ComplaintsforEquity Residential

• Initial Complaint

  12/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I moved into The **** Apartments not even a week ago on 12/1/2022. I was not allowed to view my unit or do orientation until that day of my lease beginning. Upon entering the unit that night of the 1st I noticed and filmed multiple cockroaches crawling around the sink. I simply asked the leasing offices to move me out of here into a sister property under Equity, and I was told I'd have to 1. Pay another Deposit and 2. I would be paying for the days I've been at ************, even though the unit is inhabitable and I notified them of that on day 1. They've waited until this day 12/7/22 to even tell a GM about the matter. This is absolutely illegal and robbery. I've tried being cool and flexible about this, but every turn I've been put in a worse position.

  

  Business response

  12/22/2022

  We understand that this was already resolved with the resident. 

  Customer response

  12/27/2022

   
  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,
  
  Ralondo *******

• Initial Complaint

  12/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We moved into ************************* on January 12th 2022. Leased apartment #***, a One Bed/One Bath apartment home for a 13 month lease. As we were relocating from *******, we were unable to tour the community prior to moving. The floor plan online listed the description of unit #*** as: "The kitchen offers a Gray Shaker cabinet finish, quartz counter tops and stainless steel appliances" (see photo: "floorplan.jpg"). After signing our lease and receiving keys, upon walking into our new home, we immediately noticed the kitchen cabinets were not as they were listed on the floor plan online (see photos: "kitchencabinets.jpg" & "bathroomcabinets.jpg"). We received ********* cabinetry not Gray Shaker (see example photos: "gray.jpg" & "brazil.jpg"). ******. Within a couple of days, we notified management of the cabinets being different than what was listed online and were told there was nothing that could be done about the cabinets. Furthermore, we were told that they were not going to rip out the cabinets and install the correct ones when we inquired if this could be a possibility. There was also no option of moving to a different apartment home of the same floor plan type, as this was the only unit in the entire community with that floor plan. Previously when we were searching for our new home, we noticed this home is an interior corner unit that would not get much sunlight, and moving into a home with brighter cabinetry was important to us in efforts to create a brighter environment. Over the next month, not only we were unable to deal with the darkness of the apartment caused by the dark cabinetry, but amenities that were listed online were not functioning properly, and property lighting that was continuously out created an unsafe living environment. After speaking with the Property Manager, it was offered that we transfer to another Equity community, in which we accepted. We moved out on April 21st, 2022.

  

  Business response

  12/22/2022

  As stated in the complaint, this matter was addressed during the residents' tenancy and they were offered the opportunity to transfer to another Equity community, which they accepted. We do not believe this issue to be commensurate with a rent abatement and see no legal obligation to return any amounts paid. 
  

  Customer response

  12/28/2022

   
  Complaint: 18537767
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  We questioned a transfer to another EQR community after two months of living there.  This was not something that was initially offered to us by management.  While we accepted a transfer to another EQR community, we also had to place down new fees (security deposits) at the other community, and pay for moving costs.  Moving costs were not anticipated, and not in our budget - as we initially signed a 13 month lease and we were not anticipating these costs again until February of 2023.  Furthermore, false advertisement is false advertisement.  If your staff were not concerned with this being false advertisement, then please advise why your staff immediately had this changed on your company website after I informed them?  Furthermore, while EQR has taken appropriate steps to ensure this issue does not happen again to future residents, it still happened and EQR should be held responsible.  From my understanding, ************** was acquired by EQR from Alliance Residential in 2015-2016.  Your on-site leasing & management staff have a responsibility to ensure accurate information is posted on your individual property websites.  Your staff has had since that time to ensure information is accurate and true, and all have failed.  Additionally, as mentioned in my original complaint which you failed to respond to, property safety lighting was non-operational for over 1/2 of the days we were living at the community, and property amenities were not working.  

  Sincerely,
  
  *********************************

  

  Business response

  01/12/2023

  We're sorry you feel this way. However, our position on this matter is final. 

