Apartment complex turned over to collections for fees I do not owe

Hi Bo,I read your site and found it immensely helpful and informative. I waswondering if I might ask you a question regarding what I should do about anegative item on my credit report.In May of 2005, I and two roommates moved out of an apartment we weresharing. We were hit by the apartment company with what we considered anexorbitant damage bill - $353, considering we left the place in pristinecondition. We tried unsuccessfully to negotiate with the company, but theywould not budge. That was the end of it for a while...In July of 2006, I got a call from a bill collector on the damage bill. Itold him we thought the damages were exorbitant and would not pay. Itsubsequently went on all three of our credit reports as deliquent but"disputed by customer."Now, in January 2007, I would like to take care of this. I followed youradvice regarding trying to get the collection agency to remove the item inexchange for payment, but they refused and said they would only mark it aspaid. They say to remove it would violate their obligation to the reportingcompanies to provide accurate information.The collection agency is ACCBI in Florida. My current score is 662. Is itworth while to pay if I can't succeed in negotiations? Are there some othernegotiation techniques I should be trying? Could I go around the collectorat this point and go back to the apartment company?Thanks for your help,
LIVE HUMAN
----------------------------------
Bo Majors
LIVE HUMAN
show details
Jan 22 (6 days ago)
The apartment complex is were to go for credit relief
Im not sure that most collection agencies even operate by the law they state
check this out
http://www.creditinfocenter.com/rebuild/debt_validation.shtml
LIVE HUMAN wrote:
Hi Bo,I read your site and found it immensely helpful and informative. I waswondering if I might ask you a question regarding what I should do about a negative item on my credit report.In May of 2005, I and two roommates moved out of an apartment we weresharing. We were hit by the apartment company with what we considered anexorbitant damage bill - $353, considering we left the place in pristine condition. We tried unsuccessfully to negotiate with the company, but theywould not budge. That was the end of it for a while...In July of 2006, I got a call from a bill collector on the damage bill. Itold him we thought the damages were exorbitant and would not pay. Itsubsequently went on all three of our credit reports as deliquent but"disputed by customer."Now, in January 2007, I would like to take care of this. I followed your advice regarding trying to get the collection agency to remove the item inexchange for payment, but they refused and said they would only mark it aspaid. They say to remove it would violate their obligation to the reporting companies to provide accurate information.The collection agency is ACCBI in Florida. My current score is 662. Is itworth while to pay if I can't succeed in negotiations? Are there some othernegotiation techniques I should be trying? Could I go around the collector at this point and go back to the apartment company?Thanks for your help, LIVE HUMAN
-----------------------
Bo TO LIVE HUMAN

The apartment complex is were to go for credit relief Im not sure that most collection agencies even operate by the law they state. Check this out
http://www.creditinfocenter.com/rebuild/debt_validation.shtml
- Show quoted text -