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:03/07/2025

  Type:Product 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.

  We rented from Palermo for 7 years. In June 2023 my brother passed in the apartment. In July 2023 we asked for a different apartment, we were told no. We gave notice to move on November 20th, 2024 and a physician statement that I had to move for my physical and mental health. We physically moved December 20th, 2024( 11days before we planned to be out). We are being charged for floor damage, that was done when the roof leaked in January 2022 and caused ceiling, wall and floor damage. Of which Palermo never repaired the floor. Kitchen floor replacement, that was supposed to have been replaced within 6 months of us moving in. And lock replacement, after we only received 2 keys and are being accused of having 3. We sent a certified letter to Palermo with documentation of all of these issues and have not received any response. We would like our security deposit back as we did no damage to the property and had to move for medical reasons

  Business Response

  Date: 03/11/2025

  This complaint does not paint an accurate picture.

  This tenant did ask to be moved out of this apartment, however there was nothing available to move them into.

  They did ask to break their lease, and they were directed to the section of their lease pertaining to this.  They were fully capable of breaking the lease, but didn't want to pay the breakage fee that was required.  They simply wanted to walk away from the apartment.  That would be a violation of their signed contract.

  The floors that were replaced were because they were torn.  A roof leak doesn't cause tears in vinyl.  This was tenant damage.

  As to the kitchen floor - it would be against our general policy to replace a floor after a tenant moved in.  In addition, there is no indication of this in the file and the manager has zero knowledge of this.  It seems to simply be a fabrication.

  Painting was charged to the tenant because, although they did purchase paint from us and paint walls in the apartment, the did not follow our instructions.  Any walls a tenant paints must be painted top-to-bottom and side-to-side.  Otherwise, there would be flashing or mismatches in tinting.  These instructions are given to the tenants in a letter at the beginning of their lease and again when a tenant tells us that they are moving out.

  I have been told that they were to be credited for the keys, as that was our mistake.  I will look into this.

  A video of the walkthrough of this unit can be found at: ****************************.

  In short, this "medical reason" does not exempt a tenant from their lease.  The unit itself was not the cause of any of their problems.  They are bound by the lease agreement they signed.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/18/2025

  I filed a complaint ********. I never received the email to reply. So Im replying back. This should not have been closed. They are claiming that the medical reason that we had to move had nothing to do with them. My brother DIED in the apartment. My physician stated that for my health, both physical and mental, I had to move. And it was long overdue, over a year. With no help from them. Again the damage to the floor was not by any means caused by us. And being naive we believed that they would take care of the kitchen as they said they would when we moved in. That was our mistake, which will never happen again without it being in writing despite being told that it didnt need to be.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/11/2025

  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.

  My property manager is unethically evicting me. I have one late payment in 2 years. I was late 5 days in paying rent and had a security stick on my door so they were unable to enter once as well.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/13/2025

  I sent a previous complaint that was not as thorough. I am renting a property and my lease just renewed in December. I have lived there for 2 years. In that time I have only had one late payment which was 5 days late because of maintenance issues. I paid late because I was talking with the property manager about possible discounts due to several maintenance issues that were not my fault. I have had several maintenance issues that are still not resolved. I have a security stick on the door since I am a single mother. Sometimes I forget to remove the security stick ******* in the morning. My furnace was just fixed and they gave me heaters to use in the mean time. I was given 3 space heaters to use since I was out of heat for about a week. They contacted me 15 minutes before they were coming to get the heaters. I forgot to remove my security stick that morning since it was days that I had the heaters and forgot about them. I was given an hour and fifteen minute timeline to get home and remove the security stick. I did not even see the email because I work until 6 and am not on my phone. I did call the maintenance people when I got the initial call they were coming. I called them to let them know I was at work and would not be home until 7. The maintenance man told me that was fine and someone would contact me to get the heaters. He even mentioned they already had 2 heaters to give to another tenant to use in the mean time. I got home to an eviction notice of 30 days because of a lease infraction. They still have not gotten the heaters so I do not think that classifies as an emergency. My lease states I need a 24 hour notice unless it is an emergency. I can supply proof of anything needed.

  I would like to not be evicted I have been a great tenant

  Business Response

  Date: 01/13/2025

  This tenant has not been a good tenant.  As per this tenant's lease, they are not allowed to restrict access to the unit to management/maintenance.  There was an issue in August of last year where it was discovered that this tenant had installed a device which would limit access.  We notified the tenant that they were in violation of their lease and that they must remove the device, or they could be evicted.  They did not remove the device.  They are now being evicted.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/13/2025

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  The device I installed is a security stick that can be easily moved but I forgot to move it in my morning haste. The incident last August was on my last lease agreement. This is the first issue on this lease term. My lease states I need 2 infractions. I made one late payment in 2 years because I was talking with the property manager about maintenance issues and possible discounts and charges on my account. I was supposed to be given a 24 hour notice to enter the place if it was not an emergency. They came for space heaters for another tenant and they waited 4 days to get them after already telling me they had a couple for the mean time. So I feel as though there is only one infraction on this lease term. This is the only issues there has been other than maintenance stuff that was not my fault. 
  
  
  Regards,
  
  ******* *******

  Business Response

  Date: 01/13/2025

  The lease does not state anything about needing two infractions.  It does say that if you break the lease (with the installed lock), then you can be evicted.  That is where we are at.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/24/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  UnresolvedMore 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.

  I rented an apartment for 1 year from Palermo Realty. upon entering the home, we didn't see any issues with the apartment until much later in the lease. the lease agreement stated that we accept the apartment as is if nothing is found prior to move in, and would be responsible for any damages other than normal wear and tear. upon moving out in august 20th we were completely moved out by sept 1st. we repainted any defects found in the paint, I spoke with ***, one of the Property Managers about the Grout in the floors in the kitchen being worn, and he advised that I send a maintenance request for anything we found prior to turning in the keys on the 23rd of September, so I would not be charged for it.A walk through was done on wood hills drive a month ago, I received a letter stating that cleaning, painting, floor damages and damage to blinds were found. after seeing the video, I couldn't see or identify any of the defects they mentioned, and when it came to the room with the blinds, one of them was down the other was rolled up, the inspector stated that both blinds would have to be replaced, yet both blinds were not inspected. I was also being charged $90 per blind, which is almost 3 times the cost of the cheap blinds they have in the apartment. at the last part of the video, the inspector stated that the tiles were cracked in multiple spots and entire floor would need replaced. I have watched multiple videos of walkthroughs and see no indication that tiles are inspected. I was also not contacted for any of these issues for me to resolve. I should not have to pay for damaged tiles that resulted from poor quality grout work, that could not possibly have worn out in 12 months unless it had been years old. this falls into the normal wear and tear category. There are also Multiple complaints filed for these issues. and i feel this is definitely a concern that no one gets a deposit back with these standards. all issues except for one blind is normal wear and tear.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/30/2024

  I have reviewed this complaint and have found that all allegations are without basis.

  When a tenant signs a lease they are given a document which tells them exactly how they are to leave the unit when they vacate.  They are given another copy of this document when they tell us of their intent to vacate.  The document clearly states that if the tenant wishes to paint parts of their unit, then they are to contact us for paint.  This ensures that the type/sheen of the paint matches what had previously been used.  The document also states that the tenant needs to paint from ceiling-to-floor and end-to-end of each wall they intend to paint.  This tenant did neither of these things.  What we ended up with were walls that had several flash spots.  These are clearly visible in the video walkthrough.  This requires that all of these walls would need to be repainted.  In addition, there as a door that needed repainted for the exact same reason.

  The reason that both sets of blinds had to be replaced instead of one is that we can no longer purchase the type of blind that was in the room.  They both had to be replaced or they wouldn't have matched.  The cost would have included removing and disposing of the old blinds, acquiring the new blinds and installing the new blinds.  The amount charged is well within reason.

  Lastly, we have the tile floor.  There is a big difference between grout issues and cracked tiles.  There are several cracked tiles which can be easily seen on the video.  Ceramic tiles don't wear out like carpet.  This damage was obviously due to abuse.

  The video of this walkthrough can be found at: ****************************.  I would recommend that anyone reviewing this case should watch it.

  All of the charges on this account are fair and accurate.  We would expect full payment immediately.

