by your firm and your client. 

I just wanted this on record to prove the point I was making to XXXX on the phone- your law firm is predatory and completely full of XXXX. And you all should be held accountable for LYING on me when I've been trying to get you paid. But instead, you took it upon yourselves to go after my wages unnecessarily, even though I have already explained I'm a survivor of XXXX XXXXXXXX that almost claimed my life. I have done everything in my power to do right by this situation. You all take advantage of perfectly good people, doing everything you can to place them in a horrible position, regardless of their cooperation. 

There is a special place for people like yourselves. 

I am attempting to set up the payment plan for $ XXXX for 60 months going forward, beginning in XXXX. And you can go ahead and cancel your little execution to go after my wages. You all have what you need. Anything beyond this is just your firm being cruel and taking advantage. '' I am officially complaining about the deceitful tactics, false information given, increased owed amounts, avoidance of communication for six months, and cruel practices demonstrated by Nelson & Kennard, XXXX at XXXX. 

If there is anyone who can help me with this situation, please reach out to me. I am afraid that they are going to go after my wages as a form of retaliation for being upset about my ordeal on the phone. They have gone out of their way to be uncooperative and disregard the damage they are doing to perfectly good people who are more than willing to do what they are asking.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation