ComplaintsforEmerald Property Management Inc

• Initial Complaint

  05/01/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Emerald property management is defrauding tenants by charging rent and deposits on rentable units and won't fix anything, including issues that break the law. They need to be investigated for fraud.

  Business response

  05/02/2024

  I am sorry but I personally cannot respond to this complaint. This complainer has harassed, threatened, followed, disrupted business, made false complaints to various agencies, and used aggressive and unwanted and obscene remarks to not only members of our staff but also several members of my family.  If this person believes they are so unhappy with their apartment  perhaps they should move to another property.  We are not stopping them. That is my resolution. 

• Initial Complaint

  04/20/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  This company made multiple illegal deductions from my Security Deposit and refuse to speak to me. Most notably they charged me for carpet cleaning, which can only be done when it is cleaned before the tenant moves in. They charged me for outlets that were already broken and noted on my move on checklist. Theu charged me for painting even though I lived there less than a year, caused no damage to the paint and noted previous tenants damage to the paint on my move in checklist, including worn areas and kids drawing on the walls. They charged me for a day that I didn't occupy the unit and had already returned my keys. They also hire cleaning and minor repairs/painting contractors that charge well above a reasonable hourly rate.

  Business response

  04/21/2024

  This case was reviewed before sending out to the tenant and again reviewed after the tenant turned in a security deposit dispute we received April 3 and processed April 6.

  The tenant gave notice on January 29, 2024. The tenant is required to give at least a 30-day notice.  The tenant paid a pro-rated rent through February 27, 2024 as per their calculation. The tenant turned in their keys as dated by them on March 1, 2024. Thus the days of February 28, February 29 and March 1 were appropriately charged to the tenant as they were previously unpaid.
  

  The repair bills included many other items outside of touch up paint such as missing and burned out light bulbs. the bills far exceeded what was ultimately charged against the tenants deposit. 
  

  The vendors we use charge below the standard market rates for their services. Many people are out of touch of what contractors and other service providers are charging nowadays. Many have doubled or tripled their rates in the past 4 years while most of our vendors have not increased rates and subsequently costs to the property owners and tenants by more than 20%. 
  

  The floor/carpet was professionally cleaned after the tenancy. We only charged $50.00 for this. The tenant is correct that it was not cleaned prior but I had to research to find this out as carpet cleaning had been ordered.  It appears that for some reason the vendor marked our  e-mail with the cleaning request  as spam. They had been cleaning 5 to 10 carpets per month for us regularly but that stopped immediately after. So it looks like their error cost them a years worth of jobs from us since our emails have not been going through since marked as spam. We will refund the additional $50 for this. 
  

  in addition I will take an additional $100 off of repairs as the vendor did say it was left in good shape. 
  

  Therefore, In addition to the original refund and the $75 additional refund already given we will be giving a total of an additional $150 refund. 
  

   

   

  Customer response

  04/21/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* ******

• Initial Complaint

  04/11/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My name is **** and my husband ***************************** we live in ******* apartments at 1973 18th Street in ****************** the property management company is emerald property Management they have sent us an eviction notice to be out by April 30th well I went into talk to him and there's only one individual in the entire business that can even talk to me about this and he's on vacation and won't respond to the emails I don't see how this is legal or Fair the days that he's on vacation and not here to deal with this I think should be added to the eviction time process but I really don't see how the business is legally operating and they can't have somebody there every day to deal with this series of a matter also they have put in the eviction notice that they have a problem with vehicles parking on city streets I don't believe this company has been given the authority to regulate anything on a public city street we have given them the vehicle make model information for the one vehicle that we park inside the complex these people are not doing repairs to our apartment in any kind of timely fashion or fashion at all we are very very displeased with this property management company . We have lived here at this apartment since June of 2015 we have never not once been late on our rent we have paid regularly every month all these years we don't bother anybody our apartments clean we're very helpful to everybody here and we're one of the few individuals that clean up the trash that people leave outside. my husband is a decorated combat veteran in the vash program. We have passed every annual inspection. We corrected the issues/complaints in the eviction warning before the due date.

  Business response

  04/11/2024

  The tenant was issued a 30-day for cause termination for several violations as a result of complaints from several neighbors. I will not go into detail but said violations were primarily involving auto repair on the property, unauthorized vehicles on the property, disturbing other tenants, and perhaps operating a business on the property. The issues were  cured to the satisfaction of the General Manager (who yes in on vacation this week). Therefore the notice was cancelled. The tenants were notified of this earlier today from one of our Property Managers who is here as we have have 3 Property Managers or equivalents still in town who can answer these type of questions.  I am sorry if the tenants were provided incorrect information as we have had back up reception for several days this week.

• Initial Complaint

  01/23/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The business denied our renters application, this is clearly either because we didn't fit some unknown criteria or they took personal affront to my displeasure with how long the application process was taking given they said it'd take about 5 business days and on the 10th business day they still hadn't started my application or reached out. I only expressed how much this was costing us in hotel stays every day they failed to complete my application. In any case the denial was clearly unjust as for available funds we have enough money to pay 4 years rent without ever working so proof of income isn't a concern. We have impeccable renters history, never broken a lease never failed to pay rent or made a late payment. Never done anything left an apartment in worse condition than what we received it in. Not to mention we've rented from this very company before, the very same property we were trying to rent from them again. We got our full deposit back when we moved so clearly we treated their property with respect. So like I said this is either a personal issue or they have hidden criteria used to discriminate against tenants.

  Business response

  02/27/2024

  I am not sure this person was ever a tenant of ours. We only manage property in ****** and I see the address where he lives is in *********.  I do not see the name in our computer as a former (or current) tenant. 
  
  The applicant applied , was missing several forms of documents we require including IDS and proof of income., then provided those later.  ***** also did not initially provide his application with that of his roommate/significant other.  Several required areas of the applications were left blank including income and reference phone numbers. In fact there were zero contactable references given.  When we said there was incomplete information then the applicant said quote well I guess you dont like old whities then. 
  
  The applicant is welcome to supply the balance of the information necessary to fully process the application including contactable reference phone numbers or emails, information regarding their former tenancy at the same complex, employment or income information (just bank account balance is not sufficient), etc.
  

  
  

  Customer response

  02/27/2024

  Complaint: 21189140
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  
  This is completely false. Requisite information was provided upon request. Including ID's and a separate application for the other tenant. Additionally proof of income was provided at the same time detailed in the bank statements they requested. Which were provided as requested. Also references were submitted and the application was filled out with all applicable fields required. Beyond current employment because as stated at the time of application we just moved into town. That is why bank records showing we had enough to cover 4+ years of rent were provided. Nice try though. Also as to the misconception that you simply told me "there was incomplete or missing information needed." That is a complete and total lie. I was told the application had been declined and was given no further information. The notion that you requested more information was demonstrably false. We desperately needed a place to move into to stop hemorrhaging money to hotel cost. So the thought I would have done anything beyond provide the additional requested information defies basic logic and is clearly you covering for what actually happened. Which is you were provided with all information requested, and proof that we were more than capable of covering said rent but still chose to deny the application. Be it for personal reasons or something else. Lastly we were former tenants at the centennial apartments my mother at the time was the primary applicant. Which was also the primary applicant on this application. 
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  *********************

• Initial Complaint

  09/07/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have attached below the letter I hand delivered and emailed to the Emerald Property Management company detailing the issues of habitability within the unit I am renting, including maintenance requests that are not resolved, the things we were told we could not submit maintenance requests due to they would not address it. The request to meet and be moved into a new unit. No response has been received.We have a rat infestation that is damaging the unit and personal property. We cannot use at least 55% of the unit due to rat f**** falling from the ceiling and urine that is staining the walls and causing the whole unit to smell. We have submitted multiple maintenance requests over the last year to have them address the problem. Maintenance stated that there was nothing else he could do. I cannot live with the rat infestation any longer. Other issues with the unit include the bathtub on the second floor leaked into our kitchen, the ceiling started peeling, and it has been at least a month without it being fixed. Heaters in the house have not been fixed. There is a pipe outside of the house that leads under the house that is leaking and I have been told they will need to cut a hole in the floor of the house to fix. In addition, the unit did not have heat for two months in winter when we moved in, the power blows throughout the entire house when using lights or the microwave, and we were told we could not submit maintenance request regarding electrical or structural issues in the house such as outlets not working or the stairs being loose. As the tenant I have done everything within my abilities to promptly alert maintenance/property management company of any issues that have arisen, taken time off of work to be available for maintenance, and consistently follow up on requests. Please review the inspection report upon move in.

