Haven's Properties

Greetings [redacted],
 
I completely apologize for my delayed response. I had two aunts suffer strokes and one of them passed away this past Friday. While reading the company’s reply, it strikes me as odd that Kristy M[redacted], the Property Mgr., is speaking about herself in third person, as if she’s not referred to as the Prop. Mgr. She is the person that I expressed all of my concerns to from day one. The dirt, dust, dander and cat hair rested on every single surface, including the walls; that includes the kitchen and bathroom cabinets (inside and out), all appliances (inside & out), on the tops of the cabinets, especially in the kitchen, in every corner and stuck in the ragged wooden bannisters/railings along the stairs that extend to the upstairs of the unit. The bad part is that the layers weren’t just dust, but thick layers of cat hair mixed with it. Not to mention, the folding doors in my son’s room still has visible cat hair on it from top to bottom that was completely painted over. That’s just a clear indication of the careless manner in which my apartment unit was neglected. In addition, there were layers of cat hair under the corners of the carpet in which, they refused to address, and yes I have pictures and video that is time/date stamped.
 
While Kristy wants to make it seem as if the only additional issues were the fact that the exhaust fans weren’t attached or the washing machine wasn’t working, the list is quite longer. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that she left out the fact that my ceiling was leaking and it took over three weeks to close the hole, or the terrible odor of cat urine/feces that still exist in the entryway, on the stairwell landing, as well as coming out of the return duct or the fact that there were small hills of what we later discovered was paint piles, nails, pebbles and trash under the carpet, or the fact that the unit was infested with ants, as well as the fact that the various light fixtures that had issues, or that there were socket covers that were either too small, exposing the walls wiring, or they were completely hanging off. While Kristy advised that the cabinets, being from 1989, are an eye sore or the fact that every appliance in my kitchen is a different color, that’s not the issue. The cabinets were hanging loose from the hinges, several of the drawers were broken, and the cabinet under the sink in the kitchen is molded and warped. The fix for the warped moldy cabinet, was not to replace it, but to place a piece of plywood over it and call that a fix. That’s another example of the piteous manner in which Haven takes care of its luxury properties. Just to make it plan, there are only three appliances in the kitchen, being the stove – new, the refrigerator –old, and the dishwasher – old. So while making it seem as if everything in the unit is new is pretty deceiving.
 
Kristy also neglected to mention that she had [redacted] come out prior to me moving in, that’s if they really came. However, the secondary contractor that she called in found it clear and verbalized that [redacted] did absolutely nothing; because they had to completely clean out the ducts to rid the apartment of the collected pet hair, dander, and odor that reeked from the ducts and every vent throughout the unit. The maintenance team also came and replaced the flooring in the entryway, but that didn’t address the odor on the stairwell landing, as the odor still exists.
While Haven’s provided me with a concession, it wasn’t one that they willingly offered; I had to petition for the pro-rated amount that I paid, because they were only offering $100 for my inconvenience. However, the inconvenience extends past September. As I mentioned to Kristy, if I were to return this apartment back to them at the end of my lease in the manner in which they gave it to me, in regards to just cleanliness, they would forward me a bill in excess of $520. So while the $100 offer was an insult, I advised that the concession should be exactly what they would charge me if the tables were turned in an amount that exceeds $520. I made it very clear that offering $100 was an insult, as they could have at least offered my pro-rated amount of rent of $266.67 back to me; they eventually offered my pro-rated amount.
 
Everything requested should have been addressed prior to moving in. So for Kristy to say, “Most items that were requested and completed were out of the ordinary for an apartment “turn”, is another example of the lack of standards or expectations Haven’s Properties has for their staff as well as the people they contract in, to complete adequate and sufficient work. I’d also like to know exactly what “items” were out of the ordinary for an apartment turn.
More than anything else, the biggest concern for me is the impact the uncleanliness of the apartment has had on my health. I am severely allergic to cat hair/dander; I had to begin using my nebulizer and inhaler. Not to wait for Haven’s staff any longer, I had family assist with cleaning the unit to make it comfortable for me to live here. In addition, I purchased two air purifiers and also had to visit my doctor because my medical condition worsened. In-turned, I was placed on a steroid. So to say that they’ve addressed all of my concerns isn’t true. I would like for the odor to be addressed in the entryway landing, and I would also like to be compensated for my medical bills (I haven’t rec’d the bill yet), prescriptions ($37.31), reimbursement for the air purifiers ($110), as well as the additional compensation for the concession which is ($520-266.67=$253.33). So I’m seeking financial compensation in excess of $400.64 and for the Prop. Mgr. to address the odor in the unit.

