The Indiana Consumer Law Group/The Law Office of Robert E. Duff announces the recent filing of a lawsuit against attorney Daniel W. Sandlin and Sandlin Law Group PC. Our client lived in the 10 West Apartments (formerly Cambridge Station Apartments). She moved out at the expiration of her lease, but the apartment management (Ardizzone Group Management Company) claimed she owed $315 in cleaning expenses. Daniel W. Sandlin and Sandlin Law Group PC filed a lawsuit on behalf of Ardizzone Group Management Company, as managing agent for 10 West Apartments, in Wayne Township Small Claims Court. Although our client’s lease provided that attorney fees would be owed only if they were “incurred in obtaining possession of the premises,” Daniel W. Sandlin and Sandlin Law Group PC sought attorney fees in the small claims lawsuit. The lawsuit against Daniel W. Sandlin and Sandlin Law Group PC alleges that it was a violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act to attempt to collect attorney fees that were not owed.
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, or FDCPA, prohibits a debt collector from attempting to collect ANY amount that is not owed by the consumer. This is a very broad provision and debt collectors violate it often.
Daniel W. Sandlin filed thousands of lawsuits in 2017, mostly on behalf of apartment complexes against consumers. If you’ve been sued by Daniel W. Sandlin or Sandlin Law Group, and the plaintiff has sought attorney fees, you should check the terms of your lease to see if the plaintiff is entitled to attorney fees. If not, Daniel W. Sandlin or Sandlin Law Group may have violated the FDCPA. If you have questions about a possible violation of the FDCPA, please contact us here.