Not Engaged Yet

Venting cause holy shit I'm angry....

I am so so so so so so pissed at my old apartment complex. BF and I both got a call from a collections agency today about an overdue bill we didn't even know existed for $930!!! Apparently our apt complex decided to charge us for carpet cleaning, cleaning the apartment, and utilities. I am soooo pissed off for so many reasons!

1. I sweated my ass off cleaning every nook and cranny of that apartment from top to bottom. It took me days because I went over on my lunch break and spent some evenings there after we moved everything out. I don't even know how many times I walked through that apartment picking up little bits of lint that I spotted or vaccuuming back over the footprints I left so that it would look completely untouched. We lived there for less than a year and didn't own or bring any animals into that apartment so I can't even imagine how they felt it needed cleaning. Hell, I had to fucking clean that apartment a second time after we initially moved in because they had done such a shitty job of it.

2. They are charging us for fucking utilities!! This makes ZERO sense to me! Why you ask? Because all of our fucking bills were either included as part of our monthly rent or paid separately directly to the fucking supplier! Internet we paid to the internet company for the month ahead. We paid our power bill directly to the power company. We received our last power bill earlier this month and it has also been paid. Our water/sewer/trash were paid as part of our monthly rent so that was also paid up for the entire last month that we were residing there. There is seriously NO utility they could be charging us for...

3. Carpet cleaning? WTF??? I could maayyybeeee stretch it and say yeah...they could within reason charge us to clean the carpet just because it's something they do as a standard but there is nothing in our lease saying carpet cleaning charges are required and secondly, the carpet was coming apart all over the place when we moved in. It was definitely old and needed to be replaced. There were 2 dime sized spots in the master bedroom but still...the only reasonable charge I could see here would be for $100 or $150.

I am just so angry. This is just the cherry on top of all the other shit we put up with for the 11 months we lived there. We have no invoice with an inventory of what we're being charged for although they say they are emailng us one today. I don't believe them...everything they ever "promised" or said they would do never even happened. They never attempted to even reach out to us regarding a past due invoice. They have our new address because they confirmed it with me in person when I returned our keys and gate cards in June. I even saw that they had a copy of our written 60 day notice with the associated official form that provided them with our new address and they still got it wrong!!!! I have no idea where the original invoice went. The idiots probably taped it to the door of the apartment we were no longer residing in and when it didn't get paid just forwarded it along to the collections agency. And the collections agency had our apartment address as their point of contact so we never even received their letter that they supposedly sent earlier this month regarding our "past due" bill. We set up mail forwarding to be effective for our new place back in June but honestly I think USPS is untrustworthy with mail forwarding and it takes extra time for forwarded mail to arrive at your new address anyway. So today is literally the first we've heard that we had to pay ANY charges whatsoever. And they basically told us if we don't pay up now then they are going to hit our credit scores with a late payment. Both of us have excellent credit so this would probably be devasting and I have zero idea how long it would affect my credit score.

I'm just really mad and upset right now. All I want to do is go home and down a bottle of wine and forget about everything.



Re: Venting cause holy shit I'm angry....

  • Okay, I would go back to your lease on your old apartment and go over it with a fine tooth-comb. I would also contact a lawyer and see how much of this they can really stick you for.

    I can see where they would charge you for carpet cleaning - my place has already said they're sticking that to me when I move out, even though their next step will be to rip out the carpet and replace it. And I anticipate some cleaning charges being stuck to me too, even though when I move out I'm going to be thorough. The utilities thing makes no sense, though, and if you have proof that the utilities were paid as part of the rent and all utilities were canceled when you move out, you might be able to dispute that charge.

    I would call your old management ASAP. Hopefully they got this wrong and are willing to fix at least some part of it ... And then I would drink. A lot. Sorry!
  • @lmhollister - take a deep breath. A lot of (shady) management companies will try these tactics just to see if they can get people to pay. A few things to do:

    1) Did you put down a security deposit? Did they return the security deposit to you? That would show that the apartment was in ok condition, so that's a point in your favor.

    2) Did you do a walk-through before you rented the apartment? Was there any note about the condition of the carpet?

    3) Wait until you get the itemized bill, then calmly call the manager of the apartment complex and discuss it with them. For a renter who was in a unit for less than a year, you shouldn't be stuck with replacing old carpet... but I bet they try to do that to mitigate the costs of updating their units.

    4) This may eventually get reported to your credit agency, but once you get it resolved, you can get it taken off. 

    5) Even if it WAS permanently on your credit report, it would not be devastating. It would be a blip. One that a couple months of good credit practices would erase. 
    Image and video hosting by TinyPic

    Daisypath Anniversary tickers

    "You are made of win." -SopChick
    Still here and still fabulous!

  • labrolabro member
    First Anniversary First Answer First Comment 5 Love Its

    Oh, BF has already called them and they said the whole thing is automated. Whoever the new asst manager is the one who told him that the charges were for utilities, cleaning, and carpet cleaning. As soon as I see that invoice I'm going to look at it alongside our move in check list to make absolutely sure they aren't charging us for pre-existing issues (like the massive green stain in the bathroom closet).

