Hometown Property Management & Rentals

Please landlords and tenants bewareThis company is a scamWe have been with the company for three yearsWe are having to file a deed in lieu on our property [redacted] is supposed to be a property managerShe hung up on me because she said I was interrupting her lunch timeThen when I called back no one answeredThey have owed us maintenance fees for over a year now and have not paid us backMy husband called her and she said she has to deal with [redacted] holes all day as I take that her is calling my husband a [redacted] holeThis company never follows through on anythingThe owner of the real estate company needs to keep track of what her employees are doing and how they are treating landlordsI repeat DO NOT do business with this companyThey will keep your money and never follow through on anything [redacted] especially need to be let goShe is very bad for the business, rude, and talks to landlords like they are trash

Do not rent from hometown!
My husband and I were lured in to this incorrect ad to rent a house in Sneads ferry on [redacted]. We didn't live in North Carolina at the time so we were depending on the good will of the company to be honest and work with us.
They cheated us from the start.
First of all the ad said rent was $825 when in fact when I called they told me it was $850.
Also I was told the house had a detached garage when in further inspection of the house, there was no garage.
The listing for the house had minimal informational pictures (closets, kids rooms, bathroom were all left out) That's just the beginning. My husband and I decided to take a chance and have a realtor go and view the property for us. She said the house was in good condition and there was no structural damage. But there is a huge crack that goes down the center of the ceiling!
When we reicived keys for the house and inspected it ourselves the house was disgustingly dirty! The previous tenants had cleaned Nothing! There where cockroaches all over the floor and apparently this was inspected a few days prior and approved for us to move in.
Now this company is asking for more time to clean and get the repairs done when we have already paid rent to live in it starting the date we got here. Because of this my family is having to stay in a hotel until the jobs are completed.
Do not rent from hometown. Or work with them in general. I would hate for someone else to fall victim to this.

Please landlords and tenants beware. This company is a scam. We have been with the company for three years. We are having to file a deed in lieu on our property. [redacted] is supposed to be a property manager. She hung up on me because she said I was interrupting her lunch time. Then when I called back no one answered. They have owed us maintenance fees for over a year now and have not paid us back. My husband called her and she said she has to deal with [redacted] holes all day as I take that her is calling my husband a [redacted] hole. This company never follows through on anything. The owner of the real estate company needs to keep track of what her employees are doing and how they are treating landlords. I repeat DO NOT do business with this company. They will keep your money and never follow through on anything. [redacted] especially need to be let go. She is very bad for the business, rude, and talks to landlords like they are trash.

Hometown replaced a damaged door on our home without permission with a door that is lesser quality. We're now being ignored/given runaround/no help. On December 5, 2013 we received an email from [redacted] with a list of items that would need to be repaired on our rental property from the previous tenants damages. At the very beginning of that list, it states that the back storm door to our home would need the plunger on it repaired, and that they would need to replace the broken glass. The list of damages to our home was extensive and we requested pictures of our home once the repairs were complete. We were never sent pictures, although we called several times to inquire about it. Time goes by with a new tenant in the home and when it came time for them to move out, we were sent a list with pictures of the repairs that needed to be done, and noticed several things about the home that we were not aware had been done. The first thing we noticed was that they had painted the whole house a new color. We weren't concerned about that since finding specific paint colors to match what was there could be difficult and more costly than just a neutral color. However, we noticed immediately that the once-black storm door on the back of the house had been replaced with a white door that was noticeably cheaper and different than the style we had on the home. Immediately we called to speak to someone about this and I honestly can't remember how many calls it took before we actually spoke to someone about it. But, finally, we were in touch now with [redacted], who informed us that[redacted] no longer worked with the company so she'd be helping us going forward. We told her about our frustrations with the back door being different and how difficult it was to ever get to speak with anyone and have problems resolved, to which she said that she would get to the bottom of our problem. She asked us to send the email where it showed what the repairs to our house were at the time the back storm door was discussed, so we did. After not hearing from her for several days after numerous calls, she finally emailed us back and said that she spoke with someone in maintenance that said that we authorized the door to be replaced with what was in there. Immediately we called to say that we'd never given permission and that it looks as though someone came in and not only replaced with the wrong door, but had done a poor job in hanging it as it was sagging in the frame. She then told us that the person that did the work no longer worked there, so they couldn't speak directly to that person. She said that she would find out what she could and asked us to forward her links to the door that should have been installed in our home, which we did. We continued to be ignored after calling several times and sending emails to her. Finally, we call and ask to speak to ANYONE that can help, and we're put in touch with a new person, who informs us that [redacted] no longer works there. So now, we're in this continuos vicious cycle where we're ignored and put off for some time, and then we get in touch with someone new because apparently employee retention isn't their strongest of qualities, and then given the runaround on what will be done with this door of ours. This has been an ongoing battle for us when the answer is simple- they need to go in and replace that door with one that was supposed to be on our house. There was a mistake made on their behalf at some point and we feel as though instead of rectifying the situation, they're constantly dodging our calls and ignoring the problem. It's ridiculous that we have to assume that we'll call at least 4 times before we ever get to actually speak to anyone, and because of this, we're now in this situation where we're beyond frustrated with the treatment we're being given on our property that we've entrusted to them to take care of. Communication is one of the worst I've ever encountered in a business and it's been that way since the beginning in one way or another. I don't understand why it's so difficult for them to do their jobs and get the correct door installed. Desired SettlementThey need to install the door in our home that matches in quality and style as the door that was once in there. It's ridiculous that we go months without knowing that someone else has taken over our property and that all of the emails and calls were just thrown by the wayside because no one was there to take them. When we're promised pictures of our home, they need to be sent. When we're in the process of having something done to our home whether it be from a tenant move out or a tenant needing something done while they're living there, we need to be kept in contact, and not be forced to have to make several calls in the week before ever getting to speak to someone. We don't expect someone to be there at our every beck and call, but we shouldn't have to make multiple phone calls over the course of a week or more to actually hear back. Customer service is definitely a weak point that needs to be worked on. We really, in this moment, just need our back door properly replaced with what was supposed to be in there. We had been told it was just going to be repaired, and were never given any indication that it was replaced, until we just happened to see pictures of it in a move-out report from the next tenants move-out 2 years later. And now, we're being given every excuse under the sun as to why it is the way it is or why it can't be replaced. We let the business know we were going to be putting in this complaint, on the date of our last contact with them. Since then, they have contacted us and let us know they would be replacing the door with one that is comparable to the one we had on the house. Assuming this is done, which we have no reason to believe it wouldn't be, we would consider this case resolved. Thank you.