  Business response

  09/20/2023

  I reviewed the file. I also received a written complaint from the tenant. The tenant seems to imply on a recent letter that nothing has been done on this property yet I have NINE bills from the last month and a half for repairs done on the property.  I also have work orders in place for the few items that have not been completed from the list so I will need to converse with the vendors as to why those items are not completed if they are not completed.  The house is old with an older electrical system and as in almost every old house and some newer you cannot operate multiple high watt appliances at the same time that are on the same breaker or it will shut everything down. For example if your heater is running you should not operate a vacuum, microwave oven, or blow dryer at the same time on that breaker,  I will need another week for a more thorough response after I have had a chance to talk to the vendors involved. 

  Customer response

  09/21/2023

   
  Complaint: 20571917
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I ***********************, am rejecting the Emerald Property Management response provided by ************. The matter was not adequately addressed in regard to the issues provided in the original letter.
  There have been Multiple Maintenance requests that have not been completed and or partially completed. ************ is responding to the three doorknobs replaced. A service request was made on July 25, 2023 for the doorknobs and completed on Sept 06, 2023 Maintenance created a hole on the outside of the home due to a consistent leak on August 17, 2023 and maintenance semi nailed a tile over the hole on Sept 8, 2023 and this issue has not been completed and still leaks. Photos were taken.
  A maintenance request made on July 25, 2023 light fixture was replaced, maintenance left all parts on top of the gas furnace, job was completed in September. Maintenance had cut two holes in total, one was in the kitchen to find the leak was coming from the upstairs bathroom, that job was completed from an outside source. This maintenance request was on May 28, 2022
  The hole in the ceiling was created by maintenance and put rat poison in the ceiling, then screwed a tile back on to the ceiling and, everything is visible. The work order was submitted on July 25, 2023 for the sink upstairs bathroom was clogged, that was completed two weeks later on August 08, 2023
  The initial maintenance documented request for the Rat issue was August 2022, November 27, 2022, January 03, 2023, Feb 21, 2023 and March 07, 2023I was informed by maintenance ***************************** that he purchased the strongest poison and there was nothing further he could do. ****************** stated Emerald Property Management would have to hire a pest control company and they would not do that. This home was built in **** and No Updates have been completed on this home. Its obvious the wiring is Out Of Code. ************** response stated that when the heat is on and I need to vacuum, I have to turn off the heat.
  All maintenance requests have been screenshotted to my phone. I went on the maintenance website on Sept 21, ************************************* been deleted by management. I have requested several appointments via email to meet ************ with no response. I am appalled at ************** actions and letter response. I am requesting a full deposit refund of $1695.00 and moving expenses (Includes deposits) once approved for another home.
  I have shown up during my working hours per maintenance requests and either maintenance does not show or shows up the following day while Im at work.
  Please provide a copy of all the maintenance request in question to the Better Business Bureau. Please provide the Pest Control Report to the Better Business Bureau and myself by September 28, 2023
  
