Metro Property Management

Our re-let process is a uniform procedure throughout our company with no variation in procedureEvery office, whether it is residential or student, handles this process the sameWhen someone signs a re-let, we try, to the best of our ability, to rent the apartmentUnder no circumstances, do we guarantee an apartment will be re-rentedIn this particular instance, November 1st is an off time of the year for rentals in West Virginia due to bad weatherThe appropriate time for renting is between May and August when the students are moving in and out for their semester changeAny other time of the year is hit and miss, but this never deters us from doing our job in renting apartmentsWe consistently advertise on Craigslist and other forms of media to fill our vacant unitsThe add Ms [redacted] saw initially could have been "taken down" to make changes and create more interest from potential rentersWhen we place our ad on Craigslist, we do not list the location or number of the apartmentThis is to avoid frequent Craigslist followers from knowing our vacancies which could lead to vandalism or other issuesWe do inform the tenant, if they place an ad on Craigslist, to provide their own informationThis enables us when a call is received in our renting office to know that the individual is calling specifically for their apartmentIf it is a blanket call, our policy is to provide the different options we have availableThere are two options for a tenant to re-let Find someone to take their unitBring them to the leasing office when they are doing their re-let paperwork no $fee charged Pay the $re-let fee and the office will advertise and show the apartmentUntil the unit is rented, the tenant is responsible for paying the rent and utilitiesRegarding Ms***'s case, her complex has utilities includedHer claim that she is paying rent and utilities is false; she is paying rent which covers her requirements as a wholeIn the event, that her apartment is not rented by the end of her lease; the $fee will be refunded to her with the security deposit 30-days after expiration of her leaseWe have a strict security deposit policyAfter a move out, the security deposit is refunded 30-daysRegarding a re-let, the security deposit would not be refunded until the unit is either re-rented or the lease expiresNo one has been told they would "receive their security deposit at the signing of their re-let form"According to the leasing office, there was an individual interested in Ms***'s apartment but changed her mindWe will continue to show the unit and hopefully, have it re-rented in the very near futureThe leasing office will keep Ms [redacted] informed immediately when this occursIf further information is required, please do not hesitate to contact meSincerely, [redacted] , General Manager Metro Property Management

This is most unfortunate We are the management company for one of three Homeowner Associations this homeowner belongs to We have had several interactions with this homeowner regarding covenant violation observations and reporting If a violation is within the purview of the Association under our management, and the report is submitted in writing with dates, times and the address of the violator, a letter of violation is sent Some reports are incomplete or not within the Association's purview Several letters have been sent as a result of reports provided by this homeowner We have explained the process to this homeowner more than once The alleged violators either came into compliance or we are in the process of pursuing compliance which can sometimes entail several letters, hearings and fines This homeowner has not been ignored and we have substantial email and covenant violation letters demonstrating ongoing efforts The disputed amount of $is the monthly dues for the Association HOA dues are required for the Association operation and maintenance in accordance with the governing documents The elected Board of Directors adopts the budget which sets the amount of the monthly duesManagement does not set the dues The homeowners association uses those dues to pay for the services and repairs as outlined in their governing documents This homeowner reportedly went to the town to resolve some parking concerns and dog barking concerns Parking matters are outside of the purview of the Association managed by Metro Property Management and are enforced under language found in another homeowners association which requires contact with a different management company and Board of Directors Nuisance dog noise is most effectively enforced by the municipality but we send letters to violators as we have language in our governing documents outlining nuisance dog noise It is enforced as reported and we have followed up with this homeowner to see if it continues but have not received a response to our email We cannot pursue enforcement if we are not getting the reports of dog barking with dates, times and property addresses Metro Property Management and the Association have responded to this homeowner on matters within the authority outlined in the governing documents for the Association If the matter was not within our authority, the homeowner was directed to the proper contact to address their concern

