Consumer complaint received 2024-07-10
Product: Debt collection — Rental debt
Issue: False statements or representation — Attempted to collect wrong amount
Company: Rowland Avenue Management, Inc. A/KA Columbia Debt Recovery, LLC d/b/a Genesis (FL)

XXXX XXXX is an apartment complex in which I applied to move in on XX/XX/year>. My move-in date was set for XX/XX/XXXX, since I had to be out of my previous apartment by the XXXX of XXXX. The application process was online, and had technical difficulties due to the payment screen not working, and was not able to be fully completed and submitted until XX/XX/XXXX. By the XXXX, I was approved and I paid {$300.00} to apply for this apartment ( receipt attached ), but with conditions. My roommate, XXXX, and I were told that we had to have a guarantor cosign for our apartment, and that the guarantor had to submit income verification and do the online screening as well. By XX/XX/XXXX we were attempting to fill out the last pieces needed to solidify our apartment, however, XXXX XXXX server/website was not working. We called multiple times within the hour, and once we FINALLY got a hold of them, and explained that the website was not working we were told there was nothing they could do and to try again tomorrow. Tomorrow ( XX/XX/XXXX ) comes around, and the website is still not working. 
Again, we called for hours and could not get a response. Once they finally decided to answer, I reiterated the urgency of my move in date to them and told them this has to be approved today so I can move in the next day at the very latest. They again said there was nothing they could do and to try the servers tomorrow. At this point, I had no choice but to apply to a different apartment and move somewhere else due to the incompetency and terrible customer service of XXXX XXXX. 
With that being said, this was the last I heard from XXXX XXXX until about XX/XX/XXXX, when one of the office employees called and asked if I had still planned on moving in. This shows their terrible communication within their company because my move in date had clearly passed and I never moved in. Then roughly around XXXX or XXXX, I get an email insisting I owe XXXX XXXX {$120.00} more as a move out fee of some sorts. Mind you, I NEVER EVEN MOVED IN. My roommate, XXXX, called XXXX XXXX to understand where this {$120.00} charge was coming from and no one in the office could tell us, so they insisted a property manager would give us a call back. To no surprise, no one ever called us back. I then tried to dispute my {$300.00} application fee purchase on grounds that I never received the services I paid for i.e. living at their apartment building. Unfortunately, my dispute was invalid due to the fact that I was approved ; so that was {$300.00} I fought to get back, and never received. I have included screenshots to this email of the disputed transaction, as well as the email from XXXX claiming I owe them money for a move out statement. I also included a quote from XXXX XXXX, an office employee of XXXX XXXX who was fired shortly after all of this happened. It says we were supposed to pay {$470.00} for application fee + admin fee, but they gave us 50 % off of the admin fee which meant I only had to pay {$300.00}. I have included a receipt that details out this payment I made. 
I have reported XXXX XXXX to the XXXX XXXX XXXX in which XXXX has written me back saying they would begin investigating this matter. However, still no response on their end, of course. If you look up XXXX XXXX reviews on XXXX, there are numerous reviews of people having similar problems as I have, and many people have blatantly said this entire apartment complex is a scam.