Dv'd with no response, Trying to buy a home!

[kamila7]

Here is the whole story... I lived in this building (in Michigan, currently in Illinois) about a year later when I still lived there I received a huge bill ($1500) as the electricity bill.  I went to Detroit Edison to dispute it! Apparently the person who lived there previously didn't pay the electricity and the building manager must have turned it on for him.  Anyways I brought in my lease to show them that I never resided there at the time, they told me to tell the landlord to come in to dispute this.  So ofcourse I told them, they never resolved it and then I moved away...

Now I have Asset Acceptance hounding me for this debt which is due to fall off Sept. 2010, my problem is that I would like to buy a house (it is a short sale, so I have a little bit of time), and the only thing stopping the process right now is this debt on my report.

I have Dv'd them on July 14th and have had no response from them, I would like to know what my next step would be to get them off my report as quickly as possible, the debt now totals about $2500, from the fees and things they tacked on to it.  What are my options here, I feel really screwed by something that doesn't even pertain to me!!  Thanks for your help in advance...

Message Edited by kamila7 on 08-14-2009 07:53 AM

Message Edited by kamila7 on 08-14-2009 08:08 AM

[Chopbrocoli]

If you DV'd and they have not responded, they have to cease collection activity until they respond back to you... However, the debt will still be on your CR, but marked as dispute. Since the debt has already been sold, IMO AA will care less about your past situation and say "well why didin't you resolve the situation before the debt was sold" type of deal. I think your only option is settle the account, SFD/ PFD, or take them to court to dispute the charges of the debt. But keep in mind, if you take them to court, it can be a stress aching year long process.

[UpandUp]

How much time has passed since you moved away?  Did you end the relationship with your previous landlord on good terms?  I would try to attack this from multiple directions, the preferred being to go to the source.  The landlord and the utility company.  Unless the landlord is a real jerk, and you still have you documentation (lease showing you didn't live there, etc)  I don't see why the landlord would not assist you in resolving.

[kamila7]

Actually this was in 2003, the building is actually torn down now, I have no records anymore, and this was in Detroit, not to talk bad about it cause I'm from there, but most times people there are not concerned with your problems there.  I did take the issue there once and since I didn't hear anything for a while ( till I pulled my credit report last year) I thought the issue had been resolved.

Any other suggestions??? Dealing with the CA?

[kamila7]

Bump! Please Help!

[Chopbrocoli]

So you closed your account with the electric company but your landlord turned it back on?

[UpandUp]

Let me first preface by saying I'm not normally a fan of talking to CA's over the phone.  That said, you seem to be in a time critical situation and giving AA a call will probably get you a faster response.  Talking to CA's can be a nightmare, so be prepared.  You're only calling for one thing, to get them to verify the debt.  They will of course go through their script of "you must pay something today, what will you do to settle the debt today, etc."  If you chose to call them, remain firm, make no committments/promises of any kind while on the phone. Tell them before you would like written verification of the debt as you believe it not to be yours.

Hopefully, this will get you the documentation you need.  The OC would have had to provide them with your information (signed lease agreement, etc).  Since as you say, you didn't live there during that period of time, any documentation the CA provides will help you make your case to the CRA's.

[kamila7]

Thanks for the responses, I finally got a response from AA, which gave the OC's name, acct. number(i don't know if this is just AA acct. number or the actual OC's number), "balance" (I put in quotes because I know 6 years ago it was only around $1500 not it is $2300, so they claim), and the interest owed (another $500). 

Is this proper DV or do I need to tweek a letter to ask for more like the original contract, this would show the date my service started on, and shouldn't include anything previous. 

Or ask for any other sort of proof about how the balance is this much and are they able to tak on this interest??? I don't have any contracts or proof myself, but how can they just make that number up without showing me where it came from?  

I don't want to call the CA, just not that great on the phone...

Thanks for the input!

[kamila7]

bump, please help!

[UpandUp]

Not sure what the CA must provide, however, when I've Dv'd, they have generally provided me something from the original creditor.  In the case of sprint for example, it was the last bill which reflected the original balance with the OC.  I think some of the historical threads will give you some more background if no one else pipes up timely.

It's tough that you don't feel like you can talk to the CA to try and get more info.  If you're truly in a time sensitive situation, anything short of that will be more letter correspondence which will take time.  My mail correspondence with CA's on average took 2 weeks or more roundtrip.