I do not understand how more clear I can explain our process and procedures to Ms***She mentioned the amount of "rent and the utilities are included with that" which is correctAnd "that amount would not change from month to month no matter how much water or electricity was used" that is also correctI am still unclear as to her complaint; so, I cannot answerAs I explained prior, we do not post the same ad daily or put an ad for one particular apartment on CraigslistWe place a general ad for a one bedroom or a two bedroomIf someone calls regarding a particular size, we give them that informationWe have hundreds of apartments and we have more than one person who is trying to re-let their apartmentTherefore, it is impossible to place individual ads for all the apartments on CraigslistRegarding the "off season" statementI told her it was an "off time of the year", compared to the summer months which is our heaviest rental seasonTwenty calls from October to February is not considered many calls compared to the volume during the summerWhat I meant to say is that period of time is slower regarding calls of individuals looking to rentMs [redacted] must have been confused as to what she was told regarding her security depositAs I indicated before, it is standard policy across the board with all of our employees who are very well educated regarding the policy and procedures of security deposit refundsThe security deposit refund is processed within to days once the lease ends or the apartment has been re-rentedI talked with the manager and the leasing agents at this particular officeThey are all familiar with this unit and the inquiries for this apartmentThe only reason our agents believe they may have informed someone that it was not available is because as I mentioned in my previous letter; there was an individual interested but decided not to show up for their appointment to sign the leaseIn another conversation with the leasing office, they informed me that they have talked and/or emailed interested individuals for that apartment; but no one has followed through to rentThey did have several people who were looking to rent an apartment this coming May but nothing for immediate move-inA majority of people (students) begin looking in October and November for the upcoming summer move-inAgain, I believe I have answered all of Ms***'s questionsWe are a very reputable thirty year company with thousands of apartmentsWe take pride in doing everything we possibly can for all of our residentsWhen a resident signs a lease we hold up our end of the contract and go above and beyond anytime we canEven if a resident does not do everything they agreed to do in their lease, we will always help to get their apartment re-rentedThere are always circumstances that prevent an apartment to be re-rented but we continually try our best

In regards to complaint ID # [redacted] , Metro Property Management would like to make the following statements in regards to the parking fee that will be assessed for the — rental seasonFor the — rental season, which is the current leasing term that the complaining party is renting from us, the cost of parking is included in the rent and is not a separate chargeMetro Property Management has decided to separate parking from the rent and charge it as an optional, amenity for the — rental season at a rate of $per month per spaceThe change was made to take into consideration those residents that do not have a carThis decreases their rental payments and only charges them for the monthly rental rateIf a resident so chooses to have a car, parking will be available to them at a rate of $per monthThis is what West Virginia University does with their apartment rental and what the majority of rental companies in the Morgantown, WV area do as wellNo current resident is forced to lease a parking space nor are they forced to renew with our companyIf the complaining party does not agree with the changes made to the new lease agreement they should feel free to move to another location as we are not open to negotiate the cost of parking or the rental rates for our — rental season

Homeowner has been contacted to reimburse the Association for a charge incurred for an item left in the common area by residents of this homeowner's propertyThe item had to be removed from the common area at the Association's expense and the homeowner has been charged with the expense in accordance with the governing documentsIt is not a violation fineResidents of the property were observed wheeling a large CRT television into the common area dumpster enclosures and leaving it thereThe incident was documented and reported to managementHomeowner was contacted by phone and advised the television must be removed from the dumpster area or the cost to remove the item would be charged back to the homeowner's HOA accountThe item remained so it was removed at the expense of the AssociationThe expense was applied to the Homeowner's account as the homeowner had been advised to reimburse the AssociationThe Homeowner was sent the invoice for the chargesThe homeowner asked for a meeting with the BoardThe Board immediately (within moments) responded to schedule a meeting and offered two dates of availabilityHomeowner reported she was not available on either date and refuses to commit to a meeting with the BoardFurther, the homeowner will not offer any alternate dates for a meetingThe homeowner asked for proof such as an eyewitness account or pictures The Association has an eyewitness account and informed the homeowner The witness is one of the Board members and is very eager to meet with her The homeowner then demanded pictures instead and will not meet with the Board The incident and the manner in which it was documented to the Association complies with the governing documentsThe Association is eager to resolve this matter in accordance with the governing documents for the communityThe Board of Directors and Management have addressed this matter with reason and have attempted to accommodate this homeowner's requests expeditiously

