Citi Habitats

Revdex.com:At this time, I have not been contacted by Citi Habitats regarding complaint ID [redacted] .Sincerely, [redacted] ***

At this time, I have been contacted directly by Citi Habitats regarding complaint ID [redacted] , however my complaint has NOT been resolved because: [Your Answer Here] It seems that they don't have a protocol in place to appropriately handle thisI am told that it has been forwarded to other managers however I suspect that they are continuing to leave this unresolved In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above Sincerely, [redacted] ***

Revdex.com: I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted] , and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved Sincerely, [redacted]

[redacted] hasn't contacted our company for a refundPlease have her contact me with a copy of the receipt so that we can look into this for her

Revdex.com:At this time, I have not been contacted by Citi Habitats regarding complaint ID ***.Sincerely,*** ***

Revdex.com:At this time, I have not been contacted by Citi Habitats regarding complaint ID [redacted].Sincerely,[redacted]

Review: Re: [redacted] My girlfriend saw an advertisement on [redacted] by a broker named [redacted] (attached, please find cache’d page, via [redacted] for a 2 bedroom apartment on [redacted] for $3,000. She made arrangements to inspect this apartment with [redacted], which transpired on Wednesday, July [redacted], at approximately 6:30pm. [redacted] and her dog, [redacted], greeted us at the door and took us to apartment **, where the current tenant, [redacted], showed us around. [redacted] indicated that he was very happy with the apartment, that we were the first individuals who had seen said apartment, and indicated that, for several years, he has paid $2,500 in rent. [redacted] and [redacted] briefly spoke about a couple that would be looking at the apartment later that evening. My girlfriend and I informed [redacted] that we were “99% positive” that we wanted this apartment and requested information as to how to proceed. My girlfriend wrote a check, at [redacted]’s instruction, for the amount of $150.00 and we were instructed to submit our information, including personal information regarding our employment, salary, and savings/checking account information, along with a citi habitats questionnaire, which would allow the broker to check our credit scores. Nowhere during this interaction were we furnished with a Dual Agent Disclosure Form. [redacted] and I submitted our information and, at approximately 10am on Friday, August [redacted] called [redacted] to ascertain the status of our application. [redacted] informed us that the landlord, [redacted], had considered raising his asking price to $3,600 per month. At this point, I called [redacted] back and discussed how frustrating this scenario was. She responded that [redacted] is elderly and insinuated his lack of comprehension and accountability were factors in the aforementioned quandary. I replied that it felt, more, like a “bait and switch” and like dishonest business and that she should not have advertised the apartment for $3,000 if, in fact, she did not have a solid commitment to a similar price. Furthermore, this news came after we submitted our financial information and my index of suspicion of a potential scam were high. [redacted] noted that the current tenant was paying approximately $2,800 at which point I corrected her and noted that “[redacted]” had indicated he was only paying $2,500. [redacted] mentioned that she would call [redacted] back, right away, and discuss our consternation. However, prior, she asked me to name my “highest price” that I was comfortable paying. As previously noted, I was never presented with a Dual Agent Disclosure Form and, in the context of this conversation, I did not trust [redacted]. I replied that she should find out [redacted]’s “lowest price” but that, if the asking price were $3,100, my girlfriend and I would proceed with the application. My phone call to [redacted] was made at 10:03am; at 10:14am, she called back and noted that she had a discussion with [redacted], whereupon he agreed to our application if we would pay $3,100 per month in rent. [redacted] made a point to ask several times if we were agreed and I acquiesced. She indicated that she would be in touch after formally processing our application. Subsequently, my girlfriend called [redacted] on August [redacted] to discuss our application. We were informed that her credit was fair and that mine was “perfect.” This morning, [redacted] contacted my girlfriend and informed her that [redacted] was informed by another broker that he could “get more money” for apartment ** and, subsequently, we would not be able to rent this apartment unless we were willing to pay more money. At this point, I contacted her supervisor, [redacted], to discuss what appears to be unethical and fraudulent business practice on several fronts. He indicated on two sequential days that he attempted to contact [redacted] but that he has not returned [redacted]'s phone call. [redacted] never subsequently contacted me. I am not a lawyer or a counsel and am ill-equipped to judge whatever information [redacted] or [redacted] shared with me. Clearly, [redacted], who is a tenant, herself, of [redacted]’s in the same building, either is guilty of falsely advertising [redacted]’s interests or is in collusion to appropriate increased monies for him and for herself. Citi habitats, in turn, has personal information belonging to my girlfriend and myself which was predicated upon fair business practice, and has run a credit report as well as cashed $150.00 of our funds under patently false pretense. All of this appears to be a perversion of justice and, in vernacular, just plain feels horribly dishonest and unfair. Since [redacted] gave us the impression that she had an agreement with the landlord to act on his behalf and that we had been approved as tenants, we clearly had a false negotiation that was made in bad taste. [redacted] should have informed [redacted] of such dishonest practice unless she was part of collusion, either in the form of a broker to secure more money or of a tenant in his building to curry favor for future showings. Aside from reporting these actions to the proper city and state authorities, I am considering legal action as recourse.Desired Settlement: I am requesting the $150.00 application fee back, as well as additional monies that the Revdex.com thinks might be warranted considering my personal (employment, bank account, current salary) information was collected for presumably no reason and my credit history queried, which, in itself, though-minorly, does affect credit history. Furthermore, I likely missed potential other apartments during this time. Of note, I have submitted a similar inquiry and complaint to the NY Dept of State. Of note, [redacted] and [redacted] have put the blame squarely on the shoulders of the apartment owner/landlord, [redacted] (of [redacted]/ can't find the phone number).