The property listed for sale said authorized pets are allowed. After lease and security deposit, agents said no pets are allowed.The property is [redacted] and on the website the house is listed it said pets are homeowner approved, no restrictive breeds. After we signed the lease and gave the security deposit around 10 Aug, I informed the agents[redacted] I plan to get a pet and they told me the owner is not allowing any pets because he just put in new carpet. My move in date is Aug 26 and I want to rent the property but, false advertisement is not good business practice. I contacted the agents to come to a compromise for the pet(s) and I was told there is nothing that can be done. I offered to replace the carpet and any damages done intentionally or accidentally caused by the pet and no was still the answer.Desired SettlementI want to be able to have a pet in the property I am renting for a year.Business Response This property was removed from the market and the homeowner replaced the flooring and remodeled. At the time of original listing, yes pets were accepted but after several tenants with pets causing pet damage the owner decided to no longer allow pets. Once the home was refurbished and placed on the market again the new listing reflected no pets allowed. It is a homeowner's prerogative to allow or deny any pets and this homeowner has decided not to allow pets at all.This office is not responsible for the tenant's agent (someone that does not work for our office but exclusively their agent) giving them inaccurate information. Their application was approved with no pets on the application and each time the tenant asked about getting a pet he was told no pets were allowed every single time he inquired. He was told the owner's stance by our office prior to application approval and many times before and after signing their lease. We have asked the owner if he is willing to make an exception for this tenant and each time told no pets allowed for any reason.This tenant has been in our office multiple times to change the date of his lease and get out of his lease each time stating the pet issue as a reason. However, the lease was signed without a pet addendum and they should realize adding a pet to a lease is in effect modifying that lease and all parties must agree. This owner does not agree and any pets found on the property will constitute a fine per pet and the pet must be removed from the property. Per the desired resolution from the complainant to be allowed a pet, this company cannot/will not condone a pet on the property unless given express permission from the owner and to this date it has not been received. The tenant must refer to the legal binding lease that they signed and understand a pet is not permitted on the premise.

Over charged for repairs and wrongly charged a "re-inspection" feeI was over charged for two minor repairs on the home. I was also charged for a light bulb, that I checked when I moved out. It must have blown when it was checked on move out. $87.50 for $5 worth of materials and 5 minutes worth labor for two minor issues with the home when I moved out. No where in the lease does it state if the home is not 100% the way it was when I moved it that I would be charged a re-inspection fee. The lease states a re-inspection fee would be charged if the home was not ready for the move out inspection. The home was ready and it was inspected.I do not trust this company to be honest about repairs and the charges. The previous renters were under the same contract that I was under. I was required to have the carpets cleaned upon move out and I did that. The carpets were never cleaned prior to me moving in. The home was dirty. Toilets had mold in them, the air filters were never replaced, the fridge smelled, the exterior of the home had mold all over it and the yard had not been maintained. Since none of this was taken care of prior to my move in, I have no reason to trust the repairs were conducted or that someone actual went to the house to inspect the work of the person they hired to do the work. Despite all that, the lease does not say a re-inspect fee in be charged if repairs must be conducted upon move out inspection. It only states if the home is not ready for inspection, a re-inspection fee for rescheduling the inspection will be charged. Desired SettlementThe $75 rein spection fee returned and 50% of the repair fees returned.Business Response In response to the above complaint, this company will not reimburse the tenant the re-inspect fee and stands by the charges to this tenant. The re-inspect was completed because repairs were required and we must verify the repairs are done before we close out the file and the tenant is charged from security deposit. If the property was "ready" as the tenant stated, no repairs would be required, unfortunately this was not correct and minor repairs were needed.We make sure to remind tenants to fill out a detailed move in checklist of any discrepancies they find and accept any pictures they would like to submit within the first week of their tenancy. We use their checklist turned in and provided documentation along with our move out assessment performed when the tenant vacates plus any historical pictures/documentation we have on file to determine any charges. A tenant is expected to leave the property in the condition they received it. This tenant was not charged for cleaning the property as part of their complaint. This company has pictures to show the re-inspect was complete once the repairs were done and the file closed.As far as condition of the property, it is regrettable this tenant signed a lease on a property they felt to be in such horrible condition. This was a wonderful tenant that always paid in on time each month without any complaints from the neighbors or homeowners' association and they will be missed. We wish this tenant well in all their endeavors in the future.Consumer Response Stated in the lease in Add B, Move out cleaning instructions: "17. If, for any reason, the house is not completely ready for inspection upon our arrival, you will be charged a $75.oo re-inspection fee. NO EXCEPTIONS! You will continue to be charged rent for the period of the property has not passed the inspection. You may postpone and reschedule inspections and reasonable notice".Is every one to assume that "not completely ready" means "they way we interpret the condition of the home and we don't do our own homework on the condition of the home before we give the keys to the renter. I was not told the house didn't pass the inspection, only that two discrepancies were found. I offered to go fix them and was denied. Two days of prorated rent would have been cheaper than the excessive charges for the repairs and the re-inspect fee. If they company had allowed me to fix this issues myself, maybe this complaint wouldn't have been necessary. This company constantly quoted the lease for anything that needed to occur and now when I am pointing out the lease they are deviating from it. No where in the lease does it say a re-inspection fee will be charged if repairs must be made. As I stated, with the move in sheet that I filled out being a testament to this, the home was not ready for someone to move in. Should I have left it in the condition I received it, as this response is implying, I would have left it dirty, carpets not cleaned and the outside of the home in terrible condition. I left this home BETTER than I received it and would have expected better business practices from a company that is about the customer. Not to mention the spare bedroom I had to repaint to the original color because the previous renters painted it a bubble gum pink and violet purple and I was not reimbursed for the cost. I left two sets of $80 blinds in the home because I believe in paying it forward and most homes that are rented come with blinds anyway, so renters don't have to hang them and cause possible damage. I noticed those blinds were annotated on the move out sheet, so why wasn't the hook on the door annotated that I removed for safety reasons? One of the items repaired was from a hook that the previous tenants placed on the door and should have been annotated by the property managers prior to my move in. I explained this to the girl who did the move out inspection. So I am being charged for damage that was done by prior renters not me. I removed the hook because the hook was old, the metal hook broke off and was a danger. So I was charged $65 dollars to fill two small holes and dab white paint over the holes!! The electrical back plate that was broken, was broken before I moved in and due to the fact I didn't plug in my drier until after I turned in the move in inspection sheet that it was broken, I am charge $15 to replace that when it cost $2 at [redacted]. The inspection was completed, therefore I was not in breech of the move out addendum. The wording of this lease allows the property management company to make up what they want to charge a ridiculous and excessive fee to "re-inspect" the property. The fact that the company did not do their job prior to me receiving the home, shows me they are not to be trusted that they will conduct business in an honest nor law abiding manner. I am guessing the majority of this company's customers are military members and many of their employee's are military spouses. I find it despicable and disgraceful how this company knows the demands and circumstances of military moves yet take advantage of the situations to profit off of it. Military moves are difficult without having to worry about a property management company twisting a lease to their monetary benefit. The personnel at this office are not approachable to discuss anything. They have a refusal of a "reasonable man" rule. I took care of the property and did things beyond what was required and this is how they retreat wonderful tenants that pay on time and make sure to follow the rules of the HOA??? I would not have accepted this house under normal circumstances, but military moves are not normal circumstances. I signed this lease without ever having seen the home due to the constraints of the time given to move and report to my new duty station, so according to this company, it wouldn't have mattered what condition the house was in...I would have been in breech of contract had I come back and told them the unacceptable condition of the home and no longer wanted the home. To let this company know, they have been BLACK listed by the [redacted] and [redacted]. I will be contacting the [redacted] so they can add these issues to the list of other complaints they have received about this company. I will put forth my best effort to ensure new military members who move to the area are informed of the shady business practices of this company. I will also be contacting the local media and newspapers. I grew up in the area and remember when the Gulf War happened and how many companies went bankrupt due to all the military members leaving the area. It would do this company well to remember not to treat it's primary customers with such distain and unfairness. Final Business Response No former tenant is allowed back into a property after surrendering keys at the end of their tenancy for any reason. They no longer have any claim/right to the property. It is the tenant's responsibility to make sure the property is in acceptable condition prior to turning over the keys, not after. There is not a rental company anywhere that allows anyone back into a property once vacated much less allowed to change or make repairs. They are to turn over all keys therefore they would be trespassing. The rental company is responsible for all who gain access either themselves, showing agents or maintenance vendors. Please note this tenant was charged the $75 re-inspect fee not $38.33 per day rent that would have been charged if the tenant delayed the inspection.As far as the home being filthy, we cannot require tenants or homeowners to professionally clean a property once vacated or upon placing in property management but we do appreciate the tenants that take excellent care of the homes they rent and try to leave the home in better or similar condition as received. The homeowners do not reimburse a tenant for repainting a room. However, if the tenant does not have prior approval to leave the colors they paint, we must either repaint to the previous color or gain homeowner approval to leave as is and not charge the tenant to restore to previous color. Blinds are not required to be in a home for rent but an optional feature. If tenant leaves painted walls in different than previous condition/color we must gain owner approval to leave as is or restore to previous selection per owner request. The same goes for any hooks, shelves or other items attached to or removed from the home. We go through the numerous pictures, checklists and other documentation to determine responsibility of damage/ repairs. The company has a very short time span to determine and complete any repairs required and are limited to making sure each home is rentable. Unfortunately, we cannot repair something if owner does not approve or not tenant responsible.It is disheartening this complainant signed a lease, a legal binding document on a property she felt she should never have rented and had not seen. Other than approving her application and preparing the lease she must understand this company in no way coerced her into signing a lease.This complainant made a false statement when stating this company is blacklisted by both military bases, this has never been the case. All employees are military related (past or present) and understand the stresses each face during moves and deployments. We strive to carry ourselves above those that attempt to defame our company either by libel or slander and treat all fail and honestly. It would behoove this complainant to prevent action taken by this company in the future if they continue on their course of defamation with their conduct unbecoming military members. Future defamatory statements or actions by the complainant will require this company to seek legal redress.This company stands by the charges for re-inspect and repairs.

