The Haven at Westover Hills Apartments

I recently applied for an apartment at The Haven of Westover HillsI was asked to pay an application fee, an admin fee as well as a deposit up frontI was not told to split these payments for possible refunds if necessary, so everything was in one checkI was told that the deposit and admin fee would be refunded if I was deniedI was told that I would hear something either later that day or the next dayHalf way through the next day I had not heard anything so I sent an email, only to receive a general email asking me to view the propertyApparently the email wasn't even read or they would know I had already viewed the property and appliedAbout hours later I still had not heard anything, so I called, only to be told I would be called backAnother hour later I STILL had not heard from them so I called once againI was then told that my application still hadn't been ranThey ran the application while I was on the phone and told me I was deniedI asked for my refundable fees back, only to be told that they had already processed my checkThey actually ran the check before even running the applicationSo when I asked once again for my refundable fees, I was told I would have to wait days to receive my money back from their corporate officeWhen I informed them that I would just place a stop on my check, the woman on the phone who I later found out was the manager got really rude with me and hung upI feel that they are trying to scam people out of their money by having them pay a deposit before they even get approved for an apartment

Resident was provided documentation and pictures of all charges

Unfortunately we have gone above and beyond with this previous resident however we are unable to remove the charges for basic carpet cleaning & stain removalResident was not charged for pet portion of carpet cleaning as he refers to$is a basic carpet cleaning & stain removal as he failed to provide documentation that he has restored the carpets to like new condition by professional companyWe maintain the same expectations of cleaning both unit & carpet for all residents at move outAccount remains delinquent with a balance for days of rent, final water bill, and $carpet cleaning charges

Complaint: [redacted] I am rejecting this response because:The business has failed to address specifically why the $charge for the carpet remains on our final billThe basis for the charges as mentioned in my initial complaint is that the business stated there was a "carpet stain removal" required on the carpet and therefore allowed them to assess charges to me in the amount of $All I have asked from the business to provide me proof with pictures that would validate this charge, considering we were not present at the time this inspection was done, which the Regional Manager admitted was a mistake on the part of the business and it's management teamAt no time, either during our initial conversation or when we were allowed to go back to the unit to clean it a second time did management provide proof of any carpet stainKeep in mind, this is the same management team that claimed there was pet hair in the apartment and without initially verifying, assessed charges to us for something that never existed and only upon my insistence that there was never any pet in the apartment due not only to my stated allergies to them, which the Assistant Manager knew about at the time of my lease, because I specifically requested a unit that did not have a pet in it prior, but also because there own maintenance staff could verify this due to multiple entries into the unitIt was only after that explanation did management go back to inspect the apartment to find that there was in fact no pet hairRather than relying solely on a contracted vendors interpretation of what they assumed was pet hair so they could charge money to a resident, this management team should have taken the time to verify this initially and that is the basis for this complaintThis business has an obligation to provide proof to validate the charges they assess and considering that several mistakes had already been made in this process, the management team is once again trying to stick me with charges for making anotherThat's unfair and it's unethical Regards, Eric [redacted]

Complaint: ***
I am rejecting this response because:If the business is stating that charging residents for a shampoo at the conclusion of their lease "has always been their practice", where then can I find it in my signed lease contract? If that is their policy, they are obligated under state law to disclose that in the contract they have each resident signMaking up reasons as they go along to assess charges, such as "pet hair on a carpet" and "carpet stain removal" without any proof, coupled with the fact that they relied solely on the word of their contracted vendor rather than verify the condition of the carpet themselves initially before assessing those charges proves this is unfair and unethicalSecondly, as the staff is aware, we were never present nor was it ever offered to go examine the carpet together to point out these issuesAs I mentioned, the manager and I were in the apartment on 1/8/and she never pointed out any stain or "pet hair"Keep in mind it was the Regional Manager that offered us the second "cleaning" opportunity and not this office staff.Third, the fact that I was assessed carpet charges back in during a three year (not month as is the case now) stay at this apartment proves absolutely nothing as it relates to this particular issueAgain, unless the office is stating that since this is "regular practice" to charge each resident $at the conclusion of their lease REGARDLESS of the condition of their carpet? If that is now their argument, then again provide me with that disclosure statement in my signed lease contract and I will agree to pay the Informing residents of what "they could be" charged is not the same thing or better yet, simply referencing a previous bill from a previous stay to now justify these current charges is laughableThis business seems to be wanting to have it both waysNice try!Either you had the proof or you don'tAs I mentioned, they obviously made a mistake about charging us for pet hair and the Assistant Managers email proves that which I can provide Revdex.com with and the fact that once again we were never given nor offered the opportunity to have what their own Regional Manager did state was REQUIRED at the conclusion of every lease and that is a walk-throughBecause this apartment complex sends pictures of a unit that very well COULD BE someone else's and coupled with the fact that they have already admitted mistakes were made as part of their negligence with respect to our move-out, they should make this right and remove the carpet chargeWith my deposit, I owe only eleven dollars as it stands today, but this is not about the money overall to meThis is about informing the public and future perspective residents about this business and their unethical behavior I would hope they do the right thing, since they rely solely on the customer to keep their business going with what should always be a pledge to operate that business with integrity and fairness by those in charge.
Regards,*** ***

