ComplaintsforApartment Mart, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  06/16/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I move out at the end of lease. I went in the office 2 months before my lease was over to let them know I was vacating and see if it was possible to break my lease early. I was told that I could leave but would still be responsible for the rent remaining on my lease unless someone else rented before my lease was up. I said nevermind and I'll stay to the end of my lease. I then receive a letter in the mail stating to let them know if I want to renew my lease or switch to a month to month lease. In the letter, it stated to let them know my decision 2 WEEKS before my lease was up or I will be renewed in a month to month lease. I called to let them know I will not be renewing my lease before the deadline in the letter. However, I was told that I did not fill out a notice of vacate form 30 days prior to the end of my lease. Now, I have to pay 2 weeks past my lease end date and cover utilities when I'm not there. When I told them I don't understand why I wasn't told that I had to fill out the form the first time I went in to talk about vacating my residence, I was pretty much told sucks to sucks. When I told them that their letter is confusing since you are telling people they have up to 2 weeks before the lease ends to let you know which renewal option you like to pick, one would assume you have the same amount of time to say no to the options. They told me that is clearly states it in the lease to give 30 days noticed, and the letter is a clearly different document. When I said I signed the lease over a year ago, so I went off the letter as I dont know every clause of my lease, I was pretty much told I'm the dumb one for going off of the letter they sent. They do have a history of communicating to tenants via letters. When they started to charge for internet, do inspections, or update guidelines for the residents, a letter was sent. I believe I was purposefully mislead so that I would have to pay for the 2 weeks they need to get the apartment ready for a new tenat.

  Business response

  06/18/2024

  ****** ***** has rented from Apartment Mart, Inc. since 6/18/18.  He has signed (6) leases, five of which were renewals.  During this time each renewal lease has had the same verbiage as the original lease that he signed.  Lease renewal letters for his six-year period have also been sent to him with the same verbiage. 

  The lease states under section eight (8) that he signed six different times says, THIS LEASE IS AUTOMATICALLY RENEWABLE.  TENANT agrees that he shall give written notice thirty (30) days prior to the end of the lease term that he does not desire such renewal and that failure to give such notice shall be deemed and assent to such renewal for any additional subsequent thirty (30) day period upon the conditions provided herein provided.

  The renewal letter, which is an entirely different document than the lease agreement that he signed, provided him with two different leasing options.  He was to sign a yearly lease or go month to month, each with a different rental amount.  If at any time that he didn't want to take either of these two options as the lease states, he was to provide Apartment Mart, Inc. with a (30) day written notice.

  Mr. ***** discussed with three different employees of Apartment Mart, Inc. the 30-day notice to vacate clause.  He said he didn't remember that it was in the lease that he signed a year ago.  Mr. ***** signed six (6) leases with the same verbiage that he signed which indicated that he agreed to the terms of the lease.  

  Mr. ***** also said that Apartment Mart, Inc. should have included in the lease renewal letter the verbiage about the 30 days' notice to vacate clause.  We indicated to him that the lease and the renewal letter are two separate documents.  The letter is only for signing a renewal lease or remaining in the unit on a month-to-month basis.  If he had chosen the month-to-month option, the renewal letter would have been an addendum to the lease that he previously signed.

  Mr. ******* current lease agreement that he signed ends on 6/30/24.  He turned in his written notice to vacate on June 14th, 2024.  His move out date on his notice is June 21st, 2024.  Mr. ***** would have been obligated until July 14th, 2024.  He paid for the full month of June on June 5th, 2024.  This means that he would have to pay 14 days of rent to fulfill his 30-day written notice.  

  During his tenancy we haven't had any issues with him.  Whenever he had any maintenance problems, we went out to his unit promptly to take care of them.  We have had a good landlord-tenant relationship with him.  We have decided not to charge him for the 14 days in July, only to his lease ending date of 6/30/24.  We wish him the best of luck.

  ***** *********, Leasing Mgr.

  Customer response

  06/18/2024

  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.

• Initial Complaint

  11/03/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I rented an apartment managed by Apartment Mart starting in July of 2021. We paid a refundable deposit. I provided the requisite notice to Apartment Mart for a move out date of September 30, 2023. On October 17, I received a check for $124,92. Apartment mart had deducted fees for a kitchen counter top and also for replacing the carpet. At our move in date in July of 2021, we informed Apartment Mart that the kitchen counter had damage and added that information to the move in check list. On October 18, I spoke with *** from Apartment and informed him that as tenants we weren't responsible for damage that we found there. In addition, according to Illinois Security Deposit Act, landlords may withhold deposits for normal wear and tear. When I moved out there were no stains on the carpet and we left the apartment in the condition that we found it in. I have a video of the entire apartment to confirm this because I anticipated this from Apartment from online reviews that I have seen. *** assured me that they would send the remaining amount because he was able to find the checklist. We agreed that the deduction for bedroom blinds was justified. I have not received the remaining amount as promised. I have called and left voicemail for Mr. *** who didn't return the call. I would like to get this resolved without involving the courts on the matter if possible but it is hard to do so if Apartment Mart won't work with me in a amicable and mature manner.

  Customer response

  11/06/2023

  This has been resolved. Apartment Mart mailed the check. 

  Business response

  11/06/2023

  The check was sent out Friday 11/3/23.  We apologize for the inconvenience.

  **** ********

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  10/09/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On September 18th, 2022, I applied for an apartment with Apartment-Mart Inc that was supposed to be available on October 8th, 2022. I submitted what was required via email: non-refundable application fee, paystubs, and the application. According to ***** **** and ***** *******, who were the leasing agents that worked with me, the apartment was available when I first applied for it. I never received ANY communication from them throughout this entire process, I had to continuously reach out to them. On September 28th, 2022, I emailed them asking if the apartment was still available because I saw on their website that the apartment I was applying for was listed as "unavailable". No one responded to my inquiry except to say they were waiting for rental verification from my current landlord which they "believed was faxed". I reached out to my landlord and she stated she never received anything from them. Finally, on September 29th, 2022, ***** ******* reached out to me and stated that the apartment I applied for was no longer available, asked if I wanted to look at another complex they had available and was going to run my credit again, which would place ANOTHER inquiry on my credit and charge me ANOTHER $130.00. When I requested the refund of $130.00 and asked why my credit was ran when they knew the apartment wasn't available, ***** stated someone came September 28th, put down a $700 security deposit, which was optional and only needed if applying in person, the non-refundable application fee and they had the apartment. I found that hard to believe since the apartment was listed as "unavailable" since before then. When I once again requested my non-refundable refund of $130.00, the leasing agents ceased all communication with me. Now, I see that the very same apartment I applied for is supposedly available for November 19th. I feel as though I have been taken advantage of and scammed by this complex. I believe they are stealing from potential residents.

  Business response

  10/11/2022

  attached

  ***** ****** and her family submitted her application on 9/20/22 with a credit card form to process a married couple and two children over the age of 18 years old for $120.00 (application fees are $40 per person over the age of 18 years of age, married couples are $40.00). The processing fee was $10,00- The total amount of the transaction on her card was $130.00. The application fees are nonrefundable when they put down the application.
  Apartment Mart requires prospective tenants to submit a security deposit in order to hold an apartment. ****** was told submitting application fees wouldn't hold a unit for her, She chose not to put down the security deposit.
  The application was run on 9/20/22. We received the necessary criteria for renting the apartment except for the landlord reference that was sent over to *** ***** *********** In Bloomington, IL. The landlord reference was completed and received on 9/29/22.
  In the meantime, on 9/23/22 we received an application with a security deposit and application fees for the apartment that Ms. ****** wanted. This held the unit for the prospective tenant that put down the security deposit and application fees.
  When Ms. ****** called, she was informed that the unit was no longer available, but we could offer her something else to rent. There must have been a misunderstanding slnce we don't rerun an application or charge another application fee if their application was approved.
  Apartment Mart is sorry for any misunderstanding that has occurred. We will be refunding Ms. ******' application and processing fees.
  
  

*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. ↩