   

  Thank you,

  *** Palermo

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/30/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear 

  cracked tiles are a result of grout having worn to the point the tile was loose. An area rug was on that floor the entire time we had the apartment, and floors were cleaned regularly. No malicious and deliberate abuse occurred in that apartment. I only dispute this part of your claim.again, cracked tiles as a result of worn grout is normal. And because I didnt notice it in the beginning does not constitute negligence on my part, as you expect the tenant to be a home inspector is unfair business practice in the first place. Also for the record there was a clear square on the wall in the living room from previous painting. Also, we moved in to this apartment as we intended to pruchase. Any defects in grout were left by the owners since they didnt intend to fix an as is purchase.  Again, I request video showing good and perfect grout as well as tiles showing no damage prior to my accepting unit. Failure to provide such documents shows that the owners defrauded previous tenants in charges for repairs not done. This complaint is very consistent with other complaints on bbb website claiming that Palermo realty has been banking on repeated repair costs and didnt fix them. This is fraudulent business practice, and I am willing  to pursue class action in the event this cannot be resolved.  In fairness and compromise I will accept all issues listed except for the broken tiles.
  Regards,
  
  ******* *****

  Business Response

  Date: 10/30/2024

  These are ridiculous accusations.  This unit would have had the wear of a normal unit of its age.  We consider this matter closed.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/30/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  I reject this response and see the matter as unresolved. This issue is very similar to multiple complaints about this business. I understand that some people dont care for an apartment in good faith, but I suspect that the majority of tenants did not receive their deposit back from this business, because their practices are not in the interest of fairness. I reject that their lease policy states the tenant has accepted the unit as is, and the claim that its in good working order, when the tenant is not an inspector. And cannot possibly see every minor detail that in this case came back later to be an accusation that I intentionally damaged the apartment.
  
  Regards,
  
  ******* *****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/17/2024

  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.

  Evicted for no reason. Won’t give me reason says landlord can evict for any reason I beleive it’s discrimination on disability

  Business Response

  Date: 05/17/2024

  We have no information about any kind of disability for Mr. *****.

  The 30-day lease cancelation was done pursuant to section 19 of Mr. ****'as signed lease (attached).

  I have no idea what the $1,500 in dispute is about.

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/15/2024

  Type:Billing 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.

  My security deposit was not refunded in full. I am pretty sure I followed the move out procedure to the best of my ability. I had 4 nail holes in the wall, which I patched & painted the entire wall with thier paint I purchased from the copperleaf office manager. I had the carpets professionally cleaned. I hired a professional cleaner to clean before I moved out. I change the furnace filter and batteries in the smoke detectors. After I vacated the property, I turned in my keys remote and all my reciept to the office. Sometime after i left, They did a walk through and videotaped every nick, scratch or spec of dirt under a micrscope. Then deducted prior repairs of damage that were there from the prior tenant, I have pictures of the prior repairs/damage I took from 3/23 when I moved in. Even though I did not cause the damage or report the poor wall repair. I was still charged for damages for prior wall repairs, and paint blemishes I never painted or damaged. And then they charged me to reclean the carpets and to re-cleaning the apartment. And from what I read in almost all of the reviews. This sounnds like the norm. almost every exiting tenant never seems to get very little to none of thier security back. PLEASE HELP.....

  Business Response

  Date: 02/16/2024

  To start with, I would like to make an apology to Mr. ******.  For some reason this accounting was sent out two weeks after the tenant move-out.  Usually, these go out at almost the 30-day mark.  This is because it takes that long to receive in the invoices for the work done.  As it turns out, there is a credit due back to Mr. ****** for painting.  We only received the actual amounts after the accounting was sent.  I can assure you, this is not our standard procedure.  This particular unit was difficult to estimate because of the amount of doors that needed painted.  We did guess high on this amount, but now that we have received the actual bills, will put a credit on Mr. ******'s account.

  Beyond the painting number, the rest of the complaint is without merit.  Mr. ****** did patch and paint the nail holes (which are specifically disallowed in the lease).  The problem is that he did not sand the patches and they had to be redone.  Mr. ****** was not billed for carpet cleaning.  We took his invoice and credited him.  The unit had to be recleaned after the repairs, especially the sanding from the bad patches.  As for damages already being there - it isn't true.  The move-in report that Mr. ****** filled out after he moved in referenced carpet mismatch, creaking floor, dirt in garage and drywall seams on the staircase.  The entire painting section was left blank.  These issues were caused by Mr. ******.

