Rainbow Property Management Inc

I researched this further and here's what I found in the files and in the computerAt the time you were given a rent increase to $from the $you had been paying for nearly years without any increases, the property was advertising rents at $for the one bedroom unitsThere were tenants that had been paying $who got bumped up to $So essentially what one of my fellow agents said was true at the time. The plan per the property owner was to keep rents at $for one bedroom apartments for a periodHe then changed his mind later and had us set prices down to $for new leases because there were so many vacancies at one point or anotherPricing of that particular property was not up to the management company shortly after we had to send out the increasesFaulting either the owner or the management company for changing it's pricing to fill vacant units as needed isn't up for you or I to doWe may not like it, but it's their right to do so, just like it's your right to move if you don't like it since you were in a month to month lease arrangement.I sifted through all of the rent amounts for all of the current tenants as of May and found that there were tenants paying different rates all over the boardSome tenants had been there much longer than you and they were paying the same as you after the increase, some were paying more for the same amount of apartment who hadn't been there as longSomething you need to realize is that most property owners we deal with expect to see increases in everyone's rent at least every other year in order to keep up with the expenses (insurance, taxes, maintenance, common areas landscape care, etc...) and inflationThe fact that you went so long without an increase was a blessingNow, if you want to keep your rent at the same amount - in any rental situation - you have to be on a leaseYou were not on a lease with us at the time and were subject to the rent increase just like everyone else who wasn't on a leaseThat's fair and it's how everyone is treated equallyI'm sorry we can't in turn make any refunds of rent amounts on your situationIt doesn't make sense for us or the property owner to try and meet your demands since they are out of context with what the implied statement was in that letter and with what is the reality of how leasing rentals and pricing worksIf you want a price commitment from a landlord and you want to hold them to it, then sign a lease saying you're committed to them to stay their tenant for a definite amount of timeRegards

Hello ***,
I've reviewed your file and talked with my fellow property managers to understand what trasnpired with your situationI will address the issues as we have documented the interactions, phone calls, and faxes received on your behalf during the last few monthsI'll state the facts as I
know them based on the data given to me and my own eye witness accounts of the property
First off, I would recommend you not start off any official complaints with such derogatory slander or libleNot a good way to start any conversation, especially when you're the one seeking a positive outcome
You moved into a rental apartment that you chose based on all of the criteria you set forth and agreed to signing for without any promises from our company to provide additional features, such as a new air conditionerYou called in to our office and spoke directly to Misty and Paulette who were more than helpful in trying to accomodate your request for an air conditioner to be added to your rental unitHere are the notes regarding those conversations:
***Tenant called regarding the hole in the wall for the A/C unitHe said there hasn't ever been an AC since he moved inI called the owner to see if he was going to put one in or if the tenant needed to, Glen (owner) told me that he hasn't been providing one, however, he has a few in storage that he would let the tenant use*I called *** back and left a messageThe owner needs the measurements to see if any of his will fitIf they will not, then the tenant will need to provide their ownMW *6/10/Tenant *** 601-530-6050 I called the owner @ 11:30am and gave him the measurements 1/by 1/~he will get back to us- (this tenant wants a call first has a DOG)-ps *the owner thinks he has one that will work ~ I gave him tenant contact info as it is a call first~ps***
The AC unit that the tenants next door had was one that had been replaced over a year ago by the property ownerPrior to your moving into the duplex we were not managing that apartment (the unit)The place came to us without an AC unit and you rented it as isAs our interactions with you show that the efforts were made and it looks like that fell apart because you planned on moving back to where you're at now?
You did not pay your rent for the month of June (well you tried but the check bounced), so this left you with a late fee and a balance owingYou called us on 6/28/to notify us that you would be out the next day citing military ordersWe requested that you send us the orders right away and that you provide us forwarding informationWe did not receive your military orders until 8/9/via faxYou spoke with Kaycee on the phone on 8/9/as wellYou told her that you had to move due to the orders and cited several untrue issues as good enough reasons to leave Billings right away (like lack of a VA healthcare facility - then a change in story from you saying they don't handle US Navy - which is entirely untrue)The orders you submitted were not deployment orders or PCS (Permanent Change of Station) ordersThese are speration orders that stated you were to no longer be a part of the military as of 8/15/
So techically speaking these orders have nothing to do with you leaving the state, failure to pay the rent due for the days that are required during the official day notice period, which is required per your lease agreement, which you did not provide us withYour statement that you have called us and left messages without return phone calls is since we do keep records of the phone conversations and the outcomes which I've provided you with here
Since you left so quickly, breaking the terms of your legally binding lease, and you also failed to clean your apartment, take care of the yard, and you did not make good on the bad check you wrote us for the June rent which is still outstanding there is a balance owing which wasn't covered by your deposit
Several of our agents and the maintenance crew members inspected the apartment and found an abundance of damage (broken windows, holes in walls, etc...) and the property owners ended up having to spend over a week cleaning the place, repairing the damages, mowing and repairing the yard, and attending to other issues there to get the place ready to rent againI've got dozens of photos of the damage, dirtiness, and other issues if you need themYour deposit doesn't cover the damages and the lost rent that you should have paid for June and Julydue to the terms of your lease and your failure to pay
We had the property marketed and were trying to get it rented as soon as we could and with luck were able to find new tenants who will take possession within a week
The amount you owe will be reported to a collection agency if you do not settle the balance or make arrangements with our office to make payments on it which would satisfy the debt in a timely manner
Placing the blame on Rainbow, or anyone else in this matter is out of boundsYou need to take responsiblity for your actions, some lack of planning and preparedness on this go aroundWe are more than willing to work with you in settling the manner in the business like fashion that is should be done
Regards,
Adam N***
Licensed Property Manager
Rainbow Property Management Inc

