Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/27/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am having trouble getting my deposit or a new apartment from this company the place that Im supposed to be renting is not move in ready and they are telling me I have to move in today or my money is gone and I have no place to live me and my kids been in a hotel since last month around this time and I really would like my deposits back or a new unit asap

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/03/2024

  All approved applicant's sign a form listing the stipulations regarding placing the holding deposit. The form clearly states that the property is reserved for a specific time frame and they must adhere to that time frame. It also states that all deposits are non refundable if they don't move forward after placing the deposit. This applicant signed this form when they dropped off the deposit. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/17/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I rented a house through synergy property management in December of 2022, buy December of 2023 Ascend property took over ******** contracts and manages the Apartment. My family and i was issued a sixty day notice June 16th of 2024. My family and I were moved out with in 45 day. When I moved into the house I paid a 1500 dollar refundable pet deposit, in which my lease states. I am now being told by Ascend that I wont be receiving the pet deposit, and that the owner is refusing to pay it back, because there was a clerical error when everything was sent from synergy to Ascend. I also called Ascend when they took over and inquired about weather I needed to sign a new lease, or if a new lease was needed. They informed me that I would just adhere to what my lease from synergy said. Well if I have to to adhere to what it says, Ascend should have to as well. I paid 1500 dollars so I should receive that back.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/03/2024

  Correct, Ascend took over the management of the property when Synergy closed it's doors. However, Synergy never provided Ascend with any funds for htis tenant other than the original security deposit of $1,450.00. Other than the actual lease, which states the tenants were being charged for the pet deposit, we have no other record of it. I can't release funds to the tenant if we never received them from Synergy or from the owner. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/04/2024

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  My lease does state it and I have reference numbers to payments i made for the pet deposit. It is not my fault that synergy kept the money, when you took over my contract, you took over the responsibility for my lease, and in my lease it states a pet deposit was paid. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/07/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  August 1, 2024 my AC went out and has yet to be fixed. My 3 children and I have been sleeping in a house over 97 degrees. Ascend property management said they are awaiting approval from the owner but there is no priority or resolution at hand. We need a cooling device asap or someone needs to come out and fix it. We cant stay in this apt under these conditions. **** also stayed two nights at a friends house.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/14/2024

  The work order was submitted on 8/1 and was sent to the ********** immediately for them to assses the situation. They found a part on the ac unit was out and had to be replaced. It was then sent to the owner for approval as we can not do repairs to the homes without owners approval. Once approved, the ac company ordered the part needed and the unit was repaired. This matter was being handled from day one. By law, the landlord has 30 days to do the repairs. This was handled and repaired within a timely manner. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/16/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We notified Ascend Property management of an issue with the ceiling in the kitchen of our apartment back in January of 2024. In February someone came and took pictures. On April 8 a painter came to assess the ceiling and stated that there was moisture and a roofer would need to be sent to evaluate this. He advised he would notify Ascend. My husband also advised them of this via their online app. On 04/11/2024 the painter returned and painted the ceiling. On Sunday April 14, the ceiling began to leak and ultimately fell in. The insulation is still on the floor and multiple surfaces in the kitchen and apartment. After we requested via the app, they sent a hazardous waste testing company to assess for mold and asbestos. This was completed today. Per ******** ****** the maintenance coordinator they offered for us to stay in a subpar motel vs prorate our rent for the day stating, “Unfortunately that hotel is the approved location for your area. However if you would rather not stay there we can issue you a rent credit for today as we are hoping to have the roof and kitchen cleanup done by tmrw afternoon.“ A roofer came and nailed tiles on the roof this morning. The hole and insulation has not be removed and we have not received any updates from Ascend.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/16/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have a rental house managed by ascend. we did eviction to tenants due to no paying rent since Jun 2023, and we got house back in end of Sep, 2023.we ended the contract with Ascend in end of Oct. 2023.In Nov 2023 monthly ststement (last statement after contract termination) : Tenant Security Deposit Transfer: $ 2700-all eviction cost $1967.72. They should refund us cash balance $732.28.They did not refund us.I emailed them to ask, they said balance is zero, and they made up another statement to us: Deposit: +$2700, eviction cost -$1967.72, Miscellaneous Income: +$604.72, and Security Deposit Transfer applied to rents: -$1363 (this made the balance zero).I emailed them twice and asked to explain what is that $1363? They have no answer!!!They should refund us cash balance $1363

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/22/2024

  I have attached a statement of where the tenants security deposit went to. Per the property managemnt agreement, Ascend is allowed to collect any past due fees before funds are released to the owner. In this case, the tenant had late fees and convenience fees that they owed.The remaining balance after the fees was $1363.00 which was applied towards June rent. That is why the owner was supposed to get those funds, however, the owner had outstanding bills for the eviction that the funds were applied to. I applied the funds to cover the unpaid eviction bills and then ASCEND came in with the funds to zero the balance out since the owner was negative. Instead of making the owner come in with the additional $604.72 to cover the remaining balance of the unpaid bills, Ascend paid the remaining balance.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/21/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My husband and I applied for a specific property through this agency we were denied the first one. We were told our application would be on file for 60days. Before we were denied the first property they took a week and a half to get back to us. After that we were told we could transfer our application to another property we did that. I, *********************, received a phone call from the agency stating we had been selected for the second property , they quickly called me back to deny it once more. My husband and I paid 50$ each for our application fees. I feel like the are bombarding our application. We first applied in August its already been a month and 2 weeks and we have transferred our application to 5 different properties. They take about 2 weeks to respond back from just one property. I feel like they are pushing my application back and back just to keep my 100$(50$ my husband and 50$ myself) it may not seem like a lot but thats money that can go towards another application at a different agency one that will help us out to find a home. I am unsure as to who I would talk to via text, but I have added all the conversations with the agency and dates of how long it would take them to respond back.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/21/2023

  Unfortunately application fees are non refundable. Most companies charge each time your application is transferred. We transferred it for free. It's clearly stated application fees are non refundable. Our manager also reached out to you today and spoke with you regarding the matter and cleared everything up. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/10/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  False financial information

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/11/2023

  The applicant has not been denied or approved at this time. The income we calculated is net income. After reviewing the income information provided to us, the applicant's net income was much lower than stated. The application is still pending decision from the owner as we do not make the final decision nor do we persuade the owner in one way or another. We only provide the information to the owner that we have received. Once we receive the final decision from the owner, we will notify the applicant of the owners decision to proceed or not. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/14/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am filing a complaint against Ascend Real Estate and Property Management for their illegal and unethical actions. As referenced in case #19****72, I had previously filed a complaint against Real Property Management for a fraudulent lease agreement, unauthorized fees, and illegal late charges. Although Real Property Management illegally terminated their management role, they are not the subject of this complaint. After Real Property Management illegally terminated their management role, Ascend Property Management contacted tenants claiming to be the new manager. They sent a letter increasing the rent again to $1575 and demanded that rent be paid to them. They referred to "the terms of the agreement," but they used the fraudulent lease agreement signed with and then cancelled by Real Property Management to enforce their position. Ascend Property Management has violated California law by not providing tenants with a copy of the lease agreement upon request. They have also implemented unauthorized and illegal fees, including late fees of $150, threatening tenants with additional charges. Furthermore, Ascend Property Management is engaging in extortion by demanding payment for rent that is not legally owed. They are taking advantage of the situation to extract money from tenants. I demand that Ascend Real Estate and Property Management provide tenants with a full refund of any unauthorized fees and late charges, as well as compensation for the attempt of extortion and misrepresentation of the facts that they have committed. I also demand that Ascend Real Estate and Property Management immediately cease all illegal and unethical activities and comply with all applicable California laws. Additionally, I request that they be prohibited from managing any property in the state of California until they have demonstrated their ability to operate in compliance with all state laws and regulations. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/17/2023

  This is a disgruntled tenant who is in the process of being evicted. No illegal activity is being done. The case is already with our attorney to handle the situation. No funds will be returned to the tenant as he is liable for the rent in the home that the owner hired us to manage. It is not illegal for an owner to hire a property management company to manage their property. We have a Property Management Agreement with the owner. The tenant refuses to work with a management company and only wants to deal with the owner directly. In this case, the owner hired us so that she doesn't have to deal with the tenant directly. As a property management company, we are asked to collect the rent from the tenant. They have paid us $135.00 in rent since we took over management in October 2022. Since they have paid us, they acknowledged the fact that we manage their property and agreed at one point to pay us. Now they refuse to pay us and have threatened the homeowner directly. There are many factors this case is with our attorney, rent is just one of them. 

  
  

  We will not be refunding the tenant any funds as nothing charged was done illegally or maliciously. The charges are solely the tenants responsibility to pay. 

  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/17/2023

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  

  Firstly, I would like to clarify that I am not a disgruntled tenant, but rather a tenant who is trying to resolve a dispute regarding a lease agreement that was terminated by a previous property management company. I understand that you have a property management agreement with the owner, but that does not excuse the fact that you sent me a letter referring to the terms of a fraudulent lease agreement that you were not party to.

  
  

  Furthermore, I acknowledge that the owner has hired you to manage their property, but that does not relieve you of your obligation to follow the law. California law requires that a landlord provide a tenant with written notice of the name, phone number, and address of the person authorized to manage the property within 15 days, and to this day, the landlord has not, and refuses not to do so.  She is obligated to perform under the original lease agreement.   

  
  

  In addition, I dispute the rent increase that you have attempted to enforce, as it is based on a fraudulent lease agreement. As you are aware, a tenant has indeed  paid $135.00 in rent since you took over management in October 2022, but she was mislead by you providing false and inaccurate information that lead her to making a decision she would not have otherwise made. Plus, I have not acknowledged the fact that you manage the property nor have I agreed to pay you. I have made it clear that I do not want to work with a management company and only want to deal with the owner directly, but you continue to collect rent from me without providing me with the required notice. Your company, specifically ******* **** ***** engaged in deceptive behavior by signing your notice of rent increase under penalty and perjury that you were the landlord, despite not owning the property. This misrepresentation is a clear violation of the terms of the lease agreement, as well as being fraudulent and illegal.

  
  

  
  

  I would  also like to remind you that only a judge can make the order to evict a tenant, and it is illegal to attempt to evict a tenant without a court order. Furthermore, if a debt is disputed by law, it cannot be collected until the dispute is resolved.

  
  

  I hope that we can resolve this dispute in a fair and lawful manner. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/21/2023

  The eviction case has already been filed with the courts by our attorney. The attorney will be serving the tenant as soon as they are able to. Feel free to contact the attorney or the courts once served to present your case to the judge.