    I'm going home tonight to my parents house to research our options because my dad is the best, most thorough researcher I know. BF went ahead and paid what we owed to the collections agency because we didn't want to take the credit hit but this is seriously wrong. Maybe we have options with small claims court...I don't know. I feel absolutely sick to my stomach right now over all of this.

    I think it's also a serious problem that they failed to contact us using valid information and instead just sent everything to an apartment they knew we didn't even live in anymore.



  • @lmhollister I'm so sorry that you got blindsided with this.  @cutiger97 makes some really good points that I agree with.  I've seen management companies do insane things.  Hopefully you can get this sorted out.

    I would say contacting an attorney would be helpful.  But know that small claims like this tend to make the attorney's fees higher than the actual bill you're disputing. This is part of the reason shady management companies do what they do.   If they are big enough to have an attorney on retainer it doesn't cost them anything extra to fight it, but would cost you more than the original (incorrect) bill.  They err on the side the tenant will just pay up instead of fight.

    Breathe deep and get a drink after work tonight.  I'm sure this will work out for you.
    photo bridalparty.jpg
    Daisypath Anniversary tickers
  • Tonight= wine
  • labrolabro member
    First Anniversary First Answer First Comment 5 Love Its

    @cu97tiger Thanks! I'm trying to be calm. I called them earlier about the invoice and even used my friendly/professional/happy voice despite the turmoil I feel inside. I pretty much got my yelling/crying out on the phone earlier with BF. The person I spoke with apparently couldn't bring it up on the computer she was on (sure..) but took down our current address in case it was missing from their records and my email. That was a couple hours ago. Honestly, I don't care that they are busy if that's their excuse for not getting it to me yet. I think I'm going to stop by their office after work and just try to get a physical copy (with a calm attitude of course..I'm not a total crazypants). Face to face seems to encourage them to move faster.

    When we moved in we made as thorough a list as possible of anything that could be perceived as an issue by the property manager. The apt rep who did the walk through with us was unhappy about recording the "petty" things we were pointing out but I think we got a mostly complete list of already existing issues.

    We didn't have to put down a security deposit because of our credit. Regardless, the only within reason charge I could see would be for carpet cleaning. The frustating thing is we know they planned to go into the apartment after we moved out to complete upgrades (our complex was purchased by a new company just prior to us moving in last year) like replacing the cabinets and countertops, replacing the flooring (we had hardwood and tile along with carpeting), painting, and other things. They've basically been doing this to unoccupied units all year. so the extra cleaning charges are BS anyway since they are going in and making a mess with new construction in the unit. I still cleaned our apt as if new people would be moving in right behind us.



  • Yeah, I would go in person as well. There's no reason they couldn't get your invoice.
  • phiraphira member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    I'll check in again later, but:

    1) Check state laws. I live in MA, and we have some seriously strict laws about this kind of shit.

    2) Check out theconsumerist.com about collection agencies (since the complex didn't bother to send you the supposed bill in the first place).

    3) HANG IN THERE!!!
    Anniversary
    now with ~* INCREASED SASSINESS *~
    image
  • @lmhollister ugh. My apartment in pa charged me like $5 per lightbulb cause I left energy saving lightbulbs instead of energy wasting ones. Not quite as bad but you've got to wonder about these people.

    I really hope this all gets worked out for the best and I'm sorry this happened to you. I'm just glad you're out of there and in your fancy new house now :)
    I guess, to tell you the truth, I've never had much of a desire to grow facial hair. I think I've managed to play quarterback just fine without a mustache. - Peyton
  • @lmhollister please please please call an attorney. If your in Ohio, you can call me. 

    There is a chance that b/c your BF paid them, that you have waived all your rights. Payment can be seen as admitting wrong doing. Please call someone who can advise you of your rights! 

    Obligatory lawyer warning aside- I'm really sorry this happened to you! 



    Wedding Countdown Ticker
  • I had something sent to collections, My dad told me that I could keep it off my credit record by going back to the original company and paying the fee to them and ignoring the collections company. I had a bill from a ER visit that just never caught up to me between moving apartments.

    Fortunately, when I checked my credit report it did not even show up. I think I read that you already paid it, so I guess my experience is not much help at this point.

    But, the whole experience really sucks. I had to fight tooth and nail when I was moved out of an apartment to get a refund back. I had pulled out the original lease agreement (to avoid paying a carpet cleaning fee), and show them a receipt for paint (to avoid a painting fee), and also take them my moving out/moving in pictures along with the duplicate maintenance requests that were signed by the department manager whenever I asked for some work to be done on the apartment (most of which was never done). They finally gave me almost everything back except for the $150 of the $300 pet fee which I knew was nonrefundable. They also charged me for a cracked light switch ($5) that they could not clearly see was cracked in my move-in vs. move-out photos.
  • OP my concern is that you paid the bill. Typically payment constitutes acceptance of the terms.



    Anniversary
    image

    image
  • That is really shitty. I have no advice for you that would be better than what PPs have posted. But I think you are 100% justified in bitching some people out!