Business

Response:

Revdex.com,

In response to complaint ID# [redacted] by [redacted] (Customer) contacted me looking for a two bedroom on the Upper West Side. I first showed him a two bedroom at [redacted] and then I showed him a two bedroom at [redacted] During the showing of the second property I informed the customer that that the landlord is inconsistent with his pricing. The customer decided to put an application in based on a monthly rent of 3000 per month. Upon taking this offer to the landlord I was informed by the owner that as long as the customer was qualified he would accept the application at $3100 per month.

The customer agreed and decided to submit application along with supporting documentation and a $150.00 application fee. Once information was presented to the landlord he then Indicated that due to feedback from other real estate agents he felt that the fair market value for the apartment was $3600.

I presented this counter offer from the landlord to the customer. They declined.

Both My manager [redacted] and I have explained this to [redacted] and his girlfriend, and we are more than happy to assist them in their housing search if they are still looking.

Thanks,

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

[redacted] is simply recapitulating aspects of the aforementioned case but doing so in a subversive, selective manner. The facts of the case involve her never furnishing a document which attests to whether or not she is a Dual Agent (no dual agent disclosure form) and, consequently, acting in a way that belies any fiduciary responsibility to us as her clients. Similarly, her response (as well as the lack of response of [redacted], her supervisor), fail to address those actions that call into question her professionalism and suggest foul play: why did she post an advertisement online for which she did not possess any solid grasp of price and why, after discussing with the owner of the apartment, did she continue to promise a new agreed-upon price? This second aspect was the oral agreement upon which the entire agreement of cashing my $150 and checking my credit was predicated. Instead, by pitting herself as an innocent bystander of this event and as subject to what she has implied is the fickleness and borderline decreptitude of [redacted], she abdicates any responsibility or control over the event. Her perfunctory offer at helping me secure a future apartment is likewise insulting; she has already blatantly disrespected my time and finances and I’d be wary of utilizing her “services” or those of citi habitats in the foreseeable future.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Revdex.com,

In response to complaint ID# [redacted] by [redacted] {Customer) I did not have an exclusive agreement for the apartment with the owner. Therefore I was not acting as dual agent. I did not represent the owner at any time during this interaction.

I was informed by the Landlord that as long as the customer qualified with cred it check and income, he would accept $3100 per month. [redacted] agreed and submitted an application to proceed.

