ComplaintsforFirstKey Homes

• Initial Complaint

  08/05/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  First key Homes keeps giving me the runaround. They were here Saturday for an air conditioner repair and was to return today to replace the affected part. I have called four times today and none can give me direct answer in when I will get my air conditioner fixed. Its been four days in 97+ degrees heat with inside temperatures nearing 90 degrees. I have a family member that requires breathing machine and its unbearable temperatures to stay cool. Furthermore, they informed me that I must make a repair to the external home that was damaged by a recent hurricane. Very poor customer service.

  

  Business response

  08/30/2024

  Hi *****,
  
  We have received your complaint and appreciate the opportunity to work on this with you. The complaint implies challenges with ** concerns. I am sorry that the first repair did not resolve the issue. I do see that your follow up work order was created on 8/5 and resolved the following day on 8/6 by replacing the condenser fan motor. I do not see any work orders for the ** concern since then so I am happy that this repair resolved this concern.
  
  We take this matter seriously and thank you for your patience as we looked into your comments.
  
  Thank you,
  
  *****
  FirstKey Homes
  

  Customer response

  08/30/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  08/05/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I moved out the house I was leasing and they stuck me with a huge up charging me for saying I didn't give them a 60 day notice which I did and I tried calling to setup up payment arrangements and the person I spoke with ***************************** was not willing to accept an arrangement from me but he was telling me I can pay half and the other half in 30 day's I told him that wasn't possible for me

  

  Business response

  08/30/2024

  Hi *******,
  
  We have received your complaint and appreciate the opportunity to work on this with you. The complaint implies challenges with the move-out charges on your account. Unfortunately, in looking at your account, you permitted a resident in the home that was not on the lease and that remained in the home despite any notice to vacate previously submitted. Your Property Manager, ****, reached out to you on 5/14 to inquire about the person in the home that remained that gave your name as the person who permitted her to stay in the home. Due to this, the notice was canceled and an eviction status was filed on the home as no response was received to this communication that I am able to see. If you would like to speak with your past Property Manager, please email me at ************************************** and I will be happy to connect you with **** in an effort to resolve but all attempts since have gone unanswered.
  
  We take this matter seriously and thank you for your patience as we looked into your comments.
  
  Thank you,
  
  *****
  FirstKey Homes

  Customer response

  08/30/2024

   
  Complaint: 22095346
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  Hello just because someone drives my name doesn't mean I gave them permission to stay I told them that was a squatter and they took it upon themselves to allow them to stay I gave them notice that I was vacating once my lease was up so anything after may 8th has nothing to do with me
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************

  

  Business response

  09/06/2024

  Hello *******,

  This is not the information we were provided and not what your account memos have recorded. If you would like for me to connect you with your previous Property Manager, please email me at **************************************.

  Thank you,

  *****
  FirstKey Homes

  Customer response

  09/06/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************

• Initial Complaint

  08/05/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I applied for rental property with FirstKey Homes,with Leasing consultant ************************. Property address, ************************************* . I sent in an application fee for $113 another application fee for $55 plus fee. I received a notice that my application was excepted. We can move forward with the rental process. I literally received a noticed that the property was rented. I questioned the leasing officer to how she could have me apply for a property thats already rented and money deposited and received. My complaint is I would like to receive a refund of $113 application fee. return back to my account.. because it is against the Law to rent a property when its already rented. Also, receive application fee monies .First key Homes did send me a check for I believe $55 but ignored the larger deposit fee of $113. Monies was taken from my Navy Federal credit Union account for $113 . The other account was Educational Federal credit Union, in the amount of $55 I believe. Im looking for. Complete refund

  

  Business response

  08/30/2024

  Hello,

  This complaint does not have an applicant's name attached to it, rather, has our leasing agents name and email address for her also provided. I have no way to look into this and assist. If you would like any assistance, please email me at ************************************** and I will be more than happy to assist you however I can.