  Kind Regards,
  
  ***********************

  Business response

  10/20/2023

  Our office has made a through review of the claims of the tenant at *************************************************. We
  dispute the claims that we have been negligent in any way in our follow-up to the maintenance requests
  made by the tenants. We have the matters well documented in our software system and through the
  invoices of the general contractors used for the maintenance requests.
  We understand that every tenancy wants to have maintenance requests completed immediately.
  Unfortunately, we are not able to provide that as an amenity for our single-family properties as we do
  not staff maintenance technicians within our company. In our business model all maintenance requests
  are sent out to licensed and bonded contractors to complete. Those contractors schedule with the
  tenancy and in some cases, we have seen where the tenants schedule doesnt permit them to make
  entry due to personal matters and extends the time in which a contractor is trying to follow up on a
  work order. In some cases, ownerships have preferred the contractors they use and since our fiduciary
  responsibility is with the ownership, we do our best to accommodate our clients wishes.
  In review of the complaints, we have found that all maintenance requests received have been reviewed
  and completed apart from adding pest control to the property. The reason behind this is that we did not
  provide the property to the tenancy with a rodent issue, and it was November of 2022 when the tenant
  approached us about the pest problem you were having. At this point, the tenant had been in the rental
  for over a year, and we do not feel that this is a landlord caused issue or an issue of negligence.
  In fact, our ownership decided to be helpful and asked the contractor to place bait stations and assist
  with some of the cleaning up for the benefit of the tenancy. We understand that this has continued to
  be an issue, but we are not the ones creating an environment either inside or outside that would attract
  these pests. We have and will continue to try and assist the tenancy with preventative measures as the
  budget allows, but we will not be adding a monthly pest control to the property. The tenancy may hire
  their own licensed and bonded contractor to provide that monthly service.
  Slugs are not an infesting creature as explained by the ************************* but the ownership
  wanted to assist with this matter for the benefit of the tenancy. To address the heater issue and later
  replacement, we did provide the tenancy with two space heaters capable of heating the dwelling unit to
  at least 55 degrees as outlined in the rental agreement in a reasonable amount of time. We also have
  replaced heaters in the dwelling unit in 2023 as approved by the ownership.
  As for the concerns about the electrical in the property. The rental was built in **** and is up to code
  for the date built as required by law. In the ****s we used less electronics with less power usage, so
  you will see in older properties that the breakers will pop for safety when the circuit is overloaded.
  Living in an older home means that you will not be able to use as many modern conveniences on each
  circuit. Currently the electrical is functioning properly for the age of the home and the ownership does
  not have any plans to overhaul the electrical system in the home.
  We are sure the tenancy has video and photos of concerns they have but do they rise to the
  requirements outlined in ORLTL or under other legal requirements? We are aware and well versed in the
  management of rental property as our staff combined has over 100 years of experience in the industry
  and many hold either licensure or additional accreditation associated with the rental industry.
  We feel that this is a retaliation complaint because we are not completing or doing things in the manner
  that the tenant would like. Again, as stated before, we are at the mercy of the regulations and direction
  
  
  of ownership. Property management is not an on-demand industry and as we have seen recently some
  matters can take up to the 30-day **** to complete. In the case of older homes, we know that things
  will come up from time to time and repairs will be needed. The tenant is renting a property that was
  given to them decent, safe, and healthy and as matters have risen, we have addressed what we need to,
  but we will admit it is to the standards across the industry and approved by the owner of the property.
  Some matters are not for tenants to dictate, and it is why ownerships hire management for their
  properties to help facilitate this interaction.
  In closing, contrary to the complaint BBB received we are taking care of the property and maintaining it
  as requested by ownership. We believe that the disconnect is between what is considered reasonable or
  a reasonable timeline in our industry and the level of management the tenant expects for their rental
  home. Each property is different, it may or may not have the same ownership, it may have different
  goals but at the end of the day we ensure that our tenants are receiving the proper habitability of a
  rental home.

  Customer response

  10/27/2023

   
  Complaint: 20571917
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  October 26, 2023
  Reference : 20571917
  
  I am rejecting the response from Emerald Property.
  The claim that my complaint is in retaliation is utterly appalling and, that we are responsible for the pest infestation. We as tenants are not receiving the proper habitability we deserve.
  In response to Emerald Properties time line of maintenance being completed and the completion of repairs, in fact Emerald Property has been negligent in completion of the repairs. Repairs do not take 30, 60 and or 90 days to just partially complete, quick fix. It is very clear on the time lines from the maintenance requests dates that they did not or are not completed, In fact a maintenance request was submitted on 08/17/2023 for the kitchen ceiling leak, which has caused cracks in the ceiling and walls, with puddles of water, the damage and has not been addressed 2 months later.. In response to Emerald Property stating the tenants schedule does not permit for entry is a false allegation. I have made myself available every time and always have a spare key left outside for maintenance.
  I reached out to the previous tenants of 790 J St *********** ****** and Rain and ****** confirmed the rat infestation and leak damages. They lived in this house for 3 years and the home was abandon for 6 years prior to them moving in. As for Emerald Property stating we are the cause is appalling and malice.
  Please reference previous correspondence through the BBB.
  Emerald Property needs to take responsibility for this on-going issue. Its my hopes the BBB finds them at fault including on my behalf a small claims action suit.
  
  
  
  
  Kind Regards,

  
  ***********************
   

  Business response

  11/20/2023

  We have already given our final response on this matter. Thank you. 
  

   

  Customer response

  11/26/2023

   
  Complaint: 20571917
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  11/26/23

  I am rejecting this response because it does not provide any sort of resolution. Emerald Property Management has been negligent in repairs, made malicious claims toward us, knowingly rented us a property with rodents and then blamed that issue on us, rented us a property that needed repairs and maintenance without disclosing that information, and misrepresented information surrounding this complaint.

  There are still repairs that have not been completed such as the maintenance request submitted 8/17/23 for the upstairs bathroom leaking into our kitchen. It has been 97 days and it has not been repaired. We have pieces of ceiling peeling and falling onto our floor, shelves, and stove. The wall has puckered in multiple places, cracks formed, and has become discolored. Also,the pest company had recommended holes throughout the house be repaired in order to reduce the access the rodents have to the house to help manage the issue. None of these holes have been addressed or repaired.  

  Furthermore, the last time that maintenance was out to my house to repair the bedroom heater they also decided to try to clean up the rodent f**** in the downstairs bathroom that is unable to be used. Maintenance used my own personal broom without permission, swept some of the rodent f**** against the toilet and trash can, and then left the broom leaning against the toilet covered in rat f**** and urine, with the bottom of the broom sitting in the pile of rat f**** They also left the dustpan sitting inside of the sink that was also covered in rat f**** and urine. The dustpan and broom had to be thrown away because they could no longer be used in the rest of the house. Maintenance consistently leaves messes from repairs that I must clean up.   

  At any time, Emerald Property Management could have called me to set up an appointment to meet so that they could discuss what was going on and what barriers they are facing surrounding these issues and the delay in repairs. I would have been more than happy to have that conversation and come up with a solution that all parties felt comfortable with, and I provided multiple opportunities for said communication. Instead, I was ignored repeatedly, then blamed for the issues that I am not responsible for causing,and now I am being dismissed without any form of resolution. Emerald Property Managements lack of addressing the issues that we have been facing as their tenants is disappointing and severely concerning. The responses and behavior of Emerald Property Management are unprofessional for an accredited business with an A+ rating. Due to the concerning nature of Emerald Property Managements lack of regard for their tenants, I strongly encourage the BBB to look into Emerald Property Managements practices with all of their tenants.  
  

  If Emerald Property Management does not provide a resolution consisting of covering the costs to move into a new unit under a different property management company and return our deposit in full or another equally suitable solution, I will have to take further action. 
  
  Kind Regards, 

  ***********************

  Business response

  03/08/2024

  We accidentally sent the  security deposit without my full review. The remainder of the security deposit was mailed today so with the check mailed earlier this week and today equal the total amount of the tenants security deposit. 

• Initial Complaint

  07/16/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We paid rent on May 2nd, 2023 for the entire month of May.We moved out of the unit on May 15th, 2023.Emerald property management sent us a bill saying we owe them money because they think we moved out on June 15th. I tried to contact the phone number on their website to tell them they made a billing mistake, but nobody ever picks up, so I let them know through "request maintenance" option on the website. No response from there either. It's almost like they are stealing.. Charging people money for a unit that they did not live in is illegal. We have a signed lease of our new apartment that started on May 15th, which is the day we moved out. I have tried telling them that they made a mistake through Emerald Property Management's "contact us" on their website with no answer. They have ignored us for months. The only way to get them to answer us is to gave the federal government force them to do so.We moved out of Emerald's units on May 15th. We moved in to our new apartment on May 15th, as stated by my new lease in this photo. Not June 15th. You owe us $380.

