Associated Realty Property Management

Review: My son and 2 other classmates rented an apartment at the Garden House Apartments in State College in August, 2013. The apartment complex is managed by Associated Realty Company. I personally went to the apartment on the day my son moved in. The apartment was absolutely filthy. It had never been cleaned from the prior tenants. We were also told that new floors would be installed. They were not. We scrubbed the apartment but the floors would not come clean. I called Associated Realty and complained because we could not get the tub clean. The caulk was black. They said they would send someone out. Someone did come back and caulk the tub and wipe the floor. But, at that point, we had already cleaned the floor. I called again and complained about the floor. My son was told they would put the floor down but everything had to be emptied from the apartment. So, they just had the main area floor replaced because there were 3 beds in the bedroom with no where to put them.When my son and his roommates moved out in August, 2014, we cleaned the entire apartment from top to bottom. We were waiting for the security deposit and when it came back, $216.77 was deducted from the deposit. They sent a checklist that was filled out by their maintenance crew and it indicated that the apartment required extensive scrubbing. I have sent numerous letters to Associated Realty explaining that we cleaned the apartment on move in day and cleaned it again on move out day. They refused to refund the $216.77 cleaning charge as they feel it is justified. I am appalled.Desired Settlement: I would like the $216.77 refunded back to my son and the other tenants. I feel that this is completely unethical and cannot believe that they can get away with this.

Business

Response:

Thank you for your letter regarding a complaint filed by [redacted]. Ms. [redacted]

wrote to you concerning the cleaning costs deducted from the deposit held on the apartment her

son and his roommates rented at [redacted] State College, PA 16801. Please find

enclosed a copy of the final move out inspection, a copy of the invoice from the cleaning

company and a copy of the tenant ledger listing all of the charges and payments made during the

lease term. I will try to clarify the charge.

The cleaning is based on the inspection conducted after the lease ends. The areas that required

cleaning are noted in the N/C column of the inspection. The L-light, M-medium and H (or check

mark)-heavy designations indicate the level of cleaning required. In her previous letters, Ms.

[redacted] questions the validity of our inspection procedures. When we conduct inspections,

our inspectors physically touch each surface to determine the level of cleaning needed and then

the prices are adjusted to reflect that determination. When we determine that “level of cleaning”,

the inspectors try to view the apartment from her perspective; a parent who is moving their son

or daughter into the property. Please keep in mind that when the account is charged for cleaning,

Associated Realty fonvards the money withheld to the cleaning company to pay for the work

done in the aparttnent. We have nothing to gain by stating that cleaning was needed if it was not.

We have gone over the account several times. T~he charges are justified and must remain on the

account. if you or Ms. [redacted] have any further questions, feel free to contact our office

again.

Consumer

Response:

This letter is in response to the above referenced complaint. Attached is the response from Associated Realty to my complaint filed on October 1, 2014.

[redacted] provided the inspection report that her crew had completed. I am still questioning the validity of their inspection procedures. When my son moved into the apartment, it was absolutely filthy. It had never been cleaned after the prior tenants moved out. Kathy indicates that the inspectors touch each surface to determine the level of cleaning needed. Why is it that when our sons moved into the apartment, the entire apartment, including thefloors was absolutely filthy? Even the tub was black. If it is Associated Realty’s procedure to hire an outside company to clean the apartments, why did we have to clean the apartment before our sons could move their furniture in?More importantly, did the prior tenants also have their cleaning fee deducted from their deposit? If so, they should know that no cleaning by Associated Realty or their subcontractor had been done. Myself and the other parents did the cleaning. There is also a record of my phone call to Associated Realty letting them know that the apartment was never cleaned prior to my son moving in.

I don’t know how a company can do this. It is unbelievably unethical and I will continue to fight for my deposit back. Not only did we clean the apartment twice, we were charged for it.

If Associated Realty will not refund the cleaning fee in the amount of $216.77, I will take further action. I know the refund is only $216.77, but it is the principal. I will not let someone keep my money when it is clearly not fair.

Sincerely,

Review: I relocated to State College from 1,100 miles away; this required a facetime viewing of the townhome I rented from APRM. As a result, I assumed it was a dated, but well cared for home. When I arrived, I found that the townhome was in a poor state. The previous tenant had large dogs that were uncared for; the place smelled like a kennel and it was not properly cleaned. I moved in on June12, the cleaning, repainting, and carpet repairs were not taken care of completely until June 23. Cleaning: There was excessive dog hair and other dirt along the appliances in the kitchenI even found dog toys. I started cleaning and was told to stop by the APRM office. The cleaning people cleaned some of the problem the following Monday, but the grease in the kitchen was not fully taken care of until over a week after I moved in. There was mildew under the stove; I was worried that it was mold. I could list the problems extensively, including cobwebs and dust in the ceiling vents, lint build up in the dryer, and dirt and grime everywhere. All of the first-floor blinds were either broken or missing. Carpeting: The last renter had a dog. This was clear from the stench in the house. They had cleaned the carpeting twice. After very strongly explaining the problem, it was finally replaced the week after I moved in.Painting: The walls were dirty; there were scratches, screw holes, and anchors in the walls. Some are still left; the painting was finally completed late on the 20th. Many of the walls were repainted because APRM did not give proper instruction to the painters. Refrigerator: I contacted APRM to let them know the refrigerator wasnt working on a Sunday. They waited a day to send someone to look at it (on a Tuesday), and then I had to wait until the following Friday to receive a new refrigerator. This resulted in me having to throw away food for worry of contamination. Electrical Issues: On Friday, the 20th, I noticed that a fuse had blown, causing the upstairs and downstairs bathroom outlets to not work in addition to a bedroom outlet. I was told by the painters (not anyone on APRM staff) that the switch on the wall caused the outlet to stop working. I let them know that the fuse had blown; I know this because I had to flip it to get the outlets to work again. The fuse blew again a few weeks later. I contacted APRM; they sent someone who left a note saying they flipped the switch. I contacted them again saying there was clearly a larger problem and that I felt this was a safety issue. After the outlets went out again, they finally replaced the fuse. I moved to an area where I knew no one. I had family with me my first weekend, but I could not unpack anything because of these issues. I have reached out to APRM about a refund for the horrible state of the townhome I moved into, but I have heard nothing back on my requests.Desired Settlement: APRM did not have the home properly prepared for me. I feel I should receive a full refund of the prorated amount I paid for June rent; $728.

