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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Posts
    2

    Default Charged for Residence Hall and Meal Plan After Leaving a College

    My question involves collection proceedings in the State of: Colorado

    I used to live at a college dorm in Denver back in 2009. I had to pay for my rent and food plan at the beginning of each semester. I only lived there for 2 semesters and moved out a month early even tho the last month was paid for and they wouldn't give me the money for the last month when I asked... A few months ago a collection agency called me up saying I owe them roughly 2,700 hundred dollars in fees and whatever else they didn't go into. The person said she would look into it and never got back to me, so I didn't see any issues with it and figured they made a mistake... Now they're taking me to court and I don't have money for a lawyer, and I can't get any bank statements from my old bank as they don't have them anymore; so I have no way to prove that I paid them... I know I did because they were anal about being paid at the beginning of the semester. All I have is a my friend as a witness when I first moved in there that I had to write them a check for the full amount for the first semester or they wouldn't let me move in...

    In the court papers it's an invoice with all the late fees printed off a computer and a tenant ledger printed off a computer. In the invoice it says that I owe for July's rent + 121$ late fee and then 160$ added on for every month (12 months).

    I guess I'm wondering how much on my end do I have to prove? How can they prove that there is no way an accounting error didn't happen on their end. Seems unfair that I can be taken to court so long after the fact, and I can't prove my innocence since the documentation(Bank Statements) that would end the argument doesn't exist anymore...

    Anyway thanx for any help!

    P.S. Can I be looking at jail time or anything of the sort if I'm found guilty and can't pay them? I know it's not criminal court, but I've never been to civil/debt court before. I'm just broke like the rest of the country and couldn't come up with 2,700$. Honestly I would have to apply for bankruptcy because if they garnished my wages or anything I would be out on the street as I'm barely getting by with bills/rent atm.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Posts
    38,867

    Default Re: Charged for Residence Hall and Meal Plan After Leaving a College

    Now they're taking me to court and I don't have money for a lawyer, and I can't get any bank statements from my old bank as they don't have them anymore;
    actually your bank most likely does have the records. A bank retains records for 7 years so unless your bank just went missing, your records from 2009 are available.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Posts
    2

    Default Re: Charged for Residence Hall and Meal Plan After Leaving a College

    actually your bank most likely does have the records. A bank retains records for 7 years so unless your bank just went missing, your records from 2009 are available.
    I agree, I called them earlier today and the person said that they didn't have them. By doing some research I found that the banks are required by law to keep a copy of accounts up to 5 years after the fact. I will call them tomorrow when they're open and sort this out.

    After trying to recollect my thoughts of the time around 2009 I came up with two logical possibilities of what might of happens.

    Scenario A) I was charged for more than the amount shown on their ledger and my bank statement will prove that.

    Scenario B) I was charged the amount they're showing on their ledger, and the person miss added how much I owe when I paid and I paid for a month less.

    For Scenario B I remember being in her office when I paid her for the semester in question. I had to get a cheaper meal plan because I always got a little less the spring semester than the fall semester, so she had to recalculate what I had to pay for that semester. When she added it up she did it on a calculator pretty quick and swiped my credit card, so it is likely that she missed a digit somewhere.

    Honestly after careful thought I'm thinking Scenario B is the culprit as there is more room for error than Scenario A. Honestly I won't know until I can get my bank records, but if Scenario B is the case then what are my options...?

    Thanx again for the help.

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