Ardent Property Management, Inc

Thank you for bringing your complaint forward.  I have reviewed your file and have attached quite a few pictures as well as some documents from your move in as well as from the day your...

townhome was walked by our Turnover Division. After reviewing the photos, I believe you will quickly see why you were charged for damages.  The carpet was brand new when you moved in- installed 7/2013.  We only charged you 80% of the carpet replacement costs, otherwise you were charged for painting, cleaning, oven cleaning and drip pans.  All showcased in the photos attached.  Additional charges were applied for the 1st 3 days of September and the final balance for your water bill. Addendum A Pages 1-5 that you signed at move in explain what we will charge for at move out if not left in similar condition (within normal wear and tear).  If you have further questions or concerns please respond. Thanks-

In regards to your 'suggestion', the bank was contacted and we were told that it never attempted to be withdrawn from the account. As I am sure you are aware, when making a payment online, it asks for the account information twice. This is why I am doubting that the account information was entered incorrectly. It definitely is a possibility but you should be able to prove that. I have my information in order and you should be able to reach out to the third party company that handles the online payments to get detailed information when it is needed. Since you are unable to prove that the checking account information was entered incorrectly, I would like to request that the $35 be refunded back. It is also not my fault that the office staff gave me the last four numbers of the confirmation number and not the account number like they stated in the message. Also in regards to the comment you mentioned about giving account information via Facebook, it was asked by the staff via Facebook! I reach out via Facebook message because when I call, usually no one answers. The last time I called to make the payment I was told " Oh is this Ms [redacted], I can see by the caller ID," so they probably don't answer my calls because they don't want to deal with the issues I call about. When I leave voicemails, they never get returned. It also is on the Fieldstone Trace Facebook page that Facebook messages are welcome. With that being said is there a reason why my last Facebook messages were ignored? You never addressed that issue. There have been several issues with the apartment and some of them remain unresolved because I simply just gave up asking about them. I have lived in apartments for many years (since I turned 19) and never have I had as many issues as I have had here. I should have taken into account all the negative reviews and the red flags but I ignored them. I have never paid my rent late in 11 years and I move here and I have been accused twice in 8 months. Not to mention the issue at move in when we were told by Kelly that the $1000 prepaid visas could be used toward move in costs (deposit, first month rent) then when we were signing the lease it was stated oh we don't have any and they have to be ordered and it will take a couple weeks. It took my calling for almost a month every week to finally get them. There are maintenance requests that were submitted online, called in by phone several times that still never have been taken care of. This is not even half of the list. At this point it doesn't even matter because as soon as the lease is up we are leaving. I would like to request that the $35 be refunded if you are not able to prove that the account information was entered correctly. Or if you are able prove with documentation provided to us that the account information was entered correctly then I will accept the resolution to this complaint.

Thanks [redacted] for sharing the pictures.
These pictures no where resemble the place I lived.
I think what is happening is they have mixed up pictures for some other unit with mine. I know there were some other units being vacated at the same time.

on three different occasions, I spoke with the employees in the leasing office and was told that I would owe nothing further as long as I left by the end of March 2014.  The last day I was there, I turned in my keys to the employee in the leasing office and asked if I owed anything. Again, I was told that as long as I left by the end of March, I owed nothing.  I cannot understand the dishonesty now.  I would have paid what was owed but when I was told on three different occasions that I would owe nothing if I left by the end of the month because my rent was paid until April 1.

Mr. [redacted]-
I have forwarded the pictures directly to the Revdex.com since they did not receive them with our initial response to your complaint.  I have asked that they review them as well as share them with you.  The water leak you are referring to did not damage the carpet in the hallway to the bedrooms, doorway to the master bedroom.  The carpet was brand new as well as the unit when you took possession, the amount you were charged for the carpet was determined reducing it for the areas affected by the water leak.  For that I do feel that the amount charged to you is fair. Had the water leak been the only area of carpet needing replacement we could and would have only replaced the carpet in that specific area.
The other line items that you are referring to have already been removed through our standard Turnover Dispute Process- once utility payments are made and confirmed we remove the charges, otherwise we end up paying them in hopes that the resident pays.  I understand your frustration regarding this, however it was taken care of and is no longer on your ledger. 
After reviewing and considering the items that were not caused by the water leak in the laundry area- I do feel the charges are fair and valid.  As stated in our initial response- we use the same standard and take all aspects into consideration when completing the disposition- that is why we take photos to document items that are being charged for. 
Sincerely-
Ardent Communities