  • @lmhollister please please please call an attorney. If your in Ohio, you can call me. There is a chance that b/c your BF paid them, that you have waived all your rights. Payment can be seen as admitting wrong doing. Please call someone who can advise you of your rights! Obligatory lawyer warning aside- I'm really sorry this happened to you!

    I agree with this. Depending on the laws of your state you may be getting hosed. Here, you are to get an itemized list, within 30 days, of all charges. So long as you provided a forwarding address you could be entitled to damages and attorney's fees. Regardless, you need to at least contact an attorney. Try legal aid. They handle stuff like this a lot.

  • I'm sorry this had to happen to you! I'm the same way about my credit after going through the joys of applying for a mortgage. But the lesson learned from the mortgage process (as well as what PPs said) is that this is a blip on your radar if you have stellar credit.

    For example, my credit is excellent. Then one day, I bought a BluRay player from Best Buy and put it on my card to be paid off next month. The day the payment was due, I was in the emergency room. Ten days later (after the grace period) I was having surgery. Between that time I could barely get out of bed and was in such a haze from all the Percoset from the pain. I paid it from my hospital bed the next day and still got a mark on my credit report. When I applied for my mortgage, my MO inquired about this, I told him the situation, had proof to back up my claim and he said "all you have to do is write a letter to the underwriter". Okay, fine. Still got approved.

    Also like PPs said, consult an attorney. Sometimes these apartment management comanies are super shady in their practices. I had an apartment complex charge me for a new toilet even though I left the toilet in pristine condition, their excuse was "well we need it for the new tenant". They also wanted to charge me $300 for said toilet. I advised them I would be more than happy to go to Home Depot and buy a new toilet for $70. They finally backed down because I'm not going to let $300 go over dumb shit like that.

    Good luck and keep us posted.

     Wedding Countdown Ticker




    image 59 Invited
    image 36 Yes
    image 2 No
    image 21 Unknown
  • labrolabro member
    First Anniversary First Answer First Comment 5 Love Its

    Thanks for the support everyone! I stopped by the manager's office yesterday after work and was successful in getting them to refund us for the charge for utlities and the cleaning fee. The majority of the sum was because they said they had to replace the carpet. I'm going back this afternoon to follow up with her on the refund and also to attempt to get them to refund us for at least a portion of the carpet replacement fee. $785 to replace carpet in 2 bedrooms, a 5x5 ft space and a hallway is ridiculous...especially considering that most of the carpet issues were already existing (something we documented when we moved in). This is so incredibly frustrating. The manager was unable to come up with no reason or documentation as to why we were charged any of these fees. Apparently whoever did the move-out walk through is no longer with the company...

    At this point I'm not sure that the remaining amount is worth court and attorney's fees. I need to research what the rules are in GA although I doubt they favor the renter very much. As soon as we see our refund I plan on blasting this complex as much as possible through every review site I can find. I had already posted a negative review on Yelp when we were still residents because of their incredibly poor customer service and total lack of responsiveness when it came to fixing problems within the apartment (leaking sinks, running toilets, leaks from the apt above us, etc).



  • labrolabro member
    First Anniversary First Answer First Comment 5 Love Its
    @lennonkdc Thanks! I looked through that this morning and the only useful thing for us is in regards to the carpet. We're apparently only liable for loss of the carpet if the damage is above and beyond normal wear and tear. Since it was not brand new carpet that loss can only total up to the value of the carpet based on its age. I'm waiting for BF to email me back the details of our move-in report so I can contact the apt manager again to restate my case regarding the ridiculous charge to replace the carpet for the entire apartment.



  • I'll keep my fingers crossed for you guys! Renting SUCKS sometimes- there are way too many shady landlords out there. 



    Wedding Countdown Ticker
  • This happened to me too.  As a matter of fact the collection agency called me again as I was reading your post.  I moved out 8 YEARS ago!  I dealt with them 5 years ago and they were supposed to close the account because I paid my rent, gave 30 days notice and we had no deposit to return.  Apparently my old roommate never paid her half andthey charged us for cleaning, carpets and utilities.  I provided my address and I've had the same number for 10 years so they COULD have gotten ahold of me.  For whatever reason it never hit my credit.

    When they called 2 weeks ago and the lady said she'd call me back and never did I did some research and learned that it was past the statute of limitations for both credit reporting and court proceedings.  I also learned that if you make arrangements or say that you owe in ANY way the statue starts over again and they can pursue you.  So when they called again today I ripped that poor girl a new one and told her I'd consulted a lawyer, that it was past the statue of limitations and I was paying nothing.  She snottily replied that they could still try to collect just couldn't report.  I told her that was fine, keep calling me and I'll file a harrassment suit.  She called back 10mins after I hung up on her saying they were, after consideration, closing the file.  I should be receiving something in writing within 24 hours.

    Apparently this is a fairly common thing.  So for all you renters out there do NOT acknowledge a debt to a collection agency especially if it's been a significant amount of time and research your collection statutes.  I hope you are able to recover money for the carpets too.  Good luck!



    Daisypath Anniversary tickers
  • @doubleSS07 - Thank you for the info!
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards