Consumer complaint received 2024-04-21 00:00:00
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
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
We are fraudulently being charged for rent after move out and interest by Columbia Debt Recovery. We moved out of XXXX at XXXX XXXX XXXX owned by XXXX XXXX XXXX ) on XX/XX/XXXX. We sent all documents/photos of our move out and never received an email, text, phone call, or letter mailed to our forwarding address of any move out charges even after we requested it. We were just notified this week ( 2 years after our move out ) by a random text message that we owed money to XXXX at XXXX. I emailed XXXX and they sent me a summary of move out charges of {$790.00} ( the first that we had EVER seen of them ) which included final utility bill, wall paint, full apartment cleaning. Now, we were contacted XX/XX/XXXX via email regarding the debt from Columbia Recovery Services that listed the charges above IN ADDITION to rent charged for XXXX although we moved out on XX/XX/XXXXXXXX XXXX  charges that were not on the invoices XXXX sent to us this week ( in fact, the invoice they sent us shows our lease end date as XX/XX/XXXX ). They allowed us to break our lease which we have in writing because the upstairs noise was unbearable. Not only did they never contact us about this debt although we were in constant email communication with them due to all of the noise complaints and the move out but they now refuse to provide any proof of the bathtubs that needed resurfacing although they have photos of every other room. We agree to pay utility charges but the other charges were not sent to us within the 21 day requirement AND the rent charges are AFTER our move out. I have attached a photo of the bathtub upon move out which shows it didn't need reglazing. We have attached all of our documentation including charges sent by XXXX XXXX and Columbia Debt WHICH DO NOT MATCH ( charges never sent to us until this week ). 

We immediately contested this debt with Columbia on XX/XX/XXXX and filed a complaint with XXXX  on XX/XX/XXXX. We noted that we moved out XX/XX/XXXX Columbia is somehow trying to collect rent from us for the rest of that month even though we have our Notice to Vacate on XX/XX/XXXX ( attached ), including proof of this approved move out with documentation through email comms with XXXX at XXXX ( attached ). They are also trying to charge us interest for charges we NEVER received until XX/XX/XXXX. Our final payment of prorated rent is also attached. The two invoices sent by XXXX at XXXX and Columbia Debt recovery do not match. XXXX sent one XXXX/XXXX/XXXX years after moving outand Columbia Debt Recovery sent us one today XX/XX/XXXX. This also includes Columbia Debt fraudulently trying to charge us rent from XX/XX/XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX which is AFTER our move out date of XX/XX/XXXX ( attached ). The XXXX  invoice that XXXX sent to us on XX/XX/XXXX of Final Move Out Charges states charges of {$790.00} and the Columbia Debt Recovery invoice sent XX/XX/XXXX shows charges of {$1900.00}. Both invoices are attached and they do not match. 

We NEVER received a letter, email, phone call, or text message from the XXXX  at XXXX or XXXX XXXX XXXX that we owed ANYTHING to XXXX  at XXXX or XXXX XXXX XXXX until this week even after we inquired and XXXX XXXX office worker ) said in an email on XX/XX/XXXX ( attached ) that the maintenance person would do final walk through and send us the charges with invoices attached. We received ZERO communication of these charges which we would have quickly paid or contested had we known about them. The address on the Move Out Charges Statement ( attached ) sent to us by XXXX ( XXXX  XXXX ) on XX/XX/XXXX shows XXXX XXXX XXXX as the recipient instead of our forwarding address ( which we also have proof that we left with you on the move out XXXX attached email to XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX ) did you send the charges to the apartment that we just moved out of? Theres also no proof of the charges being sent by email. XXXX confirmed in her email on XX/XX/XXXX ( attached ) that she can not tell us or prove how or when these charges were sent to us. XXXX  requires that a landlord has 21 days to either : Return all of the security deposit or Return the security deposit minus any deductions along with an itemized statement. The itemized statement must list what was deducted and why.

If the deductions are for more than {$120.00}, the landlord must attach a copy of any invoices or receipts with the itemized statement.

If the repairs aren't finished within the 21-day period for a good reason, the landlord can send the tenant a reasonable ( good faith ) estimate of the repair costs. Then, within 14 days of the repairs being done, the landlord must send the tenant the receipts. 

The landlord can deduct for : XXXX. Cleaning the rental unit when a tenant moves out, but only to make it as clean as when the tenant first moved in ; XXXX. Repairing damage, other than normal wear and tear, caused by the tenant and the tenant 's guests. XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX can not prove that they sent these to us AT ALL let alone within the 21 days even though we were in constant communication with you due to the noise complaints and the move out. They could have easily sent them by email but they didn't. Instead, they waited two years to send it off to a debt recovery company and absolutely refuse to communicate further. Ive also attached the email with the photos of the bathtub ( which, ironically, the bathrooms are the only rooms in the apartment that XXXX did not provide us with proof of in the move out statement she sent on XX/XX/XXXX XXXX attached ) but we sent one in our final move out email on XX/XX/XXXX ( attached ) and you can see the bathtub is in perfect condition. 

The carpet invoice XXXX sent doesn't match Final Move Out Charges ( {$75.00} on the invoice from carpet cleaning company and {$85.00} on the Move out Charges Invoices from XXXX  at XXXX and Columbia Debt ). The invoice date is also on XX/XX/XXXX ( more than 21 days after our move out ). 

Ive also attached proof of XXXX allowing us to break the lease without penalty ( although Columbia is now trying to charge us rent after our move out ) due to the terrible noise in our apartment and the fact that there could be no remedy. 

We lived there for 4 months and moved due to no fault of our own and now we are being targeted two years later for something that was not our fault and we are being charged for fraudulent items. This is incredibly disappointing and has put us in a ridiculously stressful situation. 

Columbia Debt has never responded to our proof that we do not owe this debt. The last communication we had from them was through the XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX was : 'We are reaching out to our client to obtain additional documents. Account put on hold while we investigation. ' Following their response, they are continuing to harass us with this fraudulent debt even though I have sent them all of the paperwork. They just sent us two emails again requesting us to pay these fraudulent charges on XXXX even though I have paperwork proving most of their charges are fraudulent and they have not corrected them. They also have still not sent us the original purchase agreement ( signed by both parties ) that shows they own the debt. They have only sent us the rental agreement and invoice from XXXX ( which shows all of the fraudulent charges ) nothing that shows they own the debt. They are also still trying to fraudulently collect on rent payment for days AFTER WE MOVED OUT. 

They did not put our account on hold and instead they sent our case to collections on our credit report. I just received a credit alert that Columbia Debt Recovery has flagged my credit for collections on my credit report when the only response they have given to this complaint has been We are reaching out to our client to obtain additional documents. Account put on hold while we investigation. 

This is FRAUD and Columbia Debt are scammers. 

They also have never provided the proof that they own the debtthey have only sent me the signed lease and breakdown of charges that have FRAUDULENT charges of rent AFTER we moved out. The Invoice from XXXX shows that our lease ended on XX/XX/XXXXXXXX XXXX I've submitted that as proof in the documents below. I've also submitted proof that the notice given date listed on that same invoice is incorrect XXXX  we emailed them our notice to vacate on XX/XX/XXXX but that invoice states XX/XX/XXXX. There is so much wrong, fraudulent info from both of these companies.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation