Read all the sidebar stuff btw.
Ok so, little background - newlywed trying to get my wifes credit up to scuff. Mines mid 700's hers mid 500's.
So We have a debt in collections and we're dealing with the originating collections agency, they want about 850 dollars from move out repairs on an old apartment. Half of that is things like carpet and new paint - stuff I know was done by the apartment maitnenace guy with supplies they already have but was seemingly charged at market rate. The other half for a refrigerator - power was cancelled 3 days before the moveout and spoiled meat was left in the fridge , I helped move and we got the meat out on the last day but the damage had already been done (although i'm not sure it was something some bleach wipes and baking soda wouldn't have fixed).
So the debt was ignored and is now in collections. Now , I think about half of it is a legitimate business expense - it doesn't make sense for them to waste time cleaning a fridge when they probably have a few ready to go in storage and they lose money everyday that unit isn't rented out.
I did what the sidebar said and had the debt made "official" , they listed everything with dates etc but the cover letter is a letter seemingly still on behalf of the apartment but signed by what appears to be a lawyer from the collections agency, they're threatening to sue and garnish wages etc - O checked with the FTC website and the consumer finance site and this seems legitimate - they haven't been harassing us with phonecalls and they are actually threatening a lawsuit for the garnishment not just blindly saying they can do so.
I spoke with them today and got the classic run around, they "dont do" pay for deletes, they want the full amount if its a payment plan and they want 650 upfront to close out the account as paid in one lump sum, I guess my question is whats a proper negotiation tactic?
As I said above I'd agree with half this amount as being truly "owed" but since its already hurt her credit and gone to collections I know they purchased the debt for pennies on the dollar so even at a quarter of the full price they make out like bandits.
I iced them out today and said (truthfully) that we dont have another paycheck coming in until the 25th and they should consider giving me a lower account close cost between now and then, I also told them to not call my wife and gave them my number (I handle all the bills and this sort of thing)
It just seems ludicrous to me that they're threatening what will be an expensive lawsuit on their end and really just a day off from work for me if it ends up going through (i'm sure they'd win of course) , and that they wont jump at the opportunity to collect some money when I'm voluntarily calling them back.
Any advise?
Submitted March 17, 2016 at 12:51AM by SolanaceaeEnthusiast http://ift.tt/1poAjtL personalfinance
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