Mr. F[redacted]Thank you for the clarification in your 3/20/18 Response (Attachment 1) that Ardent was only billing 50% for the first floor carpet replacement and not the second floor. Additionally, we should have been billed at a prorated amount for the remaining life of the carpet. After doing a bit of research on the the average carpeting life span, it appears that carpeting in a rental property has a lifespan of 5 years (60 months), which is the same length of time that the IRS allows for carpeting to be fully depreciated. We lived in the apartment from April 17, 2014 to December 31, 2016, which is a total of 32 months. Below is the calculation of what the initial billing costs should have been after move-out. This breakdown also includes the sealing of floors (Also in Attachment 4)Carpet -5 year life expectancy (60 months)Lived in Apartment from 04/17/14 – 12/31/16 a total of 32 months32 months/ 60 months = 53.33%100% - 53.33% = 46.67% remaining life expectancyWhat should have been billed for replacement of carpet:$1,292.83 x 50% = $646.42 (Charged only for bottom floor per Ardent Communities 3-20-18 response)$646.42 x 46.67% (prorated life expectancy of carpet) = $301.68Sealing of Floors$275 x 50% = $137.50 (Charged only for bottom floor per Ardent Communities 3-20-18 response)$137.50 x 46.67% (prorated life expectancy of carpet) = $64.17(Since this is the first time you have used the vendor for this unit; they would have likely suggested sealing the floors regardless. Once again, we would like to see photo evidence)Total charge for carpeting with prorated amount should have been $365.85                                         ...⇄      $365.85        (99.00)  Security Deposit       =$266.85 Final ChargeAgain, we do not agree with the current charges for the replacement of carpeting because the photos provided do not show the stains that the Turnover Division has insinuated. Also, it should be a standard practice to take photos of the underside of carpeting and any padding or concrete that Ardent attempts to bill former tenants for. We have not been impressed by the Turnover Division procedures and processes as we have been able to provide photographic evidence in dispute of any incorrect billing and charges, which were removed from the original unit condition form (Attachment 3). We would like to thank you for removing the $10 administration fee and again we would like ask that you waive all remaining fees so that we can close our dispute and be done. Thanks in advance,

Ms. [redacted]-I have attached just 2 of the photos with circles to showcase the areas of damage.  The photos I attached to your original complaint each did showcase the reasons behind the charges.  You will notice in the photo attached of the corner of the window- there are almost 10 holes in that location alone.  Some of the windows had larger screw/anchors in them- these do require additional prep work versus a touch up- again this information is noted on Addendum A Page 1 regarding painting.  As you mentioned there was nail holes from pictures etc, as well as the vinyl lettering on the walls.  We do account for normal wear and tear when grading upon move out.  However upwards of 50+ nail/screw holes would not be considered normal wear and tear.  I also did attach a photo of the carpet pet stain as well- you will note on Addendum A Page 2 for Carpet Cleaning- A Rating is clean and vacuumed, B Rating is Visibly Soiled in an area or room in the unit- as in high traffic areas, dirt at the edge of the floor or door area.  C Rating is carpet that is not clean- It is in need of additional maintenance, such as items listed- visible and obvious stains, no matter what size.I do apologize again for the wrong phone number being given when you called Albany Landings- we have had a discussion to ensure the onsite staff knows what phone number to give for Turnover.  Our Onsite Staff does not have any involvement with Turnover to ensure across the board our past residents are getting fair and valid treatment.  The onsite staff would not have access to photos, paperwork etc.  Once you move out the file comes to our Turnover Department to be processed, the onsite staff does not usually get many calls at all regarding Turnover.

Don't waste my time. I just read some of the other complaints about the carpet. You take advantage of people in such a manner that is, to me, criminal. Telling people that the carpet was brand new condition when they moved in. Of course it was brand new. Now the manner in which is was installed, complete hack job...and then you screw people over to justify a better install with new carpet and take a little of the top for yourself (what 20%?). [redacted]To those that read this and find themselves in a similar position -- document everything!!! secretly record every conversation you have with management, photograph every square inch prior to moving in, during your lease and after you move out. Put in maintenance requests regularly to cover yourself. Get a signed copy of the Move-In Condition report and be meticulous when filling it out. Start a paper trail. And most importantly, take all your documentation to a respected attorney to see if you have a case worthy of litigation. Don't concern yourself with the smaller charges, cleaning, etc..it's all arbitrary and very difficult to prove in court, but it can be done if your paper trail is where it should be.

