Trevor
Maryland Heights,#2Consumer Comment
Wed, July 09, 2003
This same thing happened to me. I called them a couple of time and they said they would send me a check. I never got a check, and I never got a list of charges. My security deposit was only $100 so I didn't figure it was worth arguing over. Apparently, they kept my security deposit for carpet cleaning, and charged me an additional $200 for cleaning. They never sent me any notification. They just turned it over to a collection agency. The Collection Agency - Pierce, Hamilton, & Stern - never sent me any notification of the charges either. They just reported it to the credit bureaus I didnt even realize I had been charged anything until a year later when I applied for a home loan and the mortgage company did a credit check. When I learned this I tried to contact the collection agency, but the refused to budge on the issue. They stated "Pay us the money or deal with it for 10 years." (Reality is it will only be 7 years). I filled complaints with the BBB. The next week I received my first collection notice from Pierce, Hamilton, & Stern. Also, I asked for verifications from each credit bureau. The bureau did nothing but send a letter asking the collection agency to submit a copy of the charges. The bank wouldn't finance me until this account was paid, and instead of losing a customer the mortgage company that was selling my home loan paid the $200 charge.