  Hopefully, this will satisfy as an explanation as to Mr. ******'s complaint.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/17/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
   

  I attached a few photos above to clearly show that The walls I am being accused of repair Already repaired prior to me, moving into the apartment in March 2023. Period. I would be more than happy to share all of my photos with Palermo reality showing that. The apartment was not in pristine condition when I moved in. When I brought these photos to the attention of the office manager, Copperleaf, I more or less got brushed off. She said that they were not considered damage and they were repaired prior to me moving in. And now I am being accused of causing the damage after I moved out. believe this is not very fair in my opinion. I hope these photos help In clearing up this misunderstanding
  
  Regards,
  
  ******* ******

  Business Response

  Date: 03/05/2024

  There were no pictures turned when this tenant move in, nor where any turned in during their tenancy.  Also, the 5-day move-in report that tenant filled out and turned in made no mention of marks on the walls.  These pictures could easily have been taken at move-out and prove nothing.  As far as we are concerned, both the manager and tenant approved of the condition of the unit at move-in.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/05/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

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

  To Palermo reality company. As I mentioned numerous times before. I have plenty of time and dates stamped photos that were taken when I moved in March 2023. And once again, I showed the photos to the office manager at Copperleaf. And her reply was that they were not considered damage, they were already repaired so they We’re not able to be labeled as damage on the pre-walk-through sheet. That sounds a little shady If you ask me. Now that I moved out all the sudden this becomes damaged that I created? It doesn’t make sense to me. Once again, why am I being penalized for something I did not Create damage or repair. I would be more than happy to share any of the photos I have in pm Possession. Maybe you should talk to your office manager.  I have always treated my former living quarters with the upmost respect. Please feel free to contact any of my former landlords. I would be happy to give you their number. I don’t feel I should be penalized for someone else’s damage or poor workmanship. Let alone a second carpet Cleaning and repairs for damages I never created.  That truly falls under poor business practices. And if memory serves me. I read numerous reviews on various Palermo properties. This seems to be the trend that nobody ever gets their deposit back. I’m thinking it’s not just me having the same issue. I miss asking you to make it right.             
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  William Snyder

  Business Response

  Date: 03/11/2024

  I have spoken to the manager and she tells me that this is not accurate.  No photos were presented until after the tenant had already moved out.  As Mr. ****** is not being truthful with his responses, we see no reason to continue a dialogue.  All charges are valid and accurate.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/14/2024

  Better Business Bureau:

  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  

  Good Afternoon Mr. Palermo. Once again, I totally disagree with the response and your actions And the actions of your office manager. If not mistaken, your office manager is an employee of yours. Why else would she say what she said? She’s not gonna tell the same story. She works for you. As for myself. Once again, I have plenty of evidence to offer you if you would like to look at it. You are more than welcome to contact me and I would be more than happy to show you the evidence of the damage and repairs that were done prior to me moving into your apartment. They are all time stamped And have not been altered in anyway. You are more than welcome to contact me at any time to see them. I am here local in Erie. Please feel free to contact me at any time. And by the way, if you look at the reviews other than the ones that are on your site.. The reviews bear a very similar complaint to the ones that I have. Most of them read that people were accused of damage and Receiving their property deposit back. Is it all the complaints online and the tenants? Or could it be poor business practices by your company and your office managers? Tell me? All I’m asking is for you to make this right. I left your apartment in pristine condition, And I can prove it. You tell me who’s telling the truth… or are you afraid of knowing the real truth?
  
  Ty, Mr. ******
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/24/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  UnresolvedMore 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.

  On 8/16/23 we vacated **** ****** *** **** On 10/3/23 we received an itemized list of deductions withheld from our security deposit including a $612 deduction for painting/wall repair, $94 deduction for paint, and a $180 deduction for cleaning. We moved into the apartment in January 23. We rented the apartment for about 8 months; during that time, the interior was never repainted. Normal wear and tear on the interior paint of an apartment is to be expected. Palermo recorded a walkthrough video that showed very minimal discoloration, slight scuffs, and minor scratches on a few walls and one door. We also recorded our own video which shows no signs of damages. Everything visible in their video (many of the "marks" mentioned are not actually visible) besides damages to the utility room are considered normal wear and tear per PA law and therefore the owner's responsibility to fix. We also paid to have the entire apartment professionally cleaned, including carpet shampooing, when we moved out on 8/16/23. We gave Palermo a copy of the receipt of this cleaning on 8/16/23 when turning in our keys. In both video recordings, there is no sign of the apartment being dirty. We sent all the information about the inaccurate charges for painting/wall repair, paint, and cleaning in writing to the email listed on our Security Deposit Return on 10/3/23. Palermo proceeded to respond on 10/5/23 only stating "After reviewing your account, all charges are fair and accurate" with no explanation. We then emailed them again on 10/6/23 requesting they send proof of the damages we were charged for (wall damage beyond wear & tear and areas that required cleaning), receipts proving the costs, and documentation of their review of our dispute. We gave a 15 day timeframe and never heard back. We exchanged more emails but they refuse to get us the rest of our security deposit back. There are 100s of reviews online of other people they have tried to scam. This is a common practice by this company.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/25/2023

  The video referenced can be found at: *******************************************

  This video will remain online around 90 days from the move-out.

  As the previous tenant stated, they were in the unit for about seven months.  I am not sure why they would believe that gashes, marks and discolorations would be normal wear & tear (especially in such a short timeframe).  The manager reviewed these charges and found them all to be fair and accurate.

  As mentioned in the complaint, there are a lot of people who don't believe they should have to pay for the damages they cause.  This seems to be another case.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/25/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  Palermo still hasn't provided evidence of the charges they deducted from our security deposit. We have asked 3-4 times for them to provide EVIDENCE of the areas of the apartment that needed cleaning and wall repairs beyond normal wear and tear, as well as receipts that prove that both cost $886. Anyone who watched the apartment walkthrough video can see that the apartment was in great condition and no one would assume it would cost anywhere near that amount to fix. If the charges are fair, it should be simple for them to provide evidence that it cost $886 to clean and paint and provide evidence that it needed such treatment. 

  We were also told by Erin R***, the property manager, one week before our move out "that besides the laundry room floor vinyl replacement, the condition of the apartment was great and we shouldn’t expect any additional charges from our security deposit other than the floor damage." She also mentioned it was "it much better condition than most apartments they see." She walked through the entire apartment before making these comments. Lacey D*****, Rental Agent, agreed and said the apartment should make a smooth transition to the next tenant. She walked the new tenants through the entire apartment and saw the current condition. 

  They claim that none of the 100s of people that have given them negative reviews want to pay for damages. It is time to look in the mirror because no business gets that many negative reviews and has 1-2 star ratings on every single platform for good business practices. I have never had a single dollar taken from my security deposit because what they are claiming is normal wear and tear, not something you should be charged for. It is evident that they refuse to pay for the upkeep of their properties and instead rely on scamming tenants to increase profit margins. 

  If these charges are accurate, this is your opportunity Palermo to finally provide the evidence we have been asking for repeatedly (and no that does not mean the walkthrough video!). If you refuse to handle this matter professionally, we will take you to court. 

  Regards,
  
  ****** ************

  Business Response

  Date: 10/26/2023

  These tenants have already received the information that they are looking for.  Painting is expensive.  Because of differences in pigment between batches, we are unable to touch-up marks on walls.  All walls that require paint need to be completely painted.  Otherwise, there will be flashing.  We offer our tenants the opportunity to paint their units themselves (with paint they can get from us), and save the expense of painting labor.  This tenant did not elect to do this.  After there are people in the unit to do the repairs that are required, the unit has to be cleaned.

   

  Despite what this tenant states, the marks are clearly evident on the video.  The charges come from marks that are not wear-and-tear.

   

  This tenant had the opportunity to take care of the damage they caused, and decided not to.

   

  At this point, we consider this discussion closed.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/26/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  You still have not provided evidence that the repairs would've cost that much. Where are the receipts of the actual labor and paint that was purchased for these repairs? Where is proof that the entire wall was actually painted? There was a lot of wear and tear when we moved it and it not appear that you actual painted between tenants, you just charge them for it. 

  Also, why would two of your employees state that we should not receive additional charges if the apartment actually needed this level of repair? 

  You have continued to refuse to actually work with us, while you might think this case is closed, the court might disagree. 

  Regards,
  
  ****** ************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/01/2023

  Type:Billing 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.

