Bluff City Properties, LLC

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 14, 2015/10/09) */
Contact Name and Title: Scott ***
Contact Phone: ***
Contact Email: ***@hbci.com
It was explained to Ms *** that the $for painting in her apartment also included the cost of supplies, transportation, and
schedulingIf a professional painting company would have been called in for the work, it would have cost more than $I understood her concern on the matter and tried to explain it best I could
At the time that I contacted her regarding the repairs, I also apologized for our mistake in not completing the other minor repairs during her tenancyFor that inconvenience, I offered to compensate her for the money she spent on doing her own repairsI asked her to let me know how much she spent on the repairsCoincidentally, it came back at $
After this, I realized that we were not going to agree on an amountI offered $or half, as a fair compromise to close the matter, so we could both move onAfter that was offered, she gave us her address to send the check toWe sent the check and it was cashedHowever, Ms *** stated that she did not accept the amount as compromise
I am a little confused as to where the numbers are coming fromShe mentions $deducted from the depositsHowever, the total was $There was a deduction for $for unpaid utilities, in addition to the $for paintingAlso, at the end of her message, she's asking for up to $to be returnedI would like further explanation for this, but it seems to be getting a little unreasonable when the starting amount was $
It is unfortunate that it turned out the way it didShe was a good tenant that paid her rent on-time for her entire leaseHowever, security deposits are there for us in cases where repairs are needed to bring the apartment back to an acceptable standard
Thank you
Scott ***
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 16, 2015/10/12) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Based off the my first message to Revdex.com, I discussed that not only was I out money from my damage deposit that shouldn't have been taken out at all based on the check out checklist that was given to all tenants, I was also out money from when I had to make fixes to my apartment after they did not
It was not coincidental that it was $because I said in my previous complaint that it was $for product and service, however I could claim the same statement because $is what I got paid for allowing Bluff City to use my apartment as a model room during my time as a tenantThat is what I was compensated so it was coincidental that I was deducted $out of my damage deposit in the first place
If the math is done right, I was paid $for a service I allowed Bluff City to use my apartment, then I was deducted out of my damage deposit $for "touch up paint", and I receive $in compensation for what work I did in the apartment that I fixed myselfI explained in the last response where I got my numbers from the research I did on the supplies, and I used the same hourly rate that any professional would use in coming and fixing the maintenance in the apartmentAnd it was $not $$30hr for hours and $on supplies, like I stated before
So on that note, I received $which was half of what maintenance that I had to personally invest in and I still didn't receive any of my damage deposit back which was unrightfully taken out of my checkI think it is completely ridiculous again that for touch up paint in a less then square foot space, especially when I moved out I scrubbed the apartment clean from top to bottom and there was no areas that even looked like needed painting or were damaged, let alone $worth
Let me again reiterate in the check out email from Bluff City it stated "as long as all of these requirements have been met you WILL receive your full deposit back, plus interestTrust me I would much rather find your apartment or home clean and ready for move in then have to keep any part of your deposit!" No where in the requirements does it say paint touch ups and by charging someone on something that was not in the requirements is dishonest to me and seems like a scamI have attached the move out check list to this response to show that no where does it say touch up paints need to be doneThis went along with the email that says if everything on this check list is done you WILL get your full damage deposit back
I would also like Scott to address how my neighbor left a case of beer in his fridge and he got nothing taken off of his damage deposit and a note on the bottom of his receipt said "Thanks for the beer"
As I stated above, if I received the $in the mail I was still looking for my refund on my damage deposit and the full amount of what I put into the fixes I had to personally put into the apartment that was never fixed by Bluff CityI am still looking for $$for my damage deposit (next time if there is unpaid utilities like the $I had instead of putting it into a lump sum damage deposit it should be stated that there were unpaid utilities) and $for my personal investment in the maintenance

Attached is my response. Please let me know if you require any additional information or documentation. Respectifully submitted, Scott ***PresidentBluff City Properties, LLC

