Complaintsfor33 Realty, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  06/12/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I viewed an apartment managed by this company. I liked the apartment so I submitted an application for the apartment. Right from the initial viewing of the apartment I felt an extreme amount of pressure to make a decision as to whether I was going to take the apartment or not. My application was approved and IMMEDIATELY this company started talking about and asking (almost demanding) payments including first months rent of $2600.00 and a security deposit (equal to one months rent, $2,600.00). I indicated to the contact that showed me the apartment that I wanted time to consider it, but, they said they would keep showing the apartment if I did not take it. Feeling pressured, I quickly paid the first month rent and security deposit ($5,200 total) EVEN THOUGH I was NOT scheduled to move into the apartment FOR WEEKS!! The current tenant of the apartment even extended her lease so the gap between the time her lease expired and the day of me being scheduled to move in was only a matter of DAYS. However, AFTER viewing the apartment, submiting an application and paying the $ ******** I experienced two issues with my health. I IMMEDIATLY, informed this "management" company that due to my unexpected health issues and the anticipated subsequent bills for the emergency room and other treatments, I was not going to take the new apartment. I informed this management company well, WELL in advance of the time I was scheduled to move in that I was not taking the apartment! I PLEADED with the contacts at the company and practically BEGGED the company for ALL my money back. I explained that while I liked the apartment, given my anticipated medical expenses, and the increase from my current rent, I did not feel I could afford it. This company FLAT OUT REFUSED to give me a ***** of my money back. Corporate greed at its unadulterated finest in my opinion. They COULD have kept SOME money to relist it and given me the rest back. I am seeking $ ******** back as a FAIR refund.

  

  Business response

  06/21/2024

  To whom it may concern,  
  
  We are sorry to hear that this tenant had some unpredictable financial hardship in the midst of renting with us. We do our utmost to adhere to policy while also working with people when personal issues arise.  
  

  It is 33 Realty standard business practice to request security deposit funds and first months rent within the first 48 hours upon signing a lease. However, we allowed **** to finish paying his deposit and rent funds over a two-week period to accommodate his financial needs. We held the apartment from 4/30/24 until his agreed upon move-in date of 6/1/24, despite having other interested parties in the unit. On 5/21/24 he requested to break the lease and receive a full refund of all monies given to 33 Realty due to an unforeseen medical issue.  We do not normally perform early lease terminations, however, we agreed to terminate the lease, with the stipulation that we keep all funds for the time and effort of having to acquire another tenant while the unit sat empty, as the previous tenant vacated on 4/30/24.
  

  **** disagreed with this approach and asked instead to have a six-month lease. We do not offer short-term leases, but we did offer him the option to find a sub-letter. He did not want to pay the fees associated for our leasing department to find him a tenant replacement. We again offered to break his lease and keep all associated funds, which he did not accept. We followed standard business procedure throughout the entire process and offered **** multiple solutions to his personal dilemma.  

  Customer response

  06/21/2024

   
  Complaint: 21842630
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  It's my understanding that the previous tenant had extended their lease until 5/15/24.  I informed the leasing company well, WELL in advance for them to find another tenant and just refund my security deposit (at THE LEAST).  The issue I have is, if it's claimed that additional funds would be needed to re-list the apartment, it's certainly NOT $5,200.00! I would have understood if the leasing company kept a SMALL portion of my funds to cover the cost of relisting the apartment.  That would have been understandable, but, not the entire security deposit PLUS the full first months rent.  That's excessive and, in my opinion, down right theft.

  I'm not even requesting a full refund to settle the disbute, willing to part with a small portion to cover the leasing companies re-listing costs.

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

  

  Business response

  06/27/2024

  To whom it may concern, 
  
  As a standard business practice, 33 Realty does not make exceptions to early lease terminations. However, due to Mr. ****** extenuating circumstances, we offered him two options: he could break the lease and lose the security deposit and first months rent, or he could find a subletter on his own to be approved, or through our leasing agent, the fee of which is one months rent. The previous tenant vacated the unit on 4/30/24 and the unit sat empty awaiting Mr. ****** 6/1/24 move-in date. Since he signed the lease, he was legally bound to all the contract stipulations, which specify what options a tenant may have in breaking it. He was also in regular contact with the property manager, as seen in the communications attached to this case. While we are sorry that ************** incurred financial hardship, we are only able to work within the standards set across for all our tenant leases. 
  
  If you have any further questions about this inquiry, please feel free to contact us.  
  
  Thank you.  

  Customer response

  06/28/2024

   
  Complaint: 21842630
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Look, I could understand if I took the apartment and moved in, then, didn't pay my rent for three or four months and subsequently requested all my money back.  But that's NOT the case here.  In this situation, I informed the company before I ever moved in.  In advance.  They found me as a tenant, it would be easy for them to find another.  In the text message history attached by the management company, they clearly state they are NOT refunding ANY portion of the funds I gave them (including the $2,600 security deposit).  In fact, they asked for ANOTHER $500 to find a sublet!!  It is also misleading in that they state the previous tenants move out date and NOT the end date to which the previous tenants lease was paid and in effect.  It appears, in my opinion, that they are trying to make it look like the apartment was unavalable and "off market" for longer than it actually was and paid for.  Further, you can see in their text messages, the multiple issues I had making the initial payments to them.  From the get go, I felt incredible pressured to start making payments all the while thier "portal" was not working, lease dates were wrong and the lease document had to be redone multiple times, etc... Also it seemed like, to me, it was an inconvience for the company to put in the lease agreement items that were discussed verbally and via text message such as exclusive access to the patio area.  Based on the fact that I gave the company advance notice, I never moved in, and the issues with the lease agreement and portal, I believe I should receive a FULL refund of ALL funds paid $5,200.00.  In my opinion, it should be illegal for a leasing company to keep any funds from a prospective tenant if that tenant does not move in and provides advance notice of not being able to fulfill a lease agreement.  I paid this company over $5,000 for an apartment I never moved into.  I paid $5,200 to be exact and I'm requesting $5,200 be returned to me since I did not take the apartment, the issues I had with this company, and, the fact that I let them know in advance, as soon as I could that I was not taking the apartment.  Further, I will discuss my experience with this "management" company with any and all additional consumer protection agencies and my elected government officials at ALL levels.  I will inform them of my desire for a law to be passed that prohibits a leasing or management company from keeping ANY funds from a prospective tenant if that tentant provides advance notice of not being able to fulfill a lease and has not moved into the property.  I will inform them of my experience with this "management" company as a basis for my request for this law.

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

• Initial Complaint

  01/16/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  My husband and applied for an apartment at **********************************************. We were initially told we could get apartment 210. A lease was drawn up for that apartment. When we went to go see it with the upgrades the person from 33 realty conveniently cant unlock the door to that apartment and tried to give us one on the 3rd floor. I feel we never was going to get the apartment on the 2nd floor and just wanted us to take the one on the 3rd flr after I told him we preferred the 2nd flr. They took the money for the application fee didnt give us the apartment/floor we requested and was told was available and on top of all that the person from 33 Realty text my husband and myself begging for us to sign the lease asap or they would have to show the apartment to other potential residents. This company wanted over $2,700 to move in due on 2/1 yet the lease wasnt effective until 2/24 if we had signed it which we are not. So not sure why they wanted money for february when we wouldve only been in the apartment efft 2/24. I want the full amount of the application fees for my husband and my application. I feel lied to about the availability of the apartment on the 2nd floor and feel they are trying to scam charging for a month we would not have been living there. I want a full refund in the amount of $158.00 the total amount for both applications.

  

  Business response

  01/22/2024

  We appreciate ****** bringing this issue to our attention.  We strive to have excellent customer service, and in this case it sounds like we could have done better.   
  
