ComplaintsforICM Properties, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  11/03/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have an active lease with ICM Properties. They charge a monthly service fee of $60 and do not maintain the laundry facilities on site and recently switched payment platforms for collecting rent, which collects a $9.99 fee. in addition to rent, I essentially pay an additional $70 for broken washing and drying machines and an unclean entryway. The service fees are not reflective of any actual work being done and in no way does it appear to benefit the tenants. This feels like a shady way of collecting money under the guise of "services" but the services do not appear to be being rendered. if the app they are forcing us to use for rent payments has a fee, they should also cover that fee as well.

  

  Business response

  11/10/2023

  
  I left ******* a vmail on 11/9 and tried to call again on 11/10 but that call went straight to vmail as well.  We are willing to work out some sort of reasonable financial resolution with ******* if he will call me back so we can get a dialog going but at this point I am unclear what he feels is a fair resolution.   

  Below is the email that was sent to ******* today:

  ******* - 
  
  Thank you for making us aware of your concerns.  I just left you a v-mail to get a dialog going. 
  
  A few things.   As I mentioned in my v-mail, unfortunately, we have no control over the fees that AppFolio (the portal provider) assesses, nor do we retain any part of them.  With the new portal, there is a $9.99 per transaction fee for using a debit card and a ****% per transaction fee to use a credit card.  
  
  To ensure that tenants have a way to pay without fees, ICM absorbs the fee associated with paying via echeck/ACH from your checking or savings account. You can submit one-time payments or sign up for autopay using echeck/ACH from your checking or savings account.  
  
  If you need help switching your payment method in the portal, I can look for a quick guide on how to set up ACH payments.  
  
  Regarding the laundry room:  In response to feedback about the laundry room, we order new WASH laundry machines for your building weeks ago and are waiting on shipping dates.  We hope to have these new machines in place before the end of November or by the year's end at the latest.  
  
  Regarding your concerns about the entryways: we are happy to send over a cleaner to give it a good scrub down and see what else we can do to address this.  We will also ask our engineer to be more proactive in keeping that space tidy on a weekly basis.
  
  Finally, regarding the $40.00 monthly bundled services fee we charge (not $60 or $70):  This fee is not a maintenance fee.  It covers other additional services as part of your tenant experience. Some of the services we offer residents through this fee include 24-hour emergency answering service, our online rent payment system, 24/7 access to account history through your personalized tenant portal, the electronic signature for lease documents, lease renewal, and application completion, 24/7 access to your maintenance portal/form system, and building specific amenity like your door buzzer entry systems.
  
  I hope this email clarify things for you.  I hope we can chat when you have a minute to discuss a final resolution and any other concerns you may have moving forward.
  
  Look forward to hearing from you soon.
  
  Regards,
  
  
  *********************
  Manager
  ************

• Initial Complaint

  07/13/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was scheduled to begin my lease at ****************************** on 6/1. I had rented the unit sight unseen based on the approval from a friend, who toured the unit while it was still occupied, since I was currently located in *****. I felt confident based on the recommendation and the ******* video of the unit.Upon arrival on 6/2, I noticed that there were issues. Initially, I emailed on 6/3 requesting a lease transfer. I outlined the issues, many of which were contrary to the ******* Landlord/Tenant ordinances. I documented them all, the worst being: a shoddy replacement front door, an unusable and broken back screen door, rust in many of areas that contain water (kitchen sink and bathroom), and mold behind the kitchen sink. I explained that I was fully relocating to ******* around 6/16 and would like to have those issues addressed before I arrive. ICM agreed to address these issues.I began to experience some pretty severe health symptoms after being there for about a week. I had brain fog, dehydration, clumsiness/vertigo, and congestion. On 7/10, I emailed them to let them know that I would like to terminate my lease and to be compensated for moving expenses. I cited the poor living conditions that affected the health of both my pets and me. I told them about the state of the vents that hadnt been cleaned, the mold issue, wood rot in the bathroom, and the finding of a cockroach nymph in the living room.Over the past few days, they have invalidated all of my concerns, saying that there are no signs of mold or wood rot and that some degree of mold exists everywhere. They tried to get me to sign a document that would release them of all liability and require me to pay them, instead of the other way around. I stated I would not sign, and they doubled down and stated that they strongly dispute my assertion that there is any sort of dangerous mold concerns. They continued to intimidate me with their own legal action, and sent a reminder to sign the termination agreement.

  

  Business response

  07/13/2023

  I spoke with ******** at length today (7/13/2023).  It seems that we worked out a termination agreement that both parties can sign.  The key points are: 

  - ICM will void the July rent obligation and all late fees for ********.
  - ICM will pay ******** a onetime reimbursement payment of $1200 via ACH payable within 10 days of her vacating the apartment.  This will cover: 
               - $600 moving credit
               - $600 reimbursement for the Inspection she hired. 
  ******** will provide us with the receipts & inspection report as part of the reimbursement as well as resolve the BBB claim favorably. 

  ******** needed a little more time to move out.  We tentatively agreed on her being out by the end of next week 7/20/2023
  

  I appreciated ********'s willingness to work with me to find common ground and resolve this amicably.  She was thoughtful and fair throughout the discussion. 

  please let me know if you need anything further from us to finalize this claim.

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

  Manager

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

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

• Initial Complaint

  06/06/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The door to the building does not open, locking tenants inside. This is a fire hazard. This has happened upwards of 10 times, and I have videos of the "fix" which is somone hammering a bunch of nails into the side of the door, which feels like a code violation. ICM has some of the most unprofessional employees I have ever worked with. To get anything done, I have to file a complaint with the BBB. Additionally, they have gone up on our rent while the building continues to deteriorate. This company needs to seriously reconsider how they talk to tenants and handle serious issues such as this.

  

  Business response

  06/08/2023

  I did speak with ****** on 6/6/2023 to update her on the progress of the repair and discuss some of her other concerns.

  The update on the lock issue she recently brought to our attention has been resolved.
  
  Over the past week, our maintenance team has been diligently working to investigate the lock problem. We have sent our building engineer and a skilled maintenance technician to thoroughly examine the situation. However, it has been challenging to diagnose the issue.  Since no other tenants have reported this problem,we struggled to recreate the exact circumstances.
  
  On Tuesday, we made significant progress in addressing the problem thanks to the expertise of our locksmith. He has installed a custom-crafted lock plate as an interim solution while we order the correct plate for the final repair, which is expected to be completed by the end of next week. We have received assurances from our locksmith that this interim solution should ensure the lock's full functionality until the permanent repair is implemented.
  
  I let ****** know I understood her frustration, and I apologize for any inconvenience caused by the recurring nature of this issue.  We discussed that sometimes, certain problems like a malfunctioning lock require multiple visits to ensure a proper and lasting repair.

  in an effort to assure her that we value her as a tenants I provided her with my direct email and phone number so she can loop me in on future issues.  I also discussed some sort of rent credit, which we hope to apply before the end of the month. 
  
  Finally, I let ****** know that either my maintenance team, *******, or I will inform her promptly once the final repair is completed.
  
  Warm regards,
  
  *********************
  Director of Operations

*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. ↩