Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. 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.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/30/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  PMI Chitown did not complete renovations before I moved in and argued there was nothing wrong. Failing refrigerator, no heat, no hot water, broken window, improperly installed flooring to where my foot was sinking between the floorboards, collapsing balcony and front door frame, external doors not staying closed/locked, light fixtures falling out of the ceiling, etc. They are insisting that the 4 nail holes I spackled cost $250 to repair with the itemized receipt being a screenshot of a personal payment to a random maintenance person stating paint. The owners of the property allowed me to break the lease in February. During my stay, I struggled with medical conditions caused by lack of heat, water, exposure to mold and mildew, and stress as I have multiple chronic conditions/disabilities. They took months to respond to any maintenance request and most times the issue was not properly fixed.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/05/2024

  Dear BBB,

  Thank you for bringing Ms. ******************** complaint to our attention. We take all maintenance requests and tenant concerns seriously, and we are committed to providing habitable living spaces for our residents.
  
  Addressing Maintenance Requests
  ***************************** initially leased one of our units in ********, IL ***** from September 22, 2022, to June 30, 2023. Later, based on her request, the lease was further renewed from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024.
  
  During her tenancy, we have addressed all the maintenance requests she submitted in a timely manner. Additionally, this unit falls under the jurisdiction of the Village of ********, and they require periodic inspections and a valid rental license to ensure habitability.
  
  Communication
  Unfortunately, our communication with *************************** became increasingly difficult. We experienced instances where contractors and our team felt intimidated by threats of negative publicity on social media. To ensure better communication and a smoother experience for everyone involved, we discussed this with Ms. ******************** Parent / Guarantor, ****************************. Based on Mrs. ****************** recommendation, it was agreed that all future communications will be handled directly between **************************** and our office.
  
  Early Lease Termination
  We accommodated Ms. ******************** early lease termination without any early termination fees upon her notification in February 2024.
  

  Move-Out Inspection
  A move-out inspection with **************************** was conducted on February 28, 2024, which revealed minor wear and tear, along with some wall damage exceeding typical wear and tear (excessive nail holes). This required patching and painting at a cost of $250.
  
  See attachment 1: for move out inspection pictures.
  See attachment 2: for the video of the walls that needed paint work.
  **********************************************************************************
  
  See attachment 3: for contractor invoice and payment made via Zelle to this job. 
  See attachment 4:  for move-in inspection pictures from September 24, 2022, to show the condition of the walls.
  See attachment 5: for payment receipt of $878.91 paid to the same contractor on the same day for additional work that was carried out for normal wear and tear of this unit. This expense was not passed onto *****************************.
  
  Security Deposit Disposition sheet
  The security deposit disposition sheet (see attachment 6) detailing the specific reasons for the paint charges was emailed to **************************** on March 19, 2024. Further follow *** were done via phone on March 21, 2023, and email on March 25, 2024, to confirm that they have received all the information, and they have no follow up questions. Since we did not receive any response from them, we sent the balance of the security deposit check with relevant information via registered mail to the address we had on file.
  
  The reason for this complaint is the $250.00 that was deducted from Ms. ******************** Security Deposit. From the information we have provided, it should be evident that we have only charged them for the excessive damage other than the normal wear and tear. As a property management company, we have equal responsibility to both tenants and property owners and we are always open to discussing tenant concerns and finding solutions. However, at the same time, we strongly believe that a business should not be bullied or pressured into caving due to threats of negative publicity, which this tenant kept using to dictate their terms.
  
  Thank you for your time and consideration. Feel free to reach out if you have any further questions.
  
  Sincerely,

  PMI Chitown.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/10/2024

   
  Complaint: 21646879
  
  I am rejecting this response because: the price of labor and materials used to specifically fix the pictured damage are not provided. Spackle does not need any special treatment for the excess to be removed. The paint was in the garage for the entirety of my residency. The prior neglect and deteriorating condition of the unit combined with unfinished renovations causing further damage to the unit are expensing PMI ChiTown is responsible for. The attached documents show the entire story of my residency at ******************* which included failing heat, failing plumbing, failing electrical wiring, unfinished renovations, incomplete work, and unsafe living conditions.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/20/2024

  Dear BBB,
  

  Thank you for forwarding Ms. ******* concerns regarding the security deposit deduction. We appreciate the opportunity to clarify the situation.

  During the move-out inspection, documented with pictures and a video, we identified wall damage exceeding normal wear and tear. To restore the walls to their original condition as outlined in the lease agreement, professional repairs were required. This included resurfacing and repainting affected walls for a uniform finish. We've attached the contractor invoice and payment receipt for your reference.

  As per the lease terms (highlighted below), tenants are responsible for returning the unit in its original condition, minus normal wear and tear. The option to address the wall damages before move-out to avoid deductions was available to the tenants which was not taken care of, and owners had to address those damages.

  10. TENANT MAINTENANCE OBLIGATIONS:
  Tenant shall maintain the Premises in a clean, presentable and safe condition at all times and in accordance with all health, safety and building code regulations.At the termination of this Lease and upon surrender of the Premises, all fixtures, appliances and personal property of Landlord shall be in the same condition as they were on the Lease Beginning Date, normal wear and tear excepted. Landlord may at its sole option use all or part of the Security Deposit (if any) to repair and/or replace any damage to Landlords property caused by negligent or intentional acts of Tenant, occupants, visitors, or guests or failure to inform Landlord of repairs necessary to prevent damage to the Premises.

  We have attached all relevant documentation, including picture from move-in and move out, a video of the move-out inspection and the contractor invoice and receipt to prove that the work carried out beyond the normal wear and tear are the cost incurred by the owners towards this repair.

  Since **************** has concerns about the cost of repairs, we would like to offer two options to possible reach to a resolution:
  (a) **************** can dispute the condition of the walls at move-in by providing evidence that the damage was present to those walls before her occupancy and no work should have been done to restore them.
  (b) If **************** agrees the repairs were necessary but feels the cost was excessive, we are open for her to submit a neutral third-party contractors estimate to restore those walls based on the video/pictures supplied for our review.
  

  We believe this approach will ensure a fair outcome for both parties.
  

  Thank you for your time and assistance.
  Sincerely,
  PMI Chitown
  

  Documents Attached
  - Attachment 1 - Move In Inspection_2022.09.24
  - Attachment 2 - Move Out Inspection_2024.02.28
  - Video Link Showing Affected Walls: ***********************************************************************************
  - Attachment 4 - Contractor_Inv_Paid_Receipt
  - Attachment 5- Pictures_after_Repairs