Revdex.com: I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted] , and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below This is still highway robbery What a shame that a supposedly reputable company is forcing students to obtain and part time jobs to pay for something that they previously got for $per month The company is offering nothing in return for this exorbitant new fee$per month for parking should include a reserved numbered spot, a valet and a free car wash and oil change per month Charging a new fee requires a service in return and they are offering nothing If parking was previously included in the monthly rental fee for the apartment, then the "rent" would increase by $per month and all tenants would be subject to this increase and could decide if they want to stay or shop around for different living arrangements If a student chose this property and whether they had a car or not, they were satisfied with monthly rental fee as it has been To charge this amount for parking PER MONTH is unreasonable, unnecessary and completely unfair Clearly a student with a car is being discriminated against by this company Some students are seniors and are doing work study, student teaching etc and are forced to have a vehicle and this company is taking advantage of them It's completely unfair and indicative of yet another greedy, low life landlord in Morgantown Regards, [redacted] ***

A potential tenant calling to say they will come in to sign a lease is not the same thing as a potential tenant ACTUALLY signing a lease (a legally, binding contract)Therefore, my apartment still should have been advertised as availableIf any of the leasing agents or the manager directed an interested person to another apartment instead of showing mine (as stated in Ms***’s response), then Metro Towers North DID NOT uphold their responsibility to properly advertise and show my apartmentThe complex did not comply with their own policies on a re-let process and should be held accountable*** ***

I do not understand how more clear I can explain our process and procedures to Ms***She mentioned the amount of "rent and the utilities are included with that" which is correctAnd "that amount would not change from month to month no matter how much water or electricity was used" that is also correctI am still unclear as to her complaint; so, I cannot answerAs I explained prior, we do not post the same ad daily or put an ad for one particular apartment on CraigslistWe place a general ad for a one bedroom or a two bedroomIf someone calls regarding a particular size, we give them that informationWe have hundreds of apartments and we have more than one person who is trying to re-let their apartmentTherefore, it is impossible to place individual ads for all the apartments on CraigslistRegarding the "off season" statementI told her it was an "off time of the year", compared to the summer months which is our heaviest rental seasonTwenty calls from October to February is not considered many calls compared to the volume during the summerWhat I meant to say is that period of time is slower regarding calls of individuals looking to rent. Ms*** must have been confused as to what she was told regarding her security depositAs I indicated before, it is standard policy across the board with all of our employees who are very well educated regarding the policy and procedures of security deposit refundsThe security deposit refund is processed within to days once the lease ends or the apartment has been re-rented. I talked with the manager and the leasing agents at this particular officeThey are all familiar with this unit and the inquiries for this apartmentThe only reason our agents believe they may have informed someone that it was not available is because as I mentioned in my previous letter; there was an individual interested but decided not to show up for their appointment to sign the leaseIn another conversation with the leasing office, they informed me that they have talked and/or emailed interested individuals for that apartment; but no one has followed through to rentThey did have several people who were looking to rent an apartment this coming May but nothing for immediate move-inA majority of people (students) begin looking in October and November for the upcoming summer move-in. Again, I believe I have answered all of Ms***'s questionsWe are a very reputable thirty year company with thousands of apartmentsWe take pride in doing everything we possibly can for all of our residentsWhen a resident signs a lease we hold up our end of the contract and go above and beyond anytime we canEven if a resident does not do everything they agreed to do in their lease, we will always help to get their apartment re-rentedThere are always circumstances that prevent an apartment to be re-rented but we continually try our best

