Business ProfileforVintage Corporation

My fianc and I signed a lease beginning Aug. 19, 2023. We ended up needing to break the lease due to unforeseen medical reasons. Our lease ended on Aug. 31, 2023. I'm very grateful that they were willing and able to work with us regarding this matter. However, on Nov. 3, 2023 we received a bill in the mail totaling $280.93 for cleaning fees, etc. with a notice to pay in 30 days. I called on Dec. 1, 2023 to pay the bill. I was told nobody was available to take my payment and that they would have an individual who could, contact me when available. I verified my contact information with them to ensure they could contact me when needed. I trusted that they would contact me when they were able to take my payment, but I never heard anything back from them. In the meantime, it was the holidays, my son had surgery and I completely forgot about this bill. On Feb. 23, 2024, we got a call from a collection agency. I paid the bill to the agency, not thinking anything of it (it wasn't on my credit at that time). On Feb. 26, 2024 the account hit my credit as unpaid. The collection agency said Vintage Corp has to remove this record. I contacted Vintage Corp on Feb. 28, 2024, to ask if they could remove it, and they refused to remove it because I paid the collection agency and not them directly. This account should never have gone to collections, and it shouldn't remain on my credit now that it has been paid as I made the attempt to pay them directly.I never received any reminders via phone or mail about this bill, or anything saying my account was being sent to collections. I was ready and willing to pay this bill, but was denied that opportunity. I acknowledge that I forgot about this and should have done more to resolve it, but at the same time, had I received a phone call back as I was told I would, or if ********* had been sent this wouldn't have gone to collections. All I'm asking is for it to be removed from my credit without having to go through other channels to do so.