Please landlords and tenants beware. This company is a scam. We have been with the company for three years. We are having to file a deed in lieu on our property. [redacted] is supposed to be a property manager. She hung up on me because she said I was interrupting her lunch time. Then when I called back no one answered. They have owed us maintenance fees for over a year now and have not paid us back. My husband called her and she said she has to deal with [redacted] holes all day as I take that her is calling my husband a [redacted] hole. This company never follows through on anything. The owner of the real estate company needs to keep track of what her employees are doing and how they are treating landlords. I repeat DO NOT do business with this company. They will keep your money and never follow through on anything. [redacted] especially need to be let go. She is very bad for the business, rude, and talks to landlords like they are trash.","neg-2

Do not rent from hometown!
My husband and I were lured in to this incorrect ad to rent a house in Sneads ferry on [redacted]. We didn't live in North Carolina at the time so we were depending on the good will of the company to be honest and work with us.
They cheated us from the start.
First of all the ad said rent was $825 when in fact when I called they told me it was $850.
Also I was told the house had a detached garage when in further inspection of the house, there was no garage.
The listing for the house had minimal informational pictures (closets, kids rooms, bathroom were all left out) That's just the beginning. My husband and I decided to take a chance and have a realtor go and view the property for us. She said the house was in good condition and there was no structural damage. But there is a huge crack that goes down the center of the ceiling!
When we reicived keys for the house and inspected it ourselves the house was disgustingly dirty! The previous tenants had cleaned Nothing! There where cockroaches all over the floor and apparently this was inspected a few days prior and approved for us to move in.
Now this company is asking for more time to clean and get the repairs done when we have already paid rent to live in it starting the date we got here. Because of this my family is having to stay in a hotel until the jobs are completed.
Do not rent from hometown. Or work with them in general. I would hate for someone else to fall victim to this. ","neg-1

I am the landlord of a property that home town property management and rentals (HTPMR) was managing. I had a tenant move in and within 24 hours of them moving in myself and HTPMR decided to part ways. They charged me the 25% finders fee which I approved, then charged me 10% for managing the propert even though they had only been managing it for 24 hours and since they charged me I asked them if they were going to manage my property for the month since they charged me and said "of course not". I was blown away, prior to this I had a pipe burst in my yard that was above ground and at the end of the line. They charged me $200 plus dollars to turn my water off, cut the pvc pipe and put an end cap on it. The owner of this company is extremely rude, disrespectful, non helpful, and is just out to get as much money from the landlords as possible. I will never use them again. Product_Or_Service: Managment companyDesired SettlementI would like my refund for the 10% monthly management since they only managed the property for 24 hours. Then they told me that to fix my burst pipe it would cost $85 just to go out and then whatever it costs for parts which was less than $10. My bill should have been $95 and not $235. I feel they should refund me a total of $237.50Business Response Contact Name and Title: [redacted] Broker/OwContact Phone: [redacted]Contact Email: [redacted]In regards to this matter we decided to part ways with the homeowner due to unreasonable requests from the homeowner. Some of which would have put us in direct violation with the NC Real Estate Commission. When the Property Manager tried to explain the reasons for not following the homeowners direction she was dismissed and told in writing that's they way things work in his world. We decided that in the best interest of our company and clients we should no longer manage this particular properly. We had already secured a tenant, signed a lease, accepted security deposit and 6 months of rent. I was not fully aware that the tenant had only signed the lease 24 hours prior of our decision to stop managing the property. I think maybe the management fee for the property should be refunded as we only managed the property with a tenant for 24 hours,and will be happy to refund that fee. As far as the maintenance charge, this will stand with explanation. Hometown Property Maintenance charges a minimum service call fee of $85.00. The pipe burst in the yard, we notified the homeowner he asked that the water be turned off to the property. We dispatched a technician to turn the water off to the property and charged a $85.00 service call fee. The homeowner later requested that the pipe be repaired, we sent a technician out for a second trip to repair the pipe. Hometown Property Maintenance charges an minimum of $85.00 service fee and $85.00 per hour labor. The repair took 1.5 hours to complete ( $127.50 labor ) plus cost of materials. Add the two trips and materials the bill was $237.50. Consumer Response When the pipe busted I told the property management company exactly where the pipe burst from the information I received from the tenants agent who was the one that found the pipe. I informed them that it was on the end of the line and it just needs to have the water off, cut the pipe, glue and insert end cap. I talked to the maintenance contractor that went out there and he told me that the only parts he had to buy was a Pipe cap and he called me the day he was there at the property and knew what we wanted done. HE informed me that the job took maybe an hour after having to pick up the part and drive out to the property. he stated that he has no control over what the management property charges us as all he does is go out and fix what they tell him to do. He thought it was an extreme price when I informed him of what they charged. I wasn't informed that it took them two days to fix a pipe. I only knew of this once I had received the bill. It isn't my issue that they decided to go out there just to turn the water off and not fix it right then and there like I had requested. Who takes two days to fix a project that was explained in detail of what parts they needed and where the location of the pipe was. say that it did take 1.5 hours even though [redacted] told me it was 2.5 hours over the phone when I spoke with him regarding this, then provide adequate documentation that it cost $110 for parts. I was provided no service record. So the real amount for parts needs to be shown and then only one service call should be billed as that was what we requested. Now for the one month fee. I appreciate