  Business response

  07/18/2023

  The tenant failed to provide a 30-day notice as required by law and by rental contract on a month-to-month agreement. The tenant needs to review their contract to see the penalties associated with failure to provide a written 30-day notice to the landlord before vacating the property. If the tenant can provide proof that a notice was given and/or that they are not subject to the 30-day requirement then we will revise the statement accordingly. 

• Initial Complaint

  04/21/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This particular company is the landlord to my apartment complex. For the last 2 years this company never answers any phone calls or respond to any sent emails. We have very important questions or request to this company but they never respond. We have to pay rent to them soon but we can never talk to anyone.

  Business response

  04/27/2023

  Our company is based in ****** and only manages properties in ******.  We do not manage any properties in *******.  This persons name does not appear anywhere in our records as a tenant, past tenant, or even as an applicant. 

• Initial Complaint

  04/12/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Today is 4-12-23 and I got a letter in the mail stating we owe $134 for a repair man coming to fix out sink and dishwasher, dishwasher was never fixed, and the landlords sent us the bill saying we have to pay this. This is not my responsibility this is the landlords responsibility to pay for repairs not the tenant. The plumbing company called me to schedule the repairs after getting a call from our landlords about the problem. This is not my responsibility and on top of that they do not come to fix anything in a timely manner.

  Business response

  05/01/2023

  The tenant requested a repair of their garbage disposal  back in February 2023.  They said that it did not work. We sent a plumber out as a result.  As you can see from the bill it worked fine other than some seeds that were placed by the tenant in the disposal. They did not notify the plumber or us prior to the visit that it was working properly.  This was a wasted visit by the plumber.  
  The property owner saw the bill and asked why he should pay for a bill for a working disposal that the tenants stated was not working. We do charge tenants bills for tenant caused damages, missed appointment fees with independent vendors that we are charged, or bills from independent vendors when we are provided with false, misleading, or highly exaggerated information by the tenant., 

  Customer response

  05/02/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********.  My husband and I have just decided to pay the bill, even though our dishwasher still has water in it, and won't drain.  We put in a request on Feb 4th for the garbage disposal, to which we heard nothing back.  Then a month later on March 5th we put in a request for the dishwasher.  Since they took so long to get back to us, my husband had fixed the garbage disposal.  The dishwasher was still not draining. Finally the landlord sent a plumber on March 20th for the DISHWASHER. The plumber ran it a couple times and said it was fine, and that there was nothing wrong with the garbage disposal.  After the plumber left we tried running the dishwasher, and it wouldn't drain.  And still won't. My husband inspected issue and thinks it is the pump. Why is it the tenants responsibility to pay for a bill and a pump on a dishwasher when the appliances are 10 to 15 yes old?  We have only lived here for 2 years.  I don't think that is fair.  We take care of everything and can't help that a pump went out on the dishwasher. It is completely the landlords responsibility to fix appliances when things go out. I can't believe this is even happening.  However we are left with no choice but to pay the bill and let the landlords that don't fix anything get one over us.  
  
  Regretfully,
  
  *********************

• Initial Complaint

  10/10/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On September 28, 2022 we were told by ************************* that we would be excepting a refund of $1195 mailed to our address as a deposit refund. I reached out to her once again on October 5th I emailed requesting a timeframe on receiving the refund, as well as leaving a voicemail. They announce their policy of needing two business days to respond. It has been now been 4 business days with no response. I have also left messages for additional people in their office such as another in her department and a person in accounts payable.

  Business response

  10/31/2022

  This was a reservation deposit where we issued a full security deposit refund on October 3, 2022. The deposit was refunded because we subsequently found that the applicant had provided false or misleading information on their application. 

