How to build credit and deal with debt collectors for an apartment
Unpaid old debt and aggressive collection notices make people fear that opening a new line of credit will instantly ruin their credit history. This uncertainty stops them from safely establishing credit, which is necessary to secure a new apartment while trying to pay off the balance.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Negotiate a settlement with debt collectors to pay a fraction of the total amount in exchange for closing the account as paid in full.
- 2Ignoring the email to avoid accidentally giving more information by reaching out
- 3Waiting for physical mail which legitimate debt collectors typically send
- 4Ignoring the debt collector and not dealing with it
- 5Researching statute of limitations
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I got an email yesterday from transworld systems inc saying that I owe money to a company I've never heard of and that they sent a notice to an address I've never lived at.”source ↗
“How do I go about disputing (or paying it if it's real) this before it goes on my credit?”source ↗
“Hey everybody, I have a debt collector claiming to have a medical debt of about $800 I owe for a hospital visit 3+ years ago in Maryland. From what I read statute of limitations is 3 years I also do not think I have any receipts or invoices for this original amount.”source ↗
“Should I be requesting proof this is real? Can they do anything if it is past the time limit of statute of limitations? Will it affect me at all just not dealing with it?”source ↗
“debt collectors are now contacting me about ~$9k that was left unpaid.”source ↗
“i’m trying to save up money to pay it off fully, i’m about halfway there right now.”source ↗
“i’m also trying to open a line of credit so i can try and get an apartment soon, but i don’t know the best way to manage it.”source ↗
“also scared if i do open a line of credit, that it will automatically make it horrible since i have this debt on my record.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 2How to pay off massive business EIDL and credit card debt
- 2What to do about car loan debt after a totaled car without full coverage
- 2Can merchants send you to collections after a chargeback?
- 3Why is there no spending limit or fraud detection for sudden credit spikes?
- 3Why is it so hard to find a debt-focused budgeting app?
- 6How to tell a client their bookkeeper is incompetent