OT: Any lawyer on the board ?.. lease

[Yikes]

Wonder if any lawyers on the board could give their opinion on this:

My girlfriend moved into a 900 / month apartment in Sept. She signed a lease for 1.5 years with the owner who then sold the building to another individual. My gf complained about things not getting fixed (leaks, bathroom not working, another toilet broke) several times with nothing ever happening. Apparently at one point the new owner got pissed and mailed her a signed letter saying that she was in violation of the lease since 1. she had a pet (pet deposit was paid to pervious owner and noted on the lease) 2. HAD ME LIVING THER (WHICH WASN'T TRUE AS I HAVE MY OWN PLACE AND DONT SLEEP OVER DUE TO THe fact that she has a 8 yr old daughter (sorry for caps). Anyways the letter said that basically she could and / or should leave. My gf kept the letter. When she confronted the guy in person, explained his reasoning was wrong, he told her to disreguard the letter and that he would send a letter basically saying to disreguard the first ... which he never did. Two months ago it got to the point where her electric and gas bills were super high mysteriously after his people came in to do work. He also said he requird her to fax him permission for people to enter her apartment to do work. She never fax him permission and people still entered her place without her there to do work.

So last month she called him saying that did his offer to move out still stand and he said he was busy, would call her back to talk about it monday the next week (was a saturday). He never called back and she said F'it and moved out.

So today she gets a letter from a collection agency saying she owes 10,800. When she called about the bill the person at the agency was a dick and said the account was opened and closed on the same day .. so I guess this means the account is closed. So I called the guy trying to get an explaination .. being very nice .. and he said he won't discuss it and to call the collection place .. which i just had.

So, .. my question, I guess, is:
a. What does it mean that the collection account is close and why would it be opened and closed on the sam day?
b. Does that ass's signed letter make it impossible for him to enforce a lease? I mean he signed it and told her to / that she should leave.
c. Why type of lawyer if any do we need right now?

Fuckin little half-pint leperchaun mf'er .. I think she should counter sue lol (any ideas for what?)

Thanx in advance all,
Mitch

PS, were in Houston if that helps at all

 

[LATS]

OKAY.. I AM NO LAWYER BUT, DID WORK FOR MANY YEARS IN A COLLECTION AGENCY.. if she still has the letter, tell her to make a copy of it and send it the agent that called her.. she should call the agent first to let him/her know that you are sending proof of release from your lease.. the other stuff like things not getting fixed will turn into he said/she said debate which will get yano where if she did not document each event as it happened.. if the letter does not turn them off..(remember that she must demand in her letter that she be removed from having this be a collection or ir will screw up her credit.. it will be in his court to disprove the allegation.. if that does not do it.. get a lawyer and threaten to sue the landlord..if the letter is signed than he does not have a leg to stand on regarding the collection agency.. i would have turned it back to him immediately and cut ties regarding the collection.. if he signed it he is screwed by collection standards..but, she will still have to make sure that the agency does not mistakenly report it to het credit file..

 

[Yikes]

Thanx for the response Lats .. puts my and her mind at ease a bit. I really appreciate it.

Mitch

PS ... now just give us another STORYTIME WITH LATS post lol Thanx