Consumer complaint received 2024-08-26 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Rental debt
Issue: False statements or representation — Attempted to collect wrong amount
Company: FAIR COLLECTIONS & OUTSOURCING, INC.
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX my husband and myself separately received notices in our names that we had a lease with a rental company and that they were trying to collect a debt that they felt we owed. Immediately phone calls we being made to both of our phones to try to collect. Neither my husband or I answered any of the calls with advice of a lawyer. We detached the bottom portion of their letter which it asked why we were disputing the said debt. We both replied it is not our debt. On XX/XX/XXXX my husband and I now get a joint letter of a Verification of debt. In this letter there is a copy of all the rent we paid through a lease and at the very bottom of the second page is charges from XX/XX/XXXX through XX/XX/XXXX that is not our debt. We are being charged an engineering fee of {$450.00} on XX/XX/XXXX. Rent from XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX in the amount of {$11000.00}. On XX/XX/XXXX damages-atty fees of {$400.00}. On XX/XX/XXXX liquidated damages lease break {$3700.00}. On XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX {$38.00}. After that from XXXX all the said charges with a total of {$16000.00} say " write off bad debt ''. On XX/XX/XXXX my husband and I get a letter each with a communication to attempt to collect a debt. On XX/XX/XXXX my husband and I have a rebuttal letter that we asked for validation of the said debt of a total of {$16000.00}. There were seven things we wanted validated. This letter was sent certified in which they received. On XX/XX/XXXX we receive a verification of the alleged debt of {$16000.00}. There in the letter is a copy of debt totaling {$16000.00} which is the same breakdown of above stated charges from XXXX. Also a copy of a lease that was signed by my husband and I dated XX/XX/XXXX. This debt is not our debt due to the fact that XXXX XXXX of the signed lease with the leasing agency states Damages to the Villa. " In the event the villa is destroyed or rendered wholly inhabitable by fire, storm, earthquake or other casualty not caused by negligence of the member, then the lease shall terminate from the time of such casualty ''. Our Villa was majorly damaged during Hurricane Ian that happened XX/XX/XXXX. My husband and I had to arrange other living arrangements three times during the restoration process. During this period of time for 6 months after the hurricane we paid our rent even though we had severe water damage due to the wind blowing the bottoms of the windows in which did not have the fasteners that were supposed to be in them for function. We hired our own engineer in which a report was created on XX/XX/XXXX. I emailed the report to the manager and notified them that the windows were not in functioning order. We received no response. Our insurance company had paid our claim for damages to our insured property due to the wind pushing the windows open, we lost all contents in the home due to window failure and no fasteners were installed because the maintenance crew stated " they had heavy duty staples and no need for the fasteners ''. We were also told by maintenance " that once they replace our windows they would have to do them all ''. On XX/XX/XXXX my husband and I wrote to the manager and handed to the secretary in which we requested a signed signature of receipt that we were breaking the lease in which was their negligence to repair the windows. We paid the said lease till XX/XX/XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX we received a bill of the above mentioned amounts totaling {$16000.00}. My husband and I had a rebuttal letter that was sent to the management company explaining their neglect to answer our initial concern of the windows and finally after 3.5 months we get a correspondence stating we owe all this said debt as they broke their own lease with us by not repairing the damaged windows. There are charges on this said debt that would only be handled in a court of law. You can not charge for a lease and also to cancel the lease. Also the villa was re-rented during the said lease dates that they are trying to collect. Also charging for a engineer is their responsibility. A lease for property that is not habitable due to the broken windows is a violation of the signed lease terms that the rental company agreed to. This lease was null and void due to negligence. This collection agency failed to breakdown the debt w validation that the debt was legit.

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