Hello I am a new responder to the complaint so I will address things based on what I have read and what I talked to the other agent about this with who responded initiallyI think it's possible that the agent who responded initially may have confused you with someone else if you were not the one who ended up renting on of the newer apartments on Rehberg after not renting with us in response to us not having a specific unit ready to rent the day they got to townI apologize if there was a misunderstanding thereWhere it concerns signing leases "remotely"It's just not doneWe can hold a property for an approved applicant, for a week or two depending on whether the hold up on it being signed for here is on our end or the renters in getting here or funding the transactionAll leases have to be signed in the state of MontanaManagement doesn't want to have to chase someone to another state and go to court there if things go bad anytime after the tenants occupy the propertyOur policy is also that we will not sign a lease with a tenant that has not actually seen the property in personIt's been our experience on many occassions in the past that those deals go sideways as soon as the prospective tenant gets to town and sees the property and is not happy with it and wants to go find something else of ours or someone elsesHuge waste of time and emotions.We do accept rent and deposits on properties that are in very high demand if they are ready to rent provided the prospective tenant qualifies and has seen the property in personThe exception to this would be brand new properties where there are multiple units ready to go and we have sufficient information to advertise the property with (floor plans, dozens of photos to share, and so on)That's pretty rareEven still - the tenant has right of refusal if they come to town and decide on something differentWe cannot withhold their deposit but we would be able to withhold rents due if the tenant had us take it off the market for their sole purpose and payment was given.I agree that the circumstances surrounding this complaint were indeed fraught with peril on your end since you were in a pickel to get a place ASAP. The topic of whether places should be marked as available, available soon, or not even listed until major work has been done has been a thorn in management's side since time began hereThe implied meaning of available in our vernacular was meant to imply that it is no longer occupied and not such a mess as to keep us from being able to get it rented within a week or two's noticeUnfortunately that's not always how it works. Available Soon is meant to convey that the property is not in good shape, needs cleaning, painting, carpets, and or some major work done prior to us making it "available" to see or rentThe other option was not an option - not listedPer property owners demands we are to list their properties as soon as tenants are out of them (they have even tried pushing us to list them prior to people moving out - which we will not doPeople change their minds, and we will not push them out or rent out their place from under themThat's terrible business.I've proposed that we change the listings to reflect things more accurately as you suggest.1- Rent Ready - would mean it is ready and someone can move in immediately upon application approval and they have their funds- Available Soon - would mean it's vacant and in good condition so we can show it - but it still needs minor repairs, cleaning, or locks changed, etc-No time to rentability can be promised here, but people are free to wait patiently - Vacant but Not Ready- Means it's on the list but we are not ready to show it because it needs major work, deep cleaning, or removal of junk left behind ( which happens a lot more than anyone is comfortable with!) We could show it - but with warnings given!- Vacant No Show - Means its not going to be available for a long time for one reason or another - this would be something we would do internally - it could mean the place is destroyed, unsanitary, or on the bright side - under construction or being updated and it's not safe to show or advertise because of possible hazards present (or workers are on site and they are quite busy and have lots of expensive and dangerous tools lying about)We would not list such a property on our websites or vacancy list until it's at least available soon then.I am hoping to enact these new changes within a week after my boss approves them and we are able to educate the whole staff on how the changes will affect everything.Thank you,Adam N***

