Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  10/21/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have lived in this apartment complex since they opened the building.When I turned on the air conditioner (a p-tech unit)and it would drain into the apartment and leave puddles. I expressed my concern and they tried to fix it but were unable.After that when the season changed the air conditioning was turned on it did it again.They brought in a specialist that dealt with these &he said that the sleeve of the unit would need to be replaced and that it was a costly fix. They then proceeded to put a board under the unit to force the flow of water outward. Then tapped it up with black flex tape on white walls it looked hideous. I tried requesting that the fix it properly but no one did. I wrote a letter to the corp office and this past Friday they sent a young man from ******** to our facility to fix my unit. When I asked if he was replacing the sleeve. He had no clue what a sleeve was. This made me apprehensive. I called my children to explain the situation and my daughter came over to access the situation.We left thinking that it would be an easy fix. I was downstairs in the lobby playing cards and asked my daughter to go up and check.She returned very upset telling me that the young man was sitting on the floor and she asked him the status of things at 130p he said he was waiting on reply from the president of his company.Then the maintenance man came in and told her that the we stopping them from working and she needed to leave. She took photos and and said that I would be up in a few hours and he told her that I could watch tv downstairs if they werent done. She was very upset and asked management for phone numbers and no would give her anything. They did call at 430p and told me that it would fixed on Monday. I agreed to that and here we are today Monday eve at 8p I have not seen or heard anything. Im 81 yrd old and saddened they treat elderly people with no respect for all we have contributed to the world

  Business response

  10/28/2024

  Weve been in touch with ********* ******* and provided her with the repair status. Were waiting for the new PTAC unit to arrive in about 3-4 weeks. Once its here, well schedule a time to install it and complete a full repair of the drywall. Weve already fixed the issue with the screen on the outside of the unit. These repairs will be completed under work order #********

  Customer response

  10/28/2024

  I would prefer waiting until the issue is completed, and I am satisfied, before I accept the resolution still 3 weeks out. Is this possible?

  ********* Shively 

• Initial Complaint

  02/01/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was a resident of the Harlow Apartment Complex, managed by Homestead America. Homestead America has violated my lease by changing my move out date to extend the term of the lease and charge me additional prorated rent of the added days. Per the terms of my lease, my lease terminated on January 25, 2024. In Section 8, of my lease, there is an automatic renewal clause which states that the lease shall automatically renew on a bimonthly basis if a 60 day notice of moving out is not provided. No end date is provided for in the clause, necessarily qualifying the lease as a lease that extends for longer than three years. Therefore, this automatic renewal clause is in violation of of O.R.C 5301.01 because it is not signed by the landlord and notarized. Section 8 is therefore void. Further, the action taken by Homestead America does not comport with the action described in Section 8 of my lease agreement because this clause pertains specifically to a bimonthly renewal, not an arbitrary extension and charge of additional prorated rent. Homestead America has been informed of the violations of both Ohio Law and my lease through both direct correspondence and correspondence with legal counsel but they refuse to honor the terms of the lease or substantively respond to my concerns about violations of both the lease agreement and Ohio law. As a result of these violations, on January 2, 2024 I was charged and paid an additional $285.28. Homestead America has refused to provide a refund. An additional charge of $207.41 was added on February 1, 2024. I have not paid this charge. Advanced notice of these charges was never provided, resulting in emotional distress and financial difficulty.

  Business response

  02/01/2024

  *****,

  I have reviewed your complaint and consulted with our legal team. According to the terms outlined in the lease agreement, you are required to provide a 60-day notice for termination. You provided notice on 12/05, and in accordance with the lease terms, I have adjusted your move-out date from 2/4 to 2/3 to align with the 60-day notice requirement.
  
  As of now, your current outstanding balance is $175.09. You can pay through your resident portal or by dropping off a payment at the office.
  
  If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** *******
  Phone: ###-###-####

  Customer response

  02/01/2024

  [If you do not say why you are rejecting the company's response, BBB must close your complaint.] 
  
  Complaint: 21231042
  
  I am rejecting this response because: while the terms of my lease requires a 60 day notice, it does not stipulate that failure to provide such shall result in the extension of the lease term and the charge of additional days of prorated rent. Further, the lease fails to provide any legally compliant action that Homestead America may take as the result of late notice. Therefore, per the terms of the lease, Homestead America does not have the right to add any additional charges or extend the lease as a result of late notice. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ***** ****

  Business response

  02/05/2024

  *****,

  You may contact ******* our attorney at Willis Law for further gudiance on a resolution at ###-###-####.  Our lease is complaint with Ohio Laws therfore the balance is valid.

• Initial Complaint

  10/04/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The Cottages of College Station, managed by HomesteadU, charged me $470 after moving out of my apartment. I attempted to dispute these charges with video evidence, but my several emails and dozens of phone calls were ignored. I went to the front office to speak to them in person, and after looking at my account, the employee told me that two of the four charges had been added in error, as they were supposed to be charged to another unit in my apartment. I was told these charges would be removed from my account the next day. The charges were not removed, and attempts to contact the leasing office or the manager have been ignored completely. I want to remedy these fraudulent charges.

  Business response

  11/07/2022

  BBB,
  
  This account is at a zero balance following *****'s payment on 10/6. We have provided all documentation to ***** of charges.
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  04/23/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  And I’m going Threw This”Retaliation”with a Crappy Landlord because I said that I know my Fair Housing Rights, how are you going to Raise my Rent and I haven’t even been Here six months! And the district manager said well if you can afford it You should find another place,And I feel they are discriminating against me because I am on SSI Disability It’s Sad that the Apartment complex an Landlords can Treat you any kinda way and have that Much Power to kick you Out for no Reason,, +When you are paying your Rent on time $799.+$100. Xtra!! I could see if I did something wrong or was a Nuisance, Besides having a Voice! What’s Going on in this World anymore!?? I would not Rent anymore with”Homestead CO’s.”And if they paid me!

  Business response

  05/04/2022

  ******** was offered a lease renewal but failed to respond by the expiration of the lease, therefore going month to month. Per the lease terms, we provided the resident with a non-renewal notice on January 7th, 2022. While we have attempted to work with the resident to gain possession of the unit back. It has now been turned over to our attorney for hold-over status and non-payment. We ask to defer all further communications regarding ******** ****** to be forwarded to ******* *********** with Willis Law Firm at *************@willislawohio.com.
  
  ****** ******* – Operations Manager

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