How can we fight a collection agency?
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How can we fight a collection agency?
We broke our lease because we were shot at, vandalized, and stolen from. We gave them police reports and our notice to vacate and even paid rent for the next month. A few months later we got a notice from a collection agent saying we owed $8000. Since then we have been harassed at work. Can we fight this. We already sent a dispute letter to all of the credit unions.
Asked on November 4, 2010 under Bankruptcy Law, Arizona
Answers:
M.T.G., Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 14 years ago | Contributor
By hiring an attorney to help you here. You broke a contract and the landlord had every right to sue you for the remainder of the contract. Why you need to seek an attorney is because you need a really good real estate attorney to find you a basis for the breach under the law in your state. Was the warranty of habitability broken? Did the landlord breach first in some way thereby nullifying the lease? Did those actions give you a right to void the lease? You need something to go by here to fight this. Maybe seek help from a tenant's rights organization that knows the law as well. Good luck.
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