Rent Problems Are Frustrating; but you're not alone: Thousands of tenants rely on RPA to solve problems
Security Deposit - 35 Days And Still Not Returned | Case#**-*461 On November 12, 2013 I moved out, completed the walk through & returned keys to manager. My mailing address of PO Box 872 Citrus Heights, CA 95610 was provided to return my deposit which was originally $400. I lived at the Pebble Beach Apartments from January 2010 to November 12, 2013. The property management has failed to return any part of my $400 rental deposit as required by law within the 21 days. There was no communication at all that the deposit would be late. On Tuesday December 10, 2013 I contacted Cathy the property manager and advised I had not yet received my deposit. She stated she would notify the book keeper and verified my mailing address. On Saturday December 14, 2013 I contacted the property manager Cathy again and said I've not received my deposit and that the book keeper is not doing what he's supposed to do holding up my deposit. She said she would try to call the book keeper. Later Saturday afternoon she said she had spoken with the book keeper and that I should receive my deposit Monday. It's Monday December 16, 2013, 34 days after moving and I've not received any part of my $400 security deposit back. The apartment was left in very good condition and only one small patch needs to be made to a bedroom door and I'm expecting the majority of the deposit returned. I've been very patient with this property and have tried to resolve this myself without apparent success.
Trying To Make Us Give Up Our Home | Case#**-*608
Chester,
Virginia -
23836
the people that live there are my brothers girlfriend and her 3 kids. one is over 18 and we put him on the title with my husband until he has enough money to start paying to purchase the home from us. they passed a background check and did everything asked of us and them by the park including getting homeowners insurance put on the trailer. now they are telling us we need to be off the title completely and show proof that they have put a $2000 down payment down on the trailer. if we can\'t do that they have to move and they say we can\'t rent even though the park does rent to own on trailers they own. and the way things are going they probably won\'t give us a chance to sell the home either
Slandering, Overpayment Of $100.00, Not Repairing Problems With Rental Prop | Case#**-*518
Lexington,
South Carolina -
29073
I have rented from CM Miller for a total of 10months and now, even though he told me that he would work with me, in which he has let men pay $100 a week;plus,I got sexually assaulted in my home bc he refused to fix the lock on my door and now he is trying to evict me. I even have the money to pay him and he has stated that he will not accept it.Also, I have a number of issues,in which, I have verbally told him to fix,and he refuses to fix them. One is roaches...it took him 3 months to get an Exterminator out here and all he did was put roach motels under the cabinets. Roaches are nasty and I told him again and he refused to do anything about it. I also told him that my sink was backing up in my bathroom and he has refused to do anything about it. Also, I have had numerous issues with my heating when it was cold outside and he told me that he would call me so I could let them in and he refused to call me and let these people in my house,in which I do not know. He is supposed to call me so I can let them in bc I don\'t want anything stolen. My commode was constantly leaking and he finally fixed that after 2 months because the floor was starting to rot underneath. Me and other neighbors call him when things aren\'t working properly and he is very rude and mean and says \"I don\'t know what you want me to do. I went without heat for over a week. He slanders my name and we are afraid to call him because of his attitude. My neighbor\'s toilet started leaking and he paid the maintenance guy to fix it and he is doing nothing to get the toilet fixed. I have had my husband due numerous repairs at his expense bc the Landlord refuses to do anything. Also, he makes you pay your rent in cash so the IRS doesn\'t find out. I intend to make the IRS aware of what he is doing. He threatens us that he\'s going to put us all out with nowhere to go because of all the repairs that he says he can\'t afford to fix.Well,he expects his rent,so we expect the same in return. To claim he doesn\'t have the money for repairs,he owns alot of property,drives a new Ford Pickup,has a trike motorcycle, a huge motor home,an antique truck,and just bought a car from his granddaughter,but he doesn\'t have any money? Such bull crap.....I intend to fight this to the end as I have contacted the magistrate, the tenant/landlord board,the IRS,and am filing a report with Lexington County Sheriff\'sDept bc of him slandering my name.I want my deposit back which will cover expensesthat my husband had to fix.
non returnn of deposit/or reason within 21 days of moveout | Case#**-*967
VACAVILLE,
CA -
95687 3391
i have tried to contact landlord numerous times..have phone records, everytime i call the message on phone is inbox full, or not accepting calls at this time...have not received any letters stating why she has not returned our deposit...she left me a msg on sep 7 stating we were going to receive something in the mail and we probably wouldnt like it.....dont know what that means...have not received any mail from her as of 12 sep 11.....landlord has not complied with the 21 day notification law..we also paid 100.00 dollars for a gardner that we never saw, we cut the grass and trimmed trees ourself...i asked joanne to refund our money and she told me no way...
Unfounded Eviction | Case#**-*059
Swanton,
Ohio -
43558
I found an internship in Newbury, Ohio but I had no where to stay. After a few weeks of asking my boss found a place in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. The rental was in the basement which had its own bedroom, kitchen, and living room. The bad thing about the rental was that there was no lock on the door for privacy, but I knew I needed a place to stay and didn't think it would be an issue. So I agreed to pay Norma & Trent Bobbitt $600.00 per month for rent and on occasion help out around the house when needed. Every week I mowed their lawn for them without being asked, cut branches from multiple trees, set new stones for walkway and pulled weeds. I sensed after a few weeks that they may be going through the room I was renting. Norma & Trent gave me several reasons as to why they were in my room without notice while renting. Usually after work I would meet Norma or Trent say hello and they would say we were back in you room today. At first I didn't think much of it but it became evident that after a few months they had been back in the room which I had renting a lot. I felt as though I could not say anything because my former boss knew Trent & Norma. One day after work I pulled into the driveway and started walking towards the house. Trent looked distraught and Norma gave me a look. He went on to say that they went back in my room and noticed the mess which was in the room. This was about the fifth time that they admitted to going back into my room without notice. The mess was not that bad there were a few small bags and random stuff nothing out of the ordinary that a young college student would have. So I thought what is next? I am stuck in this place because I need a place to stay, and my land lord thinks its ok to go through my room. Norma is a hot head so I thought I should right down my thoughts in a letter and hopefully she & Trent would understand my concerns. I wrote a letter and mentioned that they had no right to go back in the room which I was renting. I don't smoke or drink, I paid the rent on time every month, and I helped out with jobs so there was no reason to be in the room which I had been renting. I did every thing which was expected of me without a complaint. One evening I walked into the basement and saw Norma & Trent. Norma demanding that I sit down and talk with her in mean voice. I walked over to her and a had brief conversation about them going through the room which I had been renting. She went on to say its her house and kicked me out.
BREACH OF AGREEMENT | Case#**-*322 My wife and I did shoutout Roomorama for 51 nights startingSept.9 ,2013 -Oct30,2013 apartment. NYC. NY .HE SAID HE HAD 130 W 15 APT. 11G.we gave credit card @$8500. JULY 25 2013 THROUGH SQUARE CREDIT CARD COMPANY . Two payments $4500, $4000. Signed agreement and he wanted COPIES PASSPORTS ETC. Itinerary we coming from Thailand. SEPT. 25 2013 he said we have to leave end of month. Cannot find other apt. For us . Refund the rest to us and $400 flightcancellation fee. He never refunded our money but threatened my ID info will get us because we report bank dispute
Rejected Payments | Case#**-*360 I was late on the June 2014 rent. My rent was returned to me and and eviction order was processed. I was told I needed to pay the the rent in full $1350 ( includes $25.00 late fee) plus $420.00 for the eviction and that I had 30 days to do so and the eviction process would stop. June 30, 2014 I paid the total amount of $1,770. I was then told that I had to pay an additional $75.00 "because the rates went up" NOTE: I wasn't given anything in writing for the $420.00 court fees nor the $75.00 rate change.
I was told that the landlords may not accept the money and that the owners haven't responded as to what my status will be. Yesterday, 07/05/14 I was given back the $1,770 i gave on 06/30/14. Not sure what I'm supose to do. My concern is that they are waiting to the last minute, evict me, stick me with the 4 months left on my lease AND keep my $2,500.00. I am making the "good faith" effort but I', not sure what else I can do. Please help
Erroneous Charges For Damages From Previous Tenant | Case#**-*314
GRESHAM,
OR -
97080 6234
I moved into Hood Brook Apartments on June 4, 2016. On October 23, 2017, I went into the office and gave my 30 day notice to the Manager, Dean. I advised Dean that I accepted a job in Olympia, Washington and will be moving in a week and will return the keys before November 1. Dean signed the 30-day notice but did not provide a prorated amount of rent for November. Dean said that I should give him the keys as soon as I leave because he would be able to rent it out earlier and adjust the rent that I would owe in November.
I moved my belongings and my cat to my new apartment and spent several days cleaning at Hood Brook. When I left on October 29, 2017, I paged maintenance and he met me in the front of the office. I returned my apartment and my mailbox keys. He said that someone from the office would call me if there were any problems.
Around November 25, 2017, I called the office and spoke to Becky. I told her I went to the online portal to make my rent payment but there wasn’t a prorated amount. She explained it takes several weeks to get updated and that I can try again in a couple weeks or wait for a bill. She did not mention any problems. I called back a couple of weeks later to report that nothing was updated on the portal. I spoke to Dean this time and he said don’t worry about paying online, we will send something to you in the mail.
I received the Apartment Condition Report and the invoice from Hood Brook in December, 2017. I was charged for damages that existed before I even moved in. I noticed that the move out section of the Apartment Condition Report was filled out on November 16, 2017 and scratched out from November 17. I called Dean to ask about the damages and he became aggressive and refused to listen or send me evidence of any damages. I asked for pictures of the apartment before and after my tenancy and he admitted he had nothing to prove the condition of the apartment. I asked for the bill for the repairs and the charges to the prior tenant but he refused and said I would have to take him to court if I wanted anything from him.
I called the owner of MCL Properties, Clint Turner, twice but never received a return phone call. I sent a letter asking for reconsideration but he responded with an email attaching my disputed billing statement. He could not provide evidence of the damages and didn’t address the fact that I returned my keys in late October and the apartment was not inspected until November 17.
Repair Issue - Safety Lighting | Case#**-*210
VACAVILLE,
CA -
95687 6357
Four months ago, I submitted a work order request for repair of our outdoor building lights. Maintenance\\\\\\\'s temporary fix was to install battery operated tap lights. After the initial work order, multiple other tenants also filed work orders.
I have bought christmas lights and flood lights myself to light up our landing. I have been extremely patient with no response. Until the night of 4/11/21, when I was followed within the complex by a man and could not return to my apartment. I had to call a friend to come walk me home, as there is no lighting and I could not see down my hallway. When I emailed management, I received small platitudes with no mention to concern for my safety and no resolution. I will include PDF files with all correspondence.
Complaint Process in 3 Simple Steps:
File Apartment Complaint: Fill out complaint form with your proposed resolution. Instantly recieve your case number.
Check Status: See the current status, respond, upload files or images, accept fair solution or purpose alternative solutions.
Landlord Public Record: Positive or Negative record is attached to landlord based upon their responses. Your (tenant) information is not made public.
Complaints Tips:
Uploading pictures / files is helpful
Try to request fair solutions
Focus on major issue, not on many
Check your status every 3 days
Avoid accusations or hostile tones
Be willing to accept alternate solution
How Does the RPA Help Resolve Rental Problems?
Once you file a complaint, the RPA will contact your landlord or property manager to mediate a prompt resolution. The RPA online mediation system provides an effective complaint resolution process that helps solve problems quickly. Complaints filed through the RPA are documented and help protect tenants' rights by providing a program that protects against landlord retaliation and unfair practices. Agreements reached through the RPA Apartment Complaint Center are legally binding and enforceable. When required the complaint can be used as evidence in court.
The RPA requires a $35 one-time processing fee to cover the cost associated with contacting the landlord, online mediation, paperwork, and public record filing. Prior to 2006 the RPA complaint program had no fee. However, due to abuse by tenants that were filing bogus complaints; the RPA found it necessary to charge of fee to eliminate fake complaints and to cover costs associated with complaint handling. If you are looking to report the problem only and not seeking a resolution, you can use our free Report Landlord option. (The report landlord option will only document the problem and will not provide any assistance in resolving disputes.)
Tip: On your complaint form you can request that management reimburse you for RPA filing fees.
How long does the process take?
The RPA is able to resolve complaints fairly quickly, unlike court or other legal options. Cases are normally assigned in the order received; however, you can upgrade your case to be rushed if you need your case escalated. (option available immediately after filing)For fastest processing try to submit your complaint before the next processing deadline. (Count down shown next to "File Complaint" button.) Once the mediation process begins, your landlord will have 3 business days to respond to the mailed notice. If a landlord email address is provided the RPA will send out both a written notice and email notice which can provide an immediate resolution. Many times cases are resolved immediately after receiving the RPA® notice, however depending on the complaint, it can take longer if both parties are unable to reach an agreement quickly.
Tip: To speed up the process... On the complaint form request reasonable and fair solutions.
Does the RPA Guarantee to Resolve Every Complaint?
Each complaint is guaranteed to be worked by the RPA complaint system. The RPA mediation system will work to resolve every complaint regardless of how big or small the complaint. However, the RPA can't guarantee the end results of any complaint. While we work to solve each complaint, the guarantee is limited to our processing of your complaint. All fees associated with the complaint are non-refundable dispute the outcome of the complaint. Each complaint is Guaranteed to be worked by our complaint system and will be documented against the landlord should they fail to cooperate.
Tip: To get positive resolutions to your complaint; try providing resolutions that are fair.
What Happens After I file a Complaint?
Upon filing your landlord / property manager complaint you will instantly receive a case number. Your complaint case number can be used to immediately access your complaint status page. The RPA will process your complaint and contact your landlord for an immediate resolution. On your status page you can view case status, upload files or images, respond to the complaint, update/ change resolutions, accept or close complaint. The RPA complaint center updates your case status in real time and provides you with tracking to see exactly what is happening with your complaint. Once the case is closed, the complaint will be attached to your landlords public record which is quickly indexed by all major search engines. (Your information is never made public)
Tip: Check your case status at least every 3 days. (Respond / update your case as required)
Protection Against Landlord Retaliation
Its unlawful for your landlord to retaliate against you because you filed a complaint. Your landlord cannot evict, harass, limit access, raise rent, or treat you unfairly because you filed a complaint. As a tenant, you must still pay rent and comply with rent terms stated within your contract. Filing a complaint does not eliminate your responsibilities.
Tip: Check your case status at least every 3 days. (Respond / update your case as required)
Who Can File a Complaint with the RPA?
Any renter located in the United States of America has the right to file a complaint with the RPA. The RPA does not accept complaints outside of the USA. In general, the RPA will accept every complaint regardless of how big or small the problem may be.
Tip: When possible, try resolving your problem with your landlord before filing a complaint.