In response to your complaint I have looked into the matter on my end and was unable to find a means or manner of a positive outcome for either party since the property is not longer managed by Rainbow Property ManagementAt the time of this complaint the property owners were dictating sweeping
rent increases and decreases on a nearly weekly basis for all tenants and this overrode the initial rental increases that we published earlierUnfortunately in this case our market rental rate planning was overrided by the property's owners'We have to answer to them as they are the ones who hired us to do the work for themUltimately in this case the field was leveled and all tenants were treated the same regardless of how long anyone had lived there at the propertyIn all fairness, that is the way it should be doneI apologize if these changes were contradictory of expectations we had set out for youWe can sympathize, as we were caught in the middle of a very turbulant situation between owners, tenants, and management change over issues that rocked everyone's boats

Greetings [redacted],
Firstly, I am sorry that we could not sign a lease with you in a manner that meets your schedule.  Our approval process is standard with all applicants.  This ensures that we do not discriminate in any manner whatsoever.  We do have our properties advertised as...

soon as they become vacant.  By law, the previous tenants are allowed time for cleaning, etc.  We honor this time and assign cleaning, repairs, etc. in a timely manner.  Housing is far different than a visit to McDonalds, Burger King, or Wal Mart.  We are governed by the Montana Board of Realty, and are compliant with Montana Tenant-Landlord law.   Our busiest time of year is in the summer.  We do our best to turn the units in a timely manner.  I will have to say that you are comparing apples and oranges.  The unit that you ended up renting was of new construction and did not require any time constraints.  There were no previous tenants, no cleaning, no repairs to be made.  The unit you signed a lease on was also at a higher market rent, and was considerable larger. 30% higher rent and double the square footage to be exact.  We do not sign any lease outside of the state of Montana, as it would not be legal within the state of Montana.  I am truly sorry that we could not work outside of our policies to accommodate you.  I wish you the best.

Revdex.com,I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted] and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
This response is hardly related to my claim, I gave them no information about the rental or the company we ended up renting with, as well as the fact that I made no claims about being discriminated against, just unfair practices for relocation and giving us dates for a property to be ready then they could not carry out the promised date. I understand summer is a busy time but all I was asking for where exact dates and no one every asked us about or flexibly on price if another unit was available, our main concern was to have a property secured. To be clear we finalized our lease upon arrival in Billings with our current management company. But they did accept rent from us for holding the specific unit we wanted. We did not end up with a new property, this person is making terrible false claims with no information in their hand except for my contact address which is a new property that we moved to after relocating here. They are just trying to turn the whole complaint around on me.
Once again I wanted clear dates for when a rental property was available, we gave our 5 top choices for rentals all said "available now", but couldn't have a lease ready within 72 hours, I think that's a horrible turn around time.
Also in regards to policy, they should have those posted or available online to be clear before wasting a clients time.
We think that they should have transparency in their rental process as they are the "big guy" in town, all leasing requirements should be posted in a clear manner as to what qualifications you will need for certain price categories.
Regards,[redacted]

Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because:
I feel that this is no way fair to treat a long time tenant. Either the property owner or the management company needs to absorb the loss.  If either party cannot commit to a promise that rent will always stay the same no matter how long, it should not have been said to me in the first place.  I feel that I am still entitled to a refund of the extra rent I have already paid and may pursue legal action if refund is not received in a timely manner.
Sincerely,[redacted]

Rainbow properties are monsters! They took my $1700 deposit and charged me another $800 dollars on top of the deposit stating they did not receive my 30 day notice. I moved out of state and was not aware of this. They then turned this over to collections and ruined my credit. I can NOT rent anywhere for 7 years. I've since researched there track record and have found nothing but negative results. I wish to GOD I would have found this out before I rented from them.

Review: First of all, I didn't receive my deposit for over a month and a half due to Rainbow Property Management's fault. They mailed the deposit to the address I moved out of instead of my forwarding address at my new address. Second, I did not receive my full deposit back, excluding carpet cleaning. I was promised during my walk-through when I moved out that the only damages or charges would be for the carpet cleaning which was acceptable. Instead I received a quarter of my deposit without a receipt or details of why I wasn't getting a large part of my deposit back. I have a copy of my walk through papers detailing what needed to be cleaned and if there were any damages. No damages were listed, yet I have a $172 charge for damages listed in a letter that came with my deposit check. They also charged me over $400 for carpet cleaning, when during my walk through, the Rainbow Property employee who was conducting the walk through told me a high price for carpet cleaning would be around $200. They have refused to explain why they charged me as much as they did for damages as well as carpet cleaning.Desired Settlement: I would like a list of all damages and a receipt from the company who did the carpet cleaning for Rainbow Property Management. I would also like somebody to look into a possible drug testing of all employees at Rainbow Property Management, as every time they have made a mistake and I have talked to them in person, they seem to be incoherent and oblivious to my previous conversations and actions.

I was recently accepted for Section 8 so I employed Rainbow Property Management company to help me. My voucher amout was for a 2 bedroom and I had to find a place that was no more 800.00 per month which seemed easy enough however that amount had to enclude the Section 8 utility allowance which meant unless the utilities were included I could only rent a place for approximately 650.00. Plus I have a baby so the place needed to be built after 1978 due to lead based paint concerns. In addition most property owners in Billings do not want to take Section 8 for whatever reason. So my point is I came to RPM with several obstacles and they were great. They bent over backwards to help me find a place. They called owners to see if they would reconsider taking Section 8. They filled out my Section 8 paperwork in a timely efficient manner. When I filled out my application to rent from RPM they gave me my acceptance call the same day. When I called them with questions they were all extreamy friendly polite and professional. When I made appointments to look at rentals the property managment employees were friendly and prompt. I have had an extreamly pleasant experience with them and have a great deal of confidence in their desire to help people find a home they will be happy in and meets their needs as they did mine. Thank you for all your hard work Rainbow Property Management.

Review: Company knew when I handed in my application that I was to be denied but said that the application would be processed. They took my money for a service knowing before hand that they would not rent to me. I asked before I handed it in and they flat out lied to get my money. Then lied some more to cover it up.Desired Settlement: I don't know what accredidations they claim but I wish to have them be honest with accredited advertisements. I would also like them to stop being dishonest just to take other peoples money. Thats a dishonest scheme they have going there. I would also like a refund for the dishonesty. I fully plan to take any and all legal action to the best of my limits to make an honest company out of a dishonest one.

Review: In March 2015, I was given a notice that my rent will increase to $725 per month from $695 beginning in May. The letter also stated that I will always be given a discount from new tenants even after the rent increase. After checking the website listing and paper flier on several different occasions, it has been brought to my attention that Rainbow Property Management is offering new tenants the same rate as I am paying now. I am currently living in a 1 bedroom 1 bathroom apartment for $725. The all the new Rainbow Property Management advertisements lists the identical 1 bedroom 1 bathroom in the same apartment complex for $725 as well.

Furthermore, I signed a 6 month lease in September 2011. I was told by the staff that my rent will never increase even after the lease expires as long as I continue to live at the property. I have been at the property close to 4 years now.

I have already brought up this issue to the business in person and the staff was not nice nor helpful at all. They said they will look into the issue and get ahold of me and they never did. To date, I have been overcharged by $90 because I have paid rent at the increased rate for May, June, and July.Desired Settlement: I expect written and employee statements to be truthful and not come up with excuses for breaching statements such as a promise that my rent will never go up and my rent will always be cheaper than new tenants. I would like to see my rent be reduced back to $695 per month for all subsequent months that I will be living at the property. In addition, I would like my $90 either refunded or credited to the next monthly rent bill.

Review: I was not able to select multiple options from the above drop down menu. So I will list them in this field as well.

1) Failure to respond to phone calls or written requests for assistance or support.

2) Inappropriate behavior by customer service personnel.

3) An unreasonable or excessive delay in completing service.

Here is my explanation of my complaint:

I have been disappointed and ripped off by this company for almost 3 years. However the most recent issue is what I am describing below.

If anyone knows me, they know I am not a slob, I take care of my things, and the houses I live in, I take pride in my home and want to keep it clean, so I can enjoy it. In the eyes of Rainbow, I am not this type of person, and they went to great lengths to disgrace my name, both to my friends and my family. They told the new renter (moving in after me) that the place was trashed, they had to spend extra effort to clean the house after I had moved out. Obviously, an older house does have normal wear and tear, but trashed? There is no way. This is a total lie, after talking with my friend, the new renter, I found out the badmouthing they did,and it made me furious. Before I spoke with him, I was willing to chalk up my experience to bad customer service, and to walk away thinking, okay lesson learned. Rental companies are terrible.

I spent almost two weeks trying to get a hold of the proper person to discuss the moving out process. The employees at Rainbow are not good at returning phone calls. I called four times in two days, and when my call was returned, I was working and unfortunately they had to leave a message, I call them back immediately after I got out of my meeting, and had to leave another message. I tried to not let this bother me, we are all busy we all have things going on, but when I found out they sent my additional cleaning requirements to my old address (the one I had just moved out of) because they had no forwarding address, I was irritated. I also made arrangements for my father to meet the cleaning inspector at the property to go over what needed to be cleaned, what else needed to be done. Instead of contacting me about these issues, the inspector continued to involve my father, and not let me know a). that the cleaning list had been sent to my old address, and B) that the counter tops needed to be wiped down again. Due to this miscommunication I was charged $260 for a cleaning fee, and my friend was told that I trashed the place.

Next, when I confronted the company (after a week of leaving voice messages and emails asking for my call to be returned) Rainbow had the inspector woman call me and tell me not to leave houses in such a mess and that I wouldn’t have this problem anymore. When I asked her about the cleaning list mailed to my old address she said “doesn’t the post office forward your mail to you” making this issue not Rainbow’s problem, but the post office’s problem. The last thing she told me was “I don’t work in the office, so I am not in charge of those letters”. Here is what I think happened. This inspection woman, did not go over to my house after she contacted my father for further cleaning. She went off if his explanation that he was not able to clean anymore, due to his condition (my dad has a terrible back and is not able to stand for very long periods of time). I believe that is what truly happened, because if she would have went to the property another time, or met my father, she would have re-thought her plan. Instead she scheduled an unnecessary cleaning by a third party cleaning company.

When I did get someone on the phone early on in this process, I asked them who I should give my forwarding address to, and they said, it was not necessary because they damages inspection had not been done yet. The dates on the receipt for the cleaning, and the dates of the email contact I have regarding this problem, do not match. I think my experience shows their unaccountability and their total disrespect for the renters that pay their salaries, and maintain the revenue they need to keep their doors open. Treating clients this way is such a terrible business plan. The lack of communication both internally between their employees, and to their clients seems to be just a second thought, they have some bottom line they must maintain, and customer service, honesty and respect are lost on a company like this.Desired Settlement: I would like my money back for the cleaning they charged me, as well as an explanation, and possibly an apology to me and my friend about the poor customer service we have received so far. Both while he was moving in and while I was moving out. And lastly, a written corrective action to show how they will properly contact renters, and return phone calls in the future.

I've rented from rainbow property management for three years I've change apartment a couple of times they have been so nice and helpful every time if I have a problem they take care of it right away my three children and there family's has also rented from them We wouldn't rent from any one else they are really helpful when we rent they always get us close to each other and the apartment is in perfect condition

My grandmother and I were relocated by her company to Billings in Dec of 2014. Our search for an apartment began with this company. My grandmother had set an appointment with them to view one we had selected and possibly sign for it.
Previous to showing up for an appointment we had made a phone call to them to discuss the details. When we arrived the manager was late, and she seemed to have no problem at all attempting to discuss our financial situation in the lobby. Which was extremely rude and disrespectful. Her attitude was none the better.
We were told at the appointment this was a lease signing. We were asked if we had seen it yet. Of course we had not. We were told viewing and lease signing are two separate appointments. We were changed to a viewing appointment instead and told to reschedule for lease signing.
Viewing went terrible as well. The carpets were stained heavily. The stove and fridge were from the 70's. Ventilation had no filter. There was mouse poison in the form of capsules in the utility closet. The bathroom had black mold in some creases. There were quite a few health and safety issues that need to be taken care of before an apartment can be rented out. This company has failed to meet those requirements.
I would not reccomend this company at all, to anyone, no matter what your income level is, please avoid and find something else.

