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:11/14/2024

  Type:Product 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 Afton Properties, with whom I have been leasing an apartment since early 2024, paying over $2,700 per month. I was promised a habitable and peaceful living environment; however, since August 2024, I have been dealing with a severe rat infestation that disrupts my life nightly. Rats create constant noise, and one has even been in my kitchen for nearly a month, contaminating food and making it unusable.I initially reported this in September, but Afton Properties delayed treatment until the issue worsened. Weekly pest control visits have failed to solve the problem, and I have photo and video evidence of the ongoing infestation. On one visit, pest control left my attic open, allowing a rat to escape into my living space.This situation is also affecting my son, who has asthma, and I have noticed his cough worsening since the infestation began. I requested that Afton Properties replace my kitchen appliances, as the rats may be nesting there, or transfer me to another unit. I also believe a rent reduction or refund is warranted given the uninhabitable conditions.I have been in regular contact with the leasing office, but they stopped responding to my emails on October 29, 2024. My lease guarantees a habitable living environment, yet Afton Properties has failed to uphold this.I am seeking assistance to resolve these lease violations, as my efforts with Afton Properties have been unsuccessful.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/22/2024

  Hello,
  
  I am ***** *********, the community manager at The Hills of *****************. I am writing to respond to the complaint filed with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) by resident ********* ********* regarding pest issues in her apartment.
  
  On September 24, 2024, we had the interior of Ms. *********** apartment rodent-proofed. Subsequently, from September 26 to 27, 2024, we had the exterior of the building rodent-proofed. Since then, pest control has visited her unit every month to address the issue and ensure its resolution. We have diligently followed all instructions provided by pest control.
  
  Ms. ********* has requested an in-person meeting with me. I am currently awaiting her response to schedule a mutually convenient time during the week.
  
  We can offered Ms. ********* the option to transfer to a unit of the same size, with the same rent price and lease term. Alternatively, she may choose to break her lease without incurring any penalties.
  
  Lastly, I would like to clarify that we have maintained open communication with Ms. ********* throughout this process. We have responded to all her emails and have not ceased communication as of October 29, 2024.
  
  Please let me know if you require any further information or assistance in resolving this matter.
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/31/2024

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore 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 received a bill issued 7/9/24 that states I am expected to pay $225 worth of cleaning fees for an apartment that did not require cleaning, and was in fact in the same condition it was prior to my habitation. In addition, I am separately being asked to pay an additional $95 for "carpet shampooing," $150 for "flooring scrub" and $400 for "reglaze of both tubs/showers".I am happy to provide my own photographs, taken both after moving in and shortly before I vacated the premises, proving that these services were not needed, as the apartment was in the same condition upon my leaving as it was at the start of my tenancy. Apart from being unncessary, the fees seem not only unusually high for the services reportedly provided, but also suspiciously redundant (does cleaning not usually encompass cleaning of floors or carpets?)These charges are concerning to me not only due to their questionable nature, but because of what they imply about possible predatory business practices of Afton Properties with regard to the **************** building complex. I was informed by Mr. ***** when he came to inspect my apartment on 6/24 that cleaning fees and carpet shampooing fees (which apparently encompass $320 in total) were apparently "standard charges" taken out of every Sycamore Canyon renter's security deposit, regardless of the cleanliness of the apartment or the actual need for these services. I consider myself fortunate to have the necessary insight, money, time, and resources to investigate these questionable fees. I fear many of my fellow tenants may have faced similar unjust fees that they did not have the resources to investigate - or possibly even the available money to pay. The Better Business Bureau profile for Afton Properties document several other tenants who suffered from similar experiences.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/16/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore 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 1bed/1bath apartment at the ************************ Apartment for about 14 months. I moved out on 7/31/2023. I left the unit in better condition than when I moved in. I wasn't able to view the actual unit before I signed all the paperwork. The office staff cited COVID as a reason. When I finally arrived to my unit, the apartment floor was dirty, the patio was also dirty, everything inside was outdated, the bathtub was old and *****, the paint throughout the apartment was still wet and very thick, and it was actually smaller than what depicted online (virtually). During my stay, there was a leak in the bathroom ceiling due to the tenant upstairs installing his bidet. It was fixed by the ceiling looked messy. The constant water shut off, the always full trash bins, the coach roaches (even though I had to pay a month pest control fee), the dog feces, the flies, etc. It's not a safe place as someone tried breaking in my unit via the patio door. When I moved out, I cleaned the place thoroughly and left it in better condition because I wanted my security deposit as I did in the previous apartment complexes I lived at. I didn't receive anything and contacted the apartment manager. I later found out that a statement was mailed to the apartment unit I moved out from and that I not only receive any of my security deposit back but I also owe $50.43. I had sent emails to the property manager numerous times to dispute the charges. I was charged to reglaze the old bathtub, paints, and cleaning fees. These fees are unreasonable as I shouldn't be paying to reglaze a 50 year-old ***** bathtub, to repaint since when I moved in the paint was still wet, and the cleaning fee as the apartment was dirty when I moved in. I'm only responsible to pay the service, sewer, trash, water, pest control and gas fees. I'm requesting the balance after these fees to be sent to my address ***********************************. ********, ** *****. Thank you!

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/30/2022

  Type:Product 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.

  Never received my security deposit after moving out at the end of may. All of my phone calls/emails to the office get ignored.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/17/2023

  Contact Name and Title: ***************** - Regional Dire
  Contact Phone: ************
  Contact Email: *************************************
  The renter left a balance due upon move out and the move-out statement was mailed to the address on file per ********** Law. The resident was charged for a carpet cleaning, final utilities, and rent through the end of the lease term date. This left a balance due after Security Deposit accounting of $156.86. The team has communicated this with the renter as well as our accounting team has also called and emailed to collect the balance due.
  See Attachment/File: Moveout_Statement ******.pdf

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/31/2022

  Type:Product 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've been calling ***** the supervisor for sycamore canyon apartments in riverside for the past 3 days and leaving voicemail upon voicemail to call me back regarding issued I'm having with the building manager and lease agreement. I've yet to hear back. On our lease, nowhere does it say we have a ********* trash fee just a flat rate of 10, with collection of trash free. However, we WERE NEVER provided a bin that is supposed to be free. I let the office know back in February that we never had one and we moved in November 2021. After noticing we were paying that extra 35 every month since November with no services provided, they claimed that it was our fault that THEY OVERLOOKED not providing us with one and can't refund or credit us back the 280 dollars we have paid already with no trash valet services. This is ridiculous and plain unprofessional. The office claimed that they called about my ledger but I didn't respond but that ledger wasn't for the trash valet and once I took care of it, I never received any calls.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/05/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/09/06) */ **** has called the resident multiple times and there is no answer or option to leave a message. The resident has been emailing back and forth with ****. We have contacted the third party vendor that provides the Valet trash service, since she claims she never had the service. We are waiting on their response. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2022/09/07) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) It is true that **** has contacted me via email, however me "claiming" that I never had the service is a STATEMENT of fact. I have provided emails to the leasing office about us not having a bin. I told them we wouldn't be paying the extra fee and would deduct the 280 we have paid for the service they haven't provided, but of course they advised me to continue to do what we have been doing which is paying our rent in full. The trash valet has barely picked up our trash last night 9/06/22 after not picking it up the entire week last week. I have asked for the contact information for the actual owners of our lease and they have yet to respond but can respond to my complaint via BBB. I've also asked for the record of their calls after them stating that they called me about my ledger back on Feb. Nothing. T Once I took care of the ledger they NEVER called to follow up about the trash bin not Being provided. Business Response /* (4000, 16, 2022/09/20) */ Since we were not able to obtain more information from our vendor the resident was credited the amount requested on 9/13/2022, the resident was also made aware of the credit applied on 9/13/2022 via email. Our office considers this matter now resolved. Thank you.