received a collection notice, need advice.?

Question

So I receive this letter in the mail back in June saying that I owe money to Countrywide tax service because of an error with my house taxes. They represented the previous owner and paid the taxes on my house 3 months after I purchased the house. So I get ahold of them and to my knowledge resolve the issue. Yesterday my wife e-mails me a collection notice. I leave a scathing msg for th person to contact me via email as I am deployed in Kuwait. She does and says she made several attempts to contact CitiMortgage (my mortgage co) to no avail. So I've started a response e-mail, and it's not nice.

So my questions are, can this company initiate a collection against me even if the issue is between them and CitiMortgage? Are they able to do a collection while I am mobilized?

I "had" no issue with resolving this, however, now I want to make it as painful and costly for them as possible. Thanx.

Answer 1

"They represented the previous owner and paid the taxes on my house 3 months after I purchased the house."

Did you pay your own property taxes too, so this was an overpayment?

If so, tell them to pound sand and ask the city/county for a refund, it's not your problem.

The "easy" way to handle this would have been for you to have just shortpaid your next tax bill by the amount they paid, and sent them the difference - but now why should you?

While you're deployed, you're covered by the Soldiers and Sailors Civil Relief Act, and there's close to damn-all they can do.

Richard

Answer 2

Thing is as other said you can tell them to pound sand. Since you are deployed there is nothing that they can do. If they attempt any action it is actually great. When you return you can make life miserable for all involved.

If your wife has access to the base or post she should go there and speak w. someone. If not there are people to call. You are deployed.

After that is done she should write a basic letter explaining the situation. Include a list on the letter of what other documents are enclosed so they won't be able to say "we never recieved the documents". Then she should send it via certified mail.

You and her should write down and log any contact with anybody. Who was called/called her, the number, time, what was said and such even if it is a left message. Even calls to the military. Write down what you can remember from past dealings.

Skip the scathing emails as what is legal is legal and that will prevail in the end. If it comes down to it your emails can be used against you. They can use this to say you that you were being unreasonable even though they tried to resolve the issue. They may claim that you were unreachable or if you wife forwards the emails they might make some issue. All I'm saying is that be carefull.

Have your wife send things from her. That will bolster her claim or your threat later to take them to town if they do not make this right AND do something for you.