How to deal this?

DST · Dec 10, 2011

We lived in an apatrment for 6 yrs and moved to another place. We received a letter from the previous apt asking for $400+ as breakage charge which includes the utility bill. We are ready to pay the utility bill since we used.
I'm sure we left the apartment very clean and no breakage of doors or anything. After 6 months we received a letter asking us to pay this amt and they say failure of this payment will affect the credit history. Is this true?

What should be done for this? I'm sure everything was good when we left,then why is this?

Please tell me what to do.

Thanks.

ars · Dec 10, 2011

Yes it will affect your credit history if you don't pay.

chinuM · Dec 10, 2011

DST said: ↑

We lived in an apatrment for 6 yrs and moved to another place. We received a letter from the previous apt asking for $400+ as breakage charge which includes the utility bill. We are ready to pay the utility bill since we used.
I'm sure we left the apartment very clean and no breakage of doors or anything. After 6 months we received a letter asking us to pay this amt and they say failure of this payment will affect the credit history. Is this true?

What should be done for this? I'm sure everything was good when we left,then why is this?

Please tell me what to do.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

That should be the lease breakage...check the lease agreement /renewal agreement and make sure you didn't quit before the lease ends.

Ami · Dec 10, 2011

I dont know abt credit history..but, they charged us for oven problem. The fact was I hardly used it as we were new to this country and to those appliance. But,did not have any choice, paid and moved on!! They are smart enough to find out faults..

chocolate · Dec 10, 2011

Ami,This is a very common problem. When we leave the apartment they charge huge fees showing so many defects. You cant help it. You have to pay that otherwise your credit history will be ruined. Next time when you rent this will show on your background and getting an apartment or to buy maybe difficult.

Next time you move into an apartment , they give you a form to fill with all defects in the apartment. Take that and fill any minute defects and make a copy of it for your records. Chances are when you leave the apartment they will make you pay for all those defects. Keep that copy safely. When you move out you can show that and tally with what they give you.

They just give you a long list of bizarre things so that they dont have to pay back the deposit you give when you take the apartment.Keep the list and if needed go to small claims court. It might work. Good Luck.

SriVidya75 · Dec 10, 2011

my question is..how did you forget to pay your utility bill before vacating the apt??
Also did you take any pics before vacating the apt? if not, am sure they can send the bill to collections and it would affect your credit history as they would put you on defaulters list ...

Atleast going forward, be sure and take pics of your apt before vacating or before moving into a new apt also...always helps to have pics.

DST · Dec 11, 2011

Thank you all for the reply.

ChinuM, Thats the breakage amt and not for lease breakage.

Ami, you are right. Thats wat happening for us.

Chocolate, thats right..these people put the new things on our money....I got the point of taking the pics and photocopy of the list they give when we move to the new apt. Will do that hereafter. Thanks.

SriVidhya, We moved out of the apartment in the middle of the billing date - Its from a different company, so we couldn't pay at that time. Received the bill after our move.

Please clear this if you know...my friend says, the non-payment only affect the leasing history(which'll show up when we rent in another apt) and not the credit history. Is this right?

inlovewithmylyf · Dec 11, 2011

Please pay th money to be on the safer side... Otherwise, renting apartments in future would become difficult for u... Hereafter be careful...

writeme · Dec 11, 2011

Living in a place for 6+ years will surely end up in having some wear and tear. So the owner/management would have charged some cleaning/repair fee or repainting fee.

Indu