Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in California

I've lived in my current apartment for 10 years. Almost two and a half years ago faulty wiring led to a fire in the apartment above me. My apartment sustained a lot of water and smoke damage, and was uninhabitable for two months. The management company put me in a hotel (at their expense) and I was told that I would not have to pay rent during the repairs. None of this was in writing. After a few days at the hotel I proposed that I arrange my own temporary housing (stay with a friend), and instead of the $100/day for the hotel, the management company would pay $50/day directly to me. They agreed. The repairs were completed and I moved back in. Two or three months ago I was contacted by the management company, claiming that I owe $454 from that time. I told them to check their records as I owed them nothing. I didn't hear from them again until last week, when the new building manager asked me to call the company and get this resolved. I haven't called yet as this whole situation is very upsetting to me. I lost a lot of personal possessions due to the fire. I was put in an unclean hotel and wound up living in a friend's living room instead. It was, in short, a horrible time. My question is simply: can they do this? Can they claim, after two years, that I owe them this money? The amount in no way resembles my monthly rent, which is currently $875 and was $825 at the time. Other than demand an accounting (where that figure came from) what should I do?

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