Can I Be Charged Rent After My Lease Expired Even Though I Chose Not To Renew It And Submitted My Notice To Vacate ? (virginia)

TLDR: Can I legally be charged rent for an apartment after my lease ended and a notice to vacate was submitted? This is all because I “didn’t return possession of the unit” The unit had no physical keys to return and I left behind a few furniture items after the leasing office stated they would throw them out for me for a trash/ furniture removal fee ?

Last year I was renting an apartment in Virginia and ended up buying a house during that time so I did not renew my lease and submitted my notice to vacate 60 days in advance (August).

Before I moved out in October I called the leasing office and asked how much they would charge me for Trash/ Furniture removal as I did not have anyone to help me get rid of a few pieces of furniture I didn’t want. I was fine with the price I was quoted and left behind a broken desk, a bed frame, and a few other small items.

In February I received an email stating

“You submitted your notice and your lease ended October 18th however as of today, we have not received the keys to the home. We confirmed you still have items in the unit and have not surrendered the home. When can we expect to receive keys for the unit?”

They also stated I was 3 months behind on rent because they had been charging me on a monthly basis after my lease ended.

When I asked how this was possible when I submitted a notice to vacate and my lease had ended a few months ago the property manager said

“You remain rent responsible until you return possession of the unit to the property, they cannot legally enter the unit until you do that.”

The apartment I lived in had no physical keys just a digital keypad lock, I submitted my notice to vacate and I spoke with property management about the items I left behind. I do not understand how I was supposed to return possession of the unit when the unit had no keys etc

They sent my account to collections for 9,000 dollars for the rent I didn’t pay after my lease ended plus several late fees.

Can they legally charge me rent after my lease has ended and I submitted my notice to vacate?

Every other apartment I’ve lived in would throw out the previous owners belongings within a week of their lease ending.