• Initial Complaint

  06/02/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I reserved a property sight-unseen, and was mislead, resulting in their refusal to return my $2000 deposit. I was lead to believe I would be contacted, able to view the property prior to the date of move-in, then would be ready to move in 1 Jun. I received no communication after, called twice the week of the 15th and never heard back, then went to the office 26 May (6 days before my scheduled move-in). That lady was THE FIRST to mention it was possible to have to decide to forfeit the deposit or move-in on the same day. I NEVER would have signed or given $2,000 to ANY PROPERTY knowing I would have to decide to forfeit my money or take the house on the SAME DAY I see it for the first time.My move in was supposed to be 1 June. Since I told them this issue on 27 May, theyve ignored my calls/VMs and emails.Still to be resolved I see there are two other similar complains on the BBB

  Business response

  07/11/2022

  Tell us w
  This prospective tenant has provided misleading information.  The tenants applied for the property, were approved, were notified they were approved, showed up at our office on at least two occasions to pay a holding deposit on the property.  The first time she said she showed up to pay the deposit she decided to wait two more days because she wanted to be sure before placing the deposit.  
  
  The purpose of the reservation or holding deposit is to both guarantee the tenant receives that dwelling but also guarantees the property owner they have a tenant in place when the dwelling is ready to be inhabited. This is a win-win situation when all parties follow through.  The prospective tenant was unable to view the property live before reserving the property as there was still a tenant occupying the dwelling.  In this tight market and in the campus area it is normal for most tenants to rent a house one to eight months in advance and in many cases sight unseen other than from the road and pictures of the interior.  Regardless of whether the person saw the home one week or one day before move in the result would have been the same.
  
  The tenant placed the reservation deposit with the full knowledge that it was non -refundable once placed and signed.  This was both explained to them and is in writing clearly on the one page reservation deposit form.  To indicate the contrary is completely disingenuous. The form clearly states that if the applicant fails to sign the rental agreement and take possession on or before the designated date, the amount of the deposit shall be forfeited.  This was signed by both parties on May 4, 2022 with an execution date no later than June 1, 2022.  The applicant made no attempt to execute the agreement before, on, or even after June 1, 2022 despite the home being ready for occupancy.  We had removed the dwelling from an advertising for over a month as a result of the reservation deposit.  
  
  Refunding all or even a portion of this reservation deposit in this case would be a violation of our fiduciary duties to the property owner who received the forfeited money in full to cover their rent loss as a result of the prospective tenants actions. hy here...

  Customer response

  07/14/2022

  Complaint: 17314220
  I am rejecting this response because:
  To say that I was being disingenuous is audacious coming from a business that has ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS mislead consumers and WRONGFULLY WITHHELD deposits.
  So I WILL REPETE: To paraphrase ******* FRISCHS WORDS: The current tenant is a single woman whos only lived here a few months. She just bought a house, so its in great condition and will be super easy to clean and have ready for you to look at. Ill give you a call in 1- 1.5weeks, but if not call me.
  AGAIN: She made it seem like she was drawing out the move in date for me. BUT I received ABSOLUTELY NO communication after, Called twice the week of the 15th (WELL within business hours), NEVER heard back, then went to the office ********************************************* my initial filing. SHE DID NOT CONTACT ME ON 1 JUNE.
     Also, there is NO guarantee that if I had seen it sooner and moved in, or seen/moved in on the first that I would have gotten my deposit back. The unprofessional actions and words from *******(including non-actions- IGNORING my calls and emails), NO response from Jovan, Emerald Propertys Manager, along with the other reviews on BBB give FULL INDICATION that this business has a history of neglecting and misleading consumers.
  And if it isnt Emerald Property Management as a whole, there is only one employee I interacted with: ***************************.
  Even though verbal communication isnt binding, its a lie for her to say she didnt tell me all of what I paraphrased above. Again it is INSULTING that a business misleading consumers(who are easy victims, because we dont know the intricacies of the legal side) would call me disingenuous. Is it not a Corporations DUTY to take responsibility for THEIR EMPLOYEES ACTIONS??
  P.S. If you look closely at the Reservation Deposit form, *******************************, who WAS on the approved application DID NOT sign it. At minimum he would like his half($1000) of the deposit back.
  And its a white lie to say its normal to rent sign unseen other than from the road [with a $2000 deposit]. I have toured properties from Northwoods, Riverwalk, Horizon Properties and more with only my approved application. And to compare reservation deposits I have seen on 20+ property websites, the majority are barely HALF of $2000. 
  
  

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