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:03/20/2024

  Type:Order 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.

  Dear ***/*****,I am writing to lodge a formal complaint against *******, an agent at Boardwalk Properties, regarding unauthorized attempts to show my rented unit located in **********, **.On a recent date, I received a message from ******* informing me of a scheduled showing of my apartment on Thursday, March 21st, at 5:00 pm. I promptly responded, clearly stating that the unit was not available for viewing as we were in the process of renewing our lease and were awaiting the DocuSign to finalize it. I explicitly mentioned that no permission was granted to enter or show the apartment.Despite my clear communication, ******* replied, acknowledging my message but proceeded to question the status of the lease renewal and implied that she might still show the apartment if the management had not confirmed the renewal. This response was not only disrespectful of my explicit denial of entry but also showed a lack of professional courtesy and regard for tenant privacy.Moreover, *******'s subsequent messages were unsettling as she insinuated that the apartment would still be shown unless the lease was signed immediately. Her communication implied that she would proceed with the showing based on the managements instructions, disregarding my clear refusal.This situation has caused significant stress and concern about the security and privacy of our home. It is alarming that an agent of Boardwalk Properties would consider showing an occupied unit without explicit permission from the tenants, especially when informed of the ongoing lease negotiations.I request that the Better Business Bureau investigate this matter and ensure that Boardwalk Properties adheres to ethical business practices, respecting tenant rights and privacy. Such behavior should not be tolerated, and appropriate measures should be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.Thank you for your attention to this serious matter and your swift response and action.Sincerely,*****************************

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/21/2024

  Dear **********************,
  
  We deeply regret to hear about your recent experience with one of our agents,*************************. The professionalism and respect for our clients and/or customers preferences and situations are paramount to our agency, and we understand how the incident you described may have caused discomfort and inconvenience.
  
  When renewing a lease, it is crucial to have a clear understanding and agreement between all parties involved regarding the accessibility and showing of the unit. It seems there had been a misunderstanding or failure in communication in this instance, for which we are very sorry. ******* was informed on multiple occasions from the management company that the tenant has not renewed and urged ******* to proceed with showing. In no way does that excuse making a tenant feel that she was going to proceed with a showing without proper permission from you, as the current tenant, and again, we sincerely apologize for this interaction. 
  
  Rest assured, we are taking your complaint seriously. We have conducted an internal review to understand the circumstances leading to this situation and to ensure that our agents are reminded of, and adhere to the highest standards of professional conduct, regardless of what the landlord has provided for information. This includes respecting the privacy of tenants, especially during sensitive processes such as lease renewals. We are committed to ensuring that this does not happen again.
  
  Once again, thank you for bringing this issue to our attention. We value your feedback as it helps us improve our services and the experiences of all our clients. Please feel free to contact us at your convenience if you would like to discuss this matter further. 
  
  Sincerely,
  Boardwalk Properties Management 
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/28/2023

  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.

  This business is falsely advertising properties in a bait and switch scheme. They are posting them for thousands less than they are actually charging, and then trying to pressure potential renters into looking at much more run down properties that are in the same price range as the one falsely advertised. One example was a one bedroom posted for ***** a month, but when contacted they said a studio was $2450 at the least and a one bedroom would be $3,000.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/03/2023

  To Whom It May ******************** is in response to the complaint received on 1/28/23 from *****************************. Boardwalk Properties sincerely apologizes for any issue caused by the advertisement. This particular advertisement was not updated correctly by our software and was priced from a different building all together. However, this is not a bait and switch, sometimes mistakes happen and software glitches, and unfortunately, this was one of those instances. When it was brought to the attention of our tech department it was immediately removed from the website. Boardwalk has been in the business for 20+ years and does not participate in any way in unfair or deceptive business practices. Boardwalk does not bait and switch advertisements and in no way do we condone that type of illegal practice. Since the pricing is updated through the software, and the software glitched, Boardwalks agent was unaware of the pricing discrepancy until he researched the latest availability.
  
