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fwashington2006 · Feb 21, 2007, 04:57 PM

About 5 years, I was given a judgement against my landlord. Recently I have been trying to clean up my credit, I called the place and I was told by the account that he had NO knowledge of my account, that it was forward to a collection agency. I told him on my credit report, it didn't state a collection agency or who had my case, the place that was on it was, my land lord office. How will I take care of this debt and get it updated on my credit report.

excon · Feb 22, 2007, 09:03 AM

Hello fw:

If you wait two years, it will come off your credit report without you doing anything. Secondarily, a PAID judgment isn't a whole lot better than an UNpaid judgment, so you're not going to be doing much credit repair by paying it off. And thirdly, if the landlord doesn't have any record of a judgment, and can't tell you who does, then you need to find out which court granted the judgment. That information too, should be in your credit report. Go to the courthouse and read the judgment in your file. It will name the creditor.

If it IS the landlord (and it probably is), the landlord is the only one who can file a satisfaction of judgment. Make a copy of it, and send it along in your letter, and make them an offer.

If it IS a collection agency, their address will be in the file and you'll need to contact them.

excon

landlord advocate · Feb 22, 2007, 09:32 AM

There are several headings on a credit report. Public Records will list the judgment obtained by the landlord and the case or docket number, the date and the amount.

Below the Public Record section is the Collection section. If the landlord received a judgment and then turned it over to a collection agency, the name of the agency should be listed in the collection section under Firm. The creditor (landlord) is usually but not always listed. Compare the amount of the judgment with the amounts listed for collection and see if one is the same. Chances are that is the collection agency holding the judgment.

Chances are the person you spoke too doesn't remember you or your judgment. You may want to call back as ask "If you were to work with a collection agency, which collection agencies might you have called." That might head you in the right direction.

It sounds like you are ready to pay the judgment. Maybe the fact that it is paid may not make a BIG difference to your total score, I don't know. However, it will make a big difference to the next landlord whose property you want to rent. If I see that there was a judgment owed to a landlord and the tenant paid it, I would think about renting to him. If there is a judgment placed by a landlord and the tenant didn't pay, he probably isn't going to be renting one of the properties I represent.

landlord advocate · Feb 22, 2007, 09:37 AM

Sorry, I left out one more place to look. At the bottom of the credit report is a list of companies that have reviewed your credit. See if there are any collection agencies listed under Name/Address. There is a code next to the name. The credit reporting agency should be able to give you an address or telephone number matching the code.

If you do decide to pay off the judgment, be sure to get something in writing releasing the judgment. It isn't going to do you any good unless the settlement is filed with the court and picked up by the credit reporting agencies.