Complaints

This profile includes complaints for AvalonBay Communities, Inc.'s headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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• 

  AvalonBay Communities, Inc.

  4040 Wilson Blvd Ste 100 Arlington, VA 22203-4434

  
• 

  AvalonBay Communities, Inc.

  12000 Cameron Pond Dr Reston, VA 20194-4300

  
• 

  AvalonBay Communities, Inc.

  2350 26th Ct S Arlington, VA 22206-3000

  
• 

  Avalon Bay Communities

  100 River Mews Ln Edgewater, NJ 07020-3101

• 

  Avalon Bay Communities Inc

  8935 160th Ave NE Redmond, WA 98052-7521

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:01/10/2025

  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.

  Date of Transaction: January 4, 2025 Amount Paid to the Business: $60 application fee and requsted ****** reservation charge What the Business Committed to Provide: Review the application within 24 hours.Hold the apartment for 24 hours after the review for me to decide whether to sign the lease.If I didn't sign, the application would be automatically released without further charges.Nature of the Dispute:The business did not inform me of additional fees (e.g., a holding fee) at the time of application submission.Contrary to their commitment, the application was not automatically released after the 24-hour period, leading to confusion and unexpected charges.I was misled into believing I could cancel the application without issue but later received an email requesting payment and threatening third-party collections.Whether or Not the Business Tried to Resolve the Problem:No clear resolution was provided and staff introduce a lot of misleading and wrong information.Timeline is as below:1/4/2025 - Submitted an application at *******************, assisted by staff.- Paid $60 application fee; no mention of a holding fee or additional charges.- Staff assured me the application would be reviewed within 24 hours, the apartment held for 24 hours, and the application automatically released if I didnt sign.1/5/2025 - Decided not to proceed and tried calling the office, but office was closed for Sunday.1/6/2025 1:00 PM - Called to cancel my application.- First staff member mentioned a holding fee (not previously disclosed) and disconnected the call when I questioned it.- Called back; a second staff member confirmed no deposit was recorded so i could just send an email to cancel without fee, which I did.1/7/2025 - Received an email demanding payment within 15 days, threatening third-party collections despite canceling the application.If the Issue Involves Advertising: yes. Staff wrong information and unreasonable process cause out of expectation charges.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/15/2025

  Account id for this billing is ******************** Account#**********

  Business Response

  Date: 01/24/2025

  Hello *** *****,

   

  Please see our attached response.

   

  Please let me know if you have any questions. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/07/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore 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.

  Please see attachments for details. ********************************* engages in predatory business practices to charge potential customers just for starting an application with them.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/09/2025

  Hello *** *****,

   

  Please see our attached response. 

   

  Please let me know if you have any questions. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/30/2025

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  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. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ***** *******
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/26/2024

  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.

  I have an audio recording of my conversation with the ***** but I couldn't find an option to upload the recording. (I understand this issue because the **** knocked on my door and warned me). I can provide the recording if needed. Date of the transaction:The lease agreement started in mid-2024, but the safety issues escalated significantly in December 2024. The specific concerns were raised to ***************** on December 12, 2024.The amount of money you paid the business:1. Security deposit: $4,355 2. December rent: $4,355 What the business committed to provide you:1. A safe and disturbance-free community, as per the lease agreement and the Implied Warranty of Habitability under New York State law.2. Proper security measures to ensure tenant safety.What the nature of the dispute is:1, The business failed to address severe safety concerns caused by criminal activity involving neighboring tenants (just living next to me). This included first-degree felony drug possession and potential gang affiliations.2. Persistent disturbances such as chemical and marijuana odors were left unaddressed.***************** neglected to uphold its contractual and legal obligations to maintain a habitable environment, causing significant harm to my mental and physical well-being.Whether or not the business has tried to resolve the problem:1. The business acknowledged the complaints but refused to terminate the lease without penalties or provide compensation for relocation or health treatment and associated costs.2. They offered vague discussions of alternative options without addressing the core issues.If the issue involves advertising, when and where the ad was seen or heard:No advertising.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/08/2025

  Hello *** *****,

   

  Please see our attached response.

   

  Please let me know if you have any questions. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/18/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore 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 used to live in unit303 at ********************I moved in on 8/05/23 and moved out on 9/29/24 and my end-of-lease date was 10/04/24.I'm reaching out because the complex took our deposit of $150 and still wants to charge my roommate and I $438.58 for 'damages.'Yet, we left the apartment in great condition.The complex has told us to call their East Coast customer service number.But they're not very helpful.When I ask the complex to explain the charges to me, they tell me to reach out to the customer care center. I recently sent a lengthy and detailed email to the customer care center which included a timeline and photographic evidence to explain to them that they were overcharging us, but I haven't heard back.I wanted to be there when the inspection happened,but I didn't want to risk reschedulingand the inspector missing the appointment a third time.While our place was not yet packed or cleaned, he wrote to charge us $175.00for a full apartment cleaning, $167.00 for full cabinet painting, and $100.00 for carpet cleaning.We moved and the unit was empty on 9/29.I understand we are responsible for charges until 10/04 But we were far gone already before October evenbegan.But the office wrote down we left on the 5th, so we're being charged for that too.Yet, we're still being charged thesame cleaning fee that ***** wrote down while ourbelongings were still there and before we had a chance to clean.We never wore shoes in the carpetedbedroom, but we'rebeing charged $100 for carpet cleaning.I am also being charged $167 for the cabinets to be painted, even though they're not the type to even be painted.We're also being charged for what looks to be water damage near the shower head inthe bathroom.Those paint chippings were there before we moved in and you can see the date in the photo.On their Yelp page, there was someone else in a similar situation named **** *. I would say more details but ran out of ********** evidence of how we left it: ****************************

  Business Response

  Date: 12/31/2024

  Hello *** *****,

   

  Please see our attached complaint. 

   

  Please let me know if you have any questions. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/18/2025

  Hello! 
  

  Sorry for my delay but my complaint with the company has been resolved. Thank you so so much for everything! 
  

  best, 

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

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/17/2024

  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.

  Reported mold in my apartment in June and asked for a new unit. The request was denied and 3 walls were removed as we lives there. The mold persisted because the entire unit was infected. We tried to move Dec 7 when our lease ended but their other unit had roaches so we didnt accept keys. They took $2k+ for that unit that hasnt been returned, and is charging us a new higher base rent fee for the additional 4 days it has taken us to find a new unit elsewhere and move plus several hundred dollars in excessive other non applicable fees rendering a $480 bill for 4 additional days of occupancy. We want our money back from the 2nd unit, to pay the same base rent for the additional 4 days in the 1st unit, and to stop being harassed by $200+ of additional fees from an uninhabitable unit.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/30/2024

  Hello *** *****,

   

  Please see our attached response.

   

  Please let me know if you have any questions. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/20/2025

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: 22699850
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
   We entered into a month to month agreement when the lease lapsed. We paid on December 1st, then as an act of retaliation, The *** believed it could retroactively increase the base rent by $200 on the 10th, and then issued us an email telling us of the fact, on the the 17th. It is illegal to amend a contract, without both parties agreeing to the the changes in writing. Our contract with The *** meant that they could not increase the base rent until, January 1st, after they failed to do so on December 1st. We did not agree to the rent being abruptly increased in the middle of the month wherein we had already paid once. Their charges are erroneous and illegal. We cannot be expected to pay charges that we didn't agree to in the midst of a contract. A month to month contract means you can only increase rent at the beginning of the month, not in the middle, and surely not when someone has already paid.

  We paid $1454.82 Dec. 1st for unit 6110 for the 1st- the 14th (the day which were formally set to hand back keys initially). An additional $480 nets $1934.82. That figure divided by 18, the total amount of days in the unit, is $107.49. Now, if we multiply that daily figure by the days of the month, 31, its $3,332.12. For 18 days in the unit. $3,332.12 for less than 1 month spent in the 1bd unit.
  
  That exceeds even your own total for the month of $2858.
  
  $2858 divided by 31, is $92.19. Multiplied by 18, is $1659.48.
  
  We have already paid $1454.82, which would leave a remainder of $204.66.
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  ******* *******
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/13/2025

  Hello *** *****,

   

  Please see our attached response. 

   

  Please let me know if you have any questions. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/15/2025

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: 22699850
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  At length, the money associated with the latter apartment was returned to us. However, that has no weight on the institution abruptly adjusting and increasing the base rate of the former unit in the middle of a contract month as we paid on the 1st of December. That was a month to month contract, and although we paid for only 14 days, the additional 4 utilized  after the institution failed to provide the latter unit vermin free. We paid for the 4 additional days at the same rate because it was the same month and contract. A written agreement cannot be amended without being agreed upon by both sides. Therefore, The Avas math is incorrect and illegal.

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

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/17/2024

  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.

  I am submitting this complaint against **************************, managed by AvalonBay Communities, Inc., for property damage caused by negligence and failure to address the issue in a timely and professional manner.Incident Overview:On November 10th, 2023, I was driving into the apartment buildings parking garage at ***************. As I clicked my gate fob to open the garage gate, it appeared fully open, and I proceeded to drive through. However, the gate slammed down on my vehicle, narrowly missing my sunroof. The gate caused significant damage to my car and caused me extreme anxiety, which I am still dealing with. The gate appeared to lack functioning sensors, which I believe is a violation of safety regulations. If sensors were in place, they either did not work or were improperly maintained. I provided video evidence captured from inside my vehicle showing the incident.Companys Delayed and Inadequate Response:It took over 90 days for the property management to report the incident to corporate risk management.I had to repeatedly call and email corporate offices before receiving any contact or acknowledgment.Upon speaking to the risk management representative, I was told that they reviewed their buildings video footage alongside my video. However, both I and my insurance provider formally requested access to the building footage, and we were never provided with it.Unfair Denial of Responsibility:Despite clear evidence provided by my video and the apparent lack of safety mechanisms on the gate, AvalonBay denied responsibility. Their representative quickly dismissed my claims,This incident has not only caused financial stress but also significant emotional distress due to the negligence displayed. If unresolved, I will have no choice but to pursue further action through small claims court and other regulatory avenues to address violations of safety laws and improper handling of property-related issues.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/23/2024

  Hello *** *****,

   

  Please see our attached response.

   

  Please let me know if you have any questions. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/13/2024

  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.

  I moved out of my apartment at ******************* (**********************************) on November 13, 2023. Following my move-out, I was charged a $450 fee with no explanation or breakdown of the costs. Under California Civil Code Section ******, landlords are required to provide an itemized statement and any supporting documentation for all deductions from a tenants security deposit within 21 days of move-out.Despite multiple attempts to request these documents, more than 21 days have passed without any itemized invoice, photographs, or other evidence justifying the $450 charge. I believe this practice is neither fair nor in compliance with the law. I am seeking a full refund of the $450 fee or, at a minimum, proper, legally mandated documentation that explains these costs.I am filing this complaint because my direct communications with ***** have not resolved the issue. I trust the BBBs assistance will help bring about a fair and timely resolution.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/30/2024

  Hello *** *****,

   

  Please see our attached response.

   

  Please let me know if you have any questions. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/12/2024

  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.

  This is my second complaint after my husband and I initially raised concerns. After vacating the property, we were contacted regarding a carpet and floor replacement fee.The justification provided for the carpet replacement fee was that we had pets, and the carpet was replaced as a precautionary measure. However, as per AvalonBays own statements, this replacement is a standard practice to prepare for new tenants. Consequently, this cost should not be passed on to us. The charge should be entirely waived. Even with the generous discount claimed by AvalonBay, this charge remains unwarranted.The floor replacement fee was attributed to eliminating a pet urine smell. However, AvalonBay delayed providing a physical copy of the invoice to substantiate this claim. The only invoice provided was from **** Floors for $899.94. This invoice, reluctantly attached to their response, does not mention floor replacement and is inconsistent with the remaining balance of $997.83 displayed in the account portal.The original combined charge for carpet and floor replacement was $1,486.67, which has since been quietly adjusted without explanation following our prior complaints.The company has gained a local reputation for unfair practices, including alleged racial bias against residents with Asian last names. Furthermore, communication tacticssuch as separating rude demands into a PDF attachment while maintaining courteous language in official responsesraise serious concerns about transparency and professionalism.We seek the following resolution: Provide a valid receipt or invoice clearly itemizing and justifying the charges for carpet and floor replacement. If such documentation cannot be presented, immediately remove these charges from our account. Addressing the broader issues of discriminatory behavior and unfair treatment may take longer, but we urge AvalonBay to take steps toward fostering an equitable and professional environment for all residents.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/19/2024

  Hello *** *****,

   

  Please see our attached response. 

   

  Please let me know if you have any questions. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/10/2024

  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.

  I was overcharged on my utility charges for the Month of December 2024.I received a Conservice bill (dated Sat, Nov 02) for the amount of $79.95. When it came time to pay the rent (includes conservice) I noticed that the amount was for higher by $2.33. I emailed the billing department to inquire and they replied that there was a balance was on my account prior to utility charges posting. This is not correct as I have paid all bills and rent posted, fully and completely, and on time (I have and can provide receipts to them all). When I mentioned that I have paid everything as posted and that there should not have been any balance, they respond back to now tell me that the charges are towards a $10 liability only charge (rental insurance that I have taken through them). Again, this too was billed by them and paid in full for all the months including the current. In my last email, I asked for evidence of any balance that was still due and still awaiting a reply.The company has unnecessarily charged me extra and cannot give give me an accurate answer from where this charge stems from. I have spent a lot of time going back and forth with them without resolution and believe that this is a mistake on their part. (Note: I have already paid the extra amount in December as I did not want to default on the payment).

  Business Response

  Date: 01/27/2025

  Hello *** *****,

   

  Please see our attached response. 

   

  Please let me know if you have any questions. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/02/2024

  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.

  We moved out from our apartment in ******************* early and were told by the leasing agent that we would not be responsible for rent should the unit be rented out for more than what we were paying for. That was the case as the exact apartment was rented out less than a month after our move out at a much higher rent rate, but for some reason Avalon sent us a bill for $3,800. Stating it was lost rent. I have tried multiple times to get this resolved but not once did anyone help me out or try and solve this issue for us. Instead, they sent this to a bill collector which will start to hurt our credit. This is completely illegal and discriminatory and if it is not resolved, I will be submitting a complaint federally against *****************.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/06/2025

  Hello *** *****,

   

  Please see our attached response. 

   

  Please let me know if you have any questions.