Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/25/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

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

  Answered:

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

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  While checking my credit rating recently I noticed a bad credit rating from Penkert properties. I had not lived at *********** properties for more than 4 years. Did not know of the complaint. I had no forwarding address to give them. The complaint list several damages to the apartment, those were addressed in my walkthrough prior to accepting the apartment. I got the apartment under section 8 housing. I did not pay rent, nor security deposit. I was approached by the district manager they referred to as Doc. He came to my door one evening drunk and belligerent and accused me of not paying rent and threatened me with a 5-day eviction notice if I did not pay rent. I was not in charge of paying rent. When I did eventually move out, I paid to have my apartment professionally cleaned. There was no food left in the refrigerator or cabinets due to the fact that I donated that food to the gal that cleaned my apartment. The vertical vinyl blinds that they claim were damaged are made on site either by me or maintenance. The cigarette ***** in the carpet that they are claiming I caused were there when I moved in, (as noted in my initial walk through) and when I moved out maintenance assured me that the carpet was going to be replaced anyway so I was not in charge of cleaning it. That is noted in my first initial walkthrough. I believe these damages that ****** properties are seeking are due to the fact that I filed a complaint about the manager Doc.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/24/2023

  ******,
  
  Thank you for bringing these concerns to our attention so that we can address them for you.
  
  When you vacated the apartment, you did not provide a forwarding address. Per ATCP 134.06(2), on March 8, 2019, a security deposit transmittal letter and move-out invoice were sent to your last known address which included deductions from the security deposit for damages caused by you while living in the apartment. Now that you have provided a current mailing address while filing this complaint, we will update our records in order to ensure that you receive this documentation (which is also attached to this response.)
  
  You were charged for disposal of abandoned property, neglected cleaning and a pro-rated amount for replacement of damaged carpet and vinyl flooring as a result of numerous cigarette ***** you caused during your tenancy. These damages are all noted on the Move-Out Sheet
  
  We have provided a copy of the security deposit transmittal letter, move-out invoice, check-in and check-out sheets, unit turnover log and flooring invoice.
  
  If you have any further questions, please let ** know.
  
  Thank you.
  
  *****************************
  Director of Operations
  Penkert Properties, ***

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/25/2023

  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.
  
  [I was told by maintenance prior to moving out to not worry about the carpet because it was going to be replaced anyway. The vinyl replacement you are referring to is vinyl vertical blinds that are made on site because maintenance showed me how to make my own blinds when I needed them. In regards to any food or food leftovers there were none. I hired a cleaning crew to come in and clean the apartment to the best of their ability. In regards to the couch and loveseat, I told maintenance that *** my neighbor wanted them. If the love seat and couch were not given to ****** then I assume that they took the couch and loveseat and sold them. I will not pay for any slight cleaning or carpet removal, what are the cleaning crews that are hired by ****** properties being paid for. Is it standard operations that the head supervisor that they call Doc to come to my door pounding and demanding rent, while obviously drunk, and threatening me with a 5-day eviction notice?

  The rent is automatically paid because I was in section 8 housing. Is it standard operation that the present manager and head of maintenance except cold beers from me during the day while they sit in the maintenance shed smoking?

  I would like copies of the two previous tenants forms that they filled out before renting and after leaving to compare damages charged.

  On my day of leaving I told the head of maintenance that I left a $50 bill in the bedroom to offset the cost of the hole in the wall. I had made that hole while taking out the bed on the day that I left.

  I have seen three different damage lists and two of the three mentioned the carpet the latest one added extra cleaning..]
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/25/2023

  ******,

  Thank you for your response and to allow me to explain Penkert Properties policies and procedures.

  Our staff does not make agreements with tenants regarding unless such agreements have been made in writing. You claim that you were told by maintenance that not to worry about the carpet because it would be replaced. It is not our policy to replace carpet unless it has exceeded it useful life or a tenant damages the carpet. In your instance, the cost to replace the carpet was pro-rated based on a ten year depreciation, which you were charged for five years of the carpet and 3 years for the vinyl flooring even though you only occupied the unit for four years due to the carpet being installed prior to your tenancy, as noted in your original complaint.

  Regarding your claim that the unit was professionally cleaned prior to vacating the apartment, our documentation references 3.5 hours of time for neglected cleaning of the bathroom, kitchen and appliances. If you are unsatisfied with the work that was completed by the cleaning company you hired, you should contact them to request a refund for their services which were unsatisfactory. Penkert Properties does consider routine cleaning as part of the typical turnover process, so you would not have been charged for any routine cleaning. The items you were charged for were specifically for neglected cleaning, meaning, these items had not been cleaned upon move-out and were beyond what would be considered normal wear and tear or what is expected typically to clean.

  In regards to the couch and loveseat, it seems we agree and there is no argument that you left these items behind, which were then disposed of and you charged for their disposal.

  To address your concerns with our employees and staff pounding on your door and demanding rent, it is Penkert Properties policy that any tenant who is late on rent be served with a 5-Day Notice for Late Rent which includes making attempts to contact the tenant at their home in order to make them aware of the late rent and to work out any payment arrangements with them at that time. If Section 8 did not make a timely payment which resulted in your rent being late, it would be proper for our staff to make attempts to contact you and serve you with the notice described above.

  Concerning your request to provide you with records of the previous tenants, we only took over management of the property in 2014 and do not have records of the previous tenants. You were provided with a check-in sheet at the time you moved in and were given 7 days from the time of move-in to note any damages that were not listed by our staff. We have no record of you providing any damages beyond what was noted on the check-in sheet.

  To address the hole in the wall, you acknowledge that you are responsible for that damage but that you "left a $50 bill in the bedroom" to offset the cost to repair the damage. Can you please provide ** with a signed receipt from one of our staff members to support this claim?

  I hope this helps clear up any confusion you may have had.

  Thank you for the opportunity, again, to help resolve these issues for you.