that this will be refunded which it should and when I spoke with [redacted] he continued to say "we managed your property" so your getting charged for the month. I tried to explain it to him several different ways that they were only there for 24 hours but continued to just say we managed your property so we are taking the money. I had no way of arguing with what they wanted to bill me for as they had all of our money so they took what they deemed fit and sent me a check for the rest. Since there was nothing that I could do I decided to go to the Revdex.com and ask for help as our hands were tied due to them having all our money.Final Business Response Hometown Property Maintenance will not make repairs on vacant houses if the homeowners do not have money in their maintenance reserve account. This homeowner did not have any funds in his account. In an effort not cause any further damage Hometown Property Maintenance shut the water off to the property. Once a properly signed and executed lease was on file and rent paid the repairs were completed. The homeowner contacted a technician that works for Hometown Property Maintenance asking questions regarding his work invoice, this technician is a very nice guy and tried to accommodate the homeowner by answering questions. The technician did not have the work order with him nor any notes and was trying to be helpful working from memory while answering the questions. The technician has no knowledge of hourly rates or material costs and mark ups or profit margins. When speaking with the homeowner I had the benefit of the notes in front of me. We never like to have a situation like this where our company refuses to represent a homeowner but in cases such as this where the homeowner is unreasonable we have to sever ties.

I'm on Active Duty. I provided notice to move out in August. The home was inspected Sep 30. On the market Oct 6. I received a bill for damages Nov 10.I'm on Active Duty, currently deployed overseas. I provided notice to move out due to upcoming deployment greater than 90 days on August 31. The 1st indication of problems w/ move out process was dealing with the cleaning of the fire place. The move out instructions state that the fire place must be inspected even if not used. We have never used the fire place, on the day the gentleman came out to do an inspection he informed me that the fire place was dirty and needed to be cleaned to pass inspection. I informed him that we never used it. After discussing price and what was needed to pass inspection we had him clean it and wrote a check to pay for it. I soon after went down to the company to inquire about being reimbursed for having to pay to have the fire place cleaned and after seeing what came out of there it was no way it was done prior to us moving in. The lady in the office I spoke with was very discourteous; she informed me that she was to the effect the last say and it didn't matter what I thought and no one would be paying me for something I chose to do. The problem with that is there was no way to get the fire place inspected without paying for it to be cleaned. There isn't a way to have one without the other leaving us with no other choice but to pay for it or be erroneously charged for not having it inspected/cleaned even though we never used it. I also asked her about the difference in the language of the RE: notice to vacate; I informed her that the language in what they sent was not the same as in the actual contract we signed. She again was very dismissive and again informed me that it didn't matter what I thought even though I was trying to get clarification on the blatant change in what we agreed to and what they were trying to hold us to. My question that never truly got answered was about the language involving when the utilities are to be shut off. Our lease had one thing that we agreed to the reply to our notice to vacate had something different. The last thing that came out of that exchange was that I could turn it off a total of 5 days after inspection. This would've been Oct 5.The home was inspected Sep 30 my wife was at the home briefly to accompany the lady who was inspecting the home. The lady was dismissive and wouldn't communicate with my wife, so my wife left the property. I received a call on or around the 30th from a lady with the company asking about what product we used to clean the floors; she stated the floors were clean but a bit slippery. I informed her that we used a product that was left in the home prior to us moving in. I asked her how the inspection went she made a point to not answer the question and stated I would receive the report of the inspection. The home was back on the market as of Oct 6, prior to that there was a sign posted in the front yard, key box added to the door. I find it odd that a home that requires $1700 in repairs would be good enough to be back on the market so soon. My wife made contact with the company approx. a week after the 30 day mark just to be fair to the process. She was told that it was sent out in the mail the week prior. I finally received via email after requesting documents related to the home and it was a bill for damages Nov 10 only after me and my wife made several attempts to have someone from the company to make any contact with us. It was made abundantly clear that the home owner did not have money to make any repairs to the home during our tenancy. Earlier in the year the AC went out multiple times, after originally indicating they were waiting estimates that had not been scheduled a gentleman who was the property manager at the time leveled with me and said the company was working out an agreement with the home owner to finance the repairs to the AC. That issue in addition to many other things were reported with work orders or via phone conversation or in person. Conveniently are fixed at the end of our tenancy and expect us to pay.Desired SettlementIt would be greatly appreciated if the company would refund our security deposit of $950 dollars. The refund of our security deposit with a money order in addition to a zero dollar balance of the absurd bill we were sent via email. I would also like to receive a copy of the inspection that the company conducted prior to us moving in or whatever inspection was done on them home prior to the one the company conducted on the 30 of September. I would also be nice to receive before and after pictures of the items covered on the bill. The tenant file from our stay if available to be copied and mailed via the forwarding address we left. I'm specifically looking for a record of the work orders we submitted while staying there. Business Response The tenant turned in his notice to vacate on August 31, 2015, with the date the house would be ready for inspection listed as September 30, 2015. On September 1, 2015, a Notice To Vacate Letter along with a copy of his Addendum B: Move Out Cleaning Instructions (that he signed when he took possession of the property) was mailed to him. In his Notice to Vacate