Posted on November - 13 - 2010
My Credit Check Stunned Me Even More Than Deadbeat Renters!
My credit check left me stunned! I am an ID Theft survivor. I have gone through credit repair HELL and have the battle scars to prove it. Despite these scars, I was not prepared for even more pain caused by deadbeat renters from my past!
When I recently pulled a credit report and saw a collection, I was stunned…actually, I was shocked!
In fact, you probably heard a sonic boom and looked toward the sky, didn’t you? What you heard was the sound of my jaw hitting the floor when I discovered Round Two of a fight I’d been in before.
I was bloodied once, and I didn’t want to face this attacker a second time.
What you see below is this “derogatory” collection account (IMAGE) on my (Experian) report.
For the life of me, I could not figure out who the Original Creditor is–City of St. Cloud until….
IT DAWNED ON ME
The “City of St. Cloud”…..
For a rental property in Kissimmee (FL), right outside Orlando, I had problems like you wouldn’t believe with the tenants from hell, Robert & Angela Swift and their friends John & Eliana Cass.
Early in the lease, Angela Swift had called me to inform me of an issue with Brighthouse Cable. According to Angela Swift, an installer with Brighthouse went into the attic to run a cable. He came down suddenly from the attic & allegedly told Ms. Swift he needed to leave.
You gotta hear the rest of this story…it gets better (or rather worse for me that is). I was convinced this bizarre incident caused a collection to hit my account and credit reports.
According to Angela Swift, this installer told Ms. Swift he needed to go, as Ms. Swift is noticing smoke pouring out of the attic. While allegedly screaming at the installer to help her, the installer leaves. Ms. Swift (once again allegedly, goes into the attic and when descending the ladder falls off and injures her arm.
In the meantime, she called 911 and firefighters found nothing upon arrival…no smoke, no scent of smoke, nothing!
Ms. Swift goes to the hospital
A few days later she calls to inform me of this incident around the time a lady identifying herself as from the local hospital calls for my information (name, DOB, social, address, insurance policy number). At the time, all I could think about was getting sued for something….
I was not thinking clearly!
I voluntarily gave my personal information to a stranger and thought nothing of it. I was more concerned about Ms. Swift and what had happened.
The Swift’s good friend & business partner, John Cass, co-signed for the Swifts and lived next door. Suddenly, the Swifts disappear leaving unpaid rent and John Cass gets evicted from his house. He promises to catch up the rent if I allow him to move in the house for which I’m property manager.
I stupidly allow him. Shortly thereafter, I discover this collection from the very utility company providing electrical service to the house. After some follow-up, it appears someone (Swifts? Cass?) used my information to re-connect electricity after service had been cut for non-payment.
You see, I am a pitiful property manager! I lack the meanness to be a property manager. In turn, renters who trashed the house and left unpaid rent apparently screwed me for more than damage and unpaid rent.
I hope you never encounter people like the Swifts or Casses. If you’re renting and wonder why your landlord is an assh*le, now you know why. He/She probably has encountered someone like Swift or Cass, who trashed his place and didn’t pay his rent.
My credit check should serve as a warning to YOU! Check your credit reports often. Go to www.annualcreditreports.com now to get copies of your reports…free!
