My jurisdiction is: Missouri
After leaving after my lease ended, my landlord sent me an invoice for carpet replacement due to pet damage. I had no dog. The total bill is around $1,500, but after my deposit we are being charged $1,300.
I called them to explain this, and days later they sent me pictures of the pulled up carpet and stains under black light, and a note from a neighbor about pet sitting for our dog. They also sent me an invoice featuring my apartment number (appears legit).
The pictures were of a different apartment (I can tell because the only cable outlet we had was by a sliding glass door, and thet show one that is not. Also, there are stains under where our entertainment center was...not possible). I personally steam cleaned the carpets before I moved out. I had the assistant manager do a walkthrough before I moved out. She said it looked very clean (no documentation for this). The neighbor's note is also a lie. She never pet sit for us, obviously. I got married in the month that she cites, and was hardly there. Also, this neighbor's husband does maintenance for the apartment complex. Huge conflict of interest.
So, they have drummed up some fake evidence and will send this out to collections which will wreck my credit for 7 years.
I want to appear ready to take legal action, but of course not choose to do so because it would cost me more money than its worth.
How can I make them drop these charges?
After leaving after my lease ended, my landlord sent me an invoice for carpet replacement due to pet damage. I had no dog. The total bill is around $1,500, but after my deposit we are being charged $1,300.
I called them to explain this, and days later they sent me pictures of the pulled up carpet and stains under black light, and a note from a neighbor about pet sitting for our dog. They also sent me an invoice featuring my apartment number (appears legit).
The pictures were of a different apartment (I can tell because the only cable outlet we had was by a sliding glass door, and thet show one that is not. Also, there are stains under where our entertainment center was...not possible). I personally steam cleaned the carpets before I moved out. I had the assistant manager do a walkthrough before I moved out. She said it looked very clean (no documentation for this). The neighbor's note is also a lie. She never pet sit for us, obviously. I got married in the month that she cites, and was hardly there. Also, this neighbor's husband does maintenance for the apartment complex. Huge conflict of interest.
So, they have drummed up some fake evidence and will send this out to collections which will wreck my credit for 7 years.
I want to appear ready to take legal action, but of course not choose to do so because it would cost me more money than its worth.
How can I make them drop these charges?