Letter - highlighted in yellow - it states: "Fireplaces must be inspected even if not used. If used, fireplace must be professionally cleaned." The tenant hired his own Chimney Sweep company --- we have had numerous fireplaces inspected without being clean. In regards to the utilities and being left on in the tenant's name. The Notice to Vacate Letter - underlined and in Bold --- "Ensure power and water are left on for FIVE BUSINESS DAYS FOLLOWING YOUR INSPECTION, or until we notify that you passed your final inspection, whichever is later." Also, on the Addendum B: Move-Out Cleaning Instructions - #15 "The utilities MUST be on during inspection and must remain on until the house has completely passed inspection." (form is signed by the tenant). The employee was not dismissive but could not get the tenant to understand that he did sign the Move-Out Cleaning Instructions that stated utilities had to stay on until he passed inspection. The physical aspect of the move out typically takes 3-4 hours to complete. My inspectors take between 200-400 pictures on a typical move-out. They are required to write down any damages to the property. We let the tenants know that they can stay, however, the inspector's job is to inspect the property, not to engage in idle chit-chat. Once the inspector comes back to the office they must download all of the pictures and compare them to the prior move out pictures as well as compare the tenant's move in detailed inspection form (which is a 16 page form completed by the tenant to notate the condition of the home when they take possession) to the Move -Out Inspection form that the inspector completed while at the property. This is a tedious task. The inspector pulled the tenant's Move-In Detailed Inspection Form - the tenant's notated 7 items on the 16 page form --- the rest was left blank. The tenant was charged for damage to the property that was noted on the Move-Out Report that he did not notate on his Move In Inspection Form.The home did not go back on the rental market. The homeowner decided to put the home on the sales market and contacted an agent knowing that repairs would have to be made. The homeowner had to pay for the repairs that the tenant's security deposit did not cover. The repairs were completed and the home was re-inspected on October 22, 2015. The final disposition letter was mailed to the tenant on October 29, 2015.My inspector and my office manager have sent over copies of the Move-In Inspection provided by the tenants, a list of the repairs, a copy of the invoice and we have sent them a link to dropbox so they can access the pictures. We can not refund his security deposit as it is has been used to pay for the damages caused during his tenancy. We have provided the tenant with the documents he has requested via email. This is the first request we have had for the work orders. Copies of the work orders will be mailed to the address we have on file no later than Friday, November 13, 2015.Consumer Response The main underlying issue is that the home owner didn't or doesn't have the finances to do the necessary upkeep of his property that should be done on a home that is used as a rental property. And now to add insult to injury they expect the previous tenants who happen to be a military family to cover the unfair charges because they know we are good for it. It is also a possibility that the charges of $1710 is more so associated with all the maintenance work orders we submitted during our tenancy! The work items listed on the invoice are obviously things a reasonable person would associate with the routine upkeep or make ready of a home prior to being put back on the market. The response from the business as they attempt to mislead on the facts of the matter has lead me to more questions than answers provided if that is even to be considered and answer. The work order appears to be an estimate and the language in it is very petty/vague(-Remove pink stain on floor near right window- If it can be removed $40-Remove sticker from window $10-Reparied chips, stains, scuffs, scratches, screws, dents, etc. $805-removed plunger & toilet brush $20-Removed toilet bowl brush on floor $20) and there is also a ridiculous $75 item for walkway from living to kitchen where there was repair to chips, dents and scratches though out. Can the property company provide proof of payment for $1710 invoice that was emailed to our family? That would be appreciated to validate that this unbelievable invoice was paid to the company listed. Why when the inspector contacted our family the only thing she did was highlight how shiny and clean and the floors were and not mention what I would consider extensive issues. Is it possible the items were already known to be commiserate with the way the house was known to be without holding the current tenants liable for them and something changed. I believe the biggest indicator of how good we left the home was how quickly it was placed back on the market. Can the company provide reason to lower rent from $950 to $900? As expected with the businesses response I noticed multiple things that are completely false & misleading. They wouldn't hold up in a court of law and would ensure the company is added to the off limits establishments listing. My understanding/position was that the rent was lowered due to the countless issues with the home that were reported but never fixed and the home owner's financial situation. Can the company also provide a list of the property managers or a total number of them for the property during our tenancy? Can the company provide works orders associated with the multiple incidents of overflowing toilets and backed up tubs and sinks during our stay? The damage to the bottom of the hall bath door ($40 item) is directly related to that. There was an instance during the holidays where my family had to either use bags or use a bathroom toilet that had been out of service for days. On each occasion this happened it was not treated like an emergency and we were given the run around and told to contact the city and see if it's on their side before they waste their time coming out. When I asked if someone would provide reimbursement if I took my family to a hotel; in typical Hometown fashion my genuine concern and legitimate request was dismissed by one of the many unprofessional employees that did or still does work there. Can the company provide the detailed report of the 6 month inspection conducted in the spring of 2015 after April 2nd? Can the company provide a detailed inspection of the home conducted prior to our original move in date? Additionally can the company provide an invoice for work completed that corresponds with the items listed on our move in detail inspection after Feb. 5, 2014?Can the company explain he rational to charge us to paint(or touch up) the interior of the home after we moved out ? It isn't a part of the move out list to have the home painted. Can the company provide us with copies of the mailed notices to inspect the property