<prompt> Human: I recently moved out of Texas, and my former apartment management company is saying I owe unpaid rent, damages, a gamut of other things all in all, losing my entire security deposit, and owing an additional 600.00 on top of that.I have some questions for this subreddit because Im pretty sure the management company has no interest in discussion and will be sending this straight to collections. I want to make it clear that I am fully willing to pay if there were legitimate damages, however...Theres a few things on their inspection checklist that dont add up: Claiming I moved out after my lease expired. I have signed and dated documentation stating I turned over the keys a week early. They say I owe unpaid rent for this. Claiming I did not provide 60 days move out notice. I did, but unfortunately dont have proof other than a copy of the letter I gave the on-site landlord. Claiming I did over 700.00 of painting damages to the walls. I have photographs of the apartment in its move out condition, as well as a move-in checklist on which I indicated all pre-existing damages. Under the Texas Tenant Rights act, they are required to provide a description of damages, which I did not receive. I have a feeling I know what theyre trying to claim is my fault, but its all clearly documented as pre-existing.I have been trying to get in touch with their internal collections department for a week and they are not returning my calls. I am sending a certified, notarized letter today in an attempt to prevent them from sending this to an external agency until I can figure out whats going on and get more info on these alleged damages.My questions are: if this does end up going to an external agency, do I have any recourse in trying to figure out the discrepancies? Or by the time it gets to that point, does the agency have zero incentive to do anything other than recovering the amount I supposedly owe? Can I tell them Im still trying to work it out with the management company? My credit reports are frozen, and the management company is not an open account, so could a collections agency even mar my score for a potentially invalid debt? I have never dealt with collections before so Im trying to be proactive. Should I contact the credit reporting agencies and let them know whats going on ahead of time?I currently have immaculate credit, and will be purchasing a house around this time next year. I cant afford to have a black mark on my reports now. Im could just immediately pay it off I have an emergency fund after all and prevent the possibility of that occurring, but it feels like blackmail. I know I should get a lawyer but Im not sure if its worthwhile dragging this out for months over 1000.EDIT: Im about to head to the post office to send out this letter CCed to the TX attorney general, thanks for the idea!, and I got in touch with a lawyer friend in Dallas who gave me several references. Im not as worried now as I was earlier, just not looking forward to the potential of slogging through this for a few months. Ive got some pretty good documentation though, and they havent shown me ANYTHING from their side.Ill follow up when I know more!EDIT 2: Update here!Assistant: Contact whatever the Texas Housing Authority is, this is the kind of thing they exist for.Human: The apartment management company Im dealing with is based in Illinois, and I now live in Colorado. Would the Texas Attorney General who handles these kinds of complaints... the housing authority of Dallas is specifically for low-income housing still be the best option?  <response>: If the apartment was in Texas, then contact the Texas authority. I agree with Mithril that you need to document everything including your attempts to resolve this. There is a legal advice sub, rlegaladvice and Id ask your question there. 