[A default letter is provided here which indicates that the business has not responded to you directly. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
Revdex.com:
At this time, I have been contacted by Metro Property Management regarding complaint I* ***
However, Metro Property Management has not resolved the issue in any wayWhen I signed my lease with Metro Property Management, I was told my their employee *** that I did not need to sign up for gas, since my apartment was all electric, and to write in the word "No" next to itI was following the instructions by this employee, but now Metro Property Management is stating this issue is my fault and not the fault of their employee *** or of their company in generalThis issue needs to be resolved, because I am getting the blame for this issue when it is not my faultI have included the email that was sent to me from Metro Property Management. *** *** In response to your e-mail, first, let me apologize for any unanswered calls from our leasing officeOur agents have relayed your information to the corporate office and responses to this matter will be handled from this office. First, your lease agreement explicitly states on page 7, item 17, that no verbal contracts exist; your e-mail said that *** “told” you the unit was all electric, while that information was incorrect, *** was a new employee at the time and it may have simply been an oversight on her part as a new employee However, you did receive the utility welcome letter that is intended to cover any specifics that may be missed during lease signing. Second, page 3, item states that, “tenants will pay all utilities and all costs assessed to the apartment; landlord will pay none of the utilities.” The utility letter you attached to your e-mail shows that all highlighted companies are to be contacted for accounts to be set up; it is odd that *** *** *** is highlighted as mandatory, yet would have a “note” written by you stating not to contact that specific company. Allow me to further explain this issueWe have units that are all electric, all gas, and a combination of bothEven if your unit would be all electric, your electric bill would be significantly higher than you have been paying due to the hot water heater “using electric.” Our records show that we have, in fact, not been paying your gas bill for the past year; the first bill we received for this unit was September This could have been due to the previous tenant not removing his/her name from the *** account and perhaps they were receiving the billThis seems to be the most plausible reasoning, as you did move into a unit that was available by *** from the old resident who had a lease agreement through 2017. As you requested in your e-mail, a new contract will not be signed, as the covenants of the document are correct and bindingShould you feel it is necessary to contact an attorney as mentioned verbally to our agents as well as written in your e-mail, you may do so; however,Metro Property Management will then no longer be obligated to speak with you and all communications should be sent to our corporate office on your behalf from your legal counsel. Best, *** *. Administrative AssistantCorporate OfficeMid-Atlantic DriveMorgantown, WV 26508Phone: (304)-292-0900ext: 113Fax: (304)-284-
Thank you,
*** ***

Our re-let process is a uniform procedure throughout our company with no variation in procedureEvery office, whether it is residential or student, handles this process the sameWhen someone signs a re-let, we try, to the best of our ability, to rent the apartmentUnder no circumstances, do we
guarantee an apartment will be re-rentedIn this particular instance, November 1st is an off time of the year for rentals in West Virginia due to bad weatherThe appropriate time for renting is between May and August when the students are moving in and out for their semester changeAny other time of the year is hit and miss, but this never deters us from doing our job in renting apartmentsWe consistently advertise on Craigslist and other forms of media to fill our vacant unitsThe add Ms*** saw initially could have been "taken down" to make changes and create more interest from potential rentersWhen we place our ad on Craigslist, we do not list the location or number of the apartmentThis is to avoid frequent Craigslist followers from knowing our vacancies which could lead to vandalism or other issuesWe do inform the tenant, if they place an ad on Craigslist, to provide their own informationThis enables us when a call is received in our renting office to know that the individual is calling specifically for their apartmentIf it is a blanket call, our policy is to provide the different options we have availableThere are two options for a tenant to re-let1. Find someone to take their unitBring them to the leasing office when they are doing their re-let paperwork no $fee charged2. Pay the $re-let fee and the office will advertise and show the apartmentUntil the unit is rented, the tenant is responsible for paying the rent and utilitiesRegarding Ms***'s case, her complex has utilities includedHer claim that she is paying rent and utilities is false; she is paying rent which covers her requirements as a wholeIn the event, that her apartment is not rented by the end of her lease; the $fee will be refunded to her with the security deposit 30-days after expiration of her leaseWe have a strict security deposit policyAfter a move out, the security deposit is refunded 30-daysRegarding a re-let, the security deposit would not be refunded until the unit is either re-rented or the lease expiresNo one has been told they would "receive their security deposit at the signing of their re-let form"According to the leasing office, there was an individual interested in Ms***'s apartment but changed her mindWe will continue to show the unit and hopefully, have it re-rented in the very near futureThe leasing office will keep Ms*** informed immediately when this occursIf further information is required, please do not hesitate to contact meSincerely, *** ** ***, General Manager Metro Property Management