and corresponding detailed inspections for those dates. And the follow up invoices for items noted doing those inspections. Can the company provide a list of items that were left at the property prior to our family moving? The company or owner left dozens of items there; which coincide with multiple charges for items removed from the home by the company who may or may not have been payed $1710(screws, toilet brushes, nails etc.).Can the company explain the difference in the language between the move out instructions in our actual lease and the Reply to notice to vacate? Is there a signature for acknowledgement on both? Was and why a copy of the Addendum B sent to tenant on Sep. 1, 2015? Was there a reason for not drawing up a new lease to signify the renewal of a rental agreement even though the terms changed? Can the company explain the name change from [redacted] and now Hometown Property Managers & Rentals and did the change also include a turnover of employees? There was nothing wrong with the home at [redacted] outside of normal wear and tear that is consistent with a home built over 20 years ago and additionally noted by the inspectors that came by throughout our tenancy. At no point during our tenancy was anything ever fixed in a timely manner without several phone calls, multiple work orders and ultimately in person. There was always a since if we were bothering the property manager when we requested things to be fixed. In the time that we lived there rent was always paid on time but there was always an attitude of we'll get around to it and even in some instances being told by employees that the request wasn't a priority and would eventually get looked at. Initially we moved in in 2014 the website would automatically send you reply notifying that your request was received that eventually stop happening for whatever reason. The A/C unit went out several times during the hotter summer months of 2015 and my young children and pregnant wife were the least of the property management companies concerned. I was actually told by an employee of the company after explaining the urgency needed that it wasn't considered an emergency. It was made clear by the second time the unit went out the homeowner could not afford to replace the unit. The property manager at the time informed us that the owner elected to save money by replacing a fluid for the interim instead of replacing the busted unit. In closing it is still our expectation to receive our full security deposit as we left the property in better than/equal to condition we received it. The only fact is that now the home owner is attempting to break-even/cut losses or the property management company is trying to recoup losses. As the last tenants we will not by default of being the last family in the home pay for pre-existing and normal wear and tear. It is shameful that American s would resort to this type of business practice just for profit as they had the home back on the market less than a week of our family moving out. Additionally throughout the time we were customers of the listed company they were typically rude, dismissive and only concerned with making an easy dollar off a military family, regardless of the complaint it is my hope buyer beware of businesses that prey on military families. If it is at all possible for anyone from the Revdex.com to receive documents from the company on our behalf to follow up on our complaint or do more research you have my consent.Final Business Response Question 1: All items on the invoice are repairs to the home for damages caused by the tenants and permitted occupants during their tenancy from 2/5/14- 9/30/15. There are only seven items notated on the tenant's move in checklist disputing/ documenting the condition of the property at move in. A document is attached to the tenant's lease (from date of signing lease) explaining the move in inspection, the need to turn it into our office within ten days and how our office will use the form during the disposition of the security deposit when the property is vacated.Question 2: Property Inspector called to find out what cleaning product was used because the floors were too slippery to walk on causing Listing Agent (for sale) to nearly fall. The inspector will not discuss any issues until the extensive comparison of all documents relating to the move in checklist and the move out inspection are evaluated. This is a tedious task and until complete the inspector will not speculate on any repairs or condition of the property.Question 3: The homeowner agreed to lower the rent after the tenant agreed to renew lease for one more year. This is a common occurrence in our market and many others. The situation appears to be muddled by this tenant. If the company is so bad and the home in such disrepair and not maintained with the homeowner reluctant to make any repairs and all parties try to recoup as much money from the tenant as possible yet negotiate a reduction to satisfaction of both parties, why would this tenant renew his lease? This does not appear to be a situation where the tenant was taken advantage of but rewarded for remaining in the home for another year, and the tenant was given this concession of $50 each month only days after the first issue with the sewer. Things must not have been as terrible as stated in this complaint if the tenant willingly agreed to renew their lease and remain in the home for another year. It is not on the rental market currently nor has it been since this tenant moved out. It is for sale but not for lease.Question 4: All work orders were mailed to the tenant per the original complaint last Friday 11/13/15. Most homeowners do not agree to concede $50 a month in rent if they are in dire financial circumstances but they usually will to keep a tenant in the home and happy.Question 5: There were two instances where the sewer lines were unclogged. The first, the tenant made complaint on December 30 and it was marked complete in our system on Monday, January 5. This was an unfortunate incident where the holidays interfered with the timely repair but it was not neglect on the part of this office because we do consider sewer issues an emergency and we handle all claims as such. We were at the mercy of county offices ([redacted]) being closed and plumbers working holidays and after hours. Renter's insurance should have provided tenant with suitable lodging if the insurance company felt the home was inhabitable if the tenant had coverage and made such claim. We always recommend tenants maintain renter's insurance for any unforeseeable incident. I do feel it is necessary to relate if the tenancy was so horrible and the condition less than stellar, why would this tenant sign a lease renewal a week after the issue was remedied and agree to remain in the home for another year at a concession of rent for $50 a month. The second sewer issue was remedied within 24 hours after the work order was created.Question 6: This is not a detailed inspection. We are making sure the home