Review: I would like to make a complaint against Rainbow Property Management for unlawful withholding of $87.00 from my security deposit. According to Montana State Law 70-25-201 has up to 30 days to return a security deposit. During that 30 days they give the tenant 24 hours to clean the premises if it is not left in good cleaning condition. Second they also have the right to hold it for any damages that may have been caused while tenant lived in the property. Once amount of damage has been assessed one can withhold some of that security deposit to fix the premises. None the less within 30 days they are to return whatever is left or all of it back to the tenant. According to Montana State Law 70-25-202 they are to provide the tenant with a written list of any cleaning left to do and a list of any damage charges. Now Montana State Law 70-25-203 says that if a landlord fails to provide a list of written damages they forfeit the deduction rights to keep any of the security deposit. With Montana State Law 70-25-204 they can be held responsible for withholding ones security deposit wrongfully. I would like to take action against them and request to get my deposit back from them. My deposit was for $500 and I received $417 back from them. They took $87.00 for damages but did not leave a written list of what those damages were. I believe Rainbow Property is unethical and may have possibly gotten away with this before. Besides the fact that in that apartment all you had to do was pull the door towards you use a credit card and you could break. When asked to make the door a little more secured with a dead bolt they said yes but they would charge me $40.00 to place a deadbolt on the door. Feeling as though they were responsible for some of the safety I chose not to have the deadbolt placed on within a month I moved out. I also was required to put all new burner plates on the stove when I moved out plus a bunch of random cleaning. Now all I want is what is fair to me. I left the place in better condition.Desired Settlement: I would like to find out what I need to do to take action against Rainbow Property and get my $87.00 dollars back. They forfeit that right to keep any of my money by not sending me a written notice.

Rainbow is horrible. Renters beware! The staff is rude and clueless. My husband and I were approved for a house after agreeing to put double the deposit down. We were approved two weeks ago, and they had minor repairs die to a storm. We have called and asked and no one knows what is going in. We have already put in a large vacate notice whare we are abs have to be out by the end of the month. However rainbow still has no idea when the house will be done or anything. One lesson says we ate ready the other days no. Rent else where.

Review: I hired Rainbow Property Management to manage our property at [redacted] For the past 30 months we have had two sets of renters. We decided to sell the property after our current renters turned in their notice to vacate. We met with [redacted] at our property on 8/15/13 at 10 am, to walk through the property with her. We were told by [redacted], that they would clean and fix the damage to the property. 8/15/13, we met with [redacted] (owner) at 2 pm, along with the carpet cleaning company to finalize the cleaning and the damage repair, to return of our property in the manner in which they received it from us. [redacted] told us that they would have the house cleaned. wiped down, and he would have his maintenance team come in to repair the nail holes, repair drywall damage,touch up the paint, and replace the damaged steel front door. As of today, we have not had any of the services promised completed. Our house is for sale and we have had over 30 showings of our property. The house is a mess, the bathrooms are dirty, the glasstop range is caked with burned on food, and there are holes in the wall from the past tenants moving out. [redacted] told [redacted] that he had the property wiped down on 8/22/13 , when in fact he never had it done. We are still waiting to have our steel front entry door replaced, and our back screen door fixed. We have contacted [redacted] and [redacted] at least six times in the past three weeks. They will not return phone calls, and continually lie to us about the schedule of getting their maintenance crews in to fix our house.Desired Settlement: I want the $600.00 dollars that [redacted] told me he was charging the past tenants for the damage of the front door. I will have the necessary work performed on my property as Rainbow Property does not seem to want to get this situation resolved. This situation could have been avoided by just doing what they said they were going to do. I want this situation rectified immediately as promised.