This letter is in response to the above ID complaint.After reading the complaint, I reviewed her file with ***, the property manager, who performed the inspection of the apartment and *** that processed her deposit refundThe following are my personal remarks regarding this complaint.First,
I would like to clear up the re-let procedureIn the lease, that Ms*** signed, it explains the re-let optionPage 3, paragraph 7, (copy enclosed) "Tenant has the right to Re-let the premises and the fee required to Re-let the unit is $Tenant understands they are responsible for all rent payments to be paid on time from anyone that may sublet from them"Also, please refer to the Authorization form that she signed which is underlined and enclosed which states "(agree to pay a non-refundable fee of $200.00"; "I understand that I am responsible for all future payments due until I am notified by Metro Property Management that my apartment has been re-let"Secondly, this clearly states in two separate locations that she signed and agreed upon that she is responsible for the rent until her apartment was re-letWe, also, explained this verbally to her at the time of her signingHowever, since she was in the process of trying to find someone to relet her apartment; we did not charge her the non-refundable fee of $which is our policy and we had every right to chargeRegarding the charge for the Professional Carpet Cleaning of $114.00, and the Redec fee of $that covers the painting due to smudges, scuffs and several patches in multipleAll of these charges were discussed and agreed upon at the lease signing; page 1, paragraph (enclosed)A copy of the inspection report is also enclosed which did not indicate that the apartment was filthyHowever, there were things missed in cleaning that our cleaning contractor addressedFor example; food splatter in the oven, dirt, dust, lint on the vinyl floors, smears on the windows, mirrors, dust on all blinds (you cannot vacuum the blinds) and in the bathroom there were splatters on the toilet and toilet seatThis is not considered a "full clean" but it is a "touch up plus"; which is determined in the amount of time it takes to clean the apartmentThe cleaning supplies which are used is also included in the price they chargeRegarding her fee of only $indicates to me that she had cleaned the apartment but some things were missedPlease refer to the notations regarding the carpetingBedroom and living room carpeting had pet stains and pet odor on and in the carpetOn the last page in the "Additional Comments" section it is written "strong pet odor and pet stains"The entire carpet and padding in the apartment had to be replaced due to Ms***'s dogWe did not charge her for any of the $1,that we paid to have the carpet and padding replacedLastly, Ms*** made several statements in her complaint which I will address some of themShe said, "when I contacted the company to request the remainder of my security deposit, I was hung up on three times before they stopped answering my phone calls altogether"No one "hung up" on herWhen we tried to explain her refund, she started cussing and yelling and saying she was going to contact an attorneyShe exhibited this attitude twice with ***The last time, *** our Resident Services Advocate, tried to explain to her and *** received the same treatment as ***We will not have a conversation with anybody who continues to yell, curse and threaten with an attorneyWe inform the caller we will discuss your concerns in a mature manner but if you do not; we will end the conversationThis is what happened with Ms***; we told her good-bye and hung up the phoneWe own thousands of apartments in West Virginia/Pennsylvania and never have we skirted around the law or profited from unethical or unfounded security deposits claimsWe follow our lease, which is a legal document, and account for every pennyOur student apartments account for one-third of our entire apartment ownershipIf we treated tenants, as we are being accused, we would not have been in this business for the past thirty years

In regards to complaint ID # [redacted], Metro Property Management would like to make the following statements in regards to the parking fee that will be assessed for the 2016 — 2017 rental season. For the 2015 — 2016 rental season, which is the current leasing term that the complaining party is...

renting from us, the cost of parking is included in the rent and is not a separate charge. Metro Property Management has decided to separate parking from the rent and charge it as an optional, amenity for the 2016 — 2017 rental season at a rate of $75.00 per month per space. The change was made to take into consideration those residents that do not have a car. This decreases their rental payments and only charges them for the monthly rental rate. If a resident so chooses to have a car, parking will be available to them at a rate of $75.00 per month. This is what West Virginia University does with their apartment rental and what the majority of rental companies in the Morgantown, WV area do as well. No current resident is forced to lease a parking space nor are they forced to renew with our company. If the complaining party does not agree with the changes made to the new lease agreement they should feel free to move to another location as we are not open to negotiate the cost of parking or the rental rates for our 2016 — 2017 rental season.