  Boardwalk Properties and Boston Pads work together to update listings on a real-time basis. However, with luxury buildings, this works on software since pricing can change more rapidly. We have attached other sites and also pricing directly from the building site to show that pricing can change differing in thousands of dollars for the same exact unit depending on move in day, length of lease and other factors. This is why so many disclosures are included on websites regarding pricing, please see disclosure below. This was also pointed out to the client via text message (please see attached).
  
  Boston Pads is not responsible for any errors, omissions and change in price, prior sale, rent and withdrawal without notice. All information from sources reliable but not guaranteed. Photographs, videos, descriptions, and information about the properties reflect conditions at the time the information was obtained. We are pledged to the letter and spirit of the Fair Housing Act and ********************* for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. We encourage and support an affirmative advertising and marketing program in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, ***, handicap, familial status, or national origin.
  
  While we understand the client was upset, sometimes mistakes happen. Software and tech is not perfect. We only offer our apologies and understand her frustration as we are just as frustrated. We are happy to discuss a solution or offer a discount if the client would like to use our services moving forward so we can show her how much we take pride in our business.  
  
  If there are any further questions in regards to this complaint, we are here to answer them or provide any additional information.
  
  Very best,
  Boardwalk Properties

   

  I've attached a PDF that has better attachments as evidence of the price difference, and this link brings you to a folder that contains tons of screen shots related to the items discussed here.

   

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

   

  Thanks. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/06/2023

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  First of all, I would never be interested in doing business with a company that suggests that "the client is just crazy" over a pricing mistake, particularly when the company's own agent continued to argue that the pricing change was based on floor level or lease length. No discount can make up for a lack of professionalism on your part. It's not "crazy" to ask that a realty company post honest pricing on their apartments, or at least be upfront about their mistakes when they're pointed out to them. After a long conversation with the realtor where he continued to defend the very inaccurate pricing, I took action by filing this claim, which is my right to do so when I see the *** laws being broken. 

   As demonstrated in the screenshot I attached, the ad posted was for a ONE BEDROOM in this building, not a studio. Your screenshots show a STUDIO (not considered a 1 bedroom 1 bath, and over a hundred square feet smaller) as being priced between $1,542 and $2,597. In your own screenshot from the one bedroom, the price is $1,000 higher than what was listed on BostonPads. This is false advertising, and when I brought that to the attention of the agent, the ad was still not removed until you received this complaint. 

  Keeping up an ad that you know has illegitimate information is illegal, as you have no intention of honoring the $1,700 price point. Glitch in the system or not, I brought the ad to his attention and not only did he argue with me that the price was at one point valid (suggesting someone had rented at that price, which is obviously untrue), but nothing was done to take the ad down and rectify the situation. 

  
  Businesses and Customers should be civil, courteous and polite in their responses to complaints. It is important to remain professional and productive when participating in the BBB complaint process.
  
  FAQ
  
  Regards,

  *****

   

   

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/07/2023

  Dear *****,
  
  I am so incredibly sorry, and downright embarrassed regarding the unprofessional subject line of an internal email that was written by someone who uploaded the response to your complaint. There is no excuse for that unprofessionalism and/or inclusion in the response. That unprofessional header was written before an investigation was open. The person who posted the response and wrote the subject header, has a meeting today with our upper management team and is currently facing termination. I will personally work now directly with you, regarding this complaint and will do my absolute best that I can.  

  In response to the advertisement, the tech team did remove the ad when you first submitted the complaint to ***** (the agent) on that Monday. I am currently investigating how it became active again but cannot find it on the site. Did your screenshot come from yesterday's date of 2/6? I cannot currently find it on the Boston Pads website and I have completed numerous searches. The entire building was removed when the complaint was received in order to investigate the posting software. We would never want an ad to remain that caused any issues. 

  I completely understand you do not want to use Boardwalk's services, is there another solution to your complaint that I can offer? I am also available by phone and can speak with you directly at anytime ************. 

  Again, I cannot express my apologies enough. 

  Sincerely,

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