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A credit report footnote about my old apartment deposit changed my view
I was looking over my annual credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com last month, and I saw a note from my old apartment complex in Tempe. It said a $750 security deposit dispute from 2021 was reported as a 'charge-off'. I always paid that bill after we argued about damages, but the initial mark stayed. It made me realize how a simple dispute can linger and hurt your score, even if you settle it later. Has anyone else had a settled debt still show up negatively like that?
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spencerross11d ago
Yeah, taylor.jessica is right about checking local laws. You might need to dispute that with the credit bureaus directly and point out the law if it's on your side. A charge-off for a settled deposit is pretty aggressive.
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taylor.jessica11d ago
Check if your state has laws about security deposits. Honestly, some places make it illegal for landlords to report those disputes to credit agencies at all. Tbh that note on your report might be breaking a rule you don't even know about. It's worth a quick search or a call to a tenant's rights group. They pull this stuff hoping you won't fight it.
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