Riner Rentals

I have contacted [redacted] with [redacted] painting concerning the discrepancy you are referencing.  I did not know that you had a private arrangement with him for payment of touch up paint.  As soon as I am able to speak with him, I will have a better idea of how we can proceed and solve these issues.  I have asked for him to provide detail on the three separate painting invoices so that we may both better understand why the outstanding $150 balance was not discussed with you.  Thanks for your patience while I do so.  I will be sure to contact you immediately upon retrieving this information directly from the contractor.Paul RinerRiner Rentals

I have reviewed the response offer 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 previously filed a complaint ([redacted]) and did not add a key point. So since I could not add to it my assumption is I have to file a new complaint. When I rented from Riner Rentals- I asked an several occasions to have to water issue in the basement taken care of. This was causing mold and dampness throughout the house. Every time it rained the basement flooded and held the water for days afterwards. Their repairman did come to look at the problem but it was never fixed. I was told by repair that the problem was a big one and would require a lot of time and money to fix as the basement would need to be basically redone completely. Washer and dryer had to be put up on cement blocks so the water would not damage them. Always water standing to the entrance of the basement-the drains were blocked from years of not being taken care of. So the rain would pool there for days. Again causing more dampness and more of a mold issue. I know Riner was aware of this issue as I complained more than one time, and when I moved in the blocks for the washer and dryer were already thereAll I want is for Riner to stop charging me for rent on the property as I moved out the first weekend of September 2017. I can not live in a property that has mold and dampness all the time. They can keep my deposit I just want to be done with the slum lords.
Regards,
[redacted]

I have reviewed the response offer 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.
Mr. Riner did bring up additional points, which I have no problem with; I only failed to mention them before due to the fact that my complaint was already so long, and that I have been dealing with an abundance of problems with Riner Rentals for so long, that it has become hard to keep track of every issue. I did  move out before my official lease ended, only at the request of the tenant who would be taking over my room in fall, [redacted] was starting Maymester classes at [redacted] on 06/15 and requested that I move out early so that she could have a place to stay for Paymaster (she lived on campus the year before and did not have any other living options for the summer). Regardless, I understand that moving out early is my responsibility, and I realized that Riner Rentals would not be able to complete a full turnover, which is why I attempted to turnover the place myself before moving out. For the floors, I vacuumed and even shampooed the carpet ([redacted]) with my own vacuum and shampooer. For the walls, I began contacting Riner Rentals eight days before moving out, as I intended to buy the RR colored paint and spackle/paint over any holes I personally added (note: I did not plan to correct the holes that were already in the room, which were, indeed, "excessive" upon my moving in in 2015). For six days, I called the RR office and spoke with multiple employees, none of which were able to tell me the name of the RR colored paint, as no one already knew this information and the staff was somehow unable to communicate enough to figure it out. On two different occasions during this six day period, I was told that I would be called and/or emailed back, which I was not. It was not until the seventh day, my graduation day, that I called the office again and finally spoke with a member who could tell me what color and where to buy it. At this point, furious with RR's innate lack of communication, and leaving town the next morning, I realized I would not be able to fix the walls myself before moving out. I called RR back and asked a staff member about requesting touch ups on the room before [redacted] moved in, as I would rather lose part of my deposit for touch ups than leave [redacted] in a room that was as unacceptable as mine was when I moved in. What I did not expect was to be told by a RR staff member, "don't worry about painting it yourself, if you're having a subleaser take over then there won't be a turnover anyway." I was surprised, and still insisted that a contractor come out to complete touch ups, but, again, I was told "not to worry about it." I wanted to leave the room in better condition than when I entered it in 2015, which was quite unacceptable, but with the little amount of time that RR left me, I was unable to do so. Had RR staff knew such simple information when I had contacted them any of the six days beforehand, I could have solved this issue myself. If [redacted], my own property manager, had contacted me back sooner than my move out day (eight days after I originally called and left her a voicemail, telling her I was moving out on 05/05), I could have solved this issue myself. Instead, she chose to wait eight days and email me the morning of moving out, which is documented in the attached email message. I am attaching this screenshot of our messages not only to show that she took eight days to respond about a simple paint question, but also to show that I have been contacting RR staff about the condition of our unit upon moving in in 2015 for over two months now. This issue comes up again later. In terms of my unit's condition as of my move out date, [redacted] only requested the painting because I personally asked her to do so, as I felt she deserved to live in a unit that was in better condition than the one I entered in 2015. The only dispute is that [redacted] requested touch ups be done, not an entire paint job, as I had cleaned the walls myself before leaving, leaving only spackle/paint needed in certain spots. Further, I saw that Mr. Riner attached invoices for said jobs completed on our unit in 2015, but I have requested to see photo evidence of these completed jobs and, conveniently, they "cannot be located." In June, I was speaking with my previous property manager, [redacted], about the details of our move-in inspection sheet, which clearly stated that the walls and floors were NOT cleaned/painted before moving in. She stated that there was an invoice, and that they had photo evidence to prove it. I asked to see these photos and have been waiting for more than two months to see them. Mr. Riner attached a gmail message (08/05/2015 from [redacted] to [redacted]) that clearly asked their painting company to finish the job, as an inspection showed that the only room that appeared to be painted was the living room. I also saw that Mr. Riner attached the move-in inspection form from 2017, in which no inspection could be completed since [redacted] added a personal lock to her door and was accepting the room "as is." But Mr. Riner failed to attach the move-in inspection form from 2015, in which my roommates and I clearly stated the unacceptable condition of our unit. Luckily, [redacted] sent me a copy of our 2015 inspection sheet on June 19, after I had been asking [redacted] about it for over a month. I have attached a copy of the 2015 inspection sheet, as well as my email to [redacted]. This email, on June 19, is when communication switched from [redacted] to [redacted].I have attached a screenshot of my initial message to [redacted], during which I argue that RR's inconsistent standards are wildly inappropriate. I have copied and pasted this message below, as my issues with these standards are quite strong.  June 19, 2017 at 1:22 PM Hi [redacted],Thank you for taking care of the $50 sublease fee, and for finding the move-in checklist. Were you able to locate photos on our file from the 2015 paint job? I believe the checklist makes it clear that the unit was NOT painted before we moved in, nor were any of the floors cleaned, as we were told would happen during our initial walk through. I am sure that Ms. [redacted] did not indicate specific bedrooms because (a) all four of our bedrooms were in the same unacceptable condition upon move-in, and (b) the form does not appear to even have space for specific bedrooms, which must come in handy for Riner Rentals during times like these. If the cost of these repairs are indeed (understandingly) the responsibility of the tenant, then why did a new tenant (me) move in without receiving the adequate condition that was promised by Riner Rentals? Page 9 of RR's lease includes a vacating checklist with 13 items, the last of which caught my attention. So although the list is not inclusive to all items, RR does state that tenants will be billed for any necessary repairs or cleanings not performed on the unit. Our move-in checklist makes it quite clear that little to none of the vacating checklist’s expectations were performed before we moved in in 2015 — so either the previous tenants were not held responsible, or Riner Rentals collected a bill without properly applying said bill on the necessary repairs and cleanings for the new tenants to live in. This means that I am being billed for repairs that were already included in the unit before my move-in date, and I am being held more responsible than the previous tenants. The inconsistency in Riner’s handling of move-in/move-out inspections is what infuriates me enough to argue the $125 fee. If I had been granted a clean, freshly painted room upon my move-in, I would understandingly pay the $125 fee because I need to leave the room in the same condition as I received it; however, that is not the case here. [redacted] said that she would speak with Paul Riner about a resolution once he returned to the office this week. Whether you or [redacted] speaks with him, I would like an update concerning this conversation. If possible, I’d even like to speak with him myself.[redacted] Twenty minutes later, [redacted] responded. June 19, 2017 at 1:43 PM [redacted],I will get with Paul myself on this matter, but again based on what I found the painting charge would remain. He is the only one that can change this.[redacted] This response obviously implied there would be a follow-up from [redacted], which I did not receive. I emailed her again more than two weeks later, which is shown in the "Waiting to hear about [redacted]'s convo with Paul Riner" attachment.After confronting [redacted] about the lack of communication, I received an email only four minutes later saying that she would "get with [redacted]" (not mentioning Paul Riner, as I specifically requested). This was on July 6th, and, again, two weeks passed and I heard no update from [redacted] (who had officially taken over this matter), [redacted], or Paul. This utter lack of communication, as well as the complete disregard for customers is disgusting, but by this point I expect nothing more than disgusting from Riner Rentals. As these two more weeks pass, now being July 21, I again emailed [redacted] requesting an update on the conversation with Paul, which I can only assume never happened until I took matters into my own hand and filed a Revdex.com complaint. In addition to asking for Paul Riner's contact info, I also (again) questioned the move-in inspection sheet from 2015, which clearly proved the unacceptable condition of our unit prior to moving in. I understand that I am responsible for paying for acceptable living conditions, but why did RR break contract standards and not uphold the same conditions for myself and my roommates upon moving in? In the customers' eyes, there are two possible answers: RR holds inconsistent standards with both unit expectations and customer satisfaction by sporadically charging certain tenants and fixing up certain units, or they do in fact charge tenants where damage is done, but they do not actually make sure the damage is eradicated and ready for living for future tenants to enjoy. Personally, I see a mix of both. Mr. Riner attached invoices for the work they claimed to have been done on our unit prior to moving in, but, several times now, I have requested the photo evidence that [redacted] said existed and I have not seen it. Invoices can easily be doctored, but I lived in this unit for two years, and I can personally tell you of the inadequate living conditions that we entered into and eventually accepted as home because our maintenance requests were repeatedly ignored. I believe that our move-in inspection form clearly shows this, and I believe that Mr. Riner is trying to find the easy way out by claiming that invoices count as proof of completion, especially when there is email evidence that [redacted]'s inspection showed inadequacy and there was no proof of a follow-up job. Finally, Mr. Riner claims that they already processed my security deposit and mailed it out to my forwarding address, and I have not received any check and/or mail from RR at my new forwarding address. If RR really has processed and mailed this deposit out, then I request proof of such action, as the whereabouts of a lost security deposit check are quite important to both the company and myself. For the record, I only request proof in order to see what day the check was mailed, as Mr. Riner implied that it went out before the July 25 lease-end date, which was almost three weeks ago. If I have not received a check by now, I can only assume that something went wrong.  Ultimately, I am not content with Mr. Riner's response to my Revdex.com complaint. I have been trying to work with RR for months now, and have been ignored at every opportunity. I have requested to see the photo evidence of the work that RR claimed was done to our unit, because my two years' experience in [redacted], as well as the move-in inspection sheet from 2015, prove that little to NO work was completed on our unit prior to moving in. I told [redacted] (back in JUNE) that I understood the paint issue was my responsibility and that I would understandingly pay for touch ups (which I tried to do on my own prior to moving out), but being charged $125 for a complete paint job is absolutely outrageous considering that more than half of that damage was done PRIOR to my moving into the unit in 2015, which RR refuses to acknowledge despite our 2015 move-in inspection form. If Paul Riner holds any ounce of respect for himself or his company, I believe he should acknowledge and accept the faults that his staff members repeatedly made prior to our move-in, as well as during the past few months as I tried to solve this issue myself with [redacted] and [redacted].  Best Regards,
[redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response offer 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 the second Revdex.com complaint I have had to make with Riner Rentals. My last complaint, posted on 08/19/2017, explains the entirety of my unrelenting issues with Riner Rentals. After trying to contact RR for more than three months, I finally made a Revdex.com complaint in early August, and then, and ONLY then, is when anyone from RR attempted to return contact. After about a week of discussion, Mr. Riner finally came to an acceptable solution for our situation, and agreed to refund half of a fee that I was charged for. This is one of my two concerns, as I have not heard from RR since our Revdex.com complaint ended. Additionally, during this discussion, Mr. Riner said in his 08/11 response that "We even processed her security deposit prior to the official lease end date of July 25, 2017 and mailed it to her at the provided forwarding address." As I stated in the last complaint, I never received any check from Riner Rentals. In my response, I asked Mr. Riner to explain more about this claim that RR processed and mailed out my security deposit prior to 07/25, as almost four weeks had passed (now almost six weeks) and I had not received ANY mail/checks/contact from RR at all. Mr. Riner failed to ever acknowledge this claim again, even when I asked a second and third time. Riner Rentals has my new address on record, so if Mr. Riner is claiming that they processed and mailed out the check almost six weeks ago, where is it? I certainly did not receive it, as I'm sure Riner Rentals can see since it hasn't been cashed. I questioned this claim during our first Revdex.com complaint and was repeatedly ignored -- even at the end when I accepted Mr. Riner's solution. As soon as I accepted, I sent a final message explaining my concerns over this "mailed out" check, and I also asked Mr. Riner how he planned to refund the $60 that we agreed upon in our Revdex.com solution. This was over two weeks ago, and Mr Riner, nor any member of has staff, has contacted me since then. I emailed the company on Thursday, 08/30 asking for some kind of contact, some kind of information on this "mailed out" check/the additional $60 refund, and, AGAIN, Riner Rentals proved to be incompetent and inconsistent with their customer service/communication skills. Since Revdex.com complaints are apparently the only way to receive any type of contact from Riner Rentals, I am submitting another complaint as an attempt to finally know the truth, as well as receive what is rightly mine. If Mr. Riner is telling the truth about mailing out my security deposit check before the 07/25 lease-end date, then where is it?I request that my security deposit check, including the additional $60 that was agreed upon during our last Revdex.com solution, be processed and mailed to me by Wednesday 09/06 -- WITH PROOF OF PROCESSING/MAILING. As I stated in the last Revdex.com complain, RR makes plenty of claims that they are acting as a proper business, but any time I ask for proof (photo evidence of paint/cleaning jobs), they cannot provide any proof to back it up.Translate
Regards,
[redacted]

Revdex.com of Western Virginia,My financial manager, [redacted], spoke with [redacted] on Friday at length.  [redacted] explained to her that the check was in the mail.  The $60 will be in the mail this week, as it is coming from another account, and could only be sent following the security deposit return.  This was all explained, and [redacted] and [redacted] discussed the details, as well as double-checked the forwarding address to ensure it was correct.As far as I know, everyone is on the same page and the money is on the way, as previously agreed upon.Thanks,Paul Riner, Riner Rentals

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.  I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.Thank you for the follow-up. Let us first say that Riner is doing a great job handling the back-and-forth. As for the list that Paul Riner sent:1) A handyman and the owner have been by in the past few days. When it comes to the remaining problems, the ones left are that the downstairs bathroom floor is still damp from when the pipe burst on 10/18/15. The handyman said that he may have to bring over a de-humidifier. We don't want to use the bathroom as the floor was just replaced about two weeks ago and is now damp again (it was replaced because the floor had rotted and was caving in when you stepped on it) and we don't want to fall through or cause any damage. The only other problem is the kitchen sink, where we still have duct tape covering up a leak. The handyman said he couldn't find a hole when he shined his flashlight down the drain, so we don't know why there is a leak, but it still exists.2) We are getting natural gas tomorrow. The owner also came by and explained the thermostat so that we could understand it better and it hasn't been a problem since.3) Paul Riner did fix the lock, and the day we complained about it.4) We hope that the downstairs bathroom and kitchen sink problems will be solved as that's all that's left. We're thankful to Riner for helping us out since we can't talk to the owner directly and to the owner for now doing something. We see this whole thing as being resolved soon.Thank you for your help,[redacted]

[redacted] and Revdex.com of Western VA,I have received and reviewed Mr. [redacted] complaint concerning his deposit from [redacted] during his tenancy last year.The itemized list of deductions are as follows:1.  Pro-rated rent due: $130.002.  Touch Up Painting Charge: $50.003.  Cost of...

Paint: $15.784.  Unit prep and repairs: $49.005.  Carpet Cleaning: $106.00 (taken automatically per signed lease agreement)6.  Cleaning charge: $140.00There was extensive cat hair left everywhere in the apartment, and damage from the cat or cats that were there.  This was an UNAUTHORIZED pet.  Upon showing the unit, one of my property managers noted a litter box.  As evidenced by the pictures, there was cleaning to be done throughout, but especially in the bathroom and one bedroom where there were bugs and dirt in one corner of the room.The touch paint was needed because the holes in the walls exceeded the amount allowed in the lease agreement, and they were not spackled or painted.  There were also black marks on the wall where it looks like the bed had been set up.The repairs needed included a broken sink stopper in the bathroom.Carpet cleaning is a charge that is taken from the security deposit in all leases, and can be found in both the lease agreement and the Rules and Regulations agreement (also a part of the lease).Mr. [redacted] lease agreement was to end at the end of August.  When he requested that we attempt to find someone who could move in earlier, we were able to do so (again, at his request).  The pro-rated rent is for the partial month he owed before moving out, as agreed to in an "Early Turn Addendum" in the amount of $130.00.I am also attaching pictures for your review.  Please let me know if you have any further questions concerning this issue.Thanks,Paul Riner

I have reviewed the response offer 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.
1. Regarding the pro-rated rent charge for August: I paid this rent via separate check (of which my bank can provide proof), so this amount should not have also been deducted from my deposit.2, 3, & 4. Regarding the painting and "repairs": The unit had not been painted between my tenancy and that of the previous tenant, so I cannot be held accountable for this repainting of marks which were already there, and which is made note of on my move-in checklist, signed by a representative of Riner Rentals, attached below for review.5. Regarding carpet cleaning: I do not object to a carpet cleaning charge, but it is stated in my lease as 95$, not 106$.6. Regarding cleaning charge: As also evidenced on the attached move-in checklist, the apartment was very dirty when I moved in and was not cleaned by the company, but by me.  I also spent two days cleaning the apartment before moving, and the photos of some cat hair on the carpet (covered by the carpet-cleaning charge), or the lime ring in the toilet bowl (present when I moved in and caused by the hard water in the apartment), do not necessitate any "cleaning charge", let alone one of 140$.Additionally, this was NOT an unauthorized pet.  The reason I chose this apartment was the pet policy, which I discussed with [redacted] in the office extensively before signing my lease.  I even remember asking her about other apartments advertised, but she was quick to say which ones "absolutely" did not allow pets.  If she is an honest person she can confirm this conversation.  If any "bugs" were to be found in the apartment, they were in a part of the apartment unused by me (this is a shared-entry unit) and were not noticed by me any time during my stay.  Their presence, though, if true, should speak more to the landlord's pest-control responsibility than to the refunding of my security deposit.Let me reiterate, this apartment was filthy and damaged upon my moving in, as can be proven by the attached move-in checklist (signed by a company representative).  It was turned back over to them in much better condition than when it was taken, and the landlord has no legal basis for withholding the refund of my deposit.  If this complaint cannot be resolved through this Revdex.com complaint forum then I will have to look into other means of reclaiming this money which is unlawfully being withheld from me.
Regards,
[redacted]

[redacted] and Revdex.com of Western VA,Please see the attachment for explanation. It states the following:1. The $130.00 payment for rent was collected and applied to the account.  This did not affect your security deposit refund in any way.  You can see this highlighted on the transaction listing.2. The total of the remaining bills and the final refund is $400, equal to your initial deposit amount.3. After review of the Move In Inspection sheet, I am willing to refund the $50.00 paint charge and $15.78 cost of paint.  I still believe you owe this amount, but am willing to refund this if it will alleviate this situation.4.  The carpet cleaning, cleaning, and repair charges will stand for the reasons mentioned previously.  The signed lease agreement states that NO pets are allowed, unless there is a deposit paid and pet addendum filled out and kept on file.  Pets ARE allowed at the property, as you state, but there are requirements in order for them to be there.Please let me know if this will resolve the complaint, and I will issue a check for painting and cost of paint directly to [redacted].Thanks,Paul Riner

Revdex.com of Western Virginia,If a tenant moves out of their residence prior to the lease end date, they have essentially subleased their room for the remainder of the term.  As [redacted] is aware, there were other roommates in the premises whose lease continued in full until the lease end date when [redacted] was scheduled to move in.  So Ms. [redacted] is in fact simply arguing the cost of painting, not that it was her responsibility.  She also does not address the fact that had she moved out and Riner Rentals' done a normal turnover of the room, we would have had the carpet cleaned, as well as any other cleaning or repairs that needed to be done in her private bathroom/bedroom and billed to her security deposit.  This was not done because it COULD NOT be done, as there was already another tenant in the property with no time between for us to address any potential issues.  When the new tenant contacted us, and ONLY when the new tenant contacted us, did we enter to do any painting at all.  This was the only charge that was billed the the deposit, and again, only after requested by the incoming tenant.  We DID do the work in 2015, prior to the tenant's move in, and the invoices we provided show that fact.In order to move forward, I am willing to drop the total cost of the bill to $65 (1/2 of the billed amount).  This price is very reasonable for touch up painting in a room.  Again, we contend that the former charge of $125 is justified based upon the circumstances surrounding the early move out and request for work from the incoming tenant, as well as what was done for that amount, but am willing to split the bill with Ms. [redacted] if she believes this to be an agreeable solution.Thank you in advance for your time in reviewing this response,Paul Riner, Owner, Riner Rentals

Review: On April 19, 2016, I arrived to my apartment 7 p.m. after a more than 12-hour work day hoping to go to bed. After entering my apartment, I noticed the sound of water running. I first checked the bathroom to make sure the water wasn't running. I then went to the kitchen to check there. Neither sinks or the tub was running. While in the kitchen I could hear the water louder. I turned on the light in the kitchen and noticed the walls and ceiling were began to bubble. There was also water flowing down the wall. I watched as the bubbles continue to get bigger. (I have video and photographs of the damage). I first called Riner Rentals office and talked to someone from an answering service. I told the person about the problem and they said they would pass on the information to property manager. Because I was concerned of the growing damage, the saturation of the wall and ceiling and that water was flowing near an electrical socket, I called the fire department. The fire department responded to the building. After investigating they determined that the water was coming from a broken dishwasher in an apartment above mine. A short time later, two plumbers, contracted by Riner Rentals, arrived at the apartment. They first talked to the firefighters who informed where the problem was located. The firefighters then left. For the next 1 to 2 hours, the two plumbers debated among themselves where the leak was coming from. They were convinced that the leak was not coming from the dishwasher. They were puzzled so they called two additional plumbers. By 9 p.m., there were four plumbers in my apartment. They decided the best option was to cut into the ceiling to determine where the leak was coming from. Before cutting into the ceiling, one plumber stated "we have no drop clothes, do you have an old sheet was could use." I said no. He then said, "do you really have anything we can use." Finally I told the they could use a blanket that was on the couch. The placed the blanket on the floor and began cutting into the dry wall. Debris from the dry wall began to fall on the blanket, floor and nearby stove (I have pictures of all of this) . After gaining access to the ceiling, the discovered that the leak was indeed coming from the dishwasher. The plumbers then leave without clean up any of the debris that was left on my blanket, floor or stove. They told me that someone would be out the following day but It would probably take some time before they replace the drywall because it needs to air out and dry. I return home the next day from work to find a sloppy patch job with exposed brown paper on my wall. (Again I have pictures) At that time, the ceiling and wall was still saturated. By that time, the office was closed so I didn't call the property manager. I let it go for a couple days thinking that they would be returning to finish the repairs. Over the weekend, I had an out of town guest come to visit me. It was totally embarrassing showing them the mess the apartment was in. Today, a week later, after no return visit or phone call from the property manager updating me on the process, I called the office. I asked when will repairman be at my apartment to fix the damage and clean the apartment. I also asked about being compensated for the inconvenience and eyesore the damage has caused me. After talking to the first person that answered the phone, I was transferred to [redacted]. She was extremely rude from the beginning. She told me that it was my fault that I was inconvenienced because I chose to live in a multi-story unit. She offered no apology for the delay or the trouble the leak has caused me. This is probably the worst customer service I've received in years. To fully correct the problem, and to make sure there is no mold issues, they need to rip down the drywall completely and put up no drywall. A patch job is not going to fix the problem.Desired Settlement: Because of the interruption of my sleep schedule, the ability to use my stove/kitchen for more than a week, I am seeking one month's rent credit. A paid for a product (a clean, undamaged apartment) and I'm not longer receiving the product that I paid for.