  We apologize for any confusion about the availability of units, as well as the second floor unit not being open to be viewed at the time of the appointment.  We understand this created inconvenience and reduced trust.   We also acknowledge the lack of professionalism our Leasing Agent showed in his texts.
  

  We escalated this matter to the Director of Leasing and he agreed that due to the inconvenience and poor communication we would be happy to refund ****** and her husband both of their application fees.  
  
  See the attached document to read the email ********************* (Director of Leasing) sent to *************  The refund has already been initiated for two application fees ($79.00 each).  It will go back on the credit/debit card used for each application. It can take up to 7 business days for the refund to be reflected on the account.  We wish ****** and her husband all the best. 

  Customer response

  01/27/2024

   
  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

  07/21/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We have been tenants at The Bristol in *********** for 2 yrs now and always have trouble getting in communication with anyone. The most recent issue we have been running across is our ** unit not working properly. This issue started 4/14/23 when we had a week of very hot weather. Temps reached about 80 degrees inside our unit. We placed a maintenance request in April regarding the ** thinking that the issue could be resolved before Summer began. Our maintenance guy then reached out to our ** to let her know of the issue which was not something that he could resolve because the actual ** unit would need to be looked at by professionals. When the ** company came to look at the unit they determined that we needed ** Freon and refilled it. Later that night we could feel the ** go from cold to warm again. We placed another maintenance request and ** company stopped by again and determined there was a leak and further investigation was done with a leaking kit from the company. The final result was that our ** unit would need to be replaced. As told through our ** it would have to be approved by someone above her. Fast forward to June 30. We filled out an application for sublet to have someone take over our lease because we bought a house. We agreed that we would advertise the unit ourselves. For the past month we have had over 25 people come and view our unit and everyone has walked away because they see the window **. We get asked when the ** will be fixed and I can't provide an answer. I have reached out to the ** twice for an update and have heard nothing. We are in summer months and our rooms have reached temps of above 80 degrees. We agreed to vacate the unit 8/1/23 and have not found someone to take over with NO **. We asked to be compensated but were denied until issue has been resolved. Lucky for us, issue has NOT been resolved and could potentially face financial impact for paying rent on a non working unit.

  

  Business response

  07/31/2023

  *****, first we want to apologize for your difficulty getting in touch.  We recently provided customer service training to our team to go over company standards and ensure all tenants have timely communication with their property managers.  We investigated the issue with your AC and admit there was a communication breakdown on our part.  As you said, it took some time to figure out the root cause of the problem with your AC and it would take some time to replace.  It became clear you would need something in the interim, so we purchased and installed a window unit on 5/26/23.  While a window unit is not ideal, we hope it kept you cool while awaiting replacement.  Your property managers worked with Ownership to get approval for a replacement and had the new AC system installed over the weekend on 7/30. We apologize for any delays and frustration you experienced. We hope the new AC is to your liking.

  Customer response

  08/01/2023

   
  Complaint: 20355368
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  The customer service training provided to your team should have been provided before a complaint was filed.The biggest communication issue here at the ******* is not having an onsite PM.It makes matters worse knowing that we must wait to receive a response rather than being able to speak with someone in person during business hours. 3 of the 4 pictures attached in the response do not correspond to our unit. The other 3 first pictures are of another unit that obviously had the same issue as we did,thankfully for them they did not have to wait 3 months to receive it. I never mentioned "it took some time to figure out the root cause of the problem", there was a negligence on your end on thinking that the window unit would be sufficient. I want to reiterate that the ONLY reason we were able to get a window AC was because of the amazing maintenance man that you have on site. **** has been a tremendous help with accommodating us. I would have to agree that having a window AC is not ideal at ALL. While the living room and kitchen kept cool, the cool clearly would not travel to the other rooms in the apartment which are the ones that reached temperatures of over 80 degrees as previously mentioned. We had to keep fans on ALL day which increased our electric bill.
  As mentioned in the previous complaint we submitted an application for Sublet on June 30, 2023, because we purchased a home. Over 25 people that came to view the apartment in a time frame of about 3 weeks, walked away because they would much rather take a unit that had working AC. An email was sent to PM in response to come to an agreement on finalizing our contract without penalty due to this issue which is not something that was our fault. I asked for a follow-up to this agreement days later and still have not received any response. The unit will be vacated today, 8/1/23 as agreed upon but I will not be paying any further fees. I would like to speak to someone that could also potentially look over our ledger and explain charges that are being made that should not be and hope to come to an agreement on this ongoing issue that has caused major stress to our family.

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

  

  Business response

  08/17/2023

  *****, we are sorry you are still frustrated. While we dont have a property manager on site at the building, our management team can be reached throughout the day via phone call, text message, and/ or email, and our emergency after-hours line can also be reached via call or text. We apologize for mistakenly including photos from a different unit, but we did include the photo of your units newly installed ** system again in this response. We also rely on submitted work orders to stay up to date on an ongoing issue. We received the first work order regarding the ** needing repair on April 12th and after this work was completed, we did not receive another work order until May 12th. As we stated in our initial response, there was a communication breakdown on our part during the month of May and there was a delay in securing a vendor to come to your unit. If a unit has central air, the end goal is never to simply install a window unit and be done with the issue, but rather utilize a window unit in the interim. Again, the ball was dropped on our end, and we implemented a change in management for this portfolio to improve resident communication specifically. After this change, our team was not aware you were continuing to wait for a new ** until Monday, July 3rd when you emailed asking for an update, and we apologize for that delay. We then followed up with you that same day and over the next few weeks while we awaited approval from ownership, and then installed the new ** on July 30th. While we are not able to offer a billing adjustment at this time, management will be advocating for a concession to ownership on your behalf. As for the sublet agreement, you agreed to find your own sublessee (please see attached form) and unfortunately, the only two tenant applications we received did not meet 33s approval standards. Please let us know if you have stopped looking for a sublet and if youd prefer we market the unit for you as you will continue to receive rent and late fee charges until the unit is rented again, as stated in the sublet application. Please call our office at ************ and ask to speak to your property manager to fully understand your ledger and the options available to you, thank you.  

• Initial Complaint

  02/08/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Landlord illegally charged me for 7 months for an additional renter's insurance policy. They stated that they had the right to charge me this. I signed my lease with the previous company who owned the building, no where in the lease does it state that they can charge me for a renter's insurance. They ignored my emails and calls for months, when I finally got through to them they said it was the law that they could charge me for it. I could find no such law. They refused to respond to me again after that call. They did stop charging me for the policy stating February, however they have refused to refund the money they have stolen from me.

  

  Business response

  02/10/2023

  First we want to apologize for any confusion. We do our best to be good communicators when we begin management of a building. We know there are points of confusion and do our best to provide clear and proactive communication.  We hope to clarify everything.
  
  At the time 33 took over management of ****** building he had renters insurance. He was required to have it according to the lease he signed with Root Realty, Inc.  Please see the attached portion of his lease with his previous management company, section 1.7. It states ...you are required to purchase personal liability insurance. Failure to maintain personal liability insurance is an incurable breach of this Lease Contract...  
  
  33 Realty also requires tenants to have renters insurance and we use ***** Insurance as a compliance partner. Tenants onboarded into our system are automatically enrolled in a ***** Insurance plan and charged $14 monthly. We understand that many tenants already have renters insurance when we begin management of their building. If they like the insurance plan they already have, they may keep as long as it meets our standards. Because they were automatically enrolled with ***** all they need to do is prove to ***** that they already have an insurance plan that meets 33 Realtys qualifications (which many do).  
  