After submitting paperwork and credit to Landlord I left 2 messages over the weekend to find out if they were approved, made a third call Monday morning and spoke with the Landlord.He informed me that due to feedback from other agents he felt that the fair market value for the apartment was $3600.

I do not have a say in what the landlord decides to charge.

I did act at all times for the sole benefit and interest of [redacted].

Review: On July *, 2015, I accompanied my daughter, [redacted], and her boyfriend, [redacted], to New York City to help them find an apartment in order for her to start dental school at Columbia University. We engaged the services of Citi Habitats (the office at [redacted]) as a broker to help in our search. [redacted] and [redacted] signed a Client Registration/Fee Agreement with Citi Habitats on that date. Also on that date, after looking at an apartment, we put a $500 deposit down toward the Citi Habitats brokers fee. On July *, 2015, I obtained three cashiers checks from a local branch of [redacted]. These checks were in the amounts of $3,280 payable to Citi Habitats for the remainder of the brokers fee, $2,100 payable to Newcastle Realty Service for the deposit, and $12,600 payable to [redacted] for payment of six months rent for the apartment. An agent for Citi Habitats, Adelya T[redacted], signed a receipt acknowledging that Citi Habitats had taken possession of these three cashiers checks. The lease was not ready to sign during our time in New York. So after returning home and receiving the lease, we signed it and mailed it to Citi Habitats. They told us they would forward it to the landlord together with the two cashiers checks for the rent and deposit.On July **, 2015, we learned that while the landlord had received the signed lease from Citi Habitats, the two cashiers checks had apparently been lost and had never come into the landlords possession. Since the lease was to begin on July [redacted], we had to scramble to send replacement funds directly to the landlord for the deposit and six months rent. This led to a number of additional expenses for me: obtaining replacement cashiers checks through [redacted] ($4), payments for surety bonds to stop payment on the two cashiers checks drawn on [redacted] ($252 + $42), and three [redacted] charges to 1) mail the replacement cashiers checks directly to the landlord ($40.56), 2) mail checks for the stop payment bonds to [redacted] ($34.50), and 3) mail additional paperwork to [redacted] to complete the stop payments and return the $14,700 in funds to my account ($34.50).The total of my expenses directly related to the lost cashiers checks is $407.56. This does not include any of my time on the phone, text, and email with Citi Habitats and [redacted], my visit to [redacted] to obtain replacement cashiers checks, my three visits to the local [redacted] office to mail documents, nor my time organizing documentation of my expenses and communicating with Citi Habitats to request reimbursement.On August 2, 2015, I sent an email to the three agents with whom we worked at Citi Habitats (Adelya T[redacted], Sofia C[redacted], and Rafael A[redacted]) with a copy to the office manager, Gladys T[redacted], requesting reimbursement of my expenses. The next day I mailed the same letter by U. S. Postal mail, certified with a return receipt, to Ms. T[redacted], C[redacted], T[redacted], and Mr. A[redacted]. The return receipt was signed on August *, 2015, by Lissette A[redacted] at Citi Habitats. After receiving the return receipt in the mail, I again emailed the four Citi Habitats employees requesting the repayment of my expenses. I requested and received email read receipts from each of the four.To date, I have been completely ignored by all four employees/agents of Citi Habitats with regard to my reimbursement request. None has contacted me by telephone, text, or email. None has given me the name of any other person in their company with whom I should discuss my claim. I believe they hope that if they ignore me, I will go away because I live in Missouri and will not pursue a claim against them through the legal system. Signing a receipt for the two [redacted] cashiers checks transferred responsibility to them to successfully deliver these checks to the landlord. I had no ability to do that since the checks were in their possession. In fact, when I sent replacement checks to the landlord via [redacted], they were received the very next day by the landlord.Desired Settlement: I believe Citi Habitats owes me $407.56 in reimbursement for my documented expenses. I would accept this outcome in spite of the fact that it would not compensate me for several hours of additional time I spent trying to rectify their error.

