How To Escalate Dispute Of Alleged Debt Owed For “damages” To Apartment

Location: Seminole County, Florida

So I moved out of a unit in my apartment complex (that I’m still currently leasing with, just in a different unit) back in early September of 2025. It was a carpet flooring apartment that, upon move-in in July of 2024, was in trash condition. I had reached out to management explaining how it was in poor condition (wasn’t even vacuumed upon move-in), and noted same on the Move-In Inventory Form.

After move-out, the property reached out to me to give me notice that I owed almost $800 in damages for the carpet replacement, without any kind of proof or description of any “damages” caused that warranted replacement; not to mention, they backdated the letter/notice to be dated a week before it was actually sent. I disputed immediately, asking for proof that the damage was caused by me and my roommate, and followed up with them for several months to only be met with radio silence.

Come February/March of this year, we get notice that the debt had been referred to a collections agency, and they were trying to collect the $800 from us now. I responded within the deadline provided and gave the collections company all of the documentation I had previously given property management regarding the carpet, and included all previous correspondence with them as well to show that I was making an effort to take care of this issue with no response or proof from the property. Still no response from the collector regarding anything provided by the apartment complex, until I called yesterday to follow up on what was going on, since I have a derogatory mark on my credit for something I shouldn’t be responsible for. The woman I spoke to yesterday told me they still hadn’t gotten anything from the property, but would update me if anything new came up.

I then got an email about an hour or two after my call to the collections agency providing “proof” of the debt, which was just the invoice for the carpet replacement and the final move-out notice where the property was trying to charge me for the replacement. I called first thing this morning to inquire further, and received a very rude response that “the debt is valid and there’s no further investigation needed on their end, and if I want to escalate further, I can do so”. When I asked to speak with a supervisor to escalate, he said there is no supervisor for me to speak to and I need to stop going in circles because it’s pointless. I fully understand that the collections agency is not here to help me and they’re trying to just get money for the property, but I’m not going around in circles, I’m literally trying to take care of shit that I shouldn’t be taking care of to begin with. But anyways.

I know that the property keeps reports and photos of pre- and post-move out conditions, because I got one of them for the first apartment I leased with them, but I don’t understand why this is becoming so difficult when it’s evident that, even though I (unfortunately) don’t have pictures of the before/after, I know the property does and I’m sure they don’t want to produce for the sole reason that it will prove that the carpet was already in bad condition and therefore not our responsibility to replace. It was very clearly past its life usage.

So my question is, what should I do moving forward?? How do I continue to dispute this and escalate this to ensure it gets handled appropriately and wiped from my credit history? This is the ONLY derogatory mark I have, and I’d prefer zero considering I make sure I get things taken care of, but I have no idea what my remaining options are. Any help/insight is much appreciated, and thank you in advance.