  We send each tenant a letter (see attached) explaining how to unenroll from the ***** Insurance. ****** property managers sent him this letter on 7/1/22 and again on 9/21/22. Unfortunately, unenrolling isnt something the Property Manager can do on behalf of the tenant because the insurance is in the tenants own name. If a tenant wants to unenroll or seek a refund, they must reach out to ***** directly (as described in the instruction sheet). 
  
  However, if there is a situation where the tenant provided this information to ***** and was still charged, the property manager is very willing to help.  If the tenant followed the instructions and sent the proper information to **************** back in July, we ask that he please forward that communication to his property manager at ************************** so the property manager can follow up with ***** if the charges were erroneous.  
  
  Again, we are sorry for any confusion. We hope ***** has success in communicating with ***** directly and the property manager is willing to speak with ***** directly if ***** can show us that ***** wrongfully charged him after he provided the necessary information to unenroll himself. 

  Customer response

  02/13/2023

   
  Complaint: 19367221
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

   

  The notice of the Third *********************** was sent July 1st, after the first time they attempted to charge me for renters insurance. I was first charged it in June. I was charged this without any notice. Once again there is nothing in my lease, and nothing which I signed which allows them to charge me for renters insurance. They had no legal right to charge me more than my lease outlines. Clearly from the attachment for my lease, it says that I must have renters insurance, but it says nothing about their right to charge me for it. It doesn't matter if they state ***** should remove the charge. They are the ones who illegally enrolled me in the ***** policy and charged me for it. I do not know how much clearer I can be. ******** law specifically states that the landlord cannot charge for something not on the lease. What they are doing is illegal. 

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

  

  Business response

  02/17/2023

  We have attached a screen shot of *****'s tenant ledger, which he also has the ability to view through the tenant portal. ***** has been issued a credit of $98 to fulfill the issues raised in this complaint. This issue has been entirely resolved. 

   

  Best,

  33

• Initial Complaint

  01/24/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I'm a realtor. My client signed a lease on 9/26/2022. The lease had an addendum stating they would recieve a $4000 **** gift card 60 days after moving in. My client moved in 10/1 and should have recieved gift card on 12/1. We have been calling and texting the leasing agent and have still not recieved the card. This is a breach of the lease agreement and we are trying to not get attorneys involved.I have attached the copy of the lease wording and the text messages saying it would be delivered

  

  Business response

  01/30/2023

  It is true that the tenant was promised a gift card that would arrive after the tenant had lived in the unit 60 days.  We ran into unexpected barriers with the gift cards. The building owners were out of the country and they were responsible for dispersing the gift cards. We assisted them in every way we could. They tried to buy and send the gift cards directly, but because they were in another country they kept bumping into issues which led to delays. We communicated with the tenant, as well as **** *****. We were ultimately able to find a solution. The gift card was delivered to the tenant on 1/25 and can be confirmed by the screenshot of a text conversation between our Director of ******* and **** *****. It was an electronic gift card sent to the tenants email.  
  
  We want to apologize again to **** *****. We understand this caused her stress as she felt her reputation was on the line. We did what we could to hasten the process and keep the tenant up to date on when to expect the gift card to arrive. 

  Customer response

  01/31/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  Yes 33 realty has resolved the issue!
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************