At move out inspection charges are assessed based on a cleaning cost & damage checklistResident is provided with cleaning cost & damage check list at move out, and is signed at move inExact amounts were charged per item with the exception of carpet cleaning that was charged based on a
bid from vendorWhat appeared to be pet hair was documented in apartmentAfter discussion with resident it was offered for the resident to re-clean the unit to better meet the requirements and the pet charges of cleaning from the carpet bid were also removedPictures were taken to document unit status and support charges

Complaint: ***
I am rejecting this response because: I am completely not understanding the "standards" when this situation has never happened; especially with my fiancé. As a Veteran, he felt extremely insulted by the email from *** and the lack of customer service from The Haven. The were insensitive and rude when asked about the denial for an apartment. This has to be rectified and made right. We all felt discriminated against because of the outcome showing us as "unsatisfactory criminal history" which once again, is incorrect
Regards,
*** ***

Complaint: ***
I am rejecting this response because:The pictures the Business has attached number one, were taken without myself or my roommate being present, which again this Business and their Regional Manager admitted was a mistakeSecondly, the business admitted that after my initial discussion protesting these charges that upon a second walk-through inspection that this was in fact not pet hair and so a portion of what they initially charged for the carpet was removedAnother words, they made a mistake and yet they continue to use the same pictures?What I'm waiting for is where is the picture that substantiates the charges that remain, which is what they claim was for a carpet stain, even though the same contracted vendor they relied upon solely incorrectly assessed charges to me for pet hair without the apartment staff doing its job to verify itI guess they now want me to take them at their word and simply pay for more what they state are damages to the carpet that one, never existed and two, they can't proveIs that ethical or a fair business practice? I don't think so and this is why this business needs to be highlighted and downgraded. This entire process from start to finish was unethical and unfairThe burden of proof in this case falls on the business to in fact back up what they are in fact charging me as a customerStating that they provided an itemized list of what "I could be" charged for during an inspection proves nothingThey are required to provide this to every resident, just like every resident has a right to request a walk-through to ensure the process is fair and in fact visually identifiable by both parties at the time of that inspectionWe were never afforded that opportunity and so I ask the Revdex.com to take action against this business if it fails to provide remedy in this complaintI have pictures of the carpet in each room that show no stains or damageUnfortunately, the system does not allow more than to be attachedFurthermore, I have an email from the Assistant Manager that proves the apartment made a mistake in assessing charges for what their contracted vendor decided was "pet hair".
Regards,*** ***

Complaint: ***
I am rejecting this response because: we were not notified that an investigation request was submitted by The HavenWhen my fiance called The Haven, all he was told was to call the telephone number on the email to disputeBasically, the new complex we moved into does extensive research to ensure accuracy
Regards,
*** ***

All applications are screened according to the same policy & standards through an outside company *** ***Any discrepancies that arise we will submit an investigation request to *** *** and from there the information they provide is what we have to work with for an approval or denialAt
the time we met with you in our office we urged you, the applicants, to contact the screening company for additional informationAlso each property have different screening standards with ***.As we had previously told you, we strive to ensure all applicants meet the same standards and if the dispute investigation was completed & approved we would gladly move forward with your application for residency. We are happy that you have found a new place to call home, and regret that the screening company was unable to approve the application upon the initial investigation processWe wish you the best in the future

We have tried multiple times to reply to this complaint but receive an error when we submit it.  Here is our response & attached pictures. If we can not submit it this way please advise us as how we can:  When resident gave notice to vacate, they were given a copy of the TAA form that stated they would owe 3 days rent for January, they also signed this form. Resident called to our office the last week of December and asked what the amount due was and when he could just drop off the keys because the movers were almost done. He was informed of our schedule due to the holiday and told that he could bring the keys in on his date of move out (1/3/2015) and at that time he would need to also pay for the water bill & 3 days of January.  Resident came in Saturday and asked if he could just drop off the keys and if he needed to pay anything. Mistakenly the leasing agent glanced at the incoming resident's balance instead of the outgoing resident's balance, which was an honest mistake and he had already been informed and aware that he did in fact owe. He was told by the leasing agent that he may just leave the keys as he stated the apartment was cleaned and asked if the walk through was necessary. We do walk through apartments when the residents are ready to vacate, however he indicated he did not wish to do this at that time.  The condition of the apartment was very dirty. Pictures were taken of the unit from the front door throughout showing no cleaning had been done, at least to our requirements. Residents are all given a copy of cleaning and damage costs and letter explaining expectations - which states cleaning is not normal wear and tear and charges are assessed for anything on the list. We also get a bid from the carpet vendor who examines the flooring for pet hair, urine stains that may not be visible to the naked eye, as well as traffic patterns and stains. They let us know what it will cost to restore the carpet to a condition a new resident may move in and live comfortably and to our standards. These costs are then passed onto the person who occupied the apartment. We keep all bids on file for every apartment, and every person moving out, unless their carpet has been restored to our expectations and we are able to verify.The initial bid stated pet hair and a topical pet treatment at a cost of $80, in addition to the $75 for a 2 bedroom carpet cleaning. We do have (attached) pictures verifying what appears to be pet hair in the kitchen & dining area. As a courtesy we offered the resident a middle ground and agreed to remove the charges for the pet treatment, however the remainder of the carpet cleaning charges of $75 would stand. Our regional manager did speak with the resident and offered him to come back and re-clean the apartment, which is not something we would normally offer to someone who left the apartment dirty. He did come after hours and meet with our manager to do this. All cleaning charges were removed from his account although we still had a vendor clean the apartment the following day.  After Mr. [redacted] was sent the final account statement for the last time he argued that he had never been charged for carpet cleaning, and pointed to the last time he rented with our community in 2009. We also provided him a copy of the final account statement from that time and the fact that then, he was also charged for carpet cleaning or stain removal - showing him that this has always been our practice at our community.  Mr. [redacted] & his roommate owe $75 for carpet cleaning, 3 days of rent for January, and their final water bill. The deposit on hand does not fully cover these costs and an outstanding balance is due withing 15 days of the final account statement.  Pictures have been attached which verify there were stains on the carpet, heavy traffic patterns, excessive hair on the floor, and very dirty fixtures such as toilet, sinks, and appliances. Residents were sent 3 emails with all pictures of the condition of the apartment at the time it was inspected.  At this time we believe we have gone out of our way to accommodate these residents and lower their charges. Unfortunately the remainder of charges must remain.

I recently applied for an apartment at The Haven of Westover Hills. I was asked to pay an application fee, an admin fee as well as a deposit up front. I was not told to split these payments for possible refunds if necessary, so everything was in one check. I was told that the deposit and admin fee would be refunded if I was denied. I was told that I would hear something either later that day or the next day. Half way through the next day I had not heard anything so I sent an email, only to receive a general email asking me to view the property. Apparently the email wasn't even read or they would know I had already viewed the property and applied. About 4 hours later I still had not heard anything, so I called, only to be told I would be called back. Another hour later I STILL had not heard from them so I called once again. I was then told that my application still hadn't been ran. They ran the application while I was on the phone and told me I was denied. I asked for my refundable fees back, only to be told that they had already processed my check. They actually ran the check before even running the application. So when I asked once again for my refundable fees, I was told I would have to wait 30 days to receive my money back from their corporate office. When I informed them that I would just place a stop on my check, the woman on the phone who I later found out was the manager got really rude with me and hung up. I feel that they are trying to scam people out of their money by having them pay a deposit before they even get approved for an apartment.

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:Once again, this business continues to not tell the whole story. If they insist that all residents pay for a carpet cleaning at the conclusion of every lease, then under Texas law, they are required to disclose that. The business claims this is "standard practice". Well that news to me and I'm sure all the residents that currently live there. I'm obligated to maintain the carpet, not restore it to it's condition at the time it was originally installed. That's there job. We lived in the unit for 6 months and at no time did we ever damage or bring a pet into the apartment. I mentioned the numerous occasions where their own maintenance staff could have verified this due to their entry and work inside the unit, coupled with the fact that the Assistant Manager knew I had requested a unit without a pet in it prior due to my allergies, but yet they now include a picture we've never seen of what appears to be rug/carpet fibers to justify why their vendor "assumed" was pet hair when in fact it obviously wasn't, otherwise they wouldn't have removed the charges when we demanded an explanation in person, which by the way, we were never showed any pictures of proof to substantiate this. They have magically appeared now, which then raises the entire basis of our complaint and that was the denial of the walk-through. Who did that? We sure didn't! That was done by one of their employees, which the corporate regional manager stated to me over the phone was required and should have never been denied.We've been given so many excuses from this business to justify these charges it's become comical. First, it was pet hair, which they had to remove after their mistake, then it was, well the carpet had outlines in it. We stated that was due to furniture, which is impossible to avoid, unless you don't own furniture. We were actually told by the Assistant Manager that hey vacuum could remove those outlines and suggested that her vacuum could do it over the one I had. She should have given it a try. Then, when that excuse didn't work, we are now told that this has been our standard practice to charge residents for a shampoo at the conclusion of their lease, yet they have nothing in writing to substantiate this. That's not only unethical, but it's against the law. There own final account statement states that I'm being charged for a carpet stain but yet none of these pictures they provide actually shows that??? This is comical and is just another clear example of why this business has had similar complaints filed against it, not only using this outlet, but consumer websites such as apartments.com. They should do the right thing and remove the carpet charge altogether. 
Regards,[redacted]

Resident was provided documentation and pictures of all charges.

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:The business has failed to address specifically why the $75.00 charge for the carpet remains on our final bill. The basis for the charges as mentioned in my initial complaint is that the business stated there was a "carpet stain removal" required on the carpet and therefore allowed them to assess charges to me in the amount of $75.00. All I have asked from the business to provide me proof with pictures that would validate this charge, considering we were not present at the time this inspection was done, which the Regional Manager admitted was a mistake on the part of the business and it's management team. At no time, either during our initial conversation or when we were allowed to go back to the unit to clean it a second time did management provide proof of any carpet stain. Keep in mind, this is the same management team that claimed there was pet hair in the apartment and without initially verifying, assessed charges to us for something that never existed and only upon my insistence that there was never any pet in the apartment due not only to my stated allergies to them, which the Assistant Manager knew about at the time of my lease, because I specifically requested a unit that did not have a pet in it prior, but also because there own maintenance staff could verify this due to multiple entries into the unit. It was only after that explanation did management go back to inspect the apartment to find that there was in fact no pet hair. Rather than relying solely on a contracted vendors interpretation of what they assumed was pet hair so they could charge money to a resident, this management team should have taken the time to verify this initially and that is the basis for this complaint. This business has an obligation to provide proof to validate the charges they assess and considering that several mistakes had already been made in this process, the management team is once again trying to stick me with charges for making another. That's unfair and it's unethical. 
Regards,
Eric [redacted]

Unfortunately we have gone above and beyond with this previous resident however we are unable to remove the charges for basic carpet cleaning & stain removal. Resident was not charged for pet portion of carpet cleaning as he refers to. $75.00 is a basic carpet cleaning & stain removal as he failed to provide documentation that he has restored the carpets to like new condition by professional company. We maintain the same expectations of cleaning both unit & carpet for all residents at move out. Account remains delinquent with a balance for 3 days of rent, final water bill, and $75.00 carpet cleaning charges.