Too corrupt to stand up? (apartment, rental, insurance)

[benreilly]

I work for a rental property, though obviously I won't give any details, as for the time being, I would like the choice of no longer working here to be mine, while I search for another position.

My supervisor amongst various acts which I call crooked, others might call "business as usual," has trumped up charges(i.e. maximum re-letting fees before a tenant is even searched for or even moved in already, damages, etc.) for move-outs, some evictions, some just lease approved move-outs, and more worrisome and heartbreaking still, ex-employees who were on month-to-month leases and left the apartment in fine condition.

I have been asked to file these fraudulent charges with our collection agency, knowing that they are miscalculated, exaggerated, and incredibly damaging to one's credit and future rental possibility.

Beyond the ethical standpoint and moral obligation which is easier said than done, in a recession and with a family I must feed(though I am looking for alternatives, as I cannot sleep at night with this work), could legal repercussions come from this?

What I mean to ask is, could someone sue and/or file fraud charges against my company and ultimately me? Also, when these people call asking what they can do, is it ethical, or even plausible to recommend to them that these charges are fraudulent and is there anything they can do about it if my supervisor chooses to defend the charges to no end?

Does anyone have any experience with this and/or have any advice as to the best way to handle this troubling scenario?

Thanks in advance for any input.

[tstone]

Hmm, this sounds familiar. I dealt with a property management co that did something similar to us on a rental house, right after we purchased another house. We paid rent on time, cleaned up before moving out and they proceeded to keep the $1300 deposit and send a bill for another $900 of fraudulent charges. Right we initiated dispute, they trashed our credit with fraudulent mortgage accounts, false status, false description, etc.

We went after them and the landlord in court, jumping through hoops for a year before the judgment was made in our favor... against the landlord, but only for the deposit + court-related fees. No fault was found with the property management company's shenanigans. Although after the courtroom battle, and making them aware of FEDERAL civil and criminal charges we were getting ready to press against them, they did clean our credit up. I also gained confidence I could represent myself successfully against their insurance co's attorney.

So based on my experience, as long as you hide behind your company's walls & doors, phones & computers, Texas law makes certain you are safe. Property management companies are nothing more than liasons that have run amuck, because they have figured out the loopholes in the state laws. And they also know 90% of the people they oppress are too scared or ignorant to go after them.

Fortunately we had already purchased our house and we informed all creditors of the situation so it didn't affect our finances. Ever since then we have taken a "cash-only" approach to life, do not use credit cards, do not use car loans, and are aggressively paying off the house. Credit = snake pit.

But because of the way this system has evolved, many undeserving families are made poorer while you dance around on their backs every time you receive a paycheck. I know you gotta feed your family-- but I'm sure you also know what many people think of you. I hope you sleep well at night.

[benreilly]

tstone-

I absolutely agree, hence I'm trying to find a way to fight it from the inside, I hate the entire ideology of making money at the cost of anyone else suffering. Which is also why I am asking what can be done from the outside, that I can tell these people that have been unfairly placed in this position because I know that so many people in my position would not care and simply go forward...as I have not.

I have been shuffling to avoid filing these collections for months while trying to figure out if I can show the owner of the company honestly that these practices are highly unethical and wrong, and remove my current supervisor to prevent this from happening in any capacity, at least with this company. I don't sleep well at night, just from having to file evictions, constantly ask people who are struggling when they will pay, etc. and have been putting myself out on a limb to help in every way that I can where I am, but in this, I have reached an impasse, if I leave, they will bring in someone else who does not see what I see, or I care as I care and will mindlessly perform acts of evil against undeserving people and simply send them out in the cold with no options or retribution.

Thank you for your input, and I am so glad to hear that you did get some brand of justice, as I can carry this precedent onto other friends of mine...and in all probability myself as I am certain the move-out charges will be marked up extremely high for me upon my departure from this company.

There are some of us who care and who want to do what's right and help and end corrupt practices...it is just often difficult to do when we are in so many ways in the same meager boat against an armada of greed and corruption.