Review: I have been having a water problem for the past three months in my apartment, my bill went from 42 to 90.00 a month everytime I called the rental office the manager [redacted] will be very nasty and stated they can't find the problem everyday I come home I have a mess to clean up.. came home monday 10.7.2013 finding a mess in my apartment and my deep freezer unpluf causing all my meat to melt.. call to complain to the manager [redacted] on 10.8.2013 got home that evening to find a notice on my door that she will not renew my least with no reason.. this is not fair to me and my family and we are suffering from this...I have called the main office leaving messages for the manager [redacted] and he will never return my call..they came into my apartment last week left the panel door to the bathroom open in my daughter room leaving a bad smell when I called nothing have been done... can I please get some help?Desired Settlement: refund/replacement

Business

Response:

October 16,2013

[redacted] called regarding a water leak on 8/27/13, 9/4/13, 9/19/13, 10/2/13. Each occurrence we have sent a maintenance technician to investigate the leak. We have had 3 different maintenance technicians ([redacted] and [redacted]), a plumber ([redacted]) and two separate contractors ([redacted] and [redacted]) respond to her maintenance work order. We have not been able to detect the source of the leak.

10/3/2013 [redacted] opened up the wall in her laundry room to see if the source of the water was from the supply lines. We left it open for a couple of days to see the water leak would reoccur. After a few days with no water leak, we repaired the hole with sheetrock.

10/8/2013 [redacted] called to say that the contractor [redacted] left a mess in the apartment form the sheetrock repair. She also stated that he left the deep freezer unplugged. At this time, she did not report any food spoiled. The leasing Agent, [redacted], and I went to [redacted] apartment to clean up the sheetrock repair mess per her request. There were a few small pieces of sheetrock in the corner the we swept up and then wiped up with a [redacted] wipe. I spoke with [redacted] and addressed the freezer being unplugged. He said that he did unplug it to use his drill but did plug it in back before exiting the apartment. The repair finished at approximately 2:00pm. [redacted] called at 5:41pm to report it unplugged. If [redacted] was mistaken and left it unplugged, her deep freezer would have been unplugged for 3 hours 41 minutes without the lid being open or lifted.

10/9/2013 10:10am I spoke with [redacted] and she said that she is going to call a lawyer regarding the food spoiled. She did not report any food spoiled to our office.

We have credited [redacted] water bill for three month's bills of higher that normal usage. These credits have totaled $[redacted].

[redacted] lease dated October 2,2012 states on page 5, item 25

"renewal. Tenant and Landlord mutually agree that either party may terminate this lease at the expiration of its term or any renewals thereof by giving the other party at least sixty (60) days written notice prior to the expiration date. In the event that neither party gives notice, this lease shall continue in full force at whatever the current rental rate is, for the term of month to month (all applicable fees apply) and with all other conditions remaining the same. Landlord and Tenant agree to give all notices as provided in paragraph 25 herein"

10/8/13 We exercised the right to non- renew [redacted] lease.

We have always been very polite and professional with [redacted].

If you have any further questions, please contact me [redacted].

Sincerely,

Community Maanger

Review: I recently moved into [redacted] in Midlothian, VA 9/23/2015 and I'm having a few issues w/ the Rental office. I've been conversing w/ them regarding the cleanliness or the lack thereof of the unit. I'm allergic to cats and their dander and the unit is full of cat hair dust and dander. In add' I had other issues, leaky ceiling, in which there is still a hole, there is a terrible odor of cat urine at the entrance in which they advised they will not address, washing machine didn't work, cabinets were falling apart, lighting fixtures have shorts, the railings/bannisters are wobbly, splintered and damaged, the carpet had trash old paint piles, and nails underneath it, ants were all over and there was cat hair EVERYWHERE; on counters, in closets, in cabinets, as well as in, on, behind and around the kitchen appliances.

