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Are these additional collections fees from an attorney unreasonable?
Anonymous1 views2 answers
I got a certified letter from an attorneys office indicating that I had an overdue amount which I was not aware. I owed 275 to the original creditor (which I promptly paid because it was my HOA) however I also owe an additional 254 to the law offices. One line item is 165 for sending a certified demand letter. They told me that this amount will continue to grow until I pay in full or get on a payment plan which will cost 150 plus 22 a month. I"m very frustrated with the situation because it took me over a month just to get into contact with someone and during this period they continued to charge me for no contact, even though I have records showing the numerous times I tried to make contact. I feel as I am getting ripped off and I would like to know if there is anything I can do.
Jennifer L. EllisEthics / Professional Responsibility LawyerPhiladelphia, PA ·
It is difficult for us to tell you if you are being overcharged. However, it is not too surprising for a lawyer to charge 165 for the letter. It isn't just the cost of sending the letter, it is the cost of drafting it, and some lawyers charge quite a bit for their hourly fees. Perhaps they would be willing to negotiate for the time you could not get in touch.
You'd first have to circle back to your HOA bylaws to see if there is an attorney fee clause in there. Here is one truth, though. Even attorney fee clauses are read to mean "reasonable" attorney fees. There is probably some fluff in here.
Finally, consider getting a lawyer just so you could make this STOP!
