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 Inc

  8935 160th Ave NE Redmond, WA 98052-7521

• 

  AvalonBay Communities, Inc.

  850 N Randolph St Arlington, VA 22203-1978

  

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:07/12/2024

  Type:Service or Repair 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 was charged a $165 generic cleaning fee when moving out of an apartment despite the apartment being clean. When I contacted the AvalonBay ******************** asking for proof of what exactly needed to be cleaned, they sent 9 pictures of a clean apartment but said the charges were valid. I have over a hundred pictures and a few videos of the apartment's condition when I moved out and nothing needed cleaning beyond wear and tear.They refuse to answer any emails asking for a detailed explanation of the cleaning and all the invoice says is "Cleaning for unit" with no further details. They are threatening to send me to collections over the charge.This was my second rental with them and they did the exact same thing when I transferred to a new unit in the same building. I was charged a generic cleaning fee and challenged it and they ended up dropping it because they didn't have proof. This time it appears they still have no proof but aren't dropping it.I've lived in 12 different rentals and clean them extensively when moving out. I've never been charged a cleaning fee. I've dealt with corporate landlords doing this before so take hundreds of pictures when moving in and out so I can easily provide proof yet they can't.I'm seeking to have the charges removed so I can be done with them.PS Attached is the *** they sent with the pictures showing a clean apartment. I had to break it up into 2 separate files because it was larger than 5 MB.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/02/2024

  Hello,

   

  Please see our attached response.

   

  Please let me know if you have any questions. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/15/2024

  I missed my deadline to respond but just wanted to say I'm satisfied with the resolution in case you can still update it since it defaults to dissatisfied. Thanks!
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/12/2024

  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.

  I moved into this unit in 2021 and I have had repeat and pervasive flooding and water damage issues. Although they eventually resolve them, they do nothing to prevent them. Furthermore, I was not given any notification or warning that my unit had flooding issues prior to me moving in. The ** unit for the building has gone out and I was told it would be at least a week to repair. They tell me they don't have any formal documentation about a reimbursement policy so I can obtain a hotel. We are in the middle of a heat wavy and temperatures run between 96 degrees to over 100.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/12/2024

  Hello *******************************,

   

  Please see our attached response. 

   

  Please let me know if you have any questions. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/11/2024

  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 roommate and I moved out of ************************* in September 2023 and have been disputing charges they sent us since then, and now they are trying to send us to collections, even though there has been no conclusion to our dispute. During our time there we noticed we started being charged a "vacant unit fee" and after discussing it with the leasing office it was determined that our gas and electric provider PSE&G did not set up our account correctly, so we were not paying for gas and that is why avalon was being charged a fee. Once this was discovered we have a three way call with PSEG us and ****** to discuss the issue and PSEG told avalon that we were now set up correctly and not to charge us those fees anymore. Once we moved out we received a bill for vacant unit fees for months we were set up correctly and have provided avalon with proof of payment statements multiple times now, but they keep charging us. They also charged us for damages to the apartment but have failed to give us an itemized list of these damaged when we requested them multiple times. now they are trying to send us to collections without these disputed charged having a resolution, and we believe they are trying to intimidate us into paying.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/15/2024

  Hello **************,

   

  Please see our attached response.

   

  Please let me know if you have any questions. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/04/2024

  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 moved out of this apartment complex on 4/26/24. Following the move-out, the complex has insisted I owe them for several months of community utilities, a move-out clean, and extra days of rent following the end of the lease period. The apartment has provided intentionally confusing billing statements, charged me twice for community utilities, and charged for a cleaning fee despite having professional cleaners hired prior to move-out. The management company claims the rent/utility charges for the time following the end of the lease were the following, despite the keys being returned in the drop box on 4/26 per their own policy: "All of your other billing concerns, seem to be related to the vacate date we have as 04/29/24. The vacate date is determined by the day all keys/fobs are returned to the leasing office and they are notified of that fact"The company did refund the cleaning fee after I provided them with receipts of the move-out clean along with photos of the state of the apartment upon move-out. Dealing with this management company has been incredibly frustrating and time consuming, despite sending them several clear breakdowns of the issues that persist. The management company seems to be using intentionally confusing practices to pressure former residents into paying balances that have not been clearly detailed. I have tried to work with the company to fix these discrepancies and have not been able to reach a resolution. I feel it is important to note that the company takes up to 2 weeks to reply to emails, and does so under a general company email so that I am unable to keep track of who I have communicated with. In addition to these current issues, there were also problems while residing in the complex. The pipes in the parking garage developed a leak that started above our assigned parking spots. This leak took over a month to resolve and left one of our cars with permanent rust damage that the complex refused to provide a resolution for.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/28/2024

  Notice to vacate shows the lease end date and the vacate date; also included the communication with the complex. 

  Business Response

  Date: 08/13/2024

  Hello Ms. Flood,

   

  Please see our attached response.

   

  Please let me know if you have any questions. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/19/2024

  [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: 21943705
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  The business responded:

  "MESSAGE FROM BUSINESS: Hello Ms. Flood, Please see our attached response. Please let me know if you have any questions."

   

  I do not see any attachments included and therefore do not know what the said response is. 
  
  
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  Megan Hampton
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/15/2024

  Hi, I was unable to respond to the claim before it closed; can it be reopened? 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/03/2024

  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.

  Nearly 5 months ago, the dishwasher in our unit broke due to old age. The Avalon replaced it with a new but malfunctioning model. We raised the issue immediatetly as none of the dishes were being cleaned and even water glasses would emerge dirtier than they had gone in. At first the building ignored us, so we put in repeated maintence requests for assistance. Maintence staff would come to inspect the dishwasher, sometimes declaring it fine and sometimes telling us that while it wasnt working, they couldnt help us becuase management wouldnt allow them to replace it a second time.Ultimately, after 4 months of this back-and-forth, we escalated the issue to the corporate level, only to receive a condescending email from a regional manager with how-to guides on loading a dishwasher. We persisted in raising the concern, and the building manager then personally came to our unit where he acknowledged the machine was not working correctly. He also told us that the Avalon had done some work on the pipes back when our first dishwasher failed, and that it might be a pipe or water problem. Nonetheless, he authorized a new dishwasher for our unit without inspecting the pipes or the water quality.With the third appliance, we noticed standing water and a foul smell, and the issue of dirty dishes after a full cycle persisted. We began to question if it might be the water after all, as we have also seen dirty water come from other faucets in our kitchen and bathrooms from time to time. We again reached out to the building manager, regional manager, and corporate manager for assistance, as we fear the dirty water could be a health hazard. No one has even responded to us despite the blatant violation of our lease and possible health hazard.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/31/2024

  Hello,

   

  Please see our attached response. 

   

  Please let me know if you have any questions. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/05/2024

  [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: 21938324
  
  I am rejecting this response because it is an outright lie on the behalf of Avalon Midtown West. The water source and drainage were never inspected thoroughly as we requested, and the problem of white particles in our water and on our dishes continues to persist.

  In fact, after I submitted this complaint to BBB, a general manager from Avalon, Ms. ****** *******, came to our unit under the guise of inspecting the drainage. Instead, she came to attack and intimidate us about the issue. 

  We had initially received a condescending email from Ms. ******* in June 2024 in response to our problems with our dishwasher directing us to how to load a dishwasher guides and refusing to acknowledge our appliance issues, at which point we requested that her supervisor Ms. ***** ******** handle the problem directly. Ms. ******** told us that that Avalon would do nothing about our issue unless compelled to do so by legal action or a regulatory body.

  Then, on Friday 7/26, Ms. ******* visited our apartment under the guise of addressing our ongoing dishwasher issue. Instead, during this visit, she exhibited a hostile and confrontational demeanor, interrupting me and my husband whenever we spoke, refusing to acknowledge our concerns or the problems we have been facing, and pretending not to see any problems with the dishwasher. Instead of having a professional inspect the drainage and water as we had originally requested and as she had said would happen during her visit, she personally ran a cycle of the dishwasher. She also refused to use our dishes, claiming that the same dishes we had taken out of the dishwasher that morning were "too dirty" and then denying the fact that this indicated the dishwasher was not working.

   Ms. Vincents hostile demeanor and behavior escalated to the point where I felt compelled to ask her to leave our home; she did not do so until I asked her for the 4th time.

  If able, we will attach photos of the dish Ms. ******* used to run the cycle, as well as our correspondence with Ms. ******* through the Avalon's resident request system app.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/07/2024

  Hello *** *****,

   

  Please see our attached response.

   

  Please let me know if you have any questions. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/26/2024

  Type:Service or Repair 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.

  Hello,The issue that I have experienced with Avalon **** Valley is faulty damage charge applied after our move out date. My 2 roommates and I (*********************** & ***********************) lived in the ********************** apartment complex room 451, from our lease start date of 4/1/2023 to the end date of 3/31/2024. After we had vacated the apartment, we were swiftly charged with a $1,152.80 bill on top of not receiving our $300 deposit back. After numerous emails and phone calls, the leasing department disclosed that the charges were due to 'above normal wear and tear' on the carpets. The main issue is that there was no damage 'above normal wear and tear'. On top of this, the pictures that they provided appear to be crudely photoshopped in order to exploit us. We had taken pictures prior to us leaving the apartment, that clearly show no damage other than dirt. We had also opted into their 'clean sweep program' which is a service to have our apartment cleaned for us. All pictures provided are prior to the clean sweep. I've also included a copy of the billing statement, the 4 pictures that were sent to us from Avalon (please note the purple and yellow blotting that does not appear in our raw, unedited pictures) , our original pictures taken upon move out, and a photo of the signed clean sweep option. We would like Avalon **** Valley to fully redact the charge of $1,152.80 and return our deposit back in full. Thank you in advance,*************************

  Business Response

  Date: 07/26/2024

  Hello,

   

  Please see our attached response. 

   

  Please let me know if you have any questions. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/02/2024

  Good afternoon,

  I am reaching out in regard to the complaint that I filed earlier this year. After reading Avalon's response (attached above), I have been waiting for the refund they stated was sent. Neither ***** ***** or I have received anything in the mail from them. What is our next step to receive our refund at this stage?

  Thank you,

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

  Business Response

  Date: 12/16/2024

  Hello *** *****,

   

  Thank you for your most recent communication.

   

  First, I would like to apologize to Mr. ******* for any inconvenience this may have caused. After further review, I found that the refund of $510.24 was not processed. Additionally, as of July 26, 2024, a payment for $768.53 applied to his account. Due to the payment, Mr. ******* will receive a refund of $1,278.11 which is equal to the damages charged. This refund will be processed in 7-10 business days and Mr. ******* can expect a check via Next Day Air to the forwarding address on file once the refund is processed. The check and tracking number will be emailed to Mr. ******* once available.

   

  Please feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/14/2025

  [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:06/26/2024

  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.

  My wife and I have been renting at the ****** for the last 13 months. Our lease is up on 7/28, and we wanted to renew our lease for another 12 months.In April, and just yesterday I received a renewal offer from Avalon. I signed my renewal, but it was voided by ****** the leasing manager who apparently has some type of issue with my wife, and I. This is a personal situation apparently, and i never met the guy until last week so I'm not sure what it could be. He lied to my face and stated that we were served a non renewal of our lease in April, but when I spoke to ******* in leasing he stated that the non renewal was put on our account on 6/20 after I left ******'s office. There is no reason for the non renewal we have no complaints on our account, and never missed a monthly payment. We have been a week late sometimes, but never have missed a payment. Considering my father had a massive sudden stroke, was in a coma for months, and then passed away I think some factors should be considered. My wife is three months pregnant, and all we are asking is to renew our lease for a year considering the fact that we love the community and my wife is a high risk pregnancy. The stress and anxiety that ****** is causing us with his unprofessional rude behavior is totally unacceptable. He is a liar, and I'm not sure what his issue is with us, but all we are asking for is to continue living in the ****** and to renew our lease. Another thing if we had non renewal placed on our account how come I was offered a renewal offer AGAIN yesterday? only to be voided by who? ******. Our account has never been in litigation, and we have made every monthly payment. We know several others in the community that have been late on their rent, but never had this issue. Actually their leases were renewed at cheaper rates! This is totally unacceptable, and I just want to resolve this situation and renew my lease for 12 months until we have the baby and buy a house is that too much to ask for?

  Business Response

  Date: 07/22/2024

  Hello,

   

  Please see our attached response. 

   

  Please let me know if you have any questions. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/25/2024

  Type:Service or Repair 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 dispute the move-out charges and damages claimed by the office following my departure from my apartment at ********************. Upon receiving the final statement, I was shocked to find charges totaling over $1500, particularly for damages purportedly caused to the apartment. I agree that I should pay for the utility charges within the same bill. To provide context, I resided in the apartment for four years, which was not one of the refurbished units upon my move-in. Upon initial inspection, I duly noted numerous pre-existing issues, including marks and imperfections throughout the apartment. It is important to highlight that these were documented during the move-in inspection, and I ensured to maintain the apartment in a reasonable state throughout my tenancy. The primary issue I am contesting is the charge of over $1000 for refurbishing the kitchen and bathroom cabinets. As previously stated, my apartment was not in new condition when I moved in, and it was not one of the refurbished units. For four years also there are definitely normal wear and tear! Moreover, I consistently used liners to preserve the cabinets during my stay. Therefore, I do not accept responsibility for the refurbishment costs of the cabinets, as this expenditure does not align with the condition of the apartment at the commencement of my lease.I am willing to discuss and resolve any legitimate damages that I may have caused during my residency. However, I firmly oppose being held liable for expenses related to upgrading or renewing aspects of the apartment that were not due to my actions or negligence.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/18/2024

  Hello,

   

  Please see our attached response. 

   

  Please let me know if you have any questions. 

  Business Response

  Date: 07/19/2024

  Hello,

   

  Please see our additional response.

   

  Please let me know if you have any questions. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/23/2024

  [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.  Thank you so much for addressing my concern and many thanks for ********************************* for their response and action. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *******************************
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/25/2024

  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 transferred my lease from *************************** to *** ************ in ***********. They were super niceuntil it came time for my $2100 security deposit to be refunded. After an unnoticed and therefore illegal preliminary move out inspection held while I was away moving my belongings they left a piece of paper estimating Id owe $385 if I didnt clean. I cleaned throughly. A month later I email about the deposit just wondering about the status. Mr. ******** JC was now cold, responded curtly I needed to call an 800 number. I did. The ditsy woman said Id only receive $400 saying it was because of a double charge for my 30 day notice rent. Well turns out ******************* actually used GCLA Reglazing a refinishing company he gets illegal kickbacks from, to charge $1700 in damages! They said I owed $900+ for reglazing! No hours worked, no detail on the work done, the hourly rate, anything! This violates CA law and Ill be taking them to small claims court if this isnt resolved soon. Ill pay $185 for the cleaning cost thats it. The carpet didnt need to be replaced and I sure as h*** didnt cause $900+ damage for reglazing. What was reglazed? I have no idea! Which is illegal! Furthermore I moved out on the May 27th or before and he put my move out date as June 1! Then said the final inspection wasnt until June 15.did someone live there for 2 weeks? Was it JCs friends at **************? I think so and I want my money back

  Business Response

  Date: 07/24/2024

  Hello,

   

  Please see our attached response.

   

  Please let me know if you have any questions. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/20/2024

  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.

  The *** is asserting that I am "storing, keeping, and maintaining" a camera in the common area of the apartment complex. However, the camera is attached to my front door, which is not an "exterior door" as in the vernacular of the lease, but rather a private front door. The *** is asserting that nothing from a private dwelling can be kept in the common area, and I am not keeping anything in the common area. I however disagree with labeling the front door with limited access due to only myself and my husband having keys, as a "common area." My front door is private, and the complex both promotes and encourages door adornments in door decorating contests, and allows privately owned Teslas with "sentry mode" and 6 cameras autonomously recording constantly in the common area of the parking garages is fine - - but not my one ring camera installed on my door due to a string of package thefts. The *** is engaged in discriminatory actions against my home, and I would like them to cease and immediately stop harassing me about my ring doorbell camera. My front door is not apart of the common area. There are however neighbors allowed to stow things in the common area not being harassed and again, numerous Teslas with several cameras apiece.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/22/2024

  Hello,

   

  Please see our attached response.

   

  Please let me know if you have any questions.