Consumer complaint received 2025-02-05 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Rental debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt is not yours
Company: Rowland Avenue Management, Inc. A/KA Columbia Debt Recovery, LLC d/b/a Genesis
State: GA

Complaint narrative:
I applied to become a tenant at XXXX XXXX that is a managed property under XXXX XXXX XXXX back on XX/XX/year>24, horrible experience ever dealing with leasing agent by the name XXXX. Not my first apartment so Im aware of application fees and the entire approval process plus I was referred by a relative who resided there previously. This apartment complex uses so many different systems for approval as well as to determine your security deposit which is not normal to my knowledge. I applied went through the hassle was told I was approved and then was told I had to apply through a 3rd party verification system they use to determine my security deposit which will not be refundable when I move out. Security deposit was higher than base rent even after adding the fees on. I was a little suspicious so I advised the agent I will call back to confirm if I would move forward since the apartment move in date wasnt until XXXX. Before I could make a decision the leasing agent advises me that Im no longer approved for the apartment due to my bank statements not showing my past consecutive in one account when I sent both bank statements due to me switching my payroll to my new bank account and they will refund me {$250.00} on XX/XX/scrub>/24. Never received a denial letter at all. Then leasing agent calls back on XXXX/XXXX/24 later and left a voicemail advising if I wanted to move forward with the apartment, demanded he needed to know by end of week, I was appalled after he told me I was being denied they were sending {$250.00} refund! Called office to speak with XXXX of course he isnt available. Didnt get {$250.00}, felt suspicious filed a claim with my XXXX XX/XX/XXXX in XX/XX/scrub>/24 to get my funds back. My bank did investigation and couldnt approve claim because of proof that the XXXX XXXX apartments and their management company XXXX XXXX XXXX sent to them the claim was denied on XX/XX/year>24. XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX sent a email advising of a NSF, but my bank advised they never took funds or received funds from neither companies after their investigation. Attempted to explain that to their management company XXXX XXXX XXXX. Without doing their proper investigation they wrongfully sent me with the amount of {$370.00} to a collection agency called COLUMBIA DEBT RECOVERY LLC DBA GENESIS who has now impacted my credit. They reported it as if I lived there and owed them a balance after I moved out or something, never lived there. Called the management company XXXX XXXX to originally report their property XXXX XXXX of suspicious activity as well as inquiring that I didnt owe them and spoke with some name XXXX that was very rude. I sent them screenshots of the payment as well as the leasing agent advising of {$250.00} refund. They did no investigation whatsoever and forwarded me to collection agency. There are several people advising the complex XXXX XXXX move people in that they are familiar with and are scamming people of the application fees which I feel I am one of them at this point. I have voicemails and recordings of leasing agent advising I was approved then denied and then approved. Very suspicious and fraudulent activities. Now I have pushed the issue with the property manager XXXX at XXXX XXXX and explained to her that I dont owe them anything now they have request account closure with the collection agency COLUMBIA DEBT RECOVERY LLC DBA GENESIS who advised that the account is closed and they will send letter to me advising account cancelled. This has cause severe stress on me and my life, It has impacted my credit and taken time away from my personal life to deal with this matter. These companies are scamming people and something needs to be investigated Im sure Im not the first and wont be the last.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation