Debt Collector Reported Debt Despite Agreement Not To

[scaredandconfused1987]

My question involves collection proceedings in the State of: North Carolina

My old apartment complex said I owed $1100+ due to carpet damage (which I don't think I owed) roughly 6-8 months after move out. They did this via a collection agency called Pinnacle Corporate Services. I negotiated the settlement down to $519.00- to which they said there will be no credit burearu notification. Today, I wake up with an e-mail from Experian that my credit had changed- I paid a settlement of $400, waiting to hear that they got it. I wasn't comfortable paying on their website and wanted to just make sure- anyways- can they do this? How do I get it removed? Should the fact that I made a payment forced them to contact me? Should I place a stop payment on the initial $400 because they went about it anyway? They;ve also called people and yelled at my parents- etc. The issue is not in that I can't pay it- I can- I just dont think its right that they did this in the first place that late after- it felt like a blatent attempt to take advantage of their resident.

Best Regards,
Scared and confused

[jk]

let me get this straight.

there was a claimed $1100 in damages but the landlord agreed to accept $519 and if you paid that, they would not send it to the credit reporting agencies but you did not pay the $519 so they reported it. You then negotiated a payoff of $400 and actually paid that and you are wondering if it was proper to report this to the credit reporting agencies?


Is that it?


if so, yes, they can report it because you did not pay the reduced agreed upon amount, In other words, you breached the contract.

How do I get it removed?

You wait for 7 years after the date of first owing the money.

Should I place a stop payment on the initial $400 because they went about it anyway?

sure, if you want to be sued for $1100.

the only real problem I see is the original demand for payment. From what you stated, the LL may have not followed the law that allowed him to make such a demand but since you agreed to pay, it's a moot point now.