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
I was aware of the fact it was not guaranteed my apartment would be re-rented before my lease ended. However, I do not believe Metro Properties is trying to re-rent my apartment to the best of their ability.   At the signing of my lease I was told that the $765 rent included utilities and that there was a cap put on them so that the amount would not change from month to month, no matter how much water or electricity was used. And said utilities have not been used since October.   As I continue to update my Craigslist ad, I make sure to check for ads posted by Metro Properties as well. And unless I have continuously overlooked their ad, I don’t think Metro Properties reposted their ad for my unit since it was removed in January.   I have a hard time believing that there is an “off season” that starts in November for renting because since posting my ad on Craigslist in October, I have received at least 20 inquiries about my apartment via email (see attached). I followed instructions given to me (which were mentioned in my original complaint) to inform a potential applicant that my name and apartment number MUST be mentioned when inquiring about my unit.  If there was the same effort by Metro Properties, then that number of inquiries could have been doubled. And my apartment could have already been re-rented   On the day that I signed my re-let form and handed the leasing agent my $200 re-let payment, I was informed that I would receive my security deposit in 30 to 45 days. If this was incorrect, there should be more effort made to properly educate employees on their own company policies so residents are not mislead in any way.   I would still like to know why my friend (whom I asked to call to inquire about my apartment) was told by a leasing agent that she was uncertain whether or not my apartment was available in December, even though the agent was aware that it had been vacant since October 31st. I would also like to know why instead of  looking into the status of my apartment (maybe by asking the manager) , the leasing agent decided to offer my friend a unit in another complex, Glenlock North, that was “ also in the downtown area.” Ms. [redacted] failed to address that issue in her response.    I have continued to make my monthly payments, as I knew that it would be my responsibility at the signing of my re-let form. However, now I do not believe Metro Properties Management is a reputable company, and I feel as if I am being cheated out of my money.
Regards,
[redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
This is still highway robbery.  What a shame that a supposedly reputable company is forcing students to obtain 2 and 3 part time jobs to pay for something that they previously got for $0 per month.  The company is offering nothing in return for this exorbitant new fee. $75 per month for parking should include a reserved numbered spot, a valet and a free car wash and oil change per month.   Charging a new fee requires a service in return and they are offering nothing.   If parking was previously included in the monthly rental fee for the apartment, then the "rent" would increase by $75 per month and all tenants would be subject to this increase and could decide if they want to stay or shop around for different living arrangements.  If a student chose this property and whether they had a car or not, they were satisfied with monthly rental fee as it has been.  To charge this amount for parking PER MONTH is unreasonable, unnecessary and completely unfair.  Clearly a student with a car is being discriminated against by this company.  Some students are seniors and are doing work study, student teaching etc and are forced to have a vehicle and this company is taking advantage of them.  It's completely unfair and indicative of yet another greedy, low life landlord in Morgantown.  
Regards,
[redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
The response from [redacted] involved several false claims, including a "right to charge" for re-letting the apartment--when the tenant finds a person on their own to re-let the apartment, they waive their right to collect that fee. Further, they were unable to provide me with a receipt for the carpet cleaning, which they charged for, and the carpet was filthy when I had it cleaned myself. I was not cussing or yelling at [redacted], she hung up on me several times. Although [redacted] stated that I was not hung up on, she later mentioned that [redacted] did, indeed, hang up on me several times and prohibited her coworkers from taking my future calls. They have several legal issues which have been reported on previously, and do "skirt around the law" regularly with their charges, false claims, and money-grubbing tactics used on students who often don't know better. I still await my full security deposit. 
Regards,
[redacted]

My complaint is that Metro Property Management has chose to change leasing agreement, and refusal to return security deposit by stating Tenant unpaid charges. we vacated on said lease termination August 31st,2016Desired Settlementwould like for my security deposit to be refunded as leasing contract states, said property has been videoBusiness Response The tenant's Lease expired on August 31, 2016 and the keys to the property were returned to the Management office. An unpaid charges statement was emailed on 9/7/16 in error and Metro has since corrected the unpaid charges and apologized to the tenant for this error.The Security Deposit will be refunded within the Thirty (30) days from Lease termination in accordance with the Tenant Security Deposit Act and all NC General Statutes. Consumer Response I am satisfied with the rersponse from Mdetro Property Management, and await for my refund on said dateFinal Consumer Response