  Customer response

  01/13/2023

   
  Complaint: 18537767
  
  I am rejecting this response.  Thank you for your lack of cooperation, look forward to hearing from my attorney. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************************

• Initial Complaint

  10/29/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I lived at the ***************** Apartment in *******, **, from October 2020 till October of 2022. We said "yes" to the cleaning fee that would be taken out of our deposit, and were aware that no matter what we did, we would get charged for painting the walls. What we were not made aware of is that they would fine us for dirt. That sounds like an outright scamming way to get more money out of people moving out. When we received our SOD paperwork, I did not expect to be dinged for wear and tear. The previous places I rented at were nowhere near as picky, and it made the cleaning fee feel like a joke. Why charge for dirt you're going to clean? The extra little charges we did not expect felt like a scam as well. It felt like they were looking for any excuse they could to not give back any security deposit and squeeze us for more money.The last part is that we paid the pro-rated rent we were quoted before move out. We had been told that would be the only rent we needed to pay and then we get hit by an "accelerated rent". This was not something we were told would happen, and after an email exchange, I feel like that Equity is just a s*** company that wants to rip people off in any "legal" way they can. The person I spoke to kept "explaining" the charges as if they were completely normal, which they are not since I have rented in two different states. First it was the ridiculous rent increases for an apartment not worth what we were paying for, and now "accelerated rent". I will not be recommending anyone rent from this company. This has been my worst renting experience, not to mention the homeless situation that they had a loudspeaker yelling out a message instead of actual, dependable security. A place that goes through 3 security companies in two years should not be trusted.I will be paying the charges since reading below that they will lower your credit rating if you don't, but I will never do business with them again.

  

  Business response

  11/15/2022

  We have resolved this matter directly with the resident. 

• Initial Complaint

  10/27/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  One of the properties managed by Equity Residential, ******************************************, leased ** an apartment that was infested with cockroaches. They acknowledged the issue but did not refund us for the full amount we had paid. We would like to get a refund for the remaining amount we are owed. Our apartment lease was originally to start on Aug. 6th. ******* contacted us to extend the start date because the prior tenants had kept the apartment in a poor condition; we agreed to a new Aug. 11 start date. We paid $8862.10 prior to moving in, which includes first-month prorated rent, security deposit, amenity fee, and application fee. When we toured the apartment on Aug 11, we noticed it was very dirty and needed cleaning; they agreed to clean it soon. On Saturday Aug. 13, we returned to inspect it, and found several roaches in closet and bathroom. We asked for an exterminator to clean up the ***** issue. When returning on Aug. 15 evening, we found the apartment to be covered with roaches, in the entrance area, kitchen, bathroom, and bedrooms. By this point, we were 5 days into the lease, but the apartment was never habitable. We returned our keys by the next day and notified the leasing office that the apartment is not habitable after providing 3 opportunities to clean the apartment. The property management company had plenty of opportunities to rectify the situation, but failed to provide habitable living conditions. They even acknowledged that it was uninhabitable. Yet they only refunded $7814.52. We would like the remaining $1047.58 to be refunded.We reached out several times to ask them for the remaining amount, after their initial refund amount fell short of the amount we are owed. However, they stopped responding to our inquiries, at which point we stated we will file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau if they do not respond to our inquiries. They have still not responded yet.

  

  Business response

  11/15/2022

  This issue was resolved directly with the resident. 

• Initial Complaint

  10/06/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I am currently a resident of ********************, *********. Due to certain circumstances, I have to break my current lease. The issue here is equity apartments are asking me for 3 months of rent as a penalty which is super high. also, they are not even allowing me to sublease it. They mentioned they have renovations pending on the apartment. And any replacement I find will not be allowed to start their lease for at least two months due to the renovations. renovations are something which can easily be delayed and is not something which would have happened anyways if I decided to stay until the end of my lease. Due to this I am stuck with the option of paying 3 months of rent penalty which is ridiculously high. I am not looking for full payment write-off but at least a discount on the 3 month penalty as a compensation for taking away my release option.

  

  Business response

  10/13/2022

  This complaint has since been resolved directly with the resident. 
  
  

  Customer response

  10/25/2022

   
  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.

  "I got a call from equity about this issue, and they offered a reduced rent penalty as a resolution for this issue, which is what I was looking for. "

  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  09/28/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In July 2022, Equity Residential circulated a resident survey. At no time was I prompted to provide my name and contact information, which led me to reasonably believe this survey was anonymous. Based on this understanding, I provided honest feedback, including mid- and low-level assessments on all fronts. I stand by these assessments, as the building promises 24/7 concierge and package protection as well as Grade A amenities. Despite these promises, the concierge desk was frequently unmanned (and the staff was rude when there) and I have been left alone in a room full of unguarded packages on multiple occasions. I would have been free to rob residents, and imagine others have capitalized on this freely-offered opportunity in the past.Regardless, the crux of my complaint is that about a week after the survey was submitted, my fiance and I were angrily and loudly confronted regarding our survey input in a public lobby full of other residents. I was absolutely mortified by the way we were characterized, and was shocked to be yelled at so aggressively in my home. The entire staff of ******** went out of their way to be unhelpful and rude after our survey results were publicly shared. It became so unpleasant that we terminated our lease, as we no longer felt comfortable even picking up a package in our own residence (and were frequently unable to due to lack of staff). Even after all of this, the staff member who accosted us was never confronted and in fact showed our apartment home to prospective tenants WHILE WE WERE STILL LIVING THERE. To have someone who went out of their way to be rude and unwelcoming in my apartment home was beyond inappropriate. In addition, Equity provides the option for vacating tenants to pay exorbitant cleaning and carpet cleaning fees at move-out. We elected to pay for these services with the understanding that this would cover our cleaning obligations. However, Equity has retained the majority of our security deposit for cleaning fees

  

  Business response

  10/04/2022

  Dear **************,
  Thank you for sharing your concerns. The survey you are referring to was a check-in survey, specific to your experience in the community. This is an internal survey to ensure your residency was to your satisfaction. You delivered a rating in your survey with no specific comments. As such, you were contacted to see how we could improve your experience. The survey results were not publicly shared. 
  You contacted us in August to share that you found your dream home and that you would be terminating your lease prior to its expiration date. We put your apartment home on the market. Until this time, all communication with our staff was pleasant and without any major complaints. 
  In September 2022, when your apartment had still not been rented, you contacted us to share additional concerns with the community, which were addressed, and allegations that you believed our team was steering prospects away from your apartment. We have no control over which apartments are selected by applicants. Indeed, a week later, we had prospects interested in this style of apartment and who wanted to see it in person. We reached out to see if this was possible, and we were eagerly allowed to show the apartment. This was done with your permission but is also permissible per the conditions of your lease. 
  Regarding the statement of deposit, we have no record of you electing the Easy Move Out cleaning nor do we have any record of you paying this amount. When you vacated the apartment, there was some excessive damage to the apartment and you were charged for that damage, consistent with the lease and local law. Please contact our office directly if you would like to discuss this matter further. 
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  09/24/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We were forced to move into a new unit that wasn't entirely ready due to flooding from plumbing issues. When we moved in I marked all the damage which included frayed carpets and some minor scuffs around the bathtub. The tub looked like it had been painted real quick to cover up something. We later found out that it was covering black mold. When we were forced to move Equity did not cover the moving fees and we had to come out of pocket for the help. Not only that but they tried to charge us a moving fee. When I confronted the manager, he clenched his fists got in my face and told me, "grow up!" Really? Eventually, he agreed and apologized for "his part in the confrontation" and he agreed that I shouldn't have to pay since it was a move induced by a maintenance issue. When we moved in, we did a walk through noting some scuffs on the walls and frayed carpets near the entrance and one of the closets in the bedroom. We constantly stepped on the nails that were showing from the frayed carpet and brought it to the attention of maintenance. They told me that if we wanted to have them replaced we would have to move our stuff out for a few days to a week. We decided to live with them. When we finally moved out, Equity charged us more than our deposit to replace the already frayed carpets, paint, clean the fridge and the stove, paint the bathtub, and all several other things. They took pictures of the underside of the carpet where there was obvious damage and suggested that it was our dog. These urine spots were small, about the size of a Frisbee, if that. My dog is 125lbs! There is no way that those small spots were from him. Not to mention he was 5yo when we moved in and he hadn't had a mistake in 4.5 years! Also, they failed to note the fraying carpet in their assessment. I spoke with someone through email and when I asked for a copy of our move in he said he doesn't have a record of it. That seems very convenient! The walk through clearly showed issues. I am out of room!

  

  Business response

  10/13/2022

  We disagree with these allegations. This information is contrary to our records in regards to the move-in condition and move out condition. The resident did not provide any record of unsatisfactory conditions at the time of move-in. The carpet was damaged by severe pet urine which occurred during this individual's tenancy. The damages were above ordinary wear and tear, and the charges are justified. Additionally, the final statement of deposit account and corresponding documentation was sent to the resident, consistent with the lease and local law. 
  
  

  Customer response

  10/14/2022

   
  Complaint: 18122889
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

   

  As any person can see, those pet stains are from a small dog or a cat. Our dog is over 100 pounds and his urine would leave much larger stains. Equity is also stating that there was never any complaint about the condition of the apartment which is not accurate. First, on the move-in inspection form, which they will not provide to me, it shows the damage to the carpets and to other little parts of the unit including paint chips on the stove and black mold in the shower. Second, we spoke with maintenance about the nails that we constantly stepped on where the carpet was frayed near the entrance (shown in photos). This company is known throughout the entire community to be very manipulative and, in our short tenure as residents, has been involved in multiple lawsuits with residents due to their immoral practices. I have the money to easily pay what they suggest I owe over the security deposit but will not out of principle. My next step will be filing a lawsuit with the courts. I am hoping that we can avoid this and they will do the right thing.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************************

  

  Business response

  11/03/2022

  Original stance remains unchanged. 

  We disagree with these allegations. This information is contrary to our records in regards to the move-in condition and move out condition. The resident did not provide any record of unsatisfactory conditions at the time of move-in. The carpet was damaged by severe pet urine which occurred during this individual's tenancy. The damages were above ordinary wear and tear, and the charges are justified. Additionally, the final statement of deposit account and corresponding documentation was sent to the resident, consistent with the lease and local law. 
  
  

  Customer response

  11/07/2022

   
  Complaint: 18122889
  
  You say that your records don't reflect what I am reporting but at the same time, when I ask for a copy of the move-in inspection that I provided ****** I am told that it is not possible. I am not sure if you guys are just not giving it to me or if you guys lost it but either way this is incredibly shady. I have never dealt with a company that will not provide records in my 20 years of rental history! In hind sight I really wish that I would have kept a copy of it for my personal records. Anyone reading this, please make sure that if you do decide to sign a lease with them keep great records of everything because they will obviously try to get over on you. Also, look at court records. I am sure you will find several cases filed against this company. Let me try one last thing before adding to this number of cases filed. You say that you have records that show the condition of the unit prior to us moving in. So, show us all here and now the unaltered records. My dog is now almost 9 years old. He still has not had an accident in the house since he was a puppy and, I will say this again, he is 125lbs! As you can see from the pictures that I provided, those spots under the carpet are way too small to have come from him! When he has to pee it is the amount of an adult human. Not little spots that look like a cat or small dog. I am sure that your accusations make zero sense to anyone who is reading this. I have provided my proof, now you need to step up and provide some of your own. 

  Sincerely,
  
  *********************************

  

  Business response

  11/15/2022

  We have evidence showing that the damage was caused by pet urine. Our position on this matter remains unchanged. 
  
  
  

  Customer response

  11/16/2022

   
  Complaint: 18122889
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Again, you say it is from our pet and I am telling you AGAIN that our pet is 125 pounds and he would not make urine spots that are the size of a Frisbee. If he urinated on a carpet, his spots would be much much larger. When he has to go, he literally pees for a minute. He has been 100% house trained for 8 years! I included pictures of the small stains that looks more like a cat or a chihuahua sized animal. I also included pictures that show the carpets were falling apart near the entry way and the closet. These were not new carpets. The stains must have come from a previous renter. I have asked for pictures or scans of the images that were taken of the undersides of the carpets prior to us moving in as well as the move-in inspection where we recorded the old worn conditions of the carpets but we still have not received any documentation or picture. No one here is buying your rhetoric. We will NOT pay to replace carpets that were old and worn prior to our move-in. It's not the amount of money you are asking for it's the principle!! 

  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************************

• Initial Complaint

  09/20/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  When I toured the apartment in person in June, I saw construction equipment at the rear of the building, and the leasing agent directed me to a website about the work, but it was after 5 PM and there was no work conducted at the time. If I hadn't walked out onto the balcony, I would not have been aware of the construction at all. After I moved in, I realized the construction involved dump trucks unloading boulders and rocks, jackhammers to break up the boulders, an ongoing air compressor pump, the beeping of trucks in reverse, and other noise from the project. I also started to hear renovation noises from various surrounding apartments, which was never discussed with me with I viewed the unit or when I moved in. The first management made me aware of it was in a weekly Monday email with "renovation updates." I repeat, I was not make aware of the renovations nor was it revealed to me before I moved in.Management has been unresponsive to these and other minor issues, such as me asking for assistance with a curtain rod to ensure I won't be charged when I move out for defacing the wall, if my curtain rod is not installed properly. The property is either out on leave or does not return my emails, saying he is overworked and swamped, for which I have sympathy, but not enough to be unable to enjoy my unit peacefully.I asked for a reasonable rent reduction or free garage parking, but the property manager says a financial remedy is not applicable in this case. I have responded that we have a financial agreement where I should be able to reasonably expect and enjoy a peaceful living. He does not respond.The Washington ** office, nor any of the other corporate offices I have called have humans responding to calls. I am at a loss.

  

  Business response

  09/23/2022

  Hi ********,
  
  We disagree with the allegations in your complaint. As you are aware, we were fully transparent with you about the **************** Sewer Rehabilitation Project behind Park *********** when you toured apartment T207. Our CM intentionally walked you to the balcony and pointed out the heavy machinery in the park behind the community. It was explained that while they are not working currently, the noise is considerable and something you should certainly be aware of before deciding to apply for that apartment. In your July 5, 2022 email, you even stated, You were very comprehensive explaining the duration and stages of the construction out back, and I appreciate that.  
  
  We also explained the rate for apartment T207 was discounted because of the negative amenity view of construction, and we waived the $500 non-refundable move-in fee on that home because of the construction. 
  
  Regarding the apartment renovation in the community, the Construction and Rehab Addendum is included in your lease agreement. Additionally, we did disclose that we were planning to renovate apartments, prior to you signing the lease for T207. In response to seeing the addendum in the lease, you asked if this was in reference to the creek or something additional, to which we confirmed the only construction we are doing is the apartment renovations (at move-out, one at a time) and that the rooftop level was scheduled to get new tile flooring.
  
  When you brought up your concerns about the construction noise, you were reminded about the 30-day satisfaction guarantee (that was also discussed during your tour and was written on the Fees and Deposits sheet given to you during the tour). You did not want to leave the apartment, rather you wanted us to reduce your monthly rate and waive the parking charge.
  
  We still do not agree that a monetary concession is the appropriate answer to your concerns as it would not address the noise in the community. Moreover, the activity in the park behind the community has moved farther away and is barely audible anymore. We are sending weekly updates about which apartments are being renovated and when to expect demolition sounds, and you agreed to the sounds of construction/apartment renovation when you signed your lease. 
  
  
  
  All that being said, in an effort of good faith, we are willing to work with you on options for early termination. We will reach out to you directly to discuss this further.
  

• Initial Complaint

  07/21/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Equity Residential sold the apartment building I live in on either July 13th or 14th (conflicting documents from them). On July 20th, a claim from Equity Residential was filed on my Transunion credit report. I have always paid rent on time and the claim is completely false and without merit seeing how they no longer own the building. Equity Residential wont answer phone calls from me to get this matter resolved. Others in my building are experiencing the same issue. I would like Equity Residential to get this rectified immediately. Its not right that they can harm my credit for no reason.

  

  Business response

  07/22/2022

  Hello,

   

  An email was distributed on 7/21 to all impacted by a credit reporting error. Here is the body of the email:

  Dear residents of ******************:
  
  It has come to our attention that during the transition of *********************************************** from Equity Residential to A&E on Thursday, July 14, 2022 a coding issue may have created inaccurate reporting with TransUnion. 
  
  We apologize for any inconvenience and are working internally to correct these issues. We are confident that all accounts will be resolved by the end of day today. Please note however that it may take ***** hours for the update on your account to be resolved through TransUnion. Once processed, there should be no negative impact on your account.
  
  If you have a question about the Rent with Equity Rewards home buying program, please refer to your rewards statement distributed on the day of the ownership transition.
  
  If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us via email to: ***********
  
  Thank you,

   

  
  

  Customer response

  07/25/2022

   
  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

  07/05/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Hello, My daughter was a resident at a property managed by Equity Residential in 2021 The rental account was paid in full in May 2021 by cashier's check (over $15k) post-Covid, for a lease I agreed to cosign for my daughter, who had become severely ill in 2020. Equity residential claimed there was a balance due of $690.62 and reported it to the credit bureaus resulting in a damaging hit to my credit of over 100 points without notifying me in any capacity. Had we been notified, this amount would have been paid immediately. However, the management company did not notify me of the outstanding $690.62. No phone calls, no emails, and no live communication. It should also be noted that this is not an uncommon occurrence with Equity Residential, as the reviews on the better business bureau show a similar pattern of behavior that is unethical and should be corrected .This minor amount was paid in full, not because of any communication by Equity Residential but because I was notified by my credit card company that my credit dropped by over 100 points, which Is having a direct impact on my ability to qualify for a mortgage loan. I have been communicating with ******, the community manager at Park West, *********** of Equity Residential, who has been extremely cold, rude, and unhelpful. I have requested her supervisor's contact information three times, and she has refused to share it each time. My experience with this company and its community manager has been extremely poor. It is unethical to report any debt to the credit bureau without properly notifying me of a debt due. Therefore, I would like the company to rescind the charge off/late payment report as reported to the credit bureaus.

  

  Business response

  07/22/2022

  We dispute the allegations in this complaint. All communication and subsequent follow up was appropriately provided to the former leaseholder and the balance was reported consistent with the lease and local law. Equity Residential's position on this matter is final. 
  

*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. ↩