Consumer

Response:

At this time, I have not been contacted by Citi Habitats regarding complaint ID [redacted].Sincerely,[redacted]

Review: In July of this year I contacted [redacted], who was an agent at Citi Habitats, for a studio apt that was located at [redacted], and it was advertised for $1100 in the [redacted] posting that I found. I viewed and applied for the apt on July **, 2013. I was told that I had to leave a deposit of $500 along with my application. I explained to [redacted] that I did not have personal checks, and asked if a money order or cashier's check would suffice. He checked with his supervisor, and relayed to me that a cashier's check would be fine. He assured me that I would get my money back if I did not get the apartment. I did not get the apt. I have emails and texts from [redacted] saying that he would locate the check for me. He could not. He referred me to the management company that the check was made out to, and [redacted] told me they only had the application and deposit from the person who was approved for the apt. I went to [redacted] to have them cancel the check and refund the money, and I was told that I had to wait 3 months before they could help me. After waiting those 3 mos. I was told that I would have to have a notarized statement from [redacted] before the money could be returned to my account. Frustrated, I reached out to [redacted], the Senior Managing Director. I left a message, and she did not return my call.Desired Settlement: I want the $500 back. I don't want the fees that I had to pay for my application or for the cashier's checks that I had to purchase. Because I did not have any contact with [redacted], it is the responsibility of Citi Habitats to give me the refund. I was reassured on many occasions this would not be an issue, and that promise was not carried out. I tried to resolve this on my own, but I should not have to jump through hoops for something that belongs to me.

Business

Response:

thank you for sending me the Revdex.com complaint recently. It was the first I had ever heard of this client's issue, unfortunately, as the agent that she had transacted with, [redacted] (who is no longer with my firm), never communicated to myself or my office manager that the customer was asking for a refund. As soon as I received the letter from Revdex.com, I called [redacted] to ask what had happened, then I called [redacted] to obtain his account. [redacted] explained that when she applied she submitted a certified check to [redacted], which was then sent to the Management company with a courier. The application was denied, but [redacted]'s check was never returned to us, nor was it ever cashed. We reached out to the management company and they said that they do not have the check. Since the check was given to Citi Habitats from the customer, [redacted], and thereafter the check went missing, I suggested to [redacted] that she go back to [redacted] with a signed and notarized affidavit from us, Citi Habitats, confirming that she handed us a certified check for $500 but since then the check has gone missing, and to please reimburse her the $500. I reached out to [redacted] once again after our initial conversation but she mentioned that she was busy.

We do agree that [redacted] should be reimbursed her $500, but since Citi Habitats never cashed this check, nor did the management company, the money in that certified check is "frozen" until the bank reimburses her for it.

Please feel free to contact me at any time to further discuss. thank you.

Business

Response:

thank you for sending me the Revdex.com complaint recently. It was the first I had ever heard of this client's issue, unfortunately, as the agent that she had transacted with, [redacted] (who is no longer with my firm), never communicated to myself or my office manager that the customer was asking for a refund. As soon as I received the letter from Revdex.com, I called [redacted] to ask what had happened, then I called [redacted] to obtain his account. [redacted] explained that when she applied she submitted a certified check to [redacted], which was then sent to the Management company with a courier. The application was denied, but [redacted]'s check was never returned to us, nor was it ever cashed. We reached out to the management company and they said that they do not have the check. Since the check was given to Citi Habitats from the customer, [redacted], and thereafter the check went missing, I suggested to [redacted] that she go back to [redacted] with a signed and notarized affidavit from us, Citi Habitats, confirming that she handed us a certified check for $500 but since then the check has gone missing, and to please reimburse her the $500. I reached out to [redacted] once again after our initial conversation but she mentioned that she was busy.

We do agree that [redacted] should be reimbursed her $500, but since Citi Habitats never cashed this check, nor did the management company, the money in that certified check is "frozen" until the bank reimburses her for it.

Please feel free to contact me at any time to further discuss. thank you.