Business

Response:

Thank you for your letter regarding a complaint filed by [redacted] concerning the condition of the

property she rents at [redacted]. Twill try to address Ms. [redacted]’s concerns.

Ms. [redacted] took occupancy of the property on June 12, 2014. At that time, there were some outstanding

cleaning issues. The cleaning was addressed immediately. Ms. [redacted] did have a specific issue with odor

in the carpeting in the living area. We cleaned the carpet twice and did end up replacing the carpeting on

June 17th~

There was also an issue with painting. The owner of the property performed an inspection of the unit in May

and did not feel that painting was needed. After Ms. [redacted] took occupancy, she requested painting of the

living area, dining area and up the steps. The owner agreed to have Associated Realty complete the work,

which was done.

After the cleaning, carpet and painting was addressed, a few other unforeseen items have occurred. The

refrigerator was replaced, a GFI breaker was replaced and we are currently replacing the stove.

While T agree that the property was not in preferred condition when Ms. [redacted] took occupancy, the

request for:reimbursement of $728.00 seems a bit high. We will reimburse rent for the first week, in the

amount of $290.00.

It is our goal to provide a clean comfortable place to all of our tenants. What Ms. [redacted] experienced is

unusual and we will strive to continue to provide superior service. Our bookkeeping department is

processing the reimbursement and Ms. [redacted] should receive it shortly.

Sincerely,

Rental Supervisor

Associated Realty Property Management

Cc: [redacted]

Review: My daughter and her 3 roommates rented an apartment from Associated Realty Property Management (ARPM) in State College, PA. The entire apartment was thoroughly cleaned by my daughter and her roommates, including steam cleaning the carpet, before vacating. To date, only $601.83 of the $2200 security deposit has been returned. Our security deposit has been withheld for unnecessary cleaning, non-existent damage, normal wear and tear, excessive charges, pre-existing damage and unfair fees and fines. We have had one meeting and have written two letters to ARPM. In response we have received two letters where ARPM has either restated that their charges are correct or stated that the charges, fees and fines are not excessive. They have not addressed ours specific issues and in some cases they have ignored them completely.We have been charged $547.49 for cleaning that includes cleaning a brand new kitchen, with new appliances, new equipment and new flooring. This was installed in July, AFTER the tenants had moved out and prior to the August inspection. To make matters worse, the move out inspection statement noted that several new items required heavy cleaning. When we contested this, we were told that the cleaning, specified by the inspectors, would not have been caused by the kitchen installers. When we pointed out that no one lived in the apartment during the summer they contradicted them selves and told us the money was used to clean other parts of the apartment This sum also includes $125 to professionally clean a carpet that been professionally cleaned 18 days before the inspection at our expense for $143. ARPM told us that their inspectors thoroughly examine each and every item in the apartment. However, to avoid a carpet cleaning charge, a receipt is required. We were told that our receipt was received past their deadline. If every item is inspected why was a brand new kitchen in need of cleaning and why was the carpet cleaned a second time? There is a second charge for $175 for wall repairs and painting. There was no damage to the drywall in the entrance, living room or hallway. This is evidenced by ARPMs move-out inspection dated 8/12/13. Despite this, we were charged for work done 16 days after the inspection was completed (Charge Invoice No [redacted])! This charge is for non-existent damage.The third charge, $271, is for the cost to replace a sofa. The move out inspector noted that a brown leather sofa was torn. The sofa was not brown, it was not made of leather and it was not torn. It was made of black, faux leather and it was cracked, in the same condition as when the tenants moved in. This is normal wear and tear for faux leather and we should not be charged for it.The fourth charge, $307.80, is for materials and labor to replace a closet door and 10 blind slats. The doorknob had fallen off the closet door yet we are being charged to replace the entire door. This is excessive. The entire door did not need to be replaced because the doorknob had fallen off.Shortly after moving in the tenants called to report that a blind was falling apart. A work order shows an attempt was made to repair it but was unsuccessful. Despite repeated calls to have the blind replaced or repaired correctly ARPM was unresponsive. We are now being charged to replace slats in blind that was defective when the tenants moved in.The last two charges include a 15% administrative fee of $196.02, made on money that had already been deducted from the security deposit and a $100 key fine. Both are in the fine print of the lease and we think both are excessive.Desired Settlement: This company routinely uses unfair and unethical business practices to exploit students by failing to return their security deposits. Using the fine print in their lease, they take advantage of every possible opportunity to charge excessive fees and unfair fines. Their inspection system, using their own trained employees, is designed to maximize their security deposit with holdings. We are requesting that ARPM Property Management refund the $1558.38 that they have wrongfully retained from our security deposit immediately.

