Consumer complaint received 2023-09-07
Company: Rowland Avenue Management, Inc. A/KA Columbia Debt Recovery, LLC d/b/a Genesis
State: VA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Rental debt
Issue: False statements or representation
Sub-issue: Attempted to collect wrong amount

Complaint:
My husband and I rented an Apartment at XXXX, from XXXX. We lived in the complex for over XXXX years. In XXXX of 2022, I contacted the property manager to find out if we were allowed to sublease as I needed to move due to a family member being ill. My husband was not moving at that time as he was finishing his last few years of employment with the XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX Our original intent was to either sublease the apartment or to find roommates to share the apartment with my husband. 

I was informed by both XXXX XXXX the apartment manager and XXXX the assistant manager that as long as I gave 2 months notice, the termination fee would not apply. They were very clear on this. Following is an excerpt from the letter I sent disputing the charges : Since I was a few days short of XXXX months, XXXX did warn me that I may be responsible for additional XXXX rent if the unit did not rent on the XX/XX/XXXX. To this end, we gave possession of the apartment back on XX/XX/XXXX in order for it to be made ready for an XX/XX/XXXX release. 
We would not have vacated the apartment if I had known that the termination fee would still apply, as I had other options that would have worked as well. 
We want to point out that, as to re-leasing our apartment, this was not done in good faith, as the rent was increased by over 30 %, this increase would account for the apartment not be released as of XX/XX/XXXX. 
Additionally, please detail the damages and provide documentation for all additional fees you are attempting to charge us. For the painting fee, please provide documentation as to the usual cost of repainting a XXXX bedroom and the cost of repainting ours. 
As we paid the monthly utility fees at the beginning of each month, there should be no additional charges there either. 

We sent the above information in response to a bill I received from XXXX stating that I owed $ XXXXin the letter I stated that I disputed this amount. 

After they received my letter I received several phone calls attempting to get me to pay the {$5700.00}. Each time I reiterated that I had disputed the amount and would refer to my letter and stating that they had never responded. 

Several months ago I received a call from a collection company named XXXX. I tried to explain the situation to them, sending them a copy of the letter I originally sent to XXXX and asked that they contact me via mail so that I could have a paper trail regarding our contacts. 

Now, rather than contacting me or responding to my email, the " debt '' has shown up on both my husband 's and my credit reports. I will be disputing it with the credit report company. 

I am submitting this complaint because it seems wrong that they can just proceed with the debt collection knowing full well that I was disputing the amount and without anyone ever replying to my dispute letter. 

Thank you. 
XXXX and XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation