The Certe Group

My recent experience with the Certe Group Management at Villas at Camelback Crossing Apts. was pleasant until the processing of my application. Before the processing of my application I was told by the Rental Specialist, Brandie, that everything was fine, I would be worked with and all the pings and dings would be worked out and were not an issue. I told her I was planning on living off of a large inheritance and that I am near retirement age, and there were 2 people's income to consider, but mine was ample enough for both and I was the one to pay the bills. I had some things on my screening report that showed up earlier I told her but they were vindicated through the Courts, again fine, no problem. I told her that my friend would be between jobs (even though I would be paying all the bills) fine no problem, we can even put that he is retired she stated. Leading me on completely, even telling me she reserved an apt. for me on 3rd floor with a view of the pool that I wanted. When we corresponded, she stated everything was A-OK, with no "ifs" or "unless", nothing of the screening was mentioned because supposedly it was ok, and I was upfront with it -- the fact that it had been vindicated in Court years ago. An eviction was vindicated in 2010 and I was still a resident of that apt. complex and still am 5 years later! My beef was with a Manager that quit the complex years prior. She knew this and was so sorry about it and assured me that this is the kind of thing that they strive to do differently with people and treat them kindly. Yesterday I got the denial letters. Everything she stated was ok and that I was vindicated of in Court by a Judge was the reason for the denial. My friend's denial letter stated that he didn't have enough income (yes he does, he has 2.5 - 3 times the required rent) and that he had unverifiable information--no he doesn't. He may have non-applicable information but not unverifiable. I explained his story to her and she was okay with it. There were no surprises, except his credit score, because I thought it had been repaired and it was long enough by now. SURPRISINGLY ENOUGH, he got a mortgage last year with a lower credit score than the one he has now. He was laid off because his company he worked for 8 years ago moved to China. He has solid work history now and has for 5 years or more. He is honest and hard working. But I was paying the bills and she stated I had plenty of money in the bank from an inheritance. And it wouldn't matter she said, we could put down he was retired and then the screening wouldn't bump him. I assumed she meant she would put that down but she didn't. I don't normally lie about things, I am up front and personal and disclose everything. So, I sent her the Court Orders vindicating me from the 2 things they were concerned about (a landlord that wanted me to change my carpet but I have chronic bronchitis and I wanted her to change one room and then change the other 6 months to a year later and she wouldn't--I had just been on a nebulizer and didn't want to be sick again). It doesn't matter to them now--they still will not rent to us now that they have the fee for the application in their hands. I believe this is a racquet in my honest opinion to obtain fees from people they have no intentions of renting to with them leading you on all the way. I am sending the e-mails to H.U.D. and I am putting in a complaint (when I get settled somewhere) with the BB Bureau. This was a horrible experience for me, wanting to move to Phoenix AZ area to be by my Grandkids. It would have been fine if she would have been honest and told me when I was upfront with her that it wasn't happening. Instead she kept asking me repeatedly to send the money order for the fees and even asked what the tracking number was when I already told her it was coming on Monday, and I mailed it on Friday certified. Very bad experience for me.