Business

Response:

Thank you for your letter regarding a complaint filed by [redacted] concerning the

Review: Former tenant with ARPM that has gone through a lot of aggravation with no resolution. We transferred our lease agreement (3 new tenants, one remaining) in November 2013 in order to fill the spots that were to be vacated by tenants 1 (myself), 2 and 3. In December, our group of tenants learned that ARPM had waived our lease transfer without our consent. In order to rectify the issue, I scheduled an appointment with the VP, [redacted], to gain clarity on the situation. [redacted] professed to me that the only change to the agreement was that the new tenants would pay ARPM their security deposit instead of reimbursing the leaving tenants (1, 2 and 3) because they felt more comfortable sending their security deposit to ARPM. She explicitly stated that the agreement was a lease "AS IS". which only resulted in a basic maintenance check to ensure that the utilities were working properly. It was created this way so that the 4th tenant would be able to leave his personal belongings in the apartment; if it were a standard lease, tenant 4 would be forced to move out only to move back in. She included that ARPM cleans the carpets (per lease) and that they deduct the cost from our security deposit accordingly. Upon move out, we cleaned the apartment and left it in tip-top condition. We bleach cleaned the toilets, sinks, showers, and polished the floors. We left the mail key on site per the transfer and 6 light bulbs in case there was an outage. We received the security deposit this month with a lot of discrepancies. ARPM charged us $362.26 for "Professional Cleaning", where they throughout tenant 4's belongings, $84.76 for light bulbs, "Non mail key return" for $100.00, and a "Administration Fee" for $96.50. I spoke to [redacted] on the phone and her response to my complaint was "You were just too lazy to keep the apartment in order yourself!" and hung up. Since, I have called the office over 6 times, leaving the property manager [redacted] 4 voice mails. I have yet to receive a call back.Desired Settlement: I would like to speak with the property manager to reach a resolution. Obviously, tenant 4 is not thrilled that his belongings were disposed, and we feel ARPM was very deceitful. My family owns a property management company and I understand the Landlord-Tenant relationship; the key for harmony is COMMUNICATION and HONESTY, both of which we did not receive. I hope ARPM will honor the the agreement and refund us for the charges that were unjustifiably deducted outlined in complaint description.

Business

Response:

Dear Mr. [redacted],

Thank you for your letter regarding a complaint filed by [redacted]. Mr. [redacted] wrote to you

concerning deductions made from the deposit held on an apartment he and his roommates rented at

[redacted]. In his letter, Mr. [redacted] questions Associated

Realty Property Managements procedures when a lease is renewed. He also questions the deductions

taken from the deposit. I have enclosed copies of the tenant ledger listing all payments and charges

made on the account during the lease, the final inspection form and the invoices documenting the

deductions. Also included is a copy of the lease agreement. Twill try to address all of Mr. [redacted]’

concerns.

Mr. [redacted] first questions our procedures for a renewing lease. When one or more residents in an

apartment wish to renew for the next lease term, there are several options for the new leases.

First, the new tenants can agree to have Associated Realty transfer the existing deposit. The new

tenants moving in reimburse the vacating tenants directly for the deposit. In this case, the new

tenants move into the apartment without an inspection, cleaning or maintenance being done prior to

move in. The new tenants can request maintenance and carpet cleaning, but the work is not

completed before they take occupancy.

Second, the new tenants can choose to pay a new deposit and take the apartment as is. Under this

term, the deposit is refunded by Associated Realty to the former tenants. An inspection and cleaning

is not performed before the new tenants move in. Both of the first two options allow for any tenants,

who are on both the past and new leases, to remain in the apartment with their belongings.

The third option is for all of the tenants on the new lease to pay a new deposit. Everyone vacates the

property, including anyone on both the past and new leases. Under this condition, Associated Realty

treats the apartment as a complete move out. An inspection is conducted, cleaning and maintenance

are performed then everyone moves in on the regular move in day. Any tenants on both the past and

new leases do not have the advantage of leaving their belongings in the apartment, but the entire unit

is cleaned and maintained. Originally, the new tenants chose the first option. They planned to move in to the apartment without

having any cleaning or maintenance done and intended to reimburse the former tenants for their

portion of the deposit. Something happened and they chose to completely vacate the premises, pay a

new deposit and have the apartment inspected, cleaned and repaired. I believe they were concerned

about the state in which the property was being kept and were worried about accepting the apartment

in that condition. Associated Realty followed the regular move out procedures. The vacating tenants

were held responsible for the cleaning and repairs needed at the end of the lease.

When the deposit was returned to the former residents, there were several deductions from the

deposit. Those deductions are listed on the tenant ledger. Twill address each of them, in order.

The first charge made was $207.15. This was for replacement of the door frame in bedroom “B”.

The frame was replaced because it had been forced open and intentionally damaged.

The second charge listed was $32.00 for labor to remove items left in the apartment.

The third charge was $84.79 for bulb replacement throughout the unit.

Item four is the cost for steam cleaning the carpets.

Item five is the charge for cleaning the apartment. The cleaning is based on the inspection

conducted after the lease ends. The areas that required cleaning are noted in the N/C column of

the inspection. The L-light, M-medium and H (or cheek mark)-heavy designations indicate the

level of cleaning required and the prices are adjusted accordingly. The inspection indicates that

very little, if any attempt was made to clean the apartment by the vacating tenants.

The sixth charge listed is $100 for non-return of keys. In total nine keys were given to the past

tenants, four apartment keys, four bedroom keys and one mail key. At the end of the lease, four

apartment keys and three room keys were returned to our office. The fee for non-return of keys

is $1OO. The fee is total for all the keys, not $100 per key.

The last charge assessed to the account was a fifteen percent administrative fee. This fee is

outlined on page TO of the lease. I have highlighted the specific area on the lease. This fee is

used to offset the costs of scheduling and processing the additional work needed after the lease

ends. If there are no deductions, there is no administrative fee charged.

Mr. [redacted] feels that there was a lack of communication between him and our organization. I

spoke with Mr. [redacted] on several occasions during the lease term. During our last conversation,

he became very agitated and used profanity. He is correct. When he began to use inappropriate

language, I did terminate the call.

In the end, Mr. [redacted] is upset that he and his roommates were charged for cleaning and the

repairs performed in the apartment. Each of the charges is valid and justified.

The terms of the lease did not change when the tenants on the new lease chose to pay a new

deposit. Mr. [redacted] and his roommates were held responsible for the cleaning and repairs

needed in the apartment when the lease ended.

If you, or Mr. [redacted] has any further questions, you may contact our office again.

Sincerely,

Rental Supervisor

Associated Realty Property Management

Cc: [redacted]

Review: I was a tenant in Campus Towers apartments from August 2012 to August 2013. I was the last person out of my roomates to move out of the apartment, on July 27, 2013. Before moving out, I inspected the apartment to make sure nothing was damaged. While there were some damages to the apartment, the mattress in bedroom D and the vegetable crisper were not damaged. In the beginning of September, I received my security deposit check refund. Associated Realty Property Management took out $239.34 for "damages to mattress, urine stains" in bedroom D. They also took out $58.20 for a new crisper tray in the refrigerator. As I mentioned, neither the mattress nor the crisper tray were damaged upon move out. On September 20th, 2013, I sent a letter to Associated Realty Property Management via USPS signature required stating that I would like a refund for these items, which were not damaged. I stated that if I did not receive a response to my letter by September 30th, I would file a complaint with the Revdex.com and the local Small Claims Court. I tracked the letter and see that it was delivered on September 23rd, however I have not received a response from Associated Realty Property Management. I will be filing a claim in Small Claims Court and am submitting this complaint to the Revdex.com as testimony to the unprofessionalism of this business.Desired Settlement: I would like a refund for the amount of $297.54, which is the sum of the amounts taken out of my security deposit refund for the mattress and crisper, since neither of these items were damaged.

Business

Response:

Thank you for your letter regarding a complaint filed by [redacted] concerning the

deductions from the security deposit held on the apartment she and her roommates rented at [redacted]. Please find enclosed copies of the tenant ledger listing

all of the charges and payments made during the lease term. Also included are copies of the

inspection form as well as copies of the invoices documenting the deductions. I will try to

address Ms. [redacted]’s concerns.

The charges Ms. [redacted] question are the replacement of a mattress in bedroom D and a broken

crisper cover in the refrigerator.

When Associated Realty determines responsibility for damages in apartments, we compare the

move in inspection that the tenants complete when the lease began to the inspection conducted

by our staff at the end of the lease. This way the tenants are not held responsible for any

damages present before they began occupancy. Both the mattress and the refrigerator were noted

as “OK” when the lease began and damaged at when the lease ended. We must assume that the

damaged occurred during the lease and the tenant account was appropriately charged for the

replacement.

Ms. [redacted] also contests our response time. On September 12, 2013, Ms. [redacted] emailed and

requested copies of the inspection form and invoices. A response email was sent on September

16, 2013. She sent a dispute letter, which was received, in our office on September 23, 2013 and

our response was mailed on October 10, 2013. All letters we receive are kept in date order and

answered in the order they are received. It seems that Ms. [redacted]’s complaint was filed with your

office three days prior to our response to her most recent correspondence.

It is our goal to make sure that all of the charges assessed to tenant accounts are accurate. We

also take time to thoroughly research each dispute so that each response is correct.

Sincerely,

Rental Supervisor

Associated Realty Property Management

Cc: [redacted]

Consumer

Response:

While I agree that the mattress in bedroom D and the crisper were marked as "OK" on the move-in room inspection sheet completed by my roommates and myself, I do not agree that these items were damaged upon vacancy. The move out inspection was completed by Associated Realty Property Management staff, who may be biased to mark items as damaged when they are in face not damaged. I would like to see documentation that both the mattress and the crisper that were replaced were indeed damaged. Besides the report from Associated Realty Property Management's inspector, is there any proof that the mattress and crisper were damaged? Are there any photos to document this damage? Because as I already stated in my original complaint, these items were not damaged when I vacated the apartment.

I would also like to see original copies of the receipts for the crisper and mattress, as well as the original invoices for the labor to replace these items. Associated Realty Property Management provided me with copies of their invoices for the estimated cost of these items and the labor, they did not provide original receipts with the actual cost.

Regards,

Business

Response:

We are in receipt of a follow-up complaint filed by Ms. [redacted] regarding deductions

taken from the security deposit for the apartment she and her roommates rented at [redacted].

The second letter questions the replacement of two specific

items in the apartment, the mattress in room D and the crisper cover in the refrigerator.

In her letter, Ms. [redacted] requests actual invoices for the replaced items, since the original charges

were based on estimates. Enclosed are the actual bills. The estimates were accurate and the

actual bills were the same price as the estimates. There is no separate bill for labor, the delivery

cost included the installation.

Ms [redacted] asserts the replacements were not necessary or actually performed. We would have no

reason to indicate that cleaning, repairs or replacements were not both needed and/or completed.

You may contact our office if you or Ms. [redacted] have any further questions.

Sincerely,

Rental Supervisor

Associated Realty Property Management

Consumer

Response:

I requested that ARPM provide original copies of the actual bills from the businesses that provided the vegetable crisper and the mattress. ARPM sent back copies of their own invoices, NOT original copies from the businesses that provided the vegetable crisper and the mattress as I requested.

Regards,

Business

Response:

We are in receipt of a follow-up complaint filed by Ms. [redacted] regarding deductions

taken from the security deposit for the apartment she and her roommates rented at [redacted].

The second letter questions the replacement of two specific

items in the apartment, the mattress in room D and the crisper cover in the refrigerator.

In her letter, Ms. [redacted] requests actual invoices for the replaced items, since the original charges

were based on estimates. Enclosed are the actual bills. The estimates were accurate and the

actual bills were the same price as the estimates. There is no separate bill for labor, the delivery

cost included the installation.

Ms. [redacted] asserts the replacements were not necessary or actually performed. We would have no

reason to indicate that cleaning, repairs or replacements were not both needed and/or completed.

You may contact our office if you or Ms. [redacted] have any further questions.

Rental Supervisor

Associated Realty Property Management

Cc: [redacted]

Consumer

Response:

Once again, ARPM has NOT inclosed copies of the ORIGINAL bills for the vegetable crisper and mattress from the actual business they purchased these items from as I requested. I have made several requests for the original receipts from the businesses ARPM purchased the crisper and mattress from, and each time they have sent me copies of their own invoices.

Regards,

Business

Response:

We are in receipt of Ms. [redacted]’s most recent complaint regarding deductions made from the

security deposit for the apartment she and her roommates rented at [redacted]. In

her letter, she requests copies of the actual bills from the vendors for replacement of damaged

items in the apartment. Enclosed are those copies.

The first invoice verifies the purchase of the crisper cover for the refrigerator from [redacted]. The second invoice is for the mattress replacement.

The mattress was

purchased and delivered by [redacted].

I believe Ms. [redacted] doubts that the items were actually purchased and replaced. The attached

documentation should put to rest any further issues.

Sincerely,

Rental Supervisor

Associated Realty Property Management

Consumer

Response:

In Ms. [redacted]'s letter from November 8th, 2013, she states "In her letter, Ms. [redacted] requests actual invoices for the replaced items, since the original charges were based on estimates. Enclosed are the actual bills. These estimates were accurate and the actual bills were the same price as the estimates. There is no separate bill for labor, the delivery cost included in the installation". The documents Ms. [redacted] included with this letter, which were not actual bills, show that the vegetable crisper cost $40.20, and the mattress cost $239.34.

In Ms. [redacted]'s most recent letter from November 21, 2013, she finally included actual copies of the bills from the vendors the vegetable crisper and mattress were purchased from. These bills show that there is a discrepancy between the amount I was charged and the actual amount these items cost, even though Ms. [redacted] stated in her previous letter that the "estimates provided by ARPM were accurate and the actual bills were the same price as the estimates". According to the bill from V & V Appliance Parts, the vegetable crisper was $30.20, not $40.20 as ARPM's version of the bill shows. The bill from H & H Furniture Exchange shows that the mattress actually cost $189.95, not $239.34 as shown in ARMP's bill.

These clear discrepancies demonstrate the lack of professionalism and organization of Associated Realty Property Management. The discrepancies support my claim that there must have been some sort of mix up with the paperwork or that the paperwork was falsified, since the vegetable crisper and mattress were not damaged in my apartment.

I would like a full refund for the amount ARPM charged me for the vegetable crisper ($58.20) and the mattress ($239.34).

Regards,

Review: controls most rentals in the Penn State University campus area. I, along with my 3 roommates, rented from them for 3 years. The last 2 years at [redacted]-one half of a duplex. The 1st year we had the same issue and nothing was resolved from neither Revdex.com nor ARPM. This current lease I am complaining about (our tenant code [redacted]) we paid $1500 for security deposit for the rental of an apartment we lived in for 2 years (8-2012 thru 8- 2014). Our first year was with this same company at another location and they kept all of our deposit except for a few hundred dollars. I am sure this is occurring for practically every location they are renting, hence making a small fortune on Penn State college students and their families.Our experience with this current situation is ARPM has charged the following on our ledger which goes above and beyond and is very unreasonable if you would see this unit (size and condition): Professional cleaning $782.25 plus Carpet cleaning of $153.70 (carpet is only 2nd floor, Move out repair 8-26-14 $220.27, another Move out repair 9-4-14 of $891.50, and of course their admin fee (covered in their lease) of $173.43 along with various water, sewer, refuse, oil charges. I could have our 3200 square foot home cleaned top to bottom for well under $300 and yet this little apartment was billed $782.25 for cleaning plus the rug cleaning of $153.70. We cannot possibly think of what could have been repaired for a grand total alone of $1111.77. We will be visiting the current tenants in the next month to inspect the repairs after we receive the list of what was completed.We will be disputing with ARPM again and will have them submit all receipts for this work. Of course ARPM most likely has their contractors make up receipts for them to keep their business contracts. This time I am asking for all receipts for work, labor, parts, along with their verified checks paid to these contractors.Desired Settlement: We expected this unethical approach from ARPM and figured they would keep most of our $1500 deposit since their dishonor of college students and their families is apparent, but they not only kept our whole $1500 deposit but also billed us an additional $513.90! We are willing to forgive and forget and have them keep our $1500 and put this behind us.In addition, we will be sending letters to the administration and president of Penn State University along with other families and friends we know. Im sure youve seen many and will see more of these complaints soon. Thank you in advance.

Business

Response:

Thank you for your letter regarding a complaint filed by [redacted]. Mr. [redacted] wrote to you

concerning deductions made from the deposit held on an apartment he and his roommates rented at

[redacted]. Tn his letter, Mr. [redacted] requested copies of the

invoices documenting the deductions. Those copies have already been forwarded to Mr. [redacted]. I

have also included them with this correspondence and will explain each charges as listed on the

tenant ledger.

The first four charges are for utilities. We had final bills done for all of the utility bills that were the

tenant’s responsibility. Copies of the invoices are enclosed.

Item number five for move out repairs for $220.27 documents replacement of light bulbs throughout

the property. In addition, debris was removed from the disposal, the reinstallation of a screen in the

kitchen, repairs to the blinds in bedroom two, installation of missing batteries in the smoke detector,

replacement of a broken receptacle in the lower level, the replacement of a missing knob on a closet

door, a missing towel bar and replacement of a broken ceiling tile in the lower hallway. When we

determine responsibility for damaged items in the property, we compare the inspection the tenants

perform at the beginning of the lease, to the inspection we complete after the lease ends. The

inspection form is very detailed so every possible item in the property is thoroughly checked. If

an item is noted as in good condition when the lease began and damaged at the end of the lease,

the damage must have occurred during the lease. The tenant are, therefore, held responsible for

any repair or replacement.

The fifth charge is for cleaning the property. The cleaning is based on the inspection conducted

after the lease ends. The areas that required cleaning are noted in the N/C column of the

inspection. The L-light, M-medium and H (or check mark)-heavy designations indicate the level

of cleaning required and the prices are adjusted accordingly. The inspection form indicates that

very little, if any, attempt was made to clean the property when the tenants vacated.

Iteth six listed on the tenant ledger is for professionally cleaning the carpets. Professional

cleaning of the carpets is a term of the lease agreement. The tenants did not provide a receipt

showing that they had carpets cleaned before the lease ended. Therefore, we had the carpets

cleaned and charged the account.

The seventh charge listed is the cost to replace the refrigerator. I reviewed the maintenance files,

and I do not believe the refrigerator should have been replaced at the tenant’s expense. I will

credit the account for those costs.

The last charge on the account is the fifteen percent administrative fee. The fee is outlined in the

lease. This fee is used to offset the costs of scheduling and processing the additional work

needed after the lease ends. It was charged on items four, five and six. If there are no

deductions, there is no administrative fee charged.

After the above credit is applied to the account, a refund of $377.60 is due. I have forwarded a

request to the bookkeeping office. As soon as the cheek has been processed, I will send it to Mr.

[redacted]. If you, or Mr. [redacted] have any further questions, feel free to contact our office again.

Review: Arpm is my landlord's management company, so I will also be filing a complaint against my landlord as well. They recently replaced 5 doors at our apartment. I assumed it was part of some building improvement expenditure. They are now claiming that we had 2 that were damaged and have charged us 450 dollars to replace these doors. We had no damaged doors, so they are essentially making up charges to bill us for so they could have us pay for some of their building improvements. And even if these doors were damaged, they were being replaced regardless and thus we should not be charged for them even if they were damaged. I attempted to talk this out with them, but they are not doing anything to help me and are not willing to do anything to resolve the issue. They pull this stuff with a lot of people and have been doing stuff like this all year with me and I am very tired of it at this point.Desired Settlement: Get rid of the 450 bill they charged us for their own building improvements

Business

Response:

I disagree with Mr. [redacted]. The two bedroom doors were in fact

Review: When renting with the corporation that this complaint is brought against ("ARPM"), I was required to pay an upfront deposit in an amount equal to one month's rent. Upon completion of my lease, the deposit was to be returned to me. Some time after the conclusion of my rental (approximately 5 weeks), I received a check in an amount less than what my initial deposit was from ARPM. A deduction of ~$196.00 was noted as the cost of cleaning my apartment after my occupancy ended. Prior to relinquishing the keys to my apartment, I had a professional cleaning company, one which is approved by ARPM, clean the carpets of my apartment. I then, with the assistance of several third parties, cleaned the entirety of the apartment so that it was in a condition better than I had received it a year prior when I initially moved in. The apartment was in a condition that could be said to be close to perfectly clean. Upon receiving the deficient deposit refund I contacted ARPM and inquired as to the reasoning for the deduction. I was given a response by a rental agent that they had to go in and clean my apartment. I then requested an inspection report from ARPM, and was told by the rental agent that I would receive the report by the end of their business day. It has been over 10 days since I made this request, I have not received a report and I strongly regard the position expressed by the agent as incorrect. The apartment, as I had left it, needed no cleaning and I have received no evidence that it had needed it.Desired Settlement: I wish for my deposit to be refunded in full, less the amount already returned to me.

Business

Response:

September 16, 2015Revdex.com of Western PADavid Baker400 Holiday Drive, Suite 220Pittsburgh, FA 15220RE: ID#10802755-[redacted]Thank you for your letter regarding a complaint filed by [redacted], Mr. [redacted] wrote to you concerningdeductions made from the deposit held on an apartment he rented at [redacted]

[redacted].1 will try to address his concerns.In his letter. Mr. [redacted] stated that Associated Realty Property Management has not forwarded copies of thefinal inspection report and invoices documenting the deductions. Our records show those forms were emailedto him at d[redacted]i r@outonl ine .com on September 8, 2015,1 apologize if they were not received.. For yourrecords and Mr. [redacted]’s, copies of those documents, as well as a copy o f the lease agreement are enclosed.There were two charges assessed to the account after the lease ended. The first was for cleaning the apartment*The cleaning is based on the inspection conducted after the lease ends. The areas that required cleaning arenoted in theN/C column of the inspection. The L-light M-medium and H (or check mark)-heavy designationsindicate the level of cleaning required and the prices are adjusted accordingly.The second charge is the fifteen percent administrative fee. This fee is outlined on page 10 of the lease. I havehighlighted the specific area on page 10 of the lease copy. This fee is used to offset the costs of scheduling andprocessing the additional work needed after the lease ends. If there are no deductions, there is no administrativefee charged.I understand that Mr. [redacted] feels the apartment was not In need of additional cleaning after the lease ended.Unfortunately, the inspection form shows that cleaning was necessary. The charges are justified and willremain on the account.Rental Supervisor

Consumer

Response:

The response enclosed does not appropriately address the concerns outlined. The following are my concerns with the cleaning report provided by ARPM.

Review: Enclosed in chronological order, are documents related to this case and correspondence that has taken place between Associated Realty Property Management (ARPM) and [redacted], representing the tenants of [redacted], in an effort to resolve this matter amicably. Tenants paid a $3200 security deposit in August of 2011. To date, only $1057.99 has been refunded. Tenants are being charged $1327 for replacement of carpeting. A move out inspection report completed on August 11, 2013 by ARPM’s inspectors indicated the carpet wasin “OK” condition meaning no cleaning or maintenance was needed. Maintenance descriptions indicated at the bottom of the inspection form indicate that the following maintenance was required: 1)Replacement of 3 flood lights in the kitchen 2)Replacement of 6 blind slats Carpet replacement is not indicated. ARPM is currently holding $2142.01 of the $3200 deposit. Given the fact that the tenants have paid $73,200 in rent over a two year period any and all normal maintenance to this apartment should be the responsibility of Associated Realty Property Management.Desired Settlement: Tenants request that Associated Realty Property Management refund $1327.00 to the previous tenants of [redacted] Apartment #505 deducted from their security deposit for carpet replacement.

Business

Response:

Thank you for your letter regarding a complaint filed by [redacted] concerning the deduction for

cleaning from the security deposit held on the apartment his son rented at [redacted].

#[redacted]. Please find enclosed copies of the forms for inspecting the apartment

and for furniture and carpeting. I will try to address Mr. [redacted]’s concerns.

In his complaint, Mr. [redacted] feels that his son and his son’s roommates were unjustly held

responsible for carpet replacement in the apartment after the lease ended. Mr. [redacted] states that

the inspection does not indicate any problems with the carpet. Our inspectors note any issues

with furniture and carpet on a separate form. A copy of that form is enclosed. All of the

bedrooms as well as the living area have noted stains on the carpeting. When the tenants

originally moved into the apartment, the carpet was one year old. The damage caused by Mr.

[redacted]’ s son and the roommates was significant enough to warrant replacement. The tenants were

only held responsible for a portion of the replacement costs. The owner absorbed the remaining

costs.

We have carefully reviewed the file and the cost for carpet replacement was accurate and

appropriately charged to the account. If you or Mr. [redacted] has any further questions, feel free to

contact our office again.

Rental Supervisor

Associated Realty Property Management

Consumer

Response:

Complaint

The tenants filing the complaint moved into the apartment in August of 2011 paying a security deposit of $3200 representing one months rent for Apartment 505 [redacted] Towers. On September 6, 2013 the tenants of this apartment received a refund of their security deposit of $507.51 with an enclosed ledger statement indicating charges for various items. A copy of this ledger was provided to Revdex.com in the original complaint packet. Because of the vagueness of the ledger, the tenants contacted ARPM to question the charges. Several of the notations on the ledger were vague and noted by codes and numbers and the tenants requested clarification of charges amounting to $2692.49. A response was received on October 2nd. A copy of this response has been provided to Revdex.com. At that time ARPM refunded an additional $550.48 for monies they had retained to replace mattresses indicating they did not have an inspection form on file to warrant retaining these funds.

History

The tenants and their parents previewed apartment 505 in July of 2011. At that time the carpeting was heavily stained but the Management Company assured us the carpet would be cleaned. The tenants took occupancy in August of 2011 at which time it was indicated by the tenants on an inspection statement that the carpet was in OK condition. As the tenants moved about the apartment over the course of several months, it was apparent that the stains previously placed on the carpet that had been removed on the surface through cleaning but were coming through the carpet once again from the padding underneath. The Management company was contacted by the tenants and asked to replace the carpeting. The tenants were told by ARPM that their apartment number had been placed on a replacement carpet approval list for approval by the owner. This did not happen during their lease period.

The Management company was contacted in May of 2011 to ascertain if the carpet was going to be replaced so that the tenants would not waste their money cleaning it prior to move-out. At that time a mother of one of the tenants was informed that this apartment was on the list awaiting approval.

The tenants vacated the apartment as of August 10th without cleaning the carpets assuming the carpeting was going to be replaced by ARPM. A move-out inspection form completed by ARPM, a copy of which has been provided to Revdex.com, indicates that at the time of move-out the inspectors indicated on the inspection form that the carpeting was OK.

The management company had the carpet throughout the apartment cleaned at the expense of the tenants costing $164.30. The billing date is 8/23/13. If ARPM was planning on replacing the carpet why did they have the carpet that was to be removed cleaned and why did the main inspection sheet indicate all carpet was OK?

ARPM has since produced a second inspection sheet dated the same date as the main sheet that they claim is used for inspection of furniture and carpets. This sheet, a copy of which has been provided to the Revdex.com by ARPM, indicates that their are some small stains on the carpet in the bedrooms and stains on the carpet in the living room and that this will be a tenant charge to replace at the cost of $1327.00 which represents 1/2 of the replacement cost. ARPM has stated that they are absorbing the remainder of the cost of the replacement.

The tenants replaced the light bulbs above the island but because they were not the bulbs suggested by ARPM, they were charged $24.54 ($8.18/bulb) for replacement costs.

The monies in question are security funds retained by ARPM to clean carpeting ($164.30), replace 3 light bulbs over the kitchen island ($24.54) and replace carpeting (1/2 cost $1327.00). ARPM also indicated that although the apartment was left in relatively good condition, it cost $85.60 for professional cleaning. Seven adults cleaned this apartment over a period of five to seven hours prior to move out. The apartment was left in excellent condition. Over the course of the tenants lease they paid $73,200 to ARPM for rental of a 4 bedroom apartment for a two year period. It is appalling that having paid that amount in rent a management company would retain $1600 of a security deposit for what should be normal maintenance to an apartment absorbed by the owners of this complex.

I would ask that you please review the correspondence previously submitted with the complaint and contact ARPM with our rejection notification.

Business

Response:

January

I am in receipt of your letter regarding a second complaint filed by [redacted] concerning the

deductions taken from the deposit held on the apartment his son rented at [redacted].

[redacted]. Mr. [redacted] is questioning the validity of the charges for carpet cleaning,

maintenance repairs and replacement of the carpeting.

The first charge of the dispute is for cleaning the carpets. The lease requires that every

apartment vacated must have the carpets professionally cleaned. If we have approval from the

owner for replacement and the replacement occurs prior to the new tenants taking occupancy, we

are able to waive the carpet cleaning requirement. The carpet was installed after the new tenants

had taken occupancy, so the carpets did need to be cleaned and the tenant account was

appropriately charged for that service.

Mr. [redacted] also questions the replacement of the flood light bulbs in the apartment. Replacement

of light bulbs is the responsibility of the tenants and the account was correctly charged for those

items.

The last charge Mr. [redacted] argues is the cost for replacement of the carpeting. When the tenants

took occupancy of the apartment, the carpet was one year old. At the end of the lease, the carpet

was found to have suffered damage. Again, this was actual damage that went well beyond what

is considered normal wear and tear. Because of that damage, the owner chose to hold the tenants

responsible for a portion of the replacement costs.

In his letter, Mr. [redacted] feels that the rent paid during the lease term should be sufficient to cover

the disputed costs. The owner should not be expected to absorb costs for damage that, with

normal use, would not have occurred. A further refund is not justified. If you or Mr. [redacted] has

any additional questions, please contact us again.

Sincerely,

Rental Supervisor

Associated Realty Property Management

Cc: [redacted]

Review: Recently, the sink in our kitchen was leaking, so we called maintenance to have a worker fix it. When the worker was fixing it, he found a knife that fell down in our drain, but he specifically told my roommate who was present that the knife did not fall down very deep and was not the cause of the sink leaking. Instead, it was a problem with the pipes. A few days later, we were billed by ARPM because they claimed that the knife caused the sink to leak. I called them several times and emailed them. They either ignored my emails or told me to leave a message on the answering machine and that someone would get back to me, but no one ever did. I finally was able to reach them, and I explained the situation to them but they told me that the charge would stay and claimed that the knife was the cause of the leak. I tried to explain that before this current leaking incident, our sink was leaking another time, and we had to call maintenance. The worker fixed it, and at that time there was no knife. It was a problem with the pipes. ARPM claimed that they have no record of this call, even though it is recorded in my call history. In addition, this company has given us a very bad experience since the first day with issues such as broken windows and mirrors, not giving us the keys to our apartment for the first 2 weeks, and maintenance workers not showing up when we schedule appointments or maintenance workers telling us that they will go to their car to get more equipment and then never coming back. I feel very taken advantage of by this company because we have been following the rules and paying the rent, but they give us very bad service in return and try to get more money out of us. On this link, [redacted], almost all the reviews are negative, and based on my personal experiences, they all seem very accurate. If this many people are unhappy with the service, it shows that the business is doing something wrongDesired Settlement: First and foremost, I would like the charge for the sink to be removed because we were unfairly charged. Please also look into their maintenance service because many times, we called a maintenance worker to fix something in our apartment. They would show up and say that they need to get something from their car but would never come back. I understand that ARPM may refuse to remove the charge. I'm fine if this is the case, as long as they are forced to answer to for their actions. Thank you.

Business

Response:

In regard to this complaint, I checked our maintenance file which includes

the hand written notes from the maintenance technician while he was in the

apartment. This tenant placed the call after business hours to our emergency

call center to report that the sink was clogged. The maintenance technician

responded to the call accordingly. His notes clearly state that he went to

the unit and found a knife in the disposal causing it to stop working. He

removed the broken piece from the disposal, reset it and then tested it before

leaving.

This is a legitimate tenant charge for this call, since the repair was

necessary due to the tenant’s negligence. They need to be held responsible

for their carelessness.

Sincerely,

?

Property Manager

Review: I rented an apartment in State College, PA from ARPM from August 2012-August 2013 for my daughter, a senior at PSU. It was apartment [redacted], an efficiency apartment for 710.00 per month. I spent three days cleaning the apartment in August before returning the keys. I left the apartment SPOTLESS. I cleaned every inch and it was literally cleaner than when my daughter moved in the year before. She lived alone, kept the apartment clean and caused NO damages. Regardless of my efforts, I was charged $162.25 against the security deposit for additional cleaning. When I received that information, I disputed the charge (in September 2013).As a response I was provided with a checklist of what had to be cleaned after I left. The checklist made it clear that the majority of the cleaning charges were bogus, and included charges for cleaning items that were nonexistent in the apartment.I provided ARPM with an item-by-item dispute right away. On October 7, 2013 - I was informed that my second detailed dispute of the charges would be reviewed and I would be hearing from them. I have requested a response at least two additional times, however I have been completely ignored. It is now December 8, 2013 and the company has wrongly held a portion of the $162.25 that should be returned to me. Currently, they are ignoring my dispute as if I am going to forget about it.This company holds students and their parents hostage in a tight rental market. Their practices and policies are abusive and border on harassment. I should not be charged to re-clean an apartment because some dust settled following my departure and prior to their inspection.The checklist system they use is so detailed that they can find a way to charge someone for something no matter what you do --- they also unfairly charge a tenant a $25.00 "processing fee" to cover the cost of the inspection after you move out.I am filing this complaint because ARPM used unethical business practices and I want a refund because the apt. was clean.Desired Settlement: ARPM MUST review every item on my detailed cleaning checklist. They need to refund the cost of cleaning the disputed items, and only charge for the items that were truly NOT cleaned - like ceiling fixture, which could not be reached without a ladder.The inspector OVER charged me ---(1) for cleaning items that were not even in the apartment and (2) for cleaning items that I specifically cleaned thoroughly and carefully

Business

Response:

Thank you for your letter regarding a complaint filed by Bonnie [redacted] concerning the deduction for cleaning from the security deposit held on the apartment her daughter rented at [redacted] State College, PA. Please find enclosed copies of the inspection form and a copy of the invoice from the cleaning company. I will try to address Ms. [redacted]’s concerns. In her letter, Ms. [redacted] questions the accuracy of our inspections. The cleaning is based on the inspection performed after the lease ends. Our inspectors are trained to evaluate the cleaning needed in each area of the apartment. Ms. [redacted] states that she very carefully cleaned the apartment for her daughter. I have no reason to doubt the opinions of neither the inspector nor Ms. [redacted]. The apartment itself is an older style, what may have looked unclean, may have been simply too old to look clean. As a gesture of good will, we will refund the entire cleaning costs. I will forward a reimbursement check to Ms. [redacted]’s daughter as soon as it ha~ been processed by our bookkeeping department. I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. If you or Ms. [redacted] has any further questions, feel free to contact our office again.