TX -Paid old apartments, then a year later it's on credit report

[Endomlic]

Hello all, newbie here:

 

I thought I was out of luck about my situation until I found this site. Maybe someone can help me.

 

I lived in an apartment complex for about 2 years and paid my rent on time every month. I got a new job offer making more in another city which I took and my company even paid for relocation.

I told the apartments a few months in advance and was told that I would have to pay a cancellation fee, as well as any other fees that may arise. I agreed, and like I stated before my company gave me a lump sum to cover relocation costs.

 

So I paid my fees using money orders in person, and had one more payment, which we agreed I would send through the mail.

They were calling asking about the payment and I told them in 3 days I will send the payment, they said okay, and 3 days later I sent the money order to them. Immediately after sending the money order for the last amount I owed ~$500 I called them and told them I just sent the money order.

 

That was the last time I spoke to them.

 

About a year later, I checked my credit report and noticed a creditor amount of $2500. I called the apartments immediately and asked about it. They said I never paid them ANY money and they sent me to the collection agency. I told them I never received any contact at all from them for almost an entire year saying I didn't pay or they didn't get the money or anything. The 2500 was for "creditor fees" they tacked on. They asked if I had the money order receipts and I said it's been a year and I had no contact so I assumed everything was good, so I didn't pay much attention to the receipts and lost them.

 

I filed a dispute through experian.com and within a month received a response saying the debt is validated and that's it.

 

I am so furious, I've worked so hard to pay off all my bad credit and money owed from a while back when I was in financial trouble, and I was just paying off my very last creditor then this comes up!

 

I know I paid most with money order IN PERSON and the last payment through mail with consistent contact. They are saying they never got any money.

 

Can anyone help??

 

 

[breeze]

Welcome to CB. I'm going to move this to a more active forum so more people see it.

[Second Chances]

What state are you in? Welcome to CB!

[Endomlic]

Thanks! I'm in TX.

[breeze]

I put up the TX bat signal. You have some good consumer protection laws, and lots of Texans on here.

[dockfam]

Do you still have the money order receipt? There's a number on it that I think you can go back to where you bought it and maybe they can see if it was cashed/deposited?

[Endomlic]

Do you still have the money order receipt? There's a number on it that I think you can go back to where you bought it and maybe they can see if it was cashed/deposited?

Nope. It was so long ago, I probably threw away the actual receipt and lost the stub.

[Second Chances]

Thanks! I'm in TX.

Oops, you said that in the title.

[DCPenal]

Did you get the money orders with debit card? Get your old bank receipts if so.

[Endomlic]

Did you get the money orders with debit card? Get your old bank receipts if so.

I didn't know you could! I bought them with cash.

[CG in TX]

Your first step is the check the Secretary of State website and find out if they are bonded. If not, send them an ITS letter with a draft copy of a complaint attached. They will likely delete the trade line quickly. If they are bonded, send them a Texas DV letter (there's a sample on the board somewhere). They are required to obey TFC 392 or delete the trade line. If they respond, let us know and we can help from there.