• Initial Complaint

  01/13/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I have been a tenant in my building since 2019. 33 Management took over recently and things have not been going very well. The most concerning issue is a security / safety issue that I have been trying to address and there has not been any resolution. Not only did 33 management allow a maintenance worker into my unit WITHOUT AT LEAST 24 HOURS ADVANCED NOTICE ( for a non-emergency--> 33 sent a maintenance worker in NOVEMBER, to address a ticket that was entered in July ...I have proof , and this is illegal), but they also COMPROMISED THE ENTIRE BUILDINGS KEYPAD ENTRY CODES, by attaching them to an email thread TO the tenants, each time a maintenance request was entered. What this means is, that since I have NO clue how many other tenants in this building have entered any number of maintenance requests, the other 4 units in this building could have the code to enter my unit. When I have asked that 33 change my unit code, my property manager ***************************** states that EVEN THOUGH it was a breach of contract on behalf of 33 management (there are MANY other examples of how they have breached the contract - for example, taking 3 weeks to respond to maintenance requests, not replying to calls and the 4 voicemails I have left asking to speak to *********************, the director, charging a 25$ monthly fee for services that were not rendered...the list goes on - and let me not forget to mention the fact that I am the one that has had to bring all of the issues to their attention - they were completely clueless) I would have to pay a FEE to have someone come out to the building to change my unit code. I am trying to wrap my brain around how this makes any sense and I can't, because it doesn't. When I told ****** this, her response was, " well I don't know either." She transferred me to her "senior" manager, *********, who stated she would call me back in 15 minutes, and never called since. I will be forced to take legal action in the even that this issue does not get resolved ASAP.

  

  Business response

  01/23/2023

  First, we want to thank ******* for her feedback. We are always looking to improve and we appreciate learning how we can provide better service to our tenants and clients. We investigated the issues ******* brought up in her complaint and found the following: 
  
  In July 2022, our company conducted inspections of the building Eustina lives in. At that time, it was noted that her toilet was a bit wobbly and needed to be tightened. A work order was created internally based on the findings from the inspection. Maintenance did not repair the issue until October ************************************* the middle of the busy/peak season and the work orders are prioritized during this time due to the volume of requests. Since it had been some time since the inspections initially took place, our team failed to do a courtesy call and moved forward with repairing the toilet. Being that the tech was new, he unfortunately, did not follow protocol to provide a courtesy phone call to the resident  Our companys policy is that 48 hours notice must be given to the tenant before entering a unit for a non-emergency request. We sincerely apologize for this. To be sure this doesnt happen again we are retraining entire personnel on the relevant processes. The property manager followed up with ******* on 10/28 to apologize and to assure her that the tech will provide advance notice in the future.     
  
  We have also investigated the issue of the door codes. There was human error in the way ******** work order was entered. This was not the fault of *******, but an internal error.  The error caused work order notes that are only supposed to be visible to the maintenance tech or a vendor were also visible to the tenant viewing the work order notes. We are grateful to ******* for bringing this to our attention. We were able to correct the error immediately so that information was no longer viewable on new work orders. Additionally, we will be changing the door codes on all units by the end of this week (January *****th). The tenants will not be charged for this. We are sorry it took filing a BBB report for action to be taken. We will be re-training personnel on processes related to this incident as well.  
  
  In September, Eustina let the property manager know the front door the building wasnt being closed. The property manager put up notices and now there are signs on the doors reminding tenants to fully close the door. If the property managers hear of cases where the doors are being propped open they will send out notices to all the tenants. Unfortunately, if there isnt proof of which tenants are leaving the door open/propped this drastically limits what the property managers are able to do. 
  
  The Resident Benefits Package-is part of the lease and is the $25 charge ******* mentioned. It includes services like identity protection, air filters, credit monitoring, fitness studio memberships and more. Tenants are encouraged to reach out to their property managers with any questions. 
  
  Again, we would like to thank ******* for her feedback and send our sincere apologies.

  Customer response

  02/02/2023

   
  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.

  Unfortunately, I was not able to respond to 33 Realty's response to my initial complaint in time, as I have just been incredibly busy this month. However, I did want to respond to their resolution. 

  
  

  Firstly, in regard to the tech who came to tighten the toilet from the inspection in July: 33 realty stated that the tech made the error by not giving me a courtesy call prior to entering my unit. Please stop blaming the tech for this error ! He is a very sweet man and a very good worker ! 33 needs to take accountability for this error, not the maintenance man. ANY time there is maintenance to be done on a property, SOMEONE is responsible for giving those instructions to the maintenance man, is this not correct? That person who either is the property manager or communicates with the property manager both are responsible. So please go through your records, processes, and protocols, to figure out WHO was responsible for not sending me, the tenant, an email - because I can tell you this is not the responsibility of the maintenance man. EVERY other time there is maintenance being done, we get an email from the property manager - so in this particular situation where this maintenance man entered my unit without advanced notice from an inspection that occured in July, someone from 33 realty's property management team dropped the ball, NOT the maintenance man. Do not blame him for your shortcomings. 

  
  

  Secondly, there was FINALLY resolution in regard to door codes. I do greatly appreciate this, as it was causing many issues and concerns with safety - so thank you!!! I would like to point out and reiterate that yes, in agreement with whomever replied to my complaint, it would be in 33's best interest to retrain your staff - the bigger concern here is that I had to fight tooth and nail with my property manager, ******, and go back and forth via email SEVERAL times just to end up getting no resolution for months, to THEN end up having no other choice BUT to file a complaint here on the BBB. I am not sure if there is a lack of training on processes and protocol, or a lack of common sense here - but moving forward, is there any way to have the person who responded to my BBB complaint as our property manager? It sounds like they have more experience and knowledge in these matters and it would make things flow more smoothly. 

  
  

  Third: Regarding the other tenants in the building leaving the main door unlocked: I am not sure why the signs in the building and the personnel at 33 keep referring to this as the doors being " left propped open."  This is incorrect - no one is propping the doors open-  nothing is being propped open. The tenants in unit 1s are leaving the main door completely UNLOCKED. Sometimes it is not only unlocked, but not pulled shut. As far as 33 not being able to do anything about this, I disagree and I do believe that with the proper communication this can be fixed. You may not have proof as to who is responsible for this, but I do, as I not only witness it first hand, but I also have video proof. It cannot be the basement tenant because she does not ever use the main door that goes upstairs, she goes downstairs. And it is not 1N not 2S or me, because I communicate with them and also based on the proof they have been ruled out. If this issue with the main doors being unlocked continues, I fully expect that someone from 33 management comes out to their unit when they will ALL be home to speak to them in person to see if the 4 people living in that unit understand HOW to lock the door and the importance of it, as this is a building full of women and safety is a main priority. This issue is STILL occuring and if it does not get resolved I will have to take the next steps.  

  
  

  Fourth: Regarding the 25$ monthly Resident Benefits package fee: I do hope that a retraining of your staff is under way. The issue with this resident benefits package is very simple: I have no choice but to pay this fee if I want to live here, correct? IF I AM PAYING 25$ A MONTH FOR A BENEFITS PACKAGE, I EXPECT TO SEE SAID BENEFITS OF THIS PACKAGE. This is a very simple concept. My lease began on October 1st, so WHY did it take 59 days from lease start date to receive the filters??? There is absolutely NO reason for this. Another "benefit" of this package is that the companies hired by 33 to perform maintenance on this building are screened .... explain to me why the cleaning crew that is supposed to come to clean the common areas and hallways, has not one time cleaned properly - If you come to the building and look at the front foyer, you will see dead bugs everywhere, smashed on the walls and in the upper and lower corners. The window in the hallway between the first and second floor is full of dust and dead bugs. WHY was it me, a tenant of the building, who had to send MULTIPLE emails to explain that NO ONE had come out to handle the landscaping in the summer?? No one set up or took care of this ?? And the people who were hired to FINALLY come and handle the landscaping (mind you, at this point, the bushes were so overgrown that I had to go in and out of the building through the back door because there were spider webs being spun from **** to **** and you couldn't get through the front door without walking through them ) literally could care less - they did the worst job I have ever seen, and they took the trimmings from the bushes and LEFT THEM IN A SHOPPING CART IN THE ****** So as you can see, if I am to be paying for said "benefits" then I expect to be actually receiving these said benefits, WITHOUT me having to put