  We rented a townhouse from Palermo and lived there for 2 years. We are a family of 7. We moved out in December and about two weeks ago received a letter in the mail from a debt collector for around $6,500. It had our previous address listed as the source of the debt. I immediately contacted Palermo, honestly assuming it was a mistake, but when I got a response I was in shock. They allege we owe over $4,000 in "damages" to the unit. I asked to see proof of the alleged damages and was sent a video of a walk through performed after we moved out. The video only proves there were absolutely no damages to the unit aside from normal wear and tear from living in it. They are basically trying to make us pay for painting and a new floor (the floor was damaged when we moved in and I have pictures to prove it). We did not damage the unit at all. They also claimed there was animal urine smell in one room and thus the carpet and pad need replaced. We never had any pets. Further, they added a nearly $1500 "collection fee" because we did not respond to the letter they sent us with the $4,000+ bill. (The bill was that much after our security deposit of $1250 was deducted). The letter they sent was addressed to the unit they knew we no longer lived in. We had mail forwarding at the time but it was returned to their office. They did not even bother to call us or email us. They have two phone numbers and two email addresses on file for us. They have sent this bill to a debt collector now but we do not agree that we owe them this money, the lease does not say we are responsible for paint or routine upkeep of the unit after we move out, and there has been no ruling by a judge determining that we owe this money. How can they just send it to a debt collector? We paid them $30,000 in rent over the course of two years and now they expect us to pay for new paint and already damaged flooring. We do not own the unit. They do and we did not damage it at all. We lived in it.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/23/2023

  I am in receipt of a complaint from Ms. ********* ******, previously of an apartment at **** **** ***** ****** ***** **. This complaint alleges that this company has charged fees for repairs unjustly.

  Ms. ****** and her family lived at this address for about 2 years. The amount of damage that the unit received goes well beyond normal wear and tear. We record all of our walkthroughs to show the condition of the unit at the time of move-out. A video can be found at: ***************************** Upon viewing this video, you will see the horrible condition this unit was left in. 
  

  The entire unit needed painted, including doors and trim. Flooring needed replaced - both torn carpeting and smashed ceramic tiles. Blinds throughout the unit were destroyed and there were nail holes in the wall as well as furniture left behind. This kind of damage gets expensive very quickly. 
  

  Ms. ****** may contend that there was never an animal in the unit, but the damage to the carpet on the stairs and the smell in the lower bedroom tell another story. 
  

  The security deposit remittal was sent to the only address that we had on file, as per Pennsylvania law. Ms. ****** was required to give us a forwarding address, which she did not. 
  

  I do not disagree that this is a lot of money in damages to this apartment, but every cent of it was deserved. 
  

  Sincerely, 
  Joe Palermo Palermo Realty 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/23/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  
  *** ****** ** ** ******** **** ****** ** * ****** ** ***** **** ** **** **** **** ** *** ********
  
  I've attached pictures dated Dec. 3 and Dec. 5 2020 when we had just moved in, of tiles in the kitchen that were already cracked and grout that was crumbling. We had nothing to do with that. It's not our responsibility to fix the tile floors. Also, the carpet was only actually damaged in one small area on the side of the stairs, as their video clearly proves. Paint is a normal expense that propert owners incur when residents move out. Having to paint walls after people live in a unit for 2 years is not uncommon and is not "damage" and is also not our responsibility. Nowhere in the lease does it say we are responsible for paint. The unit was hardly in "horrible condition" as the video they have provided literally proves. These people have a horrible reputation around Erie, PA for their shady business tactics. They do this to everyone and everyone knows it. We will not be paying for them to upkeep their property. Damage is one thing. Normal upkeep is another. Nail holes cost like $20 to take care of and new blinds are like $500. The blinds they put in the unit are complete trash. Cheapest things they could find. I've never in my life ever seen blinds break and I've had kids for almost 14 years. Yet these blinds broke all the time. They will not get a penny out of us until this goes in front of a judge.  
  
  Regards,
  
  ********* ******

  Business Response

  Date: 05/12/2023

  I am in receipt of a third complaint from Ms. ********* ******, previously of an apartment at **** **** ***** ****** ***** **. 

  I am not sure why Ms. ****** is bringing up the tile floor, again. Even though we have no proof that what she says is true, we agreed to remove the charge from her account in our last letter. 
  As for the rest of her letter, it is ridiculous. If Ms. ****** didn't want to be charged for damage, then Ms. ****** shouldn't have done the damage. 
  

  If this account is not paid, we will be forced to take further action. 
  

  This is our final word on this subject. 
  

  Sincerely, 
   
  Joe Palermo Palermo Realty