Legal Question in Credit and Debt Law in Massachusetts

Re: bad credit from college eviction

How much exactly does the credit report show is or was owed?

Where was the college? (I belong to the local landlord's credit bureau; if you want to give

me his name and social security number, I can get a

copy for you, but you might be able to get it yourself,

ESPECIALLY AFTER you've been turned down for credit.

(But that's too late, isn't it?)

If there was a lease, and I'm sure there was if they got

his social security number and reported a judgment against

him, then the lease MOST LIKELY holds the tenants "jointly

and severally" liable for the rent. Check it if you

have it. That translates to saying that he could have to pay the whole amount to

clear his record.

How many months rent does the judgment represent?

When was that figure last updated for interest or

payments by other of his roommates?

If the amount owed is a lot, give me a call and let me try to negotiate it down

for him (using various threats appropriate against

landlords). This is a case where a lawyer is better off

negotiating for the client than the client doing it

himself because the others are still out there and could

someday be in the same position. If it's only a couple hundred dollars, just

pay off the total and move on.