Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  02/12/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This apartment complex has damaged my credit and lied to get me to pay $513.48. When I leased from them in Nov. 2019, I was required to purchase a term bond for a nonrefundable amount of $150 in lieu of a deposit, which gave them a $600 insurance policy against me. I was never late with my rent and was hardly ever there as this was not my primary residence. They were increasing the rent by $350 per month, so I decided I would find something cheaper and save money when my leave was up. I gave them the required month notice I was moving out. They told me they would have their cleaning service clean for $350 if I wanted. I declined; I had a private company cleaning on Nov. 4th for $185. I moved on out on Nov. 6th., and was told by management "if we aren't here, leave your keys, gate card, and a check with the prorated amount for the month in the mail drop box." I did exactly that. In Feb. 2024, I started receiving collection calls from what I thought was a scam. Turns out the management had written up numerous charges totaling $645 that I owed. Never once did they call me--even though ***** in management has my number. They purposely made these erroneous "charges" over $600 because that is what is has to be to get a profit from me. The amount is for "blinds/wall ($37), past utility bills that posted after I left ($99.52), $65 for a left bag of items they do not have a picture of, and $445 for cleaning." I have no problem paying $136.52 for blinds and utilities, but they are fabricating and lying about the cleaning. The pictures they sent show nothing is dirty except the patio has a lot of bird poo on it because they REFUSED to remove a bird nest citing it was an endangered species. Also, they charged for "cleaning and stretching the carpet" which resulted from a busted water line in the above apartment that came pouring through the ceiling two years ago. They brought in fans and REFUSED TO replace the damaged carpet. I have no problem paying what I owe--$136.52.

  Business response

  02/23/2024

  As a company we have a standard move out policy. Upon giving notice, the resident was given 3 forms to review and sign.
  
  1.) Notice of intent to vacate. 
  2.) Apartment Cleaning Service Agreement.
  3.) A list of move out charges to show what could be potentially charged if there were damages or cleaning concerns.
  
  These forms were reviewed with the resident by the Property Manager. The resident signed the notice of intent to vacate. When the resident signed the form, it was declared that a copy of the move out charges were received and it was understood the potential cleaning and damage charges were the responsibility of the resident.
  Photos were taken of items charged. A final account statement was prepared and emailed to the resident. The Property Manager followed up with a phone call to collect what was owed after move out with no response. After 30 days of move out the account had not been paid and was turned over to collection.
  After the account was turned over, the resident visited the office to discuss charges. The Property Manager discussed the charges and reviewed photos with the resident. The resident did not voice any concerns at that time.
  The resident was informed of potential charges before move out. The items charged to his account were not charged in an unfair or unknowingly way.
  If you need anything further, please let us know.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ********
  Property Manager
  Canebrake Apartments

  Customer response

  02/27/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  In regards to this complaint, I am rejecting Canebrake’s solution and restating some pertinent facts, that have been overlooked. 
  
  
  I have no issue paying any money due from a lapsed utility bill. She indicated she called me concerning this during the month of November, I am happy to provide phone records, as I never received a call from Canebrake apartments once I vacated. Moreover, I never received a call from Lease Term Solutions once this was turned over to them, and finally I only received notice after I answered an unwavering “Spam” phone call. This was the collections department, and they too had never mailed, or emailed me. I have a forwarding address setup from Canebrake, so I would receive any mail.
  
  
  I am attaching the pictures that Canebrake referenced as to the cleanliness of my unit once vacated. I am unwilling to pay the cleaning charges, as they are unsubstantiated. In these pictures that Canebrake took, you will see a perfectly clean apartment. Again, I had it professionally cleaned on Saturday Nov 4, 2023 two days before we vacated. There are a couple of items worth noting here.
  
  
  There is a charge of $65 for a full bag of trash. There was no trash left, and there is no picture of a bag of trash. This is unsubstantiated.
  You will see a picture of a birds nest on the patio, which left the walls filthy. I complained about this for the last three years and asked maintenance to take care of it (as I did not live there full time.) They responded both times I asked, saying this was an endangered species making it illegal to remove the nest. It is a sparrows nest. When the birds hatched and left,  I brought over my power washer from our home, took the nest down and cleaned the patio myself. I did this two of the three years I lived here. I did not clean/remove it last Fall, because we were moving out. Now I am being charged for not removing and cleaning the nest, that I was told twice by Canebrake was illegal to tamper with. 
  You will see bad stains on the master bedroom carpet, with subsequent carpet cleaning charges. We happened to be staying there on a Saturday night when the water line upstairs ruptured. Our master bath flooded from the ceiling and it soaked the master bedroom carpet and hallway. It was Monday afternoon before Canebrake maintenance ever came into my apartment. They pulled the carpet up and put two fans in place. They did not replace the carpet, they retucked it and cut away the soaked floorpad. At a bare minimum they should have replaced the floor in the bath, and the carpet in the bedroom, but they left the stained carpet in place with some partial floor pad gone. Now I am being charged for it. I can provide evidence of the emergency maintenance claim I submitted that Saturday night and again on Sunday when no one answered it. 
  
  
  That said, I am happy to pay any unpaid utility fees, I will pay to replace the blinds, and pay for the hook removal in the patio closet. All other claims are simply bogus, and a means for them to acquire the $600 lease term bond.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ******

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