Suson Pines Apartments

To Whom It May Concern,Ms [redacted] is complaining regarding centipeds & spiders in her apartment home, and stated we rescheduled pest control and they never came in June & July We have attached the report from our pest control services and Ms [redacted] 's apartment was treated on June 15th and again on July Ms [redacted] stated her toilet doesn't work and wants to know why we haven't fixed this issues We have attached work orders she has called in since she moved in none of her reported work orders state issues with a toilet including the most recent ticket regarding her A/C reported on June 3, If Ms [redacted] would like to contact our office directly to report maintenance issues or pest control she can contact us at [redacted] or stop by the office during working hours, there is also an online work order system for our residents.Please let us know if you have any further questions.Sincerely, [redacted] Suson Pines

Please see attached documents regarding failure to be able to enter her apartment, and incidents involving police Susan Wohanka had repeatedly denied us access to her apartment and ignored our requests for her to move She is currently at the attorney for failure to pay rent She is also being sought at this time by the Jefferson County Sheriff department for passing bad checks

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 10, 2016/02/09) */
It looks like this matter is resolvedBoth residents have signed off on an acknowledgement and release about this issueWe gave them compensation and provided them housing in our corporate suite while the repairs were being madeWe replaced
carpet pad and carpet was treated, replaced the drywall and walls were painted as well
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 12, 2016/02/09) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)

Complaint: ***
I am rejecting this response because: This is not the full story and they have not rectified the situation correctly and selectively left out the fact that there is in fact sewage residue in my kitchens (which the property manager saw for herself), the baseboards were still wet and peeling, water damage in closets were present and baseboards in one closet are falling off and smell terribleThe floors are in fact dry but the baseboards and bottoms of cabinets in the kitchen and bathroom are still wet and squishing downThe one is the kitchen smells bad as well, which is primarily where the sewage back up was as this is right next to the utilty closet where the backup beganThe cleaning they are scheduled to have done they describe as "beyond process" and are expecting me to be grateful- this should be standard and I feel bad for those residents they are not doing this for as this leaves room for viruses and bacteria to be contaminatedThey did not properly work to fix water damage to walls or baseboards or cabinets which is why there is now water damage in closets on the lower walls, the baseboards are peeling nad the bottom of the kitchen cabinet and bathroom cabinet are wet. They are also not taking responsibility for how they handled my personal property and that they piled wet stuff on top of each other on the laminate floor, the couch and my bedUnfortunately for them, this is where the sewage backed up to and it would be the right thing for them to take responsibility for damage They also have repeatedly told me this apartment is liveable, however with known water damage, baseboards still appeared moist and visible water damage with water damage to bottom cabinets, (especially in the kitchen as I know this came partially from sewage water), as well as sewage remains in the kitchen, I will not stay and breath and eat in this apartment and it is horrendous that they expect anyone to live in here and have not taken their own initiative to fix these issues; I have had to push and fight to get the cleaning they are so proudly talking a bout set up and this is not being provided to all residents on a regular basis which is a poor way to handle sewage back upsAs the property manager has told me this happens "all the time" this is terrible that this is how this company chooses to handle sanitation issues in peoples homes.The company should have properly handled the original water damage to cabinets and properly cut holes in drywall to dry behind the walls as the flooding occurred while no one was present and they are unsure of how long they were wet throughoutBecause they did not, there is noticeable water damage in closets and baseboards are peeling, which is likely due to water seeping in to walls and not being done properlyNow the fans/humidifiers are gone, the water damage remains and the baseboards are still peelingThey did not assess damages and fix them readily, which is irresponsible and incomplete workFor a company who says "this happens all the time" this should be standard routine work process, however their standard is incomplete cleaning, cheap fixes and leaving wet baseboards, sewage remains on the groundThey should know to check and look for these issues and fix immediatelyI have had to push hard for this standard work to be doneAll the while, this is considered sanitary and liveableThis is unacceptable standards by a large company who provides housing to hundreds/thousands of families who is looking to do the least amount of work and hope no one points out where they cut corners and leave items incomplete.I am insisting on being released from this lease and refunded this months rent prorated from jan through the remainder of the month as is has not been liveable yet they continue to try to tell me I can stay there, and I have had to spend time fighting them for every bit of standard cleaning that should have been doneI do not trust this company to properly handle creating a safe living environment and do no wish to live here any longer.
Sincerely,
*** ***

Again, we are sorry for the inconvenience this unfortunate situation has caused you.  However, we have gone above and beyond in rectifying this situation.  There was no water left standing in your apartment for any longer than an hour.  My maintenance for both the burst pipe and the sewer backup were there within 30 minutes.  Fortunately, when your pipe burst other residents were home and able to report it.  Due to the quick action of maintenance they were able to pick up the items you had laying around on your floors and put them out of the way to prevent further damage.  As with any accident whether home or apartment, personal items can be damaged with water intrusion, which is why it is important to carry proper insurance.  We used reputable vendors who specialize in these situations and were on the scene within an hour.  The carpet and extraction company measured for moisture, which was less than an inch, and then took appropriate action to prevent and mold growth.  We also had them come back and professionally clean all carpet areas, and hired professional apartment cleaners to clean your kitchen floors, under and behind every appliance and your entire bathroom to make sure there was no sewage left in your apartment and it was properly sanitized.  There was no water damage to your baseboards or walls.  We did need to cut a hole in your drywall as your apartment was the access point for the plumber to be able to clean the main sewer pipe for all other apartments.  The painter repaired the hole the next day and did a nice job on the repair.  Pictures are attached.  Per my regional manager's response to your situation, we did offer you a rent credit for the 4 days you felt your apartment was inhabitable, which was more than offered to the three other apartments who were also affected by this issue.  In my 15+ years of experience, I can say that this whole situation was handled very quickly and thoroughly.  You would be hard pressed to find another apartment community that would have done everything we did to address the situation and all in less than a week.  We did state that this happens, because it does, and it has nothing to do with the way our company runs things.  Anytime you have multiple apartments on one stack, sewer backups can occur.  We try and educate and notify our residents of what can and can't be put down drains, but unfortunately not everyone pays attention.  We also take precautions and notify our residents of what to do in extreme freezing temperatures to avoid pipe bursts.  As you should have read in your lease in section 23, page 3 under resident safety and property loss: Unless we instruct otherwise, you must for 24 hours per day during freezing weather, (1) keep the apartment heated to at least 50 degrees (2) keep cabinet and closet doors open; and (3) drip hot and cold water faucets.  We understand you were on vacation when the pipe burst, however, maintenance found none of the faucets were dripping and none of the cabinet doors were open, only your heat was set properly.  Given the fact that the temps were probably below freezing when you left and you are a ground floor apartment, we are fortunate the damage was not worse.

see attached

This resident has had seven maintenance requests since moving in last year.  The first request was not until June 2nd, 2016 in which she complained that the wheels fell off her shower doors, which we then fixed.  Her next request in June again was regarding her dishwasher not cleaning...

well, we adjusted her drain hose and replaced the motor. In September she called about grit coming from her bathtub faucet, when maintenance checked it out, it was calcium buildup in the faucet which he cleaned.  We repaired her bedroom window, which would not open on October 3rd.  In September she again reported her dishwasher not cleaning, which we then replaced.  She complained again about grit coming from tub faucet, but maintenance could not find anything wrong.  In December she reported her heat was not working, when maintenance went to her apartment her furnace was not even turned on.  She stated that it made her electric too high. When my maintenance tech (who has a heating and cooling degree) tried to explain to her how the furnace works and that it was working properly once he turned it on, she proceeded to use horrible language to him to the extent that he will not go in there anymore.  In fact, if she calls in a work order two maintenance men have to go in together.  We are not renewing her due to the problems we have had, including her jumping our pool fence when the pool was closed for cleaning and chemicals, which caused her pool access to be revoked.  Also, when she moved in she never turned in her move-in condition sheet which was her opportunity to note any problems.I have attached her service requests.

Please see attached documents regarding failure to be able to enter her apartment, and incidents involving police.  Susan Wohanka had repeatedly denied us access to her apartment and ignored our requests for her to move.  She is currently at the attorney for failure to pay rent.  She...

is also being sought at this time by the Jefferson County Sheriff department for passing bad checks.

To Who Whom It May Concern, Ms. [redacted] came applied with us on May 16, 2016.  Her application was approved on May 17, 2016 she had 72 hours to cancel and she did within her timeframe.  Please note Ms. [redacted] didn't apply over 2 months ago.  Once an application has been...

cancelled it can take anywhere from 30-60 days for a refund check. We checked with accounting again this morning (as we do NOT cut checks in our office) it is in cue to be cut.  Once the check is cut and mailed we can certainly update Ms. [redacted] with the check number and date sent.  If you have any further questions please let us know.   Thanks,

This resident had a burst pipe in her apartment on Thursday 1/4/18, it was reported to us at 7:30 AM by a neighbor, and we were in the apartment immediately working on the problem. We also had a contracted carpet cleaner come out by 10AM and extract the water.  Our residents are...

informed that during freezing temps they are responsible to keep their heat above 55 and their faucets at a slow drip.  We place signs out and send out an email at the beginning of winter.  She is on a ground floor apartment and was out of town during the extreme freezing.  The carpet company extracted all water (which was clean) and put down mildecide.  They also left blowers on in the unit to dry it out.  Unfortunately a sewer back-up did occur in our four bottom apartments on Sunday Jan 7th.  Again, maintenance was on property when it happened and was at the apartment within 15 minutes.  They called the plumber and the carpet cleaners out immediately.  The plumber cleared the line and the carpet company extracted water and sewage and sanitized heavily.  When the resident came back in town, I told her I would have her apartment professional cleaned by our carpet and the cleaning company that cleans our apartments for turns.  All repairs either have been or will be completed by the end of the week.  The blowers and de-humidifiers were removed today as all floors are dry.  I (the property manager) walked the apartment today and found no smell or any signs of mildew.  Given the quickness with which we responded and dried the apartment, it is unlikely that there will be any mildew or mold growth.  I also informed the resident that the cleaning company would be in on Thursday to clean her kitchen and bathroom entirely and the carpet cleaners would be there Friday to re-clean the carpets.  It clearly states in the lease that we are not responsible for damage to personal belongings due to flooding, sewer backups, burst pipes, fire, smoke, etc.  We encourage renters insurance for this purpose.  In fact, due to my maintenance team acting so quickly, very little of her belongings were damaged because they picked up stuff off her floor.  Having been in this industry for over 15 years, sewer backups and flooding does occur, and in this instance we have gone above and beyond most companies, incurring all costs to put her apartment back together.  She has been here for 3 years, and this is the first time anything like this has happened to her.  As far as her electric bill, the blowers use very little electricity and will be less than a dollar on her bill.  We would never allow a resident to live somewhere that was unsafe.  It was her choice to decide not to stay in the apartment during this time.  All in all, I believe we have done everything we can to deal with this situation and have everything completed in less than a week, which is fast turn around, especially when working with outside vendors.  When I spoke with her in person yesterday, I clearly told her that she would not be responsible for any expense to fixing or cleaning her apartment.  We do not feel that compensating her for her travel or living expenses is required or a refund on rent, as we have upheld our end of the lease agreement in everyway.  Not only that, but I had three other apartments that this affected the same or worse as her apartment and have had no issues.  Also, due to fair housing laws it would not be fair to do this for her and not to every tenant who has had to endure a sewer back up.  Thank you.

Contact Name and Title: [redacted] Property Mgr
Contact Phone: XXX-XXX-XXXX
Contact Email: [redacted]@monarchinvestment.com
As soon as we were notified of the situation from a resident below we phoned [redacted] Plumbing to take care of the actual clog who informed us the problem was caused by...

feminine products being flushed down the toilet, Our maintenance team clean up the apartment. I had emailed and tried phoning her to no avail when she stopped by the office I said I was glad she came in thinking she had received my call or email so I could let her know what was taking place, she said she already was aware of what happened because it started just before leaving for work I asked her why she didn't phone us she simply said she had to get to work. Much of this could have been avoided if we were made aware of this in a timely fashion. Any incident which has occurred has been taken care of as soon as we are made aware of it. She has been given options to either move to another unit or she could terminate her lease but there would be fees for terminating prior to expiration or she could just stay until her lease expires.

To Whom It May Concern,Ms. [redacted] is complaining regarding centipeds & spiders in her apartment home, and stated we rescheduled pest control and they never came in June & July.  We have attached the report from our pest control services and Ms. [redacted]'s apartment was treated...

on June 15th and again on July 13.  Ms. [redacted] stated her toilet doesn't work and wants to know why we haven't fixed this issues.  We have attached work orders she has called in since she moved in none of her reported work orders state issues with a toilet including the most recent ticket regarding her A/C reported on June 3, 2016.  If Ms. [redacted] would like to contact our office directly to report maintenance issues or pest control she can contact us at [redacted] or stop by the office during working hours, there is also an online work order system for our residents.Please let us know if you have any further questions.Sincerely, [redacted]Suson Pines

First of all let me say that I have only been on this property since end of September.  The first call I ever received from them was in October about the possibility of fleas and spiders.  I placed them on our exterminator list.  When the exterminator came out he was unable to treat...

the apartment due to belongings on the floor.  The apartment was re-scheduled for two weeks.  Before that happened the residents mother called to complain on their behalf about items they were unhappy with.  I told her with regards to the electric bill to bring me copies and I would research the problem.  I also told her that we would call for a special inspection for fleas.  Anderson Pest sent out their account manager who inspected their apartment and did not detect any fleas inside their unit, however, he did say they were in the common hallway.  He treated the hall and sprayed barrier at their front door and backdoor.  He then set up and inspection for the apartment across from them on the following week. As far as any other work orders, there was only one for an AC call in September in which our tech could not detect a problem. They did have 3 other calls regarding leaks which were addressed immediately, and we assumed done to their satisfaction as they did not make us aware of any other issues.  I did inform them of the county's occupancy guidelines which we are required to adhere to without prejudice.  The rule that is stated in the lease is two heads to a bed, regardless of age or gender.  Again, I cannot speak for any previous staff's decision to lease to them or what they new or didn't know about how many were occupying the unit.  My entire staff has communicated with them and their mother, even though we are not legally obligated to speak with her.   They have the option to transfer without cost or penalty to another apartment, but it does need to be a two bedroom.  They made the statement that they can not afford to live in a two bedroom and I gave them the option of terminating their lease per the lease guidelines.  They also could let us further treat their apartment.  I am happy to try and come up with other solutions if they are willing to come into the office and speak with me.  As far as the smell, I never said anything about diapers being left out on a neighbors balcony, I did however, inform them of the diapers they leave out on their patio and asked that they dispose of them properly.  No other residents have complained of any odors.