Business

Response:

Revdex.com of Western VA, Upon notification of the leak, we responded by sending the plumbers that Mr. [redacted] references. Upon arrival, they discovered that the fire department had already been in the unit, and had discovered that there was a leak from the upstairs apartment. They worked to find the leak. They did not want to assume that it was coming from the dishwasher above, but rather investigated to determine that it was in fact from the unit above and that it was something that could be addressed on a permanent basis. They ACTUALLY found that it was not coming from the dishwasher directly above, as the fire department had thought, but rather a neighboring apartment's dishwasher. The hole that was cut in the drywall was only large enough for the plumber to fit his head through (2 ft. x 1 ft.) to determine what to do. Before cutting the hole, the plumber tried to do everything possible to avoid doing so, based upon the inconvenience it would cause. In reference to the sheet, the plumbers asked if there was an old throw or towel or sheet that could be put down to contain any small amount of debris that might come down while cutting the hole. The tenant gave them a blanket that he said "needed to be washed anyway" which they took and used accordingly.Based upon the response from the tenant, we determined that we needed to fix the hole ASAP. We did send our contractor, after speaking with the plumber, to patch and repair the hole.The building that this occurred in is a four-level building. Leaks that occur must be dealt with quickly so as to avoid the spread of any further damage. While I am sorry this inconvenienced the tenant, it was necessary, and my office worked hard to ensure that the time frame of the effects of the leak and the repairs that needed to be made were completed ASAP after learning of the issue.If there are further issues from the instance that need to be addressed, we are happy to address them, but after repair of the ceiling, we were unaware of anything further. Again, we worked to address and resolve the situation as quickly as possible, as stated by the tenant (we arrived same night, worked to locate and fix the problem, and followed up with a contractor the next day to patch the hole that had to be cut). The plumber did say that there was not much collateral dust or drywall that came down, and that they were very careful to cut, remove, and hand down all drywall so as to contain any dust as best as possible. The plumber also let our office know that the tenant complained throughout the repair night that he was going to get a month's rent out of this problem and that "he had the pull to get it".We believe that we followed company policy in addressing the issue and that it has been resolved. I would be happy to speak with the tenant if he wishes to do sdo, but I have not had the opportunity to do so before receiving this complaint.Thanks for your time, and please let me know if I can provide any other information for you to resolve this issue and complaint.Paul Riner, OwnerRiner Rentals

I rented an apartment through riner rentals for two years and it was the worst company I've ever rented from. I've rented several apartments in UT and VA. They communicate very poorly with tenants when systems change for billing and then penalize good, hardworking people because of their poor systems and procedures - this problem took over a year to solve. Just as an example of their poor service, I just moved out and about a week after my keys had been turned in and moved out procedures had been completed, I received an email indicating my rent was late and that a late fee was being applied to my account. Mystery to me, as I hadn't signed a lease and am no longer renting with this company. Also, I found a saw and baseboard in one bathroom when I moved in - had to finish installing it myself. Very sketchy maintenance was done on the apartment before I moved in and I found that I fill more holes in the wall than the previous tenants/painters did before I moved in. Just a lot of poor qualities about this company and I just don't think the service they provide is worth the money - keep looking my friend!

Review: The business has not refunded my security deposit after vacating tenancy at the end of my lease. They are claiming cleaning and damage charges which are false. There was no damage done to the unit and it was thoroughly cleaned before I moved out. Moreover, upon the beginning of my lease, the apartment had been left dirty and damaged by the previous tenant to the point that I was unable to move in until two weeks after my lease began. At that time, after several calls and complaints, the carpet was cleaned but no other cleaning, painting, or repairs were done. I do not understand how this business can levy damage charges against me when no inspection or repair work was done between the tenancy of the previous occupant and myself.Desired Settlement: I believe I an entitled to a full refund of my security deposit, as the unit was left in better condition than it had been at the start of my lease. So far, the business has refunded only $39.22 of the $400 total amount.

Business

Response:

[redacted] and Revdex.com of Western VA,I have received and reviewed Mr. [redacted] complaint concerning his deposit from [redacted] during his tenancy last year.The itemized list of deductions are as follows:1. Pro-rated rent due: $130.002. Touch Up Painting Charge: $50.003. Cost of Paint: $15.784. Unit prep and repairs: $49.005. Carpet Cleaning: $106.00 (taken automatically per signed lease agreement)6. Cleaning charge: $140.00There was extensive cat hair left everywhere in the apartment, and damage from the cat or cats that were there. This was an UNAUTHORIZED pet. Upon showing the unit, one of my property managers noted a litter box. As evidenced by the pictures, there was cleaning to be done throughout, but especially in the bathroom and one bedroom where there were bugs and dirt in one corner of the room.The touch paint was needed because the holes in the walls exceeded the amount allowed in the lease agreement, and they were not spackled or painted. There were also black marks on the wall where it looks like the bed had been set up.The repairs needed included a broken sink stopper in the bathroom.Carpet cleaning is a charge that is taken from the security deposit in all leases, and can be found in both the lease agreement and the Rules and Regulations agreement (also a part of the lease).Mr. [redacted] lease agreement was to end at the end of August. When he requested that we attempt to find someone who could move in earlier, we were able to do so (again, at his request). The pro-rated rent is for the partial month he owed before moving out, as agreed to in an "Early Turn Addendum" in the amount of $130.00.I am also attaching pictures for your review. Please let me know if you have any further questions concerning this issue.Thanks,Paul Riner

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response offer 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.

1. Regarding the pro-rated rent charge for August: I paid this rent via separate check (of which my bank can provide proof), so this amount should not have also been deducted from my deposit.2, 3, & 4. Regarding the painting and "repairs": The unit had not been painted between my tenancy and that of the previous tenant, so I cannot be held accountable for this repainting of marks which were already there, and which is made note of on my move-in checklist, signed by a representative of Riner Rentals, attached below for review.5. Regarding carpet cleaning: I do not object to a carpet cleaning charge, but it is stated in my lease as 95$, not 106$.6. Regarding cleaning charge: As also evidenced on the attached move-in checklist, the apartment was very dirty when I moved in and was not cleaned by the company, but by me. I also spent two days cleaning the apartment before moving, and the photos of some cat hair on the carpet (covered by the carpet-cleaning charge), or the lime ring in the toilet bowl (present when I moved in and caused by the hard water in the apartment), do not necessitate any "cleaning charge", let alone one of 140$.Additionally, this was NOT an unauthorized pet. The reason I chose this apartment was the pet policy, which I discussed with [redacted] in the office extensively before signing my lease. I even remember asking her about other apartments advertised, but she was quick to say which ones "absolutely" did not allow pets. If she is an honest person she can confirm this conversation. If any "bugs" were to be found in the apartment, they were in a part of the apartment unused by me (this is a shared-entry unit) and were not noticed by me any time during my stay. Their presence, though, if true, should speak more to the landlord's pest-control responsibility than to the refunding of my security deposit.Let me reiterate, this apartment was filthy and damaged upon my moving in, as can be proven by the attached move-in checklist (signed by a company representative). It was turned back over to them in much better condition than when it was taken, and the landlord has no legal basis for withholding the refund of my deposit. If this complaint cannot be resolved through this Revdex.com complaint forum then I will have to look into other means of reclaiming this money which is unlawfully being withheld from me.

Regards,

Business

Response:

[redacted] and Revdex.com of Western Virginia,Please see my responses below:1. If [redacted] will provide a copy of the check used to make this payment, then we can discuss the pro-rated rent. We do not see this in our records, per the document we sent in the first email.2,3,4: I see [redacted]'s response to the painting charges, but nothing concerning the repairs that needed to be made. I will review his move in inspection sheet to determine if any painting still remains his responsibility. I will assume that he understands that the other items are his responsibility as noted.5. There is not a specific price notated with carpet cleaning; instead, it is at market price. This can be found in the signed lease agreement and in the "Vacating Checklist" which does not give a specific price for this service.6. [redacted] never signed a pet addendum NO paid a pet deposit, both of which are required, even when a pet is allowed on the premises. His signed lease states that pets are NOT allowed without these items, but they were never completed. I think that you will agree by the pictures of the cat hair throughout the apartment, as well as the uncleanliness on other floors, bathrooms, and areas of the apartment that the $140 cleaning charge is certainly justified as provided previously.Thank you again for your time,Paul RinerRiner Rentals

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response offer 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.

Here is a copy of the cashed rent check, made out to Riner Rentals and specifying that it is for the final rent payment in the memo line, taken from my bank statement showing a debit for this check. I do not accept responsibility for any painting or repairs which were the result of the previous tenant. A look at my move-in checklist, signed by a Riner Rentals office representative, will show that this apartment was dirty, damaged, and in need of painting when I moved in. You have this checklist in your records, I'm sure, and one was attached to my last response for your reference. Regarding the pet lease, I had assumed that since I had made it very clear to the office when I negotiated the lease that I did indeed have a pet, any paperwork necessary for the pet would have been given to me by the staff. I cannot be responsible for the negligence of your staff in this matter (just one of many examples of their carelessness and negligence that I have had to deal with since day one).

Regards,

Business

Response:

[redacted] and Revdex.com of Western VA,Please see the attachment for explanation. It states the following:1. The $130.00 payment for rent was collected and applied to the account. This did not affect your security deposit refund in any way. You can see this highlighted on the transaction listing.2. The total of the remaining bills and the final refund is $400, equal to your initial deposit amount.3. After review of the Move In Inspection sheet, I am willing to refund the $50.00 paint charge and $15.78 cost of paint. I still believe you owe this amount, but am willing to refund this if it will alleviate this situation.4. The carpet cleaning, cleaning, and repair charges will stand for the reasons mentioned previously. The signed lease agreement states that NO pets are allowed, unless there is a deposit paid and pet addendum filled out and kept on file. Pets ARE allowed at the property, as you state, but there are requirements in order for them to be there.Please let me know if this will resolve the complaint, and I will issue a check for painting and cost of paint directly to [redacted].Thanks,Paul Riner

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response offer 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 do not think this offer is a fair solution. I object to the separate charges for "cleaning" and "carpet cleaning", as I know there was nothing in that apartment to clean when I moved out except for the carpets. I also object to the charge for "repairs", which is to cover repairs for things that were already damaged when I moved in. Again, I will state that no cleaning, painting, or repairs were done between the moving out of the previous tenant and me moving in.

Regards,

Review: In July of 2014, I signed a contract with this company to handle my rental property located at [redacted] I located the people who are currently renting the property and let Riner Rentals know about the prospective tenants. They moved in October 2014. For 5 out of the 6 months, Riner has made a mistake on my statement/bill. They have not responded to my emails about the last billing error. Some months they post dated the refund checks so I had to wait to deposit them. This has been a horrible experience and I want to cancel my contract with them as soon as I can get out of it.Desired Settlement: Send me a refund check (not post dated) and allow me to end my contract as soon as it expires.

Business

Response:

I just sent the below email to Ms. [redacted] concerning her complaint. I figured it was easier to simply copy and paste that response to you as well so that you knew exactly what was contained. I am awaiting response from Ms. [redacted] in order to proceed accordingly.Please so not hesitate to contact me with further questions, and I will be sure to let your organization know if and when resolution is reached. I have also copied her on this email.Thanks,Paul RinerOwner, Riner Rentals[redacted],The $150 painting was work that was done upon move in that had not yet been paid to the contractor. The invoice did not make it to our office, and that is the reason for the late payment of it. It was for painting in the downstairs of the townhouse. The $100 previously charged was for painting of the upstairs back bedroom. The total cost of painting done was $250.We do owe you $85.76 for the paint that was charged incorrectly and $65.00 for the dryer vent. I do not know what someone was sent again to check in the dryer vent, after it was discovered to be clogged the first time we checked it. [redacted] was supposed to refund the $85.76 painting charge to you with December's bill (an email was sent to you concerning this) and she did not follow through. I will address this with her and sincerely apologize that this refund has not yet been processed and paid to you.I note that a total of $150.76 is due to you immediately.Please let me know that this makes sense and I will put the check in the mail directly.As far as your current management contract (per your BB complaint), I am happy to release you from it at any time if you would like for me to do so. I will need to have you sign a management termination agreement, and I will also need to get you the tenant's security deposit, which you will be responsible for once the contract is terminated.Please let me know that you have received this email and how you would like to proceed to resolve the issues you are having as quickly as possible.Thanks,Paul Riner

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response offer 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.

On Mon, Mar 23, 2015 at 11:43 PM, [redacted]@yahoo.com> wrote:Again, another wrong statement.....only one month has been correct....totally unacceptable.There was no painting at $150 done nor a dryer vent unclogged $65 again. I contacted the tenant to verify this. I expect a check immediately..and not a post dated one.I will be coming in Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning to sign a termination of contract.I am still awaiting a resolution of the painting bill. It is very wrong to be billed months and months later for something not discussed by the painter and I.

Regards,

Business

Response:

I have contacted [redacted] with [redacted] painting concerning the discrepancy you are referencing. I did not know that you had a private arrangement with him for payment of touch up paint. As soon as I am able to speak with him, I will have a better idea of how we can proceed and solve these issues. I have asked for him to provide detail on the three separate painting invoices so that we may both better understand why the outstanding $150 balance was not discussed with you. Thanks for your patience while I do so. I will be sure to contact you immediately upon retrieving this information directly from the contractor.Paul RinerRiner Rentals

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted] and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.

They have released me from my contract and refunded me the amount in question.

Regards,

Review: Through our rental agency, Riner Rentals, we have made numerous grievances and complaints about the house that we (my two roommates and I) rent. We made our first complaint in August about the windows not being in place. A window would later fall on one of the tenants computers, breaking it, just because it was out of place and would not open/shut correctly. We made several calls in September about other problems (we have the phone records that will show it), but nothing was done. On October 4th, I sent an email to Riner Rentals with a list of problems, and told them that we refused to pay rent until the problems were addressed. The problems were as such: The bathroom floor was rotted and caved in, making the bathroom unusable; the front door lock was broken, with a key stuck in the lock; multiple windows are out of place; the vent constantly blows (as it's broken), but because we don't have natural gas at the moment, cold air constantly blows (not that heated air would be better or worse, we just don't like air constantly blowing from a broken unit); the sink in the kitchen leaks (we've duct taped the leak); the washing machine has issues (issues with the sensor and with only using hot water); and today (10/18/15), a pipe in the downstairs bathroom burst, flooding the bathroom floor (the same thing happened over the summer with a different pipe in the same bathroom).The owner of Riner Rentals personally fixed the front door lock, and the owner of the house replaced the caved in bathroom floor, but then none of the other problems were addressed and the owner never came back to the house. I called Riner on 10/13/15 to say as much, and was told that the owner had other problems in other houses that needed to be fixed.Desired Settlement: We'd like the vent/unit fixed so that air isn't constantly blowing, only when we turn it on. We'd like the windows that need to be replaced, replaced. We'd like the pipes inspected and completely fixed so that we don't have to keep dealing with them bursting. We'd like the leak under the kitchen sink fixed. We'd like the washing machine looked at.

Business

Response:

Revdex.com of Western VA and [redacted],We have received your complaint and have taken the following steps to address the issues you outline:1. We met in person this morning with the property owner, who handles their own maintenance work. They assured us that they would address the issues on the list (some of it may already be done).2. The owner asked that the tenants set up natural gas service. He believes that this may be the issue with the furnace, as it is trying to set at a temperature, but is unable to do so because there is not gas to drive the temperature.3. I was the person who personally went to the address to fix the lock that was broken. The key had turned but gotten stuck in the lock, and we were able to get it taken care of and back onto the house the same day.4. The owner of the property has a contractual agreement with Riner Rentals that states they will do all maintenance work on their own, without Riner Rentals sending any contractors to their properties. We must honor this agreement with them, but have sent, re-sent, and followed up with the owner concerning [redacted] and his roommates' concerns each time they have followed up. We have also met twice now in person with the property owner to ensure that they are aware that the issues still persist.I hope that after today's meeting, the issues in question, except for the set up of gas service which the owner hopes will solve the furnace issues, have been or are currently being taken care of for the tenants.Thanks,Paul RinerRiner Rentals

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.Thank you for the follow-up. Let us first say that Riner is doing a great job handling the back-and-forth. As for the list that Paul Riner sent:1) A handyman and the owner have been by in the past few days. When it comes to the remaining problems, the ones left are that the downstairs bathroom floor is still damp from when the pipe burst on 10/18/15. The handyman said that he may have to bring over a de-humidifier. We don't want to use the bathroom as the floor was just replaced about two weeks ago and is now damp again (it was replaced because the floor had rotted and was caving in when you stepped on it) and we don't want to fall through or cause any damage. The only other problem is the kitchen sink, where we still have duct tape covering up a leak. The handyman said he couldn't find a hole when he shined his flashlight down the drain, so we don't know why there is a leak, but it still exists.2) We are getting natural gas tomorrow. The owner also came by and explained the thermostat so that we could understand it better and it hasn't been a problem since.3) Paul Riner did fix the lock, and the day we complained about it.4) We hope that the downstairs bathroom and kitchen sink problems will be solved as that's all that's left. We're thankful to Riner for helping us out since we can't talk to the owner directly and to the owner for now doing something. We see this whole thing as being resolved soon.Thank you for your help,[redacted]

Review: We were charged a cleaning fee, $85, when the unit was returned in sparkling condition, much better than when we moved in.

We were charged an ambiguous "Unit prep fee", $101.03 that even when explained by your manager, [redacted], via phone does not make sense and is not mentioned in the lease.Desired Settlement: These fees are ludicrous and loosely worded. A cleaning fee would have been expected if not for the fact that the place was scrubbed top to bottom. The unit prep fee is a scam if EVER I saw one.

Business

Response:

[redacted],I am happy to explain the charges received by the previous tenants and complainant.1. $85 cleaning charge was based upon pictures taken showing that there were some walls, a shower floor, a stove vent, top, and inside, and floors in the townhouse that needed to be cleaned.2. The $101.03 PREP charge included a broken mini blind that needed to be replaced, and some vertical hanging blinds on the backdoor that needed to be replaced. It also included the hauling away of items left by the tenant in and around the property, including the back deck.Please let me know if you have further questions about the charges. I am happy to provide pictures or a copy of the invoices if needed.Thanks,[redacted] RinerRiner Rentals

Review: My wife and I rented a residence at [redacted], from Jan. 7, 2014, to July 31, 2014. The rental property is managed by Riner Rentals in [redacted]. We paid a security deposit of $595 before we moved in. Riner Rentals refunded us $211.14 on Sept. 24, 2014, and kept the balance of $383.86, claiming that we caused damages at the residence.In an e-mail correspondence on Oct. 6, 2014, we asked Riner Rentals to send us evidence of the damages that we allegedly caused, as well as evidence of the condition of the residence prior to the start of our lease agreement. On Oct. 9, 2014, [redacted], Associate Broker with Riner Rentals, sent us photos showing all of the problems and receipts of payment for repairs, but refused send us the evidence they used to ascertain that we had actually caused the damages. We acknowledge that the residence was in need of repairs, including painting and cleaning, but we contend that those repairs were necessary prior to the start of our lease agreement. We reminded Riner Rentals on Oct. 12, 2014, to send us the additional information that we had requested, but we have not received a response as of Oct. 19, 2014. In effect, Riner Rentals is unlawfully requiring us to demonstrate our innocence, when, in fact, Riner Rentals has a duty and obligation to prove that we are guilty. The Revdex.com should condemn and not condone this behavior by Riner Rentals.Riner Rentals has established and continues to foster a culture of shady practices, whereby it violates the rights of unsuspecting renters. Current and future tenants of Riner Rentals should not be subjected to the same situation. We are asking the Revdex.com to intervene in this matter, as we are trying to avoid litigation.Desired Settlement: As mentioned previously, we paid a security deposit of $595, prior to moving in to the residence on Jan. 7, 2014. Riner Rentals refunded us $211.14 on Sept. 24, 2014, but has refused to give us the remaining $383.86. We are seeking a full refund of the balance of our security deposit, in the amount of $383.86.

Business

Response:

We are happy to respond to the complaint asserted by the tenant at [redacted] between 1/7/14 and 7/31/14. Please see an itemized response to the complaint below and do not hesitate to contact me directly with any follow up questions or to clarify any items further.

1. The tenant did in face pay a security deposit of $595, which was held in an escrow account until the termination of their lease agreement as required by the VRLTA.

2. The tenant states that we have not sent the information necessary to ascertain that the damage and cleaning that was done was their responsibility. The residence was cleaned prior to the tenants' move in at the property, and the cleaning items that we addressed after their move out were the direct result of a move out inspection. These photos and the repair bills for such items were sent to the tenants, as he notes, after his request.

3. Please see the attached "Vacating Checklist" that was signed as a part of the original lease agreement. In it, you will find that it states Under Number 4, in capital and bold letters that the carpets will be cleaned at the tenant's expense at the conclusion of the lease term. You will also find that under section 9, "Kitchen", it states that drip pans and the surface under stove elements must be free of dirt and spills.

4. As far as the $25.00 mowing charge, please note that the home is a single family home in a residential neighborhood. There is no HOA, POA, or other organization that the tenant could have assumed or concluded would be maintaining their yard space. Per the VRLTA (Code Section 55-248.4 "Definitions):

"Premises" means a dwelling unit and the structure of which it is a part and facilities and appurtenances therein AND GROUNDS (emphasis added), areas, and facilities held out for the use of the tenants generally or whose use is promised to the tenant.

Also under the VRLTA (Code Section 55-225.4 "Tenant to maintain dwelling unit"):

2. Keep that part of the PREMISES (emphasis added) that he occupies and uses as clean and safe as the condition of the premises permit;

The yard maintenance is the tenants' responsibility. Our office never agreed to maintain the yard, nor told the tenant that the owner would be maintaining the yard. The tenant never asked about this prior to moving into the dwelling unit and premises. Riner Rentals never represented in any way that this maintenance would be done or cost borne by Landlord or by our office as managing agent.

5. The only item in the tenant's assertion that need to be addressed by both parties is the itemized cost of painting the doors in the home. The total cost of painting done at the residence after move out was $140.00. The tenant was only charged $65.00 that we believe they owed, and the Landlord paid the remaining balance of the painting because it was not the tenants responsibility. We are only deducting the small portion of the total painting job that we believe to be the tenant's responsibility. We have requested that the tenant provide us with either a copy of their move in checklist (our office has record that it was signed out of our office, but that it was not returned to our office by the tenant within 72 hours as required by rule. I am attaching confirmation that the form was given to the tenant as stated above. If indeed the tenant can provide proof that the doors were in need of the painting that was done prior to their move in, we are happy to discuss reimbursement of this $65.00 charge, as outlined in the tenant's security deposit disposition. We have requested this information by email on several occasions, but have not received assistance or a reply from the tenant. I am attaching such emails to this response for your office's review.

6. As noted by the tenant. Riner Rentals has provided everything that the tenant has asked our office for including pictures, documentation, invoices, and has attempted to answer all questions that the tenants have had concerning their security deposit disposition. You can see that this is indeed the case in tenant's complaint. Riner Rentals contends that the cleaning, painting, and other work that was done was indeed the responsibility of the tenant as outlined in the leasing documents, signed by both parties prior to the start of the lease agreement. The tenant at no time requested clarification or more information concerning any of the lease provisions. I am attaching a copy of the signed lease agreement per your review as well.

We hope that you will read through the attached documents as well as the above justification for our company's actions in this specific security deposit disposition. We believe that the refund was fair, well-documented, and very much in line with what is expected per the lease agreement, rules and regulations, and Virginia Residential Landord Tenant Act (VRLTA) which governs the tenant/landlord relationship in the state of Virginia. Thank you for your time, and please let me know at any time if you have further follow up questions or would like for me to provide anything further to your office.

Riner Rentals

Consumer

Response:

We have reviewed the response offer 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 we reviewed appear below. Riner Rentals does a very nice job of documenting the condition of the residence after we moved out. We don't contest that there were problems in the residence upon the end of our lease agreement. But we maintain that we did not cause any of the damages. A security deposit is supposed to be used to make repairs caused by the tenant. It does not serve as a free opportunity to use the funds to renovate the building and property. For the third time, we are requesting to see evidence of the condition of the residence prior to our lease agreement to establish the pre-existing problems and show that we are responsible for the damages. For some reason, Riner Rentals is having a hard time understanding what we are demanding. We want to see copies of any photos or receipts of carpet cleaning, painting, and other repairs after the previous tenant moved out and before we moved in.

We repeat our contention that we are not responsible for the damages that Riner Rentals claims we caused. Riner Rentals points out that we were only charged for $65 of the $140 total amount for painting. How was Riner Rentals able to determine that we are only responsible for that amount? There must be some reasoning to explain why they decided to only charge us $65 for the painting. We want Riner Rentals to please produce this evidence. We are also arguing that we are not responsible for the $25 mowing fee. The lease agreement does not state who is responsible for mowing the lawn. The section on general maintenance in the lease only refers to replacing light bulbs and heating/air conditioning ventilation filters. (Please read e-mail messages below for more information.) We have also asked Riner Rentals to explain to us the purpose of the $85 property cleaning fee, which is vaguely mentioned on one receipt, but we have not received a response. We want to know if this property cleaning was associated with the lawn.

Finally, we want to add that it is interesting that Riner Rentals has mysteriously (or conveniently?) lost or misplaced our move-in checklist, the only evidence that might help to demonstrate our innocence in this case. We are offended by Riner Rentals' suggestion that we did not submit a move-in checklist in January. Not only did we submit our move-in checklist, but Riner Rentals sent us an e-mail on Feb. 18 advising us that they would be repairing a window and screen, citing the presence of the problem on our move-in checklist. We reminded Riner Rentals of this correspondence on Oct. 1, but they did not respond to us. (Please see a copy of the e-mails below.) How is it possible for Riner Rentals to refer to our move-in checklist in this e-mail message, if they don't have any record of receiving it?

We appreciate the Revdex.com's interest in this matter, as Riner Rentals is committing a travesty of justice.

Regards,

On Wednesday, October 1, 2014 6:47 PM, [redacted] <[redacted]

Riner Rentals,

You should have our move-in checklist in your records. In fact, one of your staff referred to our move-in checklist in an e-mail message sent to us on Feb. 18, stating that the window and screen would be fixed in the spring, although that work was never actually done. Please see message below for more information.

--[redacted]

On Tuesday, February 18, 2014 10:12 AM, [redacted]

Re: window and screen work noted on move in check list

[redacted],

I wanted to let you know that we will schedule all of the window and screen work to be completed when we get closer to the spring, most likely later in March. Thank you for understanding.

Associate Broker

On Tuesday, September 30, 2014 3:37 PM, Riner Rentals

[redacted],

I was looking through your file looking for your move in checklist, and also looked in our digital file. I have found where you signed a blank one and received a move in report, however there doesn't appear to be a completed one returned to our office. In order to review your charges, I would need you to either send a copy of your move in report, or forward your move in pictures. We have move out pictures. Feel free to email the photos you indicated having and we'll see what we can do about the charges. Thanks.

On Tue, Sep 30, 2014 at 2:04 PM, [redacted]

Riner Rentals,

Our attorney advised us to try to resolve this matter with you directly in order to avoid litigation. Once this case is filed in court, then our attorney would officially start representing us. We hope to settle this matter with you without having to file a lawsuit, but we are prepared to go to court, if necessary.

Thank you.

--[redacted]

On Tuesday, September 30, 2014 1:42 PM, Riner Rentals

Please provide the name of your attorney and his contact information. We'll be happy to include him on any correspondence from this point forward.

On Fri, Sep 26, 2014 at 8:12 PM, [redacted] wrote:

Riner Rentals,

Thank you for your reply. Our attorney advises we have a strong case, based on our move-in and move-out photos, the documented problems on our move-in checklist, and other evidence, as well as potential witness testimony. Ultimately, it would be up to a judge to determine who is right and who is wrong, in consideration of all the evidence, assuming that you have photos of the alleged damage. In any event, we look forward to receiving your response, after you speak with Mr. Riner, in order to resolve this situation. Otherwise, we will see you in court.

Regards,

On Friday, September 26, 2014 3:23 PM, Riner Rentals wrote:

[redacted],

I will review everything with Mr. Riner and try to get back with you early next week.

On Wed, Sep 24, 2014 at 7:10 PM, [redacted]

Riner Rentals,

Today, we received your check for $211.14 for a refund of a portion of our security deposit. We do not agree with several of the amounts that you deducted from our security deposit. I do not understand how you can charge us $25 for a mowing fee. As you may recall from previous correspondence, we made clear to you that our lease agreement does not state that the tenant is responsible for mowing the lawn. We also take issue with other charges, totaling $358.86, for painting, cleaning and repairs. We contend that we did not damage any items in the residence, and we have evidence in the form of photos to prove our case. If you do not refund us the balance of our security deposit within 10 days, please be aware that we intend to pursue other options to remedy this situation.

Sincerely,

On Monday, September 22, 2014 10:15 AM, Riner Rentals wrote:

[redacted],

I am showing a check was sent to you on September 11th. I will cut you a new check as the one listed appears to have been mailed to your old address. It has not come back, but we will take our chances. I will get that taken care of today.

On Sat, Sep 20, 2014 at 11:24 PM, [redacted] wrote:

Riner Rentals,

As you know, our lease ended July 31, and the law requires landlords to return security deposits (or send an itemized listing) within 45 days. (Please see VRLTA Section 55-248.15:1 below.) On July 27 we had requested that you mail our security deposit to our new address in [redacted]. According to our records, you acknowledged receiving that message on July 28. As of today's date, Sept. 20, we still have not received our security deposit (and/or an itemized listing) from you. Please inform us of the status of returning our security deposit.

Kind regards,

§ 55-248.15:1. Security deposits.

A. A landlord may not demand or receive a security deposit, however denominated, in an amount or value in excess of two months' periodic rent. Upon termination of the tenancy, such security deposit, whether it is property or money held by the landlord as security as hereinafter provided may be applied solely by the landlord (i) to the payment of accrued rent and including the reasonable charges for late payment of rent specified in the rental agreement; (ii) to the payment of the amount of damages which the landlord has suffered by reason of the tenant's noncompliance with § 55-248.16, less reasonable wear and tear; or (iii) to other damages or charges as provided in the rental agreement. The security deposit and any deductions, damages and charges shall be itemized by the landlord in a written notice given to the tenant, together with any amount due the tenant within 45 days after termination of the tenancy and delivery of possession.

On Monday, July 28, 2014 2:07 PM, Riner Rentals wrote:

[redacted],

I have read and am familiar with the circumstances of your residency with regard to mowing the yard. Based on this situation, we do intend to be very specific with future tenants for any location that requires mowing be done by the tenant. I have no idea what former tenants have done with their mower, however, they have taken care of it without needing our assistance. The same holds true for the tenant in the house up from [redacted]. The mowing charges will be deducted from the deposit. Hopefully, the only other charge will be for the carpet cleaning which is clearly defined in the lease agreement. Your refund and a report of any deductions will be sent to your new address of record between 30 to 45 days from your lease end date as permitted by law. Thank you.

On Sun, Jul 27, 2014 at 8:09 PM, [redacted] wrote:

Riner Rentals

July 27, 2014

This letter is to inform you that we have moved out of the residence at [redacted] We have cleaned the house and it is now in better condition than it was when we moved in on Jan. 8, 2014, as you will note from the long list of problems that we documented on our move-in checklist nearly six months ago. We have taken dated-photos depicting both before and after, as evidence of the condition of the house. The keys will be mailed to you tomorrow, and you should receive them in a couple of days.

We anticipate receiving our entire security deposit from you soon. In previous correspondence, you indicated that you intended to bill us for the cost to mow the lawn on May 28 and June 27. As of today's date, we have not received any bills from you.

As I informed you in an e-mail on May 23, it is my position that we are not responsible for cutting the grass because the lease agreement does not say anything about this responsibility. For the record, as I have pointed out, the house does not feature a safe and secure place to store a lawnmower and the associated gasoline. In any event, as a courtesy, I offered to help mow the grass in late May, and I asked you to advise me of how to remedy the lawn situation, but you did not respond to me until AFTER you had hired a lawn service provider to cut it.

On May 28, [redacted] sent me an e-mail saying he apologized for the delayed response to my e-mail and for the uncertainty surrounding lawn care. He adds, "You are responsible for mowing the grass. It falls within the Maintenance and Repair section of your lease (page 5). I'm not sure where previous tenants stored their lawnmowers. The owner did receive a complaint about the grass from the city so we had to hire a lawn service provider to cut it. You will be billed for this service on next months rent. If you have any questions, please give us a call at [redacted]

Then, in an e-mail to me on June 2, [redacted] apologized for the confusion, and she adds that "Lawncare is not listed on the lease due to the fact that only a few of the properties provide this service for the tenants. Sorry that this seemed to be misleading to you, however if the service is provided we do let the tenants know this up front."

With all due respect, it would make a lot more sense if you would follow the opposite approach. That is, it would be better to tell the tenants what they are responsible for, as opposed to what they are NOT responsible for.

Anyway, I have read the lease agreement again, and I noticed that the section on maintenance does not mention anything about lawn care, or even landscaping in general. I will point out to you that the only maintenance items on the lease that are specifically listed as the responsibility of the tenant include changing light bulbs and heating/air conditioning filters.

Subsequently, on June 26, Riner Rentals sent me an e-mail saying that you were planning to hire a contractor to mow the lawn within 24 hours at my expense. I asked you to please give me a little more time so that I could fix the problem that coming weekend, but you refused to give me more time. You see, I work a full-time job and I don't have any free time during the weekdays. At that time, I still didn't think it was fair for you to be expecting me to mow the lawn, but I wanted to try to be helpful, as a courtesy.

I have since spoken with a lawyer and he agrees that based on his interpretation of the language in the lease agreement, we (the tenants) are not responsible for mowing the lawn. Please be aware that if you deduct the cost of lawn mowing from our security deposit, then we plan to pursue legal action against Riner Rentals.

I will point out to you that the [redacted] says, "Between April 1st and November 1st of each year, every owner of real estate in the City shall, at their own expense, cut and maintain grass, weeds and foreign growth from their property."

Another City Code Section worth mentioning here is Section 6-2-6 (please see this link) [redacted], which specifies that "The owner of such premises shall be the person in whose name the premises appears on the land records in the office of the clerk of the circuit court of Rockingham County, Virginia, and the fact that such premises are rented or leased by the owner to another person shall not relieve the owner from responsibility hereunder."

In closing, I will remind you that the lease agreement is unclear and misleading with respect to lawn care. You might consider clarifying it for future renters. If I had know that lawn mowing was required to be done by me, then I would not have signed the lease agreement.

Please send our deposit to us at the following mailing address:

Business

Response:

To Whom it may concern,

We believe that our previous email addressed the carpet cleaning charge (written as a part of the lease) and the prep items (stove pans, light bulbs, etc.) also written into the lease agreement that was signed by both parties.

I am willing to concede the $65 painting for the doors of the property. It is unfortunate that the tenants will not also share the pictures they claim to have even after we have shared all documents, lease paperwork, pictures, and invoices that they have requested of us. But if $65 will solve this problem, I'm happy to pay that amount to the tenants.

I am also attaching the invoices for work done at the property prior to the tenants' move in. I believe this will show that the work was done before their move in, showing that it needed to be done again per the lease agreement after they moved out.

I hope that this additional documentation will suffice to show that we have provided every bit of information that we can to resolve this issue with the tenant. The work was done mid- October of 2013. The residence was unoccupied until Mr. [redacted] moved in in January 2014. I think that if you review what was done, it is itemized and thorough to show the condition of the property as Mr. [redacted] has requested.

Thanks for your time, and please let me know if you have follow up questions about any of the new documentation we are attaching.

Riner Rentals

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response offer 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.

We were unable to view any of the new attachments. Riner Rentals may have uploaded the attachments, but we don't have access to them via their message. Please try again.

We are inclined to negotiate a settlement with Riner Rentals, and we thank [redacted] for his offer, but we want the opportunity to review the additional documentation, first.

Regards,

Consumer

Response:

We have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to us. We will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.

We are not able to read the faded writing on one of the receipts, but we are willing to resolve this dispute with the proposed settlement of $65 from Riner Rentals. Please send the check for $65 to our address of record in [redacted]

We appreciate the help from the Revdex.com in this matter.

Regards,