Thank you for bringing your complaint forward, giving Ardent Communities a chance to review your file and provide an explanation regarding your complaint.
I have attached a few documents that will support our response, as well as a couple pictures showing the stain and refrigerator...

that was left with stains.
For the attachment I have included the Unit Condition Form showing what you are being charged for, as you will very quickly see there is $228.25 for 5 days of rent that was due for April 1-5, 2014.  I have also attached your hand written noticed that specifically states your last day would be April 5, 2014.  Other than that the only charges were for the bleach stain under the breakfast bar and the stains in the fridge.  There is not a Move In Condition Form filled out and signed by you from Move In, assuming one was not turned back into the Leasing Office.  I have reviewed pictures from the previous resident before you moved in from the walk through, the bleach stain was not there in the pictures.  I have also attached Addendum A Pages 1-5 showing what we charge for and also on Page 5 it states that you must give a 30 day notice and fulfill that notice. 
I have spoken to [redacted] about the phone calls, and actually listened to them, as all of our calls are recorded.  He also played a voicemail left by your Husband, at the end he hung up but had a conversation with you where you were using profanities and name calling [redacted], ect. 
I hope that this explanation helps you understand the charges better, the 5 days of rent is truly what the balance is for. 
Any further questions, please let me know.  I would more than happy to accept payment directly from you, so that you do not have to converse with [redacted].
Thank you-

Again, this one is fairly extensive and I have a lot of photos and docs to share- if you will please post this as our response to Complaint- [redacted] Thank you for submitting your Complaint through the Revdex.com.  I have reviewed your file and the photos taken of your apartment.  I have...

attached 35 photos showcasing the damages and condition of your apartment when it was turned over to Ardent Communities.  I will break down the charges below with a explanation for why we charged you.o   CCOS Final Water Bill- $401.13- not paid directly to CCOS so Ardent paid your bill and now the monies are due to Ardent Communities.  This bill was not only the current amount due for the final bill, but the account was delinquent.o   APL Final Electric- $239.32 (The final bill was $459.32, you paid $220 leaving $239.32, this account was delinquent prior to move out as well)o   Paint C- $271.00 – per Addendum A Page 1 that you initialed at Move In- does state that it is a unit that needs considerable prep work- an A that is no charge to the resident- is touchup paint only- we do account for up to 10 nail holes as normal wear and tear- however the damage to the walls as documented in the photos- you can see that there were several issues that stemmed this charge.o   Replaced Carpet- 80% charge- The carpet was new when you moved in- as you can see in the photos- there were red stains, black stains, very worn and dirty carpet throughout the carpets.  o   Refrigerator Cleaning- reflected in the photos- the fridge was dirty and food items left behind.o   Oven Cleaning- noted in the photos- the oven was dirty and required more in depth cleaning than a standard wipe out.o   Parking Pass Not Returned- no parking passes were returned- the site staff documents exactly how many keys, parking passes etc that are returned.  o   4 Drip Pans for the stove- as you can see in the photos- again standard wear and tear would require a light clean on the drip pans- however the ones that were in your unit were rusted and dirty from not being clean. I would like to point out that there were items not charged for that were damaged- hole in interior door, trash removal, face plates missing/off outlets/switches etc Notice was given in writing for your apartment, however it was given and signed by someone not on the lease- we have 2 names on the lease and neither were the signed name on the notice given.  Verbal Notice to Vacate is not accepted per your lease agreement.   Several items in your complaint are not items that you have been charged foro   Ice Cube Trayso   Kitchen Tileo   Filter Change (Free filters were available at the office, per your lease it is your responsibility to replace as needed)o   Smoke Detector Batteries (Free batteries were available at the office, and per your lease it is your responsibility to replace as needed)          I do hope that this explanation helps you understand why you were charged for the items in question.  The damages and condition of the apartment that was returned to us is far beyond normal wear and tear, therefore the amount due on your account is fair and valid.  Should you have any further questions please let us know. Thank you-

I have repeat asked for us to move to a back an apartment that was open for months on our floor. Kate told us we can not break out lease. ( I am in customer service and if a customer told me they were unhappy I would do everything in my power to make things right !!  If they can break there lease and or extend it so  they can be happy. Renee knew all of this previous manager and so did the other managers. . We asked please  move us to  Amity More Lane by the pool with no cars around us.  maybe we should of never signed a another lease because you obviously do not care about my welfare. I want a month to month lease or  want us moved to another unit before our lease is up on June 2017.
I am not going to call a number at 1 am so a man and or police come knock at my door and make matters worse knowing that I am the one calling on people with noise. That is unacceptable. Why would they have to come to my door. I had nothing in writing because Renee/ Chris knew all of this summer of 2015 2016. No one told me to put anything in writing...  This is unacceptable.

From: Jeff French <[email protected]>Date: Wed, Feb 8, 2017 at 3:23 PMSubject: FW: Complaint- 11963869To: Kay Haddox <[email protected]>Kay- Good Afternoon!  Hope you are having a fantastic week so far!  I am sending our response to Complaint 11963869 via...

email due to the number of photos and information for this claim.  If you will please log it for me!  I am sending 2 emails total so the photos all come through!   Ms. Pritchett- Thank you for bringing your complaint to our attention.  I have taken the time to review your file, including the photos that were taken of your unit upon inspection that are time and date stamped 6/2/2016.  To address each portion of your complaint- Cleaning- You were charged for a C Clean- which per Addendum A Page 3 you signed at Move In- states that a C Rating is a clean that has 3 or more deficient areas.  I have attached photos showing numerous deficient areas- including the bathrooms/bathtubs.   Carpet- You were charged 20% of the Carpet Replacement.  The carpet was brand new October 2012, you moved in November 1, 2013.  I have also attached your Move In Condition form that you completed and signed  & dated 11/6/13.  There was no mention of dirty or stained carpets.  The photos I attached show the dark stains in traffic areas, in front of the couch area, and the transition to from the dining to kitchen.  We reduced the percentage of the carpet replacement to 20% considering the time the carpet was in place. Painting-  You were also charged for a C Paint- per Addendum A Page 1 regarding Painting notes that a C Paint is a unit that needs considerable prep work- you will notice in the photos- from the garage interior walls to the interior walls of the unit needed prep work- including the holes from pictures, and the brackets left in place from curtain rods etc.  An A Paint Rating per Addendum A is a unit that needs touchup only- walls are in excellent condition.  A painter charges additional for removing nails, screws, brackets etc and patching sanding and painting.  The garage walls had to be primed prior to painting as well to the extensive markings all over the walls.   1 Day Pro-Rate- the written notice turned into the office on 5/1/16 stated you would vacate by 6/1/2016.  That is the date that was entered into the system as your move out day per your notice, hence the charge for that day.  I have attached the written notice to this response.   I do feel that based on the provided photos and documentation the charges are fair and valid.  At time of move in you paid a $99 Deposit, hence the additional charges due to the amount of damages.  Normal wear and tear is expected and acceptable, however damages that exceed normal wear and tear do require being charged back to the tenant.   Feel free to reach out if you have further questions or comments.  Thanks-  [redacted] [redacted]Ardent CommunitiesOffice- ###-###-#### Ext 6114Mobile- ###-###-####Fax- ###-###-####Email- [redacted]www.ardentcommunities.com “Experience Ardent Today, You Will Fit Right In!”

Good Afternoon, Congratulations on the purchase of your home.  In response Better Business Claim.  I have pulled all of your information from the beginning of your lease to the cost of your turnover.  I have attached a few signed documents stating what you are responsible per our...

Lease Agreement if you fail to fulfill your Lease Term.  In this instance you did not take advantage of our Lease Buyout Process, however we did get the unit released and only charged you for 19 days in October.  To explain the move out charges, if you open the attachment with Addendum A Page 5 #7- it does state that “In the event a occupant does not fulfill the lease terms, said occupant will be responsible for the entire turn cost of that house or condominium.  This includes, but not limited to: Rent, paint, clean, carpet, maintenance parts and labor.”. I have reviewed the photos taken against the Move In Condition Form you completed when you moved in.  In these instances you were not charged the full amount of the invoice for painting, etc. to account for normal wear and tear.  In a good faith effort to you, I am removing the $450 Collection Fee.  This will result in your final bill being- $447.74.  Please remember that part of your final bill is repaying the Concession that you received of the reduced rent at move in.  If you find this acceptable, please let me know and I can help facilitate payment for you.  You may also make payment direct through Heidy in our Turnover Department as well. Any questions please let me know and I am more than happy to assist in any way I can!

Thank u for the response but I am unwilling to accept that being that it took you three weeks after my request to send a renewal and it was two weeks prior of us going month to month. You are rejecting payment and I will proceed further. Thank u. Someone will be in touch

The charges are false. I paid my final electric bill and transferred my services to the residence I purchased.  I forwarded my mail at the post office and have not received a bill showing the charges Ardent Property Management claims.  I request that Ardent provide a photocopy of a bill addressed in my name. I have also sought legal assistance.

Ms. [redacted]-
Thank you for bringing your complaint forward for review.  I have researched the timeline and have found that as soon as we knew the Owner of the Rental Property requested to terminate his contract with us, we notified Ms. [redacted] as soon as possible.  Our management...

contract allows owners to end the agreement in certain situations.  The owner exercised this prior to a lease being executed between Ardent Communities and Ms. [redacted]. At signing of the Management Agreement he had removed his condo from the market and requested we rent and manage his condo.We realize this is an active market, so we notified Ms. [redacted] as quickly as possible.  We regret and apologize for the timing of this issue and expedited your refund.  We have offered Ms. [redacted] the original condo she was interested in at Kinsale Village.

Ardent unlawfully attempted to raise the rates of my rent outside of the lease agreement and refuses to correct the situation.  The respondent is correct in saying the lease is a legal document, one that they chose to violate.  Further action will be taken.

I have consulted with an attorney. Ardent has violated my rights under the Ohio Tenant Landlord Act. By adding fictions charges to the invoice. I will no longer discuss this matter, as you all have had more than enough to rectify the issue.

Ms. [redacted]- Thank you for bringing your complaint to our attention.  I do apologize for the hassle with phone calls, I did find that you had communication with our Turnover Department in February of 2016 as well as July, emails containing their contact information regarding payments, etc. ...

Then nothing until December 14th.  All Turnover is handled through out Corporate Office/Turnover Department, your file and all information is moved to the corporate office once you vacate.  The payments for any damages are due to our Turnover Department, and cannot be made at the community.  Again, I do apologize for the hassle of being given a cell phone number to call- that was incorrect!  Obviously someone just gave you a phone number from our directory of Turnover Employees. Regarding the charges for damages to your apartment, I have personally reviewed the photos and paperwork attached to this communication back to the Revdex.com.  As you can see in the photos there was quite a few issue areas with the walls that required us to grade it a C Paint- per Addendum A Page 1 that you initialed and signed at Move In- shows that a C Paint is a unit that needs considerable prep work- we do account for normal wear and tear in that, however the photos do support the grade given.  Substantial nail, screw holes, scuffs, scratches and even vinyl lettering on the walls.  The C Carpet Rating stems from visual staining on the carpet, without being cleaned.  Per Addendum A Page 2 C Rated Carpet is not cleaned, additional maintenance as listed- visual, obvious stains.  B Cleaning rating was due to the cabinets, appliances, etc that were not cleaned.  Normal wear and We do account for normal wear and tear of an apartment, however that does not include cleanliness, etc  Again, I do apologize for the hassle of being given the wrong phone number.  We did address your questions and concerns back in February and July with no response back or request to make a payment until December.  After a full review of details and photos of the condition the apartment was left in, the charges are fair and valid.  Thank you   Jeffrey A. French Director of Sales & Marketing Ardent Communities Office- 614-776-5318 Ext 6114 Mobile- 614-353-2654 Fax- 614-776-5361 Email- [email protected] www.ardentcommunities.com

Remington Woods at Lewis Center continues to impress me with their customer service oriented drive. At a moments notice the staff at Remington is their to make your day enjoyable. Maintenance ,Security, sales personnel is always a step ahead of what you need. The manager has her hand on the pulse of operations with employees that want to run to her not away from her. Now in anyone's book that is what america's work force should not only talk about but be about. Just the other day I was talking to Kate in whom took a conversation about my apartment to another level. She talked to her manager and before you know it our conversation brought a maintenance man at my door. This is how well the property is maintained simply they don't run away they run to you. Do you think that just maybe the leadership is addictive? Well thanks to all the staff and a special thanks to Kate for starting 2016 like the forth of July