  Thank you,

  *****
  FirstKey Homes

• Initial Complaint

  08/05/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  They are doing Unethical and Unscrupulous business practice by adding an fraudulent fee to my rent and attempting to bully me into paying it. I strongly believe that they are harassing me regarding this fee because I chose not to re-sign my lease this year. I have been in correspondence with ***************************** from first key homes regarding a service fee that was wrongfully added to my account. However, she didn't try to help me clarify the service charge validity. ****************** and *****************************( another property manager) are trying to bully me into paying a $150 service fee for a service I never requested. (My original email on 7/18/24) I was charged for a maintenance call when my a/c went out for a few days. he *** asked me on the call why I was not renewing my lease and I told her that my lights had not been working in my room or dining room. The *** said that the technician would look at it to see why the lights were not working when the tech came to fix the a/c. (****************** response 7/19/24) Hi ********, After reviewing your maintenance request, we determined that the issue(s) you ***orted are considered the responsibility of the resident per your lease agreement, and we will now close this request. You were charged a $150 resident service fee because the technician documented that you were using the incorrect light bulbs for your fixtures. Light bulbs are considered resident responsibility. To review residents responsibilities, please consult your lease. My response 7-19-24 why would I be charged for a service call regarding my lights when the service call was actually for my a/c? Also I tried other light bulbs in those sockets and it didn't work. I Never asked the technician to change out my light bulbs and from my understanding he was just checking to see if those sockets were receiving electricity. In which checking the electricity voltage coming from a socket is Not something that the tenant is responsible for according to the rental agreement .

  

  Business response

  08/30/2024

  Hi ********,
  
  We have received your complaint and appreciate the opportunity to work on this with you. The complaint implies challenges with the Service fee you were charged on 6/3. I see the cor***pondence you are referring to and posted in your complaint and that you are questioning why you were charged when the service call was for your a/c but in looking at your work orders, that is not the case. Your work order, 1330412, was created specifically for the lights per your note to the call center agent "Lights flicker in multiple rooms and *** already changed the light bulbs". As per the ***ponse from your Service Manager, *******, light bulbs are ***ident ***ponsibility and this work order was created due to the light bulbs flickering and that is why you were charged the fee and the fee will remain.
  
  We take this matter seriously and thank you for your patience as we looked into your comments.
  
  Thank you,
  
  *****
  FirstKey Homes

• Initial Complaint

  08/02/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am trying to reach firstkey homes regarding my rent, when you call their call center they are not able to help and you are unable to speak with a supervisor, they advise that someone will call you back but they do not. There is not a local contact to reach out to and they refuse to give out any information. The call center provides conflicting information and no one seems to have an understanding of what is happening. This is by far the most frustrating experience I have ever had renting and would caution anyone from ever renting with this place as they are non communicative and do not fix maintenance issues in the homes.

  

  Business response

  08/30/2024

  Hi ******,
  
  We have received your complaint and appreciate the opportunity to work on this with you. The complaint implies challenges with communication regarding your payment for the balance that is due. I am sorry for any troubles but there are a number of memos from ****** outlining that payment is due in full and required to be paid via certified funds. At this time, that has not been completed and further steps on your account have been taken. Please remit payment for balance in full before the account is finalized through the courts.

  I have also looked at your work orders and all have been completed and within a timely manner.
  
  We take this matter seriously and thank you for your patience as we looked into your comments.
  
  Thank you,
  
  *****
  FirstKey Homes

• Initial Complaint

  08/02/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We are being treated unfairly and overly charged for damages and dirt to the home we rented. We are lifelong homeowners who rented for one year for educational purposes. Please see the attached letter that we sent our property manager, "******" in the Atlanta market. We are very upset that they are violating our tenant rights and the terms of the lease by holding our security deposit without giving us the proper notice or allowing us the opportunity to understand the deductions. We requested photos and were told they would be mailed, but we have already received the statement (via email) indicating what we owe. We had an appointment scheduled for the final inspection to walk through the property with the inspector and he entered the premises without our knowledge among other concerns when we were not home. In addition, upon review of the final ledger statement, we don't understand why the utility bills are overlapping through July 20 and July 23 so the final statement shows almost $900 in utility bills and close to $900 in damages. In addition, we do not wish to speak to the property manager "******" because she was upset and rude to me over the phone when I simply wanted to obtain a copy of a detailed move-out report that clearly showed what we did wrong. She agreed to expedite our request. We are considering civil litigation regarding this matter because we are 100% certain the property was cleaned and had no damage beyond normal wear and tear. We scheduled a PRE-MOVE out inspection and the person inspecting commented that it was in "excellent condition." repeatedly. Please see the various attachments to support my complaint. We are requesting ALL charges for clearing and damages be reversed and the double charges for utilities be removed from our ledger statement to obtain our full security deposit minus the month-to-month premium and utility charges through July 23, 2024. Thank you for reading my complaint.

  

  Business response

  08/30/2024

  Hi ******,
  
  We have received your complaint and appreciate the opportunity to work on this with you. The complaint implies challenges with your move-out charges, I am sorry for the troubles and have been in touch with your Property Manager, ******, who has confirmed this has been resolved and and the correct amount sent out to you to be delivered within the next ***** business days. If you do not receive the check, please do not hesitate to email me at ************************************** and I will be happy to assist you further.
  
  We take this matter seriously and thank you for your patience as we looked into your comments.
  
  Thank you,
  
  *****
  FirstKey Homes

• Initial Complaint

  08/01/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  6/9/24: A/C stopped working, got to 2 degrees less than emergency temperature, requested maintenance, scheduled for 6/12/24 6/10/24: A/C began working by this point, stopped, and started again. Decided to keep appointment to ensure nothing was wrong.6/12/24: Maintenance appointment w/*** - checked temp in house and at vents in family room, went upstairs into the attic per my request, everything looked fine 7/3/23: charged for appt; however, our lease states "16.5.2. Landlord shall maintain, repair, or replace (as applicable), at its expense: the roof, front and back doors, foundation, HVAC, electrical systems, plumbing, hot water tank, refrigerator, stove, microwave, dishwasher, structural components, exterior paint and siding, locks, ceiling. Resident is responsible for notifying Landlord of any such maintenance needs. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Resident shall be liable for any damage or loss caused or permitted to be caused by misuse, negligence, or action and inaction of Resident, occupants, invitees, guests, and licensees and Resident will be charged the costs and fees associated billed to Residents ledger, which shall be deemed Additional Rent." requested refund for charge 8/1/24: after many hours of calls and emails (all documented), we are not getting anywhere and FKH is saying it's not their responsibility b/c our lease states "*******.Make any minor repairs and ordinary maintenance with a general cost of $150 or less;" However, we don't believe this relates to our issue. If we didn't have the appointment and something happened b/c it wasn't checked out, I am most certain that FKH would have charged us for negligence. It is impossible to reach someone higher-up, a supervisor or manager, etc. We would like our $150 refunded. I can provide emails at your request. There are just so many.

  

  Business response

  08/29/2024

  Hi *******,
  
  We have received your complaint and appreciate the opportunity to work on this with you. The complaint implies challenges with the ** concerns in the home and the Service charge for the work order. I am sorry for the troubles and I do see that this was corrected and the Service fee credited back to your account on 8/8.
  
  We take this matter seriously and thank you for your patience as we looked into your comments.
  
  Thank you,
  
  *****
  FirstKey Homes

  Customer response

  09/04/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. However, this does not change the way I feel about how FirstKey Homes does their business.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  08/01/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  HV** is out, specifically the outside unit. I sent a maintenance request on 7/30 and called the ** line due to heat read 89, which is actually hotter. Received call back in 7/31 informing they have 24 hours to call you back for an emergency service. I was told on the phone my appointment was 8/1 from 8-2. When I looked online and followed up with a call. The *** stated my emergency appointment is scheduled for 8/2. I told the *** and sent a temp of the temp which today 8/1 is 91 degrees and feel like 108. This is day 3. They have not recommended me staying in a hotel. Instead they say they are understaff. I work from home. It is too hot for me or my kids to stay in the home or work. My expectation with high temps is service next day. They can contract HV** teams to assist. They are a corporate rental company that has the bandwidths to do so. Lastly, every year since I have moved in hear in 2021 the air conditioner goes out. I was told that the ** unit needed to be ***laced. They keep doing temporary ***air to a major problem. I should not have to find other housing accommodation, endure an health hazard environment due to the heat trying to work, and have to wait for 3 days or more on an emergency.

  

  Business response

  08/29/2024

  Hi *******,
  
  We have received your complaint and appreciate the opportunity to work on this with you. The complaint implies challenges with your AC concerns in the home. I am sorry for the troubles but as we address these concerns, we repair the issue that is causing the problem. We do not replace major units unless it is necessary. I understand the frustration but do see that the last repair that was completed on 8/1 has seemed to solve the problem as no further work orders have been created since. I know it is not ideal but each repair did resolve the issue at that time.
  