is not in complete disrepair due to tenant neglect and there are no lease violations such as unauthorized pets or occupants. We do not investigate every nook and cranny, just an overall quick walkthrough to make sure the lawn/exterior is maintained, no hazardous conditions on the inside, or anything obvious to inspector requiring attention.Question 7: No previous tenant's move out inspection will be provided. This tenant failed to provide a detailed move in checklist- a 16 page document specifically to list condition and damage to the property at the time of taking possession of the property. Instead they only seven items listed on his move in checklist. There is no reason for this tenant to need another's move out inspection.Question 8: First, there is no requirement for the homeowner to paint at the end of a tenancy if that is the question. Paragraph 13 of tenant's lease dated 2/5/14 states "tenant shall not paint, mark, drive nails or screw nails into, or otherwise deface or alter walls, ceilings, floors... without the Landlord's prior written consent..." and the move out addendum clearly states the wall are to be restored to its original appearance, being when the tenant took occupancy.Question 9: Again, as stated above, this is not a detailed inspection or a meet and greet for the tenant to air all grievances and create a work order for repairs. It is to make sure there are no lease violations or immediate hazards pertaining to the overall safety and security of the home.Question 10: There is no itemized list of items left in the home and the tenant provided no notation on his move in checklist of excessive items left in the home. The tenant was charged $20 for removal of toilet brush and plunger and another $20 for toilet bowl brush, these items are personal property and not to be left in the home. The above statement is makes it sounds as if the tenant was charged $1710 to take out the trash when it is repairs to the property of which the tenant has only paid $950 from security deposit. Yes, there is a remaining balance.Question 11: The tenant signed Addendum B, Move Out Cleaning Instructions at the time of signing their lease dated 2/5/14. A copy of the same addendum was mailed to the tenant with confirmation of receiving tenant's notice to vacate dated 8/31/15. This is for the tenant to review if they have misplaced a copy of their lease and to remind them of how the house is to be cleaned prior to their move out inspection.Question 12: On January 13, 2015 the tenants signed a lease renewal extending their current lease dates to 2/4/16 and rental rate of $900. The first line on the renewal states to be filed along with original lease. No other terms or conditions changed so there was no reason to execute a new twenty-two page document but this office would have been happy to do so if the tenant requested.Question 13: On 6/27/14 the tenant was mailed a letter stating the name change of the company and the name plus duties of each individual on the Hometown Property Management and Rentals staff to serve the homeowners and tenants in a smooth transition in name only. This was to inform every one of the name change and the continued commitment to excellence. No staff changes occurred at that time, it was only to reiterate the duties of the each staff member.Question 14: The tenant had a total of eight work orders were completed in a timely manner as possible. The air conditioning issue was handled by the homeowner personally; where the arrangements were made directly with the HVAC company by the homeowner. Our office tried to maintain consistent contact with the vendor, owner and tenants to keep everyone informed of the issue and developments. Question 15: This property management company does not set out to recoup any losses from our tenants for our company or homeowners. That would be an unfair business practice and unethical. We do a job and are paid a fee by our homeowners to do that job. There is not ill- intent or malicious activity attacking people as they walk in the door or call into our office. We strive to work efficiently with our homeowners and tenants along with vendors to provide housing to our local area with excellent service and fair honest treatment to all.Question 16: The above tenants were charged for damages to the property they occupied from 2/5/14-9/30/15 after taking into account normal wear and tear. I would be happy to answer any questions the Revdex.com may have and provide the Revdex.com with any documentation necessary or requested including all pertaining documents in this complaint that have already been sent to the address on file for the tenant .

I believe I have been overcharged for repairs to my rental property. Have tried to get information to justify the charges. No response.Jan 6, 2015...repair busted pipe, $385March 15, 2015...replace faulty ballcock, $265, I know this is a $10 piece and tennant states they were not there long, should have been $75 to do work plus partThere are a few more but these are my biggest onesDesired SettlementRefund of any unjustifiable pricesTennants full deposit of $1600 returned to meTermination upon setteling this instead of the end of SeptBusiness Response Contact Name and Title: [redacted]Contact Phone: [redacted]Contact Email:[redacted]To whom this may concern:The office manager and the staff of Hometown Property Management have been communicating with Mrs. [redacted]. We did provide her the invoices that are provided to the property management company. When the bills were questioned a detailed explanation of all of the bills were submitted to her in writing by the company that billed her. When she was not satisfied with the pricing that was charged to her- [redacted] did call her after numerous email communications and offer to reimburse her for the "upcharges" that she felt were not fair. She declined that offer and responded via email as follows." Thanks for your call [redacted]. At this point I plan to go ahead with the complaint to the [redacted]. You tried to make this sound like its a money issue and it's not, as I stated. You said the bill from the plumber who is in jail now was $285 you think and I was charged $385 so you owe me $100. Then you added the $46 you charged over the contractors invoice and said "will $200 end this, it sounds like you want money". I don't, unless it's a fair amount over normal charges. I apologize this request has taken up so much of your employee 's time, as you told me. As of now this becomes a matter of principal and I am willing to let the commission review our emails and decide. And you are correct, the [redacted] has no authority over you but they do your wife's company, who hired you for my property work. And I will probably go back over all charges for them to review when I send in the copies of everything. This could have been so easy........Sincerely,[redacted]Other than offering to refund her money- we do not know how else to settle this matter with her. Thank you for any assistance you can provide. [redacted]