Re: Complaint for Repair Issues- *** *** To whom it may concern, I have received and reviewed *** ***’s complaintI understand that she is frustrated and will address each concern individually below: Cleanliness of building: We take these type of complaints very seriouslyOur
staff cleans the building twice per week, which includes all bathrooms, kitchens, and common areasWe have recently had turnover in our staff, so cleaning has not been consistent as far as the day and time is concerned in the past weeksHowever, we have not received any complaints about the cleanliness in the building from Ms*** nor any other residents of the building.We have never received a complaint from Ms*** at any time during her residence in the building regarding any issuesWe have signs up in the bathrooms and kitchens encouraging residents to contact us if there is a problem with cleanliness and we respond to any complaints as soon as possible after receivingThis is very important to us and we take it very seriously, because we know it’s important to our residentsLastly, Ms*** informed a maintenance staff person on 11/17/that she has found the bathroom very messy one time during her residence in the buildingI will apologize for that incident and invite her to please inform us if she ever finds that situation in the futureAge of residents: Yes, this building is advertised as intended mainly for studentsAfter all, it is a private-dorm set up99% of the residents are college-aged studentsHowever, sometimes we have residents that are a little olderRight now, we have residents that are non-traditional students and older than 19-yrs out of total residentsThese individuals were all approved through our rental application process, which includes a background checkEach of these individuals has been model resident for usMs*** lives near one or two of those residents, but has never made it known that this was a problem for herIn addition, this building has floorsThe top floor is segregated all male, the middle floor is segregated all female, and the bottom floor is co-ed.All residents are made aware of these designations when touring the property and signing a leaseMs*** chose to and requested to live in floorFurthermore, each wing door is controlled-accessed and accessible to only those that reside in that wingAll bathrooms are controlled-accessed as wellWe have not received any concerns or complaints from Ms*** about either of these residents or about any other residents in the buildingWe have not received any complaints from any other residents eitherIf there was an issue with the location of her room in the building, it should have been broached much soonerWe likely could have moved her to a different area had we known before now Resident Assistants (RAs) & Study Groups: Ms*** has included in her complaint that she has not heard from an RA or a study groupI’m confused by this and the reason it is a complaintIs there something specific that she has expected to hear? Regarding an RA, if she has not needed an RA or had to have correspondence with one, that is a good thingOur RAs do not do room checks or similar activities that might take place in an on-campus dormThey are there to help with problems, noise issues, etcRegarding study groups, this is not something that we regulate or supervise, so there may not have been any forming this fall semesterNot something I can controlBroken Microwave: We received a work order on 11/16/at approximately 11:15pm regarding a microwave that wasn’t workingBy approximately 1:00pm the next day (11/17/17) Ms*** had a brand new microwave in her roomFrom a maintenance and management standpoint, this is a very good turnaround for completing a work order and the majority of residents would be very happy and appreciativeIn the complaint, Ms*** claims that the microwave “broke within weeks of being here.” If this is true, it means that she was without a microwave for over monthsI would like to know then, why was it not reported until 11/16/17? Appliances malfunction and they do have a shelf-lifeIt’s usually not anyone’s faultIt just happensHowever, we are not able to repair or replace something if we’re not aware of it Lights: Unfortunately, all of the light bulbs in Ms***’s room burned out within a short period of time (I believe there are or in total)She reported this issue on 11/16/in the same work order with the microwave problemAll of said light bulbs were replaced the next morningNever mind the fact that this is a service most landlords or property managers do not provide, but I feel we addressed the problem in a very timely manner after being alerted to itAgain, we can’t fix an issue that we are not aware ofIn all my years in this business, I have never had a resident be so upset about light bulbs burning out and/or going so far as to think that it’s an issue with the quality of the building or service of our staffNo one replaces light bulbs before they burn out as a preventative measure, as Ms*** seems to have expected us to have doneThat’s not realistic Exposed Wire: Where is there an exposed wire? Why was this not included in the work order from 11/16/and/or not reported to maintenance staff when speaking with them? Again, we cannot fix a problem that we are not aware of “Rat” Traps: First, there are no rat traps in the buildingAs a preventative maintenance measure, we put insect traps in rooms and common areas, with the idea of identifying any potential issues with bugsI do not know how this message was misconstrued, but I apologize if there was a miscommunicationEven so, I do not understand what the concern is with thisWhat exactly is the concern? This poses no threat or safety concern to any residentWe would not be engaging in a practice that did Soda Machine: If it served an expired drink, we were not notified of itDid this happen one time? More than once? The soda machine belongs to and is controlled by the beverage companyOur office can pass on any complaints or issues and are happy to do soHowever, we can’t do so if we’re not aware of it. Vent: I’m unable to comment on this part of the complaint without having more specific informationI have never heard anything about a vent that allows someone to see inside the bathroom from Ms*** nor anyone else in the time that we have owned and operated the buildingSurely, if this was a large concern, it would have been brought to my attention before now and/or to a previous owner/operator’s attentionNothing has changed in the bathrooms in the past yearsI do not know for certain, but I think that this complaint was written before our maintenance staff addressed the light bulbs and microwave replacement, so I do hope that Ms*** is satisfied with the result of those repairs and the timeframe that they were completed withinIf there are other issues leading to her having to live in what she feels is a “broken room,” I invite her to report them through our work order system and we will address them right awayHowever, regarding any “disgusting conditions” that she refers to in her complaint, I am sure that these can only be caused by the resident herself and the condition she keeps her own space inThis was reported to be less than satisfactory by maintenance staff after their visitI am sorry that Ms*** feels the way she does and has chosen this forum to first report the majority of her complaintsI will repeat the main theme of all items in her complaint, and that is the fact that we cannot repair or address any problems that we do not know aboutIf some of these things have been ongoing issues, they could have easily been addressed and hopefully solved within a reasonable amount of time by simply communicating themHowever, Ms*** did not do thatShe instead chose to vent her frustrations via late-night work orders, a one-star rating on our Facebook page, and this public complaint, in the process attempting to smear our company and its reputationWe take great pride in our service and quality of housing that we offer and take any complaints very seriouslyIf we make mistakes with our services or unintentionally mislead someone in anyway, I am the first to apologize and do my best to make it rightHowever, in this case, it is clear to me that Ms*** does not have realistic expectations and is trying to fabricate issues in order to receive a refundIn response to the request for a refund, I will be offering no such refundNone of the issues outlined here are grounds for receiving money back as a credit, being let out of the lease, or anything similarResidents on a lease have a responsibility to report any problems or issues to the landlord, just as a landlord or property manager has a responsibility to address problems and repairsMs*** has clearly not fulfilled this responsibilityFrom the landlord’s perspective, we have properly addressed the issues that we have been made aware of (light bulbs & microwave) in a very timely mannerMs*** pays a lump sum for each semester, which calculates out to approximately $per monthThis amount includes all utilities and TV/internet in a building that is directly across the street from campusThis is well within the market rate for WinonaNo one is being “overcharged.” Ms*** willingly signed the lease to live in the building and at no time was she given misinformation or misled intentionally in any wayTo repeat again, even if these issues in her complaint are legitimate and ongoing, we cannot now, nor could we have in the past, addressed them if we did not know about themMs*** is invited to contact me anytime with any problems or issues that I can help with or that are ongoingI invite her to call me directly at ###-###-#### or email me at *** to address any issues or set up a meeting to sit down and talk about any of thisI would welcome this opportunityRespectively, Scott *** President Bluff City Properties, LLC

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 8, 2015/04/30) */
The issue with the roof is one that has been going on since July of 2014 and one that we have been very aware of. Since then, we have made 3 attempts to repair the roof, with the first two on August 12, 2014 and September 3, 2014 being...

unsuccessful. Unfortunately, fixing a leaky roof is not an exact science. Our carpenters made their best efforts to patch the areas that appeared to be in the worst condition. However, the rain water found new places to leak in and cause problems in the apartment. Each time our carpenters were on-site, they spoke with one of the residents, tried to explain the situation, and asked them to let us know if there was still a problem the next time it rained, which the residents did. Throughout the winter, there were obviously no problems reported. On April 2nd, the residents again put in a service request to report a leak. The 3rd attempt to fix the roof was made on April 7th and it seems to have worked, as we have not had any communication from the residents since the April 2nd service request. Our staff carpenter, Trevor, even followed-up with the residents on or about April 13th and the residents indicated that it had not leaked into the apartment during the most recent rain shower over the previous weekend.
The ultimate plan to fix the problem is to replace the roof with new shingles. However, this part of the roof has a landing on it that serves as the upper apartment's only entrance, so the need to remove the landing in order to replace the shingles would displace the upstairs residents for 2-3 days. This is more than a minor inconvenience, which is the reason we have attempted to temporarily repair the roof. If the roof can make it until summer, we know that the upstairs residents will be out of town for part of the summer, so we can replace shingles during that time without preventing anyone from being able to access their home.
We understand the frustration of the residents and have attempted to apologize for the problem. If there has been miscommunication between our staff and the residents to the point where they were not aware of our attempts to patch the leaks, I also apologize, but our carpentry staff has spoken with the residents each time they were on-site and our office staff has spoken with them on the phone and in our office on more than one occasion as well.
As I mentioned previously, this most recent attempt seems to have solved the problem temporarily, as water did not leak in after the first shower and we have not heard from the residents in almost a month. If this is not the case or if something has changed, we would like to know right away, so we can address it again. Winona County has received over 5 inches of rain during April, so I hope that if it was going to leak again, it would have already.
Thank you for your attention and continued partnership with businesses and consumers.

[redacted]
President
Bluff City Properties, LLC
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 10, 2015/04/30) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
I am just accepting it because I am just not going to argue because it's a he said/she said statement and this isn't going to get us anywhere.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 18, 2015/10/09) */
This dispute has been resolved between the parties outside of the Revdex.com.
Thank you.
[redacted]
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 20, 2015/10/13) */