  We take this matter seriously and thank you for your patience as we looked into your comments.
  
  Thank you,
  
  *****
  FirstKey Homes

• Initial Complaint

  08/01/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was assessed an HVAC fee (Date: 7/16/2024, Service order 1392385) of $75 and I believe this to be incorrect. Per Texas law, I am not to be charged for repair of structural defects of the home and that includes the window that was broken as well as the door seal. This is also backed up by the lease in section 16.5.4 I am not responsible for the landlords negligence in damage to windows, screens, interior doors etc. We moved in and the window was broken. The fan was also broken but didnt need it to be fixed until now as the home didnt struggle to keep cool until recently. The technician who came out said he would submit a work order to fix the broken window. We have not heard anything back. He also said he would be back to repair the leaky door seal. He has not been back. This is not the first time they have charged me for something I should not have been charged for.In May, I was charged $150 for ************ fee for a clogged drain pipe in the attic. I attempted to dispute this fact as I was charged for them to come out and tell me it was the air filters and resident responsibility. Per the lease agreement, any trip made by the technician that is later deemed to be resident reasonability will be assessed a $105 "service trip fee", but I was charged $150 for some reason. The technician said that it was from clogged air filters but also said the drain was clogged and that it was my responsibility to unclog the drain. However, in our lease, plumbing issued not caused by the resident are to be fixed by the landlord (17.6.6 of the lease). How is it my fault that I clogged an AC drain pipe? In January, a technician was called out to fix a recuring Rat infestation that was present from the movement we moved in. Rat f**** throughout the property. The charged me for that despite this already present infestation upon move in. The technician also placed ********** rat traps in the backyard that say keep out of reach of animals and children and my dog ate the plosion.

  

  Business response

  08/30/2024

  Hi *******,
  
  We have received your complaint and appreciate the opportunity to work on this with you. The complaint implies challenges with the $150 Service fee you were charged on 5/21. I see that the team evaluated this charge and did determine it was not resident responsibility and the amount was credited back to your account on 8/20. I am sorry for the inconvenience and I am happy to see this was resolved.
  
  We take this matter seriously and thank you for your patience as we looked into your comments.
  
  Thank you,
  
  *****
  FirstKey Homes

• Initial Complaint

  07/31/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  We have been living in a home managed by firstkey since April 2019, and have only needed maintenance a few times, mostly due to plumbing, which is out of our control as told by a plumber that visited. Back to my complaint at hand, we had a maintenance request in December in ********************************************* the master bathroom. The maintenance man came out and said he found a loose wire in the wall, and was in and out in less that 3 minutes. We later had a 150 dollar fee added to our rent for the maintenance call. This was the first time this has ever happened since living here. We called the residents services line and inquired about the charge and they said we should be refunded via credit in January. We were not, and had to call every month until May to finally receive a credit. Which is beyond ridiculous because the loose wire is not on their list of "tenant charges" and was not caused by our doing.Now, at the end of May, early June the front door deadbolt stopped working. And we were essentially locked out. Once we got in via the garage we called maintenance and they sent someone out. He said one of the keys made was not a quick-set key so it reprogrammed the lock over time. I guess it took 4 years to do so, but I digress.To our surprise, we received a new 150 dollar charge on our rent for the lock request. Again, not a tenant charge and not due to any damage or neglect on our part. We called immediately and asked to be refunded and to have our local office give us a call. I looked in the rent portal today, 7.31.24 and no credit has been issued and no call from the office. Firstkey is trying to nickel and dime their longtime residents and it's unfair and bad business practices. We would like to receive our refund credit immediately. And to stop receiving bogus charges the few times we actually need services. Also a window was shot out on New years eve 2023 and we were told they would not fix it, because it was only the storm glass.

  

  Business response

  08/30/2024

  Hi ********,
  
  We have received your complaint and appreciate the opportunity to work on this with you. The complaint implies challenges with the Service fee you were charged. I understand you have been in touch with your local team and this situation has been resolved and you were happy with the resolution.
  
  We take this matter seriously and thank you for your patience as we looked into your comments.
  
  Thank you,
  
  *****
  FirstKey Homes

  Customer response

  08/30/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

*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. ↩