They have addressed most of my concerns grudgingly. They had the housekeeper come out twice to clean but they're not taking care of anything else related to cat hair/dander/order. I've let them know that there is clearly an issue in the Unit. After the lady left 10/13/15 and the property manager completed her inspection she advised that they've done all that they can do. Well needless to say, I was vacuuming my loft area in which the carpet isn't tacked down, therefore, the vacuum picked up the corner and there is cat hair under the carpet

I have pics and video of the unit before they cleaned, after they cleaned and I have pics of the piles of cat hair that was under the carpet in my loft area. Seeing as there was a huge issue w/ the cleanliness of the unit from the beginning, I'm pretty sure my loft area isn't the only spot where the hair is.

This is a real health issue for me. I've only had to use or address my asthma when I'm sick b/c I know to stay away from cats. Well I've been going through it health wise. Please help provide resources or provide direction that will have them properly address the issues in the Unit. Thanks in advance.Desired Settlement: Before anything, I would like them to fully address the issues of cat odor/dander within the unit. Whether that's cleaning what's under the carpet or replacing certain items within the unit; whatever it takes. As it's outlined in the Fair Housing Act.

Section: § 55-248.13. Landlord to maintain fit premises.

A. The landlord shall: 1. Comply with the requirements of applicable building and housing codes materially affecting health and safety; 2. Make all repairs and do whatever is necessary to put and keep the premises in a fit and habitable condition;

I want them to fully address the main issue b/c it's seriously causing me to be sick. After all that's taken care of, they can certainly compensate me for having to live in the conditions of their error or carelessness of taking care of the unit before I arrived. I just want them to be fair, fully understand what I'm going through, and address it as if it were one of their family members living there.

Business

Response:

November 2, 2015 Upon move in on 9/23/15, it was brought to the property manager’s attention that the apartment was not cleaned completely or “turned” fully, per the company’s standards. The cleaning company had missed a lot of items (pertaining to dust and cat dander in corners, tops of shelving, behind refrigerator, and window sills). The maintenance team neglected to secure the exhaust fans in the bathrooms and neglected to ensure that the new washing machine was installed properly. The property manager told the new resident that she would have housekeeping clean all items that were missed and maintenance will return to complete any items that needed to be addressed (particularly the exhaust fans and washing machine). The property manager also indicated that she would be happy to allow the resident to terminate her lease without penalty, due to the inconvenience she was currently going through. The property manager also gave the resident a concession for the amount of prorated rent for the month of September for any inconvenience incurred. Over the next several days and weeks, the resident continued to bring items to the property manager’s attention that she wanted cleaned, repaired, or replaced. The resident mentioned that the kitchen cabinets were “ugly and falling apart” and that the refrigerator and dishwasher were “old and dirty”. While most items could easily be repaired, I explained to the resident that all of the apartments on the property have the original cabinets and counter tops in the kitchen. This particular unit’s cabinets were in very good condition. The only appliances that were not brand new upon move in were the refrigerator and dishwasher (which are only a few years older and also in very good condition). After numerous vendors, cleaning visits, and maintenance visits over the last few weeks, the property manager, regional manager, and housekeeper all inspected the apartment home on 10/13/15 and noted that the unit was close to immaculate. There was absolutely nothing left to clean, repair, or replace, per the company’s standards. The property manager expressed that if she was still unhappy with all of the efforts the company had continued to complete for her, she is welcome to terminate her lease without financial penalty. The resident’s security deposit would be issued back to her upon receiving the apartment keys (pending any damages or final utility bills). The resident’s claim that the apartment is unfit or inhabitable is false. The property has fully addressed her concerns to the best of their ability, per the company guidelines. The property has records and paid invoices of all items completed prior to move in as well as after move in (per the request of the resident). Most items that were requested and completed were out of the ordinary for an apartment “turn”. The property will of course continue to address any maintenance items that should arise; however, the property will not continue to clean or replace any more items in the apartment, unless an item is malfunctioning or inoperable. Kristy M[redacted] | Community Manager

Consumer

Response:

Greetings [redacted], I completely apologize for my delayed response. I had two aunts suffer strokes and one of them passed away this past Friday. While reading the company’s reply, it strikes me as odd that Kristy M[redacted], the Property Mgr., is speaking about herself in third person, as if she’s not referred to as the Prop. Mgr. She is the person that I expressed all of my concerns to from day one. The dirt, dust, dander and cat hair rested on every single surface, including the walls; that includes the kitchen and bathroom cabinets (inside and out), all appliances (inside & out), on the tops of the cabinets, especially in the kitchen, in every corner and stuck in the ragged wooden bannisters/railings along the stairs that extend to the upstairs of the unit. The bad part is that the layers weren’t just dust, but thick layers of cat hair mixed with it. Not to mention, the folding doors in my son’s room still has visible cat hair on it from top to bottom that was completely painted over. That’s just a clear indication of the careless manner in which my apartment unit was neglected. In addition, there were layers of cat hair under the corners of the carpet in which, they refused to address, and yes I have pictures and video that is time/date stamped. While Kristy wants to make it seem as if the only additional issues were the fact that the exhaust fans weren’t attached or the washing machine wasn’t working, the list is quite longer. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that she left out the fact that my ceiling was leaking and it took over three weeks to close the hole, or the terrible odor of cat urine/feces that still exist in the entryway, on the stairwell landing, as well as coming out of the return duct or the fact that there were small hills of what we later discovered was paint piles, nails, pebbles and trash under the carpet, or the fact that the unit was infested with ants, as well as the fact that the various light fixtures that had issues, or that there were socket covers that were either too small, exposing the walls wiring, or they were completely hanging off. While Kristy advised that the cabinets, being from 1989, are an eye sore or the fact that every appliance in my kitchen is a different color, that’s not the issue. The cabinets were hanging loose from the hinges, several of the drawers were broken, and the cabinet under the sink in the kitchen is molded and warped. The fix for the warped moldy cabinet, was not to replace it, but to place a piece of plywood over it and call that a fix. That’s another example of the piteous manner in which Haven takes care of its luxury properties. Just to make it plan, there are only three appliances in the kitchen, being the stove – new, the refrigerator –old, and the dishwasher – old. So while making it seem as if everything in the unit is new is pretty deceiving. Kristy also neglected to mention that she had [redacted] come out prior to me moving in, that’s if they really came. However, the secondary contractor that she called in found it clear and verbalized that [redacted] did absolutely nothing; because they had to completely clean out the ducts to rid the apartment of the collected pet hair, dander, and odor that reeked from the ducts and every vent throughout the unit. The maintenance team also came and replaced the flooring in the entryway, but that didn’t address the odor on the stairwell landing, as the odor still exists.While Haven’s provided me with a concession, it wasn’t one that they willingly offered; I had to petition for the pro-rated amount that I paid, because they were only offering $100 for my inconvenience. However, the inconvenience extends past September. As I mentioned to Kristy, if I were to return this apartment back to them at the end of my lease in the manner in which they gave it to me, in regards to just cleanliness, they would forward me a bill in excess of $520. So while the $100 offer was an insult, I advised that the concession should be exactly what they would charge me if the tables were turned in an amount that exceeds $520. I made it very clear that offering $100 was an insult, as they could have at least offered my pro-rated amount of rent of $266.67 back to me; they eventually offered my pro-rated amount. Everything requested should have been addressed prior to moving in. So for Kristy to say, “Most items that were requested and completed were out of the ordinary for an apartment “turn”, is another example of the lack of standards or expectations Haven’s Properties has for their staff as well as the people they contract in, to complete adequate and sufficient work. I’d also like to know exactly what “items” were out of the ordinary for an apartment turn.More than anything else, the biggest concern for me is the impact the uncleanliness of the apartment has had on my health. I am severely allergic to cat hair/dander; I had to begin using my nebulizer and inhaler. Not to wait for Haven’s staff any longer, I had family assist with cleaning the unit to make it comfortable for me to live here. In addition, I purchased two air purifiers and also had to visit my doctor because my medical condition worsened. In-turned, I was placed on a steroid. So to say that they’ve addressed all of my concerns isn’t true. I would like for the odor to be addressed in the entryway landing, and I would also like to be compensated for my medical bills (I haven’t rec’d the bill yet), prescriptions ($37.31), reimbursement for the air purifiers ($110), as well as the additional compensation for the concession which is ($520-266.67=$253.33). So I’m seeking financial compensation in excess of $400.64 and for the Prop. Mgr. to address the odor in the unit.