Consumer complaint received 2025-04-13 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Rental debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt was paid
Company: Rowland Avenue Management, Inc. A/KA Columbia Debt Recovery, LLC d/b/a Genesis
State: WV

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/XXXX, I went to the XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) online portal to pay my rent ; XXXX owned and managed XXXX XXXX where I resided at the time. I expected to pay {$1700.00} but saw an outstanding balance of {$2600.00}. Initially I thought this amount to be an error as my balance from the month before was XXXX and no notice of rent increase had been delivered nor received. After a few attempts, I was able to speak to someone within the rental office who said that my rent had been increased, but she could not provide a copy of the written notice that she said was sent to me. After getting the run around for nearly two weeks, I filed a complaint with the Office of Consumer Protection and was advised the next day that the complaint was forwarded to the Office of Landlord and Tenant Affairs in XXXX XXXX, the department that handles landlord/tenant matters for XXXX XXXX residents I can provide a copy of the complaint, if required. 
Once becoming aware of the complaint that was filed through the Office of Landlord and Tenant Affairs, XXXX XXXX XXXX was willing to provide written notice of the increase, which was received by on XX/XX/XXXX ( see email correspondence with the notice attached ) and also to afford 90 days ' notice from XX/XX/XXXX, of the increase, since said notice is required by law and they could not prove that it had been delivered. Therefore, my rent was supposed to remain at {$1700.00} through XX/XX/XXXX, 90 days from written notice. 
Because I was in the process of having a home built, I declined XXXX lease offer to rent another year at the rate of {$2300.00}. Shortly thereafter, I was notified that the house that I was having built might not be completed before XX/XX/XXXX, so on XX/XX/XXXX, I sent a follow-up email message to XXXX XXXX XXXX to request that my rental rate of {$1700.00} stay the same through XX/XX/XXXX, by which time my new home would be completed. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX responded that she would have to check with the District Manager and that she would let me know. On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX responded to let me know that while XXXX could not grant my request to maintain the same rent, that they would let me rent through XX/XX/XXXX at the rate of {$2300.00}, the one-year renewal rate quoted in the letter that she provided 11 days earlier on XX/XX/XXXX. I agreed and all was well until I went online to pay XXXX rent and noticed that the rent had increased to {$3300.00}. Apparently XXXX was not honoring the full 90 days ' notice to maintain the rental rate of {$1700.00} through XX/XX/XXXX, nor the newly negotiated rate of {$2300.00} from XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX, even though they previously agreed to these amounts in writing. Instead of {$3300.00}, I was only supposed to owe {$2000.00} was provided to XXXX via email on XX/XX/XXXX, in an attempt to get the rental records amended to reflect the correct amount. 
XX/XX/XXXX - XXXX, XXXX prorated rent : {$1600.00} per month divided by 31 days = {$53.00} per day. 
{$53.00} x 15 days = {$800.00} + {$25.00} pet rent = {$830.00} XX/XX/XXXX - XXXX, XXXX prorated rent : {$2300.00} divided by 31 days = {$74.00} per day. 
{$74.00} x 16 days = {$1100.00} + {$25.00} pet rent = XXXX {$830.00} + {$1200.00} = {$2000.00} rent for XX/XX/XXXX. 
Note : Each month, the water bill is different. In XXXX, the water bill was {$38.00}, which when added to the rental payment of {$2000.00} = {$2000.00}. The account history for XX/XX/XXXX indicates that I made a payment of {$2100.00}, which should have left a small credit in the amount of {$43.00}. However, the account ledger indicates an outstanding balance of {$1300.00} after I paid my rent, which is incorrect. 
When it became obvious that they were not going to honor the rates agreed upon in writing, I pulled out of my new build contract and found a resale home to buy. On XX/XX/XXXX, I turned my keys into the property manager after having moved out a few days earlier. Prorated rent for XX/XX/XXXX is as follows and was eventually paid in full on XX/XX/XXXX when XXXX agreed to re-open their portal so that I could make the payment : {$2300.00} divided by 31 days = {$74.00} a day {$74.00} x 18 days = {$1300.00} plus {$24.00} water bill and {$29.00} pet rent. Note : I already should have had a credit of {$43.00} from overpayment of the rent in XX/XX/XXXX, which, along with the {$29.00} payment, was more than enough to cover the full pet rent of {$50.00}, assuming they would not accept the prorated amount. 
The basis of this dispute is that I paid 100 % of the rent that was negotiated in writing and XXXX is charging a much higher rate after the fact. I do not feel that my credit should be negatively impacted due to their breach of our written agreement. Copies of supporting documents, including email correspondence will be attached.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation