Call Realty, Inc.

Thank you for handling this matter and for notifying us We did get all of this resolved with *** *** (see attached document) and she is dismissing the complaint. If you need anything else from us, please let me know.*** ***, Designated BrokerCall Realty

Customer’s Statement of the Problem:To whom this concerns, The "business" if you can even call if that, Call Realty, are the definition of dishonest and manipulative. I moved into one of their townhouses last June on Bowdish in Spokane Valley, WA. Right away, they demanded a $1600 deposit which...

should have been a clear sign right there. It was my first place so I was just excited to be in my own home.
 
·         In accordance with WA Landlord/Tenant law our rental application criteria that tenants sign and accept when they apply for one of our properties states why additional deposit may be required. Call Realty does not charge first month’s rent, last month’s rent and deposit to tenants. We charge first month’s rent and deposit but depending on a tenants application we increase the deposit in order to work with tenants whose applications may not fully meet our rental qualifications. In the case of Ms. [redacted] we explained how she was approved and why she in particular was being asked to pay an additional refundable amount to her deposit. She accepted this and paid the first half of the Damage, Security and Cleaning deposit and agreed to make payments on the second half over five months. Some reasons why a tenant may be asked to pay an additional amount toward deposit are; no rental history or unfavorable rental history, credit or lack of established credit, lack of employment or income, short time on the job, criminal history, pets, roommates etc. Ms. [redacted] was aware of the particular reasons that required her to pay an additional deposit.
 
 
 
Upon moving in, the kitchen floor was filthy as they have very strict "move-out" rules which were clearly not enforced to the last tenant.
 
·         We do everything we can to make sure homes are as clean and ready as possible for tenants prior to their move-in date. As soon as we’re aware of something we dispatch a vendor to address any valid problems or issues. Ms. [redacted] received keys on 5.29.15 and returned the  move in property condition report on 6.2.15. That same day we dispatched a vendor to address her concerns. We received the invoice and paid for the completed work from vendor on 6.15.15.
 
 
 
1 week after moving in, we noticed water dripping from the ceiling. They came out to look at it and the shower in the master bedroom was having issues and needed to be fixed ASAP according to them... But the property had been vacant for 1 month prior to us moving in so why wasn't this fixed then?
 
·         Again, we do everything we can to make sure homes are as clean and ready as possible for tenants prior to them moving in. In this case, no one was living in the townhome and using the shower while it was vacant to create the problem that the tenant reported to us. After about a week of using the master shower the tenant reported that water was dripping from the ceiling underneath the master bathroom. The vendor was sent a work order the same day that we received the call. He determined that there was a hairline crack underneath the chrome shower drain grate not visible until you disconnected and removed the shower drain (picture available upon request). As there had never been a leak previously we believe it is something that occurred during the first week of Ms. [redacted] tenancy. These things happen. This was a newer townhome and issues like these are unexpected. The vendor made an appointment with the tenant and determined the issue. He cut out a one foot by one foot access in the ceiling beneath the affected area to remove moisture and ensure no mold issues. He would need to access the plumbing through this access hole to reconnect the drain pipe to the drain beneath the shower pan when he replaced it. He advised the tenant that the shower pan and walls would need to be replaced and advised her that she couldn’t use it in the meantime as it would still leak. He provided us with a quote and recommendations via email on 6.9.15. We sent quote to Landlord on 6.9.15 via email and he responded and gave us the “go ahead” on the same day 6.9.15.
 
We then received a call from the Ms. [redacted] that she was not happy that the vendor called her to set up a time to start the work and asked her to move into one of the other bedrooms for a week while he completed the work. She asked if she would be compensated for not being able to use the master bedroom for a week. We let her know that in this case, as she is a single person in a 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom town home that she would not be compensated for having to sleep in a different bedroom for a week and use a different bathroom/shower. If this was her only bedroom and bathroom thus rendering the townhome unlivable for the week then by all means we would have accommodated her request.
 
From that point the broker had several conversations with Ms. [redacted] as did the vendor trying to set up a date and time to complete the work and she refused to call the vendor back to set it up. On at least one occasion the broker discussed it with her and she said “I know, I have to call him back” and acknowledged that the reason that the shower and ceiling below were not being repaired was because of her unwillingness to work with the vendor and let him in. She insisted that she had to move out of the unit and it was taking her a while to find somewhere else to stay while the work was completed.
 
 
 
As far as the shower goes, they said in order to fix it, I needed to move everything out of the master bedroom and bathroom (that I had just moved in) and stay in another room or somewhere else for 2 weeks. I asked if they were going to compensate the 2 weeks of rent since I was practically being forced out of my own house after just paying $900 in rent and a $1600 deposit and they said no without any hesitation.
 
·         As this was a single tenant in a 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom town home we don’t believe the tenant was being “forced out of her own home”. As this issue unfortunately started after her move-in, even though within only a week, it was a maintenance issue during her tenancy that  we were attempting to correct as soon and quickly as possible. The speed in which the issue would be corrected came down to her cooperating with the vendor and allowing him in to take care of it. Ms. [redacted] mentions two weeks but the vendor was telling her one week and advising us no more than one week to replace the shower and patch the ceiling. When you’re renting a home unfortunately maintenance issues arise. Not always through anyone’s fault. We want to get them taken care of as quickly as possible and rely on the person living in the home to allow us to do that. If Ms. [redacted] chose to move out for the week while repairs were being made, rather than into one of the other two bedrooms in her unit, then that was her choice and the landlord, our owner, wouldn’t compensate her for it.
 
 
 
Keep in mind, my calls and emails were not being answered or replied to by anybody in the office until my dad called and raised [redacted]. You can't tell me they aren't sitting by their phone or email 24/7...
 
·         Our office hours are from 9am to 5pm Monday through Friday. We have an after hours emergency phone line for any situation that a current Call Realty tenant finds themselves in that is either putting them in danger or causing damage to the property if not taken care of immediately. None of our staff sit by their phones or work emails 24/7. In this situation we were working on the problem but we came to a standstill when the tenant refused to work with the vendor in allowing him in to complete the project. Other issues arose with the unit such as the garbage disposal needing to be repaired two months into the tenancy, neighbors complaining about trash piling up at her front door as she hadn’t set up her waste collection account (this is a breach of her lease agreement), A/C unit reportedly not working and the HVAC vendor found that the tenant had blocked the air vents furniture and had not replaced the furnace filter thus preventing air from circulating properly. There was plenty of communication and response from us and our vendors on all of these issues.
 
 
 
Anyways, the shower went unfixed for 12 months and the huge hole they drilled into the ceiling was patched up either.
 
·         Not through lack of trying on our or the vendors behalf. The “huge hole” was an access panel to allow the vendor to complete the repair once Ms. [redacted] let him back in. She never did hence of course it went unfixed. The issue could have been resolved during the 3rd or 4th week of her tenancy.
 
 
 
Upon moving OUT last week, we had to set up carpet cleaning and a house cleaner to get everything back into the condition that it WASN'T in when we moved in. We would be charged a $75 "coordination fee" if we didn't set this up. When I went to schedule the carpet cleaning, the gentleman I talked to called me back after it was scheduled and stated that, Korrin, the new inspector wanted to hold off on it because they had to replace the shower (finally) and the hole in the ceiling. So what you're saying is that you want me to pay for your mess as well? I called Korrin and told her this wasn't happening and called the carpet cleaner back to schedule yet again. Come to find out, Korrin went behind our back and called him telling him to hold out like she originally anticipated. I was in disbelief that a company could be so dishonest.
 
·         Carpets are professionally cleaned prior to a tenant moving in and according to the lease tenants have to have them professionally cleaned when they vacate using one of our approved vendors. Ms. [redacted] did set up cleaning and carpet cleaning to avoid paying the $75 coordination fee should we have had to do it. Tenants have an option to clean the unit when they vacate or hire someone to clean for them at their expense. We provide contact information for various vendors that we recommend. Ms. [redacted] contacted the cleaner we recommend to clean the unit. Prior to Ms. [redacted] moving out the broker over the townhomes let the new inspector Corinne know about the issues we’d had with the shower and this tenant and that it still needed to be repaired and that carpets should probably not be cleaned prior to this work being done. Corinne asked the carpet cleaner to hold off until the work was completed. The tenant would not be charged a $75 coordination fee for this nor would it change the amount on the final carpet cleaning bill that she would be responsible for. It was merely an issue of timing. Apparently Ms. [redacted] called the carpet cleaner back and demanded he clean it when she wanted it cleaned and the inspector once again asked the carpet cleaner to hold off. The inspector explained to the Ms. [redacted] why we didn’t want carpets cleaned prior to the work as it would be a waste of the carpet cleaners time as he would have to come back again to clean just the master bedroom and the small area below where the ceiling access hole would be patched. Mc [redacted] despite this explanation proceeded to call the carpet cleaner and demand that he keep the original appointment. When the carpets are cleaned bares no hardship or financial deficit on the tenant. We often ask a carpet cleaner to hold off until after cleaning or maintenance completed so that carpets aren’t dirtied by vendors going into the home after they’ve already been cleaned once. We fail to see why the tenant is choosing to make such an issue out of this.
·         After the cleaner had finished there was tenant caused repairs and additional cleaning issues with the unit that was tenant responsibility that needed to be addressed that Call Realty had to coordinate. The $75 coordination fee was charged for this. After the inspector discussed this with Ms. [redacted] and the broker this fee was waived. Pictures are available upon request and were sent to the tenant of the condition the townhome was left in. We had broken and missing blind slats, stove top drip pans that needed to be replaced, dozens and dozens of cigarette butts strewn throughout the front lawn and garden bed outside the front door – despite this unit being a “no smoking unit anywhere in or on the premises” per her lease agreement. Ms. [redacted] response to the cigarette butts was that she doesn’t smoke and they weren’t hers. When we shared the photographs she stated again that she doesn’t smoke and she wasn’t living there anyway and it was her sister that was living there. According to her lease agreement both smoking and allowing an unauthorized person to move in and live in the unit is a direct violation and grounds for termination and forfeiting her entire deposit.
·         Prior to the tenant (or her unauthorized sister) moving out the broker had to show the unit to prospective tenants. The unit was trashed and absolutely filthy. It was so bad that the prospective tenant shown that day decided that she couldn’t live there even after we explained that we ensure cleaning and carpet cleaning is completed prior to move in. Our office made the decision that we would not show the unit again until it was vacated and cleaned out and cleaned up.
 
 
Lastly, I just received our "move out expenses" summary and when calling to ask what damages they found, she stated that all the blinds upstairs were broken which in fact they were NOT. After talking to the house cleaner, she stated that when she was cleaning, they were not broken which was less than a week ago. She stated, "if anybody broke them it was me but I know that I didn't" as we were already moved out.
 
 
 
So now they are trying to take $300 from our deposit for "new blinds". It has been nothing but a problem since the beginning. We would have moved out a long time ago if they didn't charge a $350 move out fee a long will paying rent until they find somebody to lease it out. Also the "coordination fee" was also deducted for my deposit although I set up the carpet cleaning and house cleaning as instructed. Korrin said she will TRY to see what she can do about that.
 
·         The coordination fee was removed at the tenant request in order to “keep the peace”.
·         The upstairs blinds were not broken. One bedroom blind was pulled up so tight that it was jammed and would not lower down. The vendor sent to measure ad order the blinds after the inspector had done the move-out inspection was able to fix it get it to lower and operate properly. He did not charge anything for this. There were broken blinds including the vertical blind over the glass sliding door that had approximately 10 missing or broken slats that needed to be replaced and the broken valance. The tenant told the inspector that the slats were in the closet. The slats in the closet were the ones that were broken and missing. The venetian blind in the living room was also broken and being replaced. At this time we do not have the invoice from the vendor for the broken blinds but it won’t be anywhere near $300.
 
 
 
At this point, it looks like we will be receiving little of our deposit back because this company is not only dishonest but has absolutely no consideration for tenants who were nothing but great to their property. Please contact me with further questions as I want to see this company pay for the way they do business with honest individuals.
·         At this point the tenant will have deducted from her deposit the following: For Cleaning which she coordinated and didn’t pay. Carpet cleaning which she coordinated and didn’t pay. A past due Modern Electric bill. Replacement of drip pans and the service call fee to purchase and install them. And whatever the bill comes to for the two damaged blinds that either she or her unauthorized sister damaged during the tenancy. By far the largest bill of all was the cleaning bill for 10.5 hours of cleaning and hauling away the trash that the tenant left behind and time spent picking up the cigarette butts. As of this moment, the total charges against her $1500 (not $1600 as she pointed out) damage, security and cleaning deposit is $736.78.
·         All pictures, lease and vendor invoices available upon request.

Thank you for handling this matter and for notifying us.  We did get all of this resolved with [redacted] (see attached document) and she is dismissing the complaint. If you need anything else from us, please let me know.[redacted], Designated BrokerCall Realty

Review: At [redacted] the landlord made numerous unannounced entries into our home (when we were their and often when we weren't), he even walked in on my wife who was in the nude and just coming out of the shower. During walk through visits we made the owner and call realty agents aware of various issues (leaking sinks, leaking tube faucet,mold and water backing up into our basement) of which none were addressed. WA state law says they have a maximum of 72 hrs to address major plumbing issues (water backing up into basement). Weeks after we notified them of the back up issue (water coming out of the drain and then hours later going back down) we had a major backup where the basement filled up with about 6 inches of raw sewage. Finally a plumber was sent to unclog it but, we ended up having to clean the sewage ourselves and hauling all our damaged good/furniture/baby clothes/pictures, etc. to the dump. After our property was damaged we decided it was the last draw. We moved into a new house 3 months before our lease was up and in the meantime painted, dusted, shampooed carpets, etc. at the rental property. We made weekly visits to maintain the house and the yard (the neighbor can attest to this). During our checkout visit we were told everything looked good and we would get most of our deposit back. They took a few pictures in the house (none outside). Two months later we got an itemization for our deposit (WA State law says they have 14 days) including yard maintenance done 2 months after we moved out (I called and confirmed with the yard cleaning company that the work was started and completed on the same day as the completion date on the receipt). We also called Call Realty to ask how much oil needed to be in the tank and we were told none because they didn't have documentation of how much was in when we moved in. We were charged over 900$ for oil. On Misc. items were being charged 335 for curtain rods/blinds/trash hauling. We didnt leave any trash. Blinds/curtains boxed and stored at movein.Desired Settlement: I want the bill to be dropped and my deposit to be returned but we will pay for the refrigerator shelf, mini blinds and cleaning (90.00 charge) of which I think are warranted.

Business

Response: