I had a lease with the Reserve apartments at Mayfaire in Wilmington, NC from 2006 to 2007. I paid my rent through April 30. I signed a Notice of Intent to Vacate document.
The Notice of Intent to Vacate document has spaces where the leasing agent can write in any fee that the rent has accrued during the lease.in the section stating amounts due, the leasing agent drew vertical lines down through all the spaces where any fees that have been incurred during the lease are to be entered. Furthermore, the leasing agent declined to enter any dollaramount in the spaces or charge me with any fees. It also states in the bottom section that my rent is paid up. Period. I signed the document and an agent for the Reserve signed the document.
With my obligation to the Reserve satisfied in writing, I signed a new lease and moved out.
FIVE months later, I received a letter notifying me that the Reserve had sent us to a collection agency. They were demanding thatwe pay rent in the amount of $1,700.00 for the month after we moved out and didn't even live in the apartment.
I followed the instructions on the letter from the collection agency and sent a Certified letter dated for the purpose of formally disputing the debt in writing. With my letter of dispute received, I figured the matter would be closed. However, this was not the case.
I received yet another letter from National Credit Systems, Inc.
Guess what? Yep! The Reserve took the original Notice of Intent to Vacate with NO FEES written in and FORGED and ALTERED a copy of the original Notice of Intent to Vacate document. This altered legal document was then given to National Credit Systems, Inc. National Credit Systems, Inc. Simply attached this altered, fraudulent document to their a new letter tell me to pay up or else.
I called National Credit Systems, Inc. And was connected to a belligerent agent who talked over me, and would not let me explain that I have proof that I sent them the original "true" Notice of Intent to Vacate via Certified letter and that this new document has been altered. Heresorted to yelling at me so I ended the conversation. I left a message for his supervisor to call me so we could discuss my case along with his unprofessional behavior, however, as of this writing I have not heard from her.
Upon carefully examining the original, true copy of the Notice of Intent to Vacate and comparing it with the altered copy someone wrote FORGED the document in the following ways:
1. The date of 4/30/07 has been slashed through and the date of 5/30/07 has been written in next to it; not in the space provided... in an attempt to make it look like I stayed there and owe another month of rent.
2. Additionally the date of May 30 has been written in over the vertical line down through the Prorated rent through section. That date does not appear on the original.
3. The amount of $1,600.00 has been written in the in the amount of $ space, at an angle. That line is blank with a vertical line through it on the original.
4. The date 5/1/07 has been written in on a line that has a vertical line on it and is empty on the original.
5.initials have been added to all alterations... As if that "magically" makes the FORGED document a legal document now. It is IMPORTANT to note that MY initials are NOWHERE on the forged document, because it has been materially altered at a later date without myacknowledgment or consent.
It is VERY IMPORTANT to note that the Reserve skipped the step of suing me in court and sent me to collections. The reason that the Reserve did not sue me in small claims is obvious. The original, legally binding Notice of Intent to Vacate document would have proved in court that I was paid up and owed the Reserve nothing in fees or rent. Had they sued me, I could have brought the Notice of Intent to Vacate to court and defended myself. They apparently dont have the audacity to come into court before a judge and bring their FORGED document. They cunningly skipped that remedy and went straight for collections. National Credit Systems, Inc. Out of Atlanta GA, their little toady accomplices won't back me up because they will get a fee for anything the Reserve extorts out of me. National Credit Systems, Inc. Are NOT AT ALL concerned that they are attempting to extort money out of me with a FORGED legal document.
The hope is to financially hijack me with the help of National Credit Systems, Inc. And extort the money out of me by threatening to ruin my credit. At this writing they have turned this matter over to all three credit reporting agencies and this is now ON MY CREDIT REPORT.
EVERY consumer out there should be absolutely concerned that any company can turn in FRAUDULENT reports in to credit reporting companies. Is it illegal? YES. But they have to be caught. When they are caught there is absolutely NO PENALTY, unless you get a lawyer and sue them.
They are BANKING on the fact that it will cost you a FORTUNE to sue them... More money that the original charge; SO YOU WILL GIVE IN AND PAY IT. They are also hoping that when you go to buy a house or a car, you will give in and pay it so the bank will lend you the money.
These people are crooks, con-men, carpetbaggers and grifters. Gone are the slick, smiling faces who graciously drive you around in a golf cart extolling the beauty and grandeur of the (overpriced, shoddily built and beer bottle strewn) apartment grounds.
This is currently being investigated by the State Attorney General's office, but it is quickly becoming clear that we will need an attorney. I just met someone else last week that had a similar issue and was sent to collections and they are going to file a claim too. The BBB will hear from us both too.
I will fight this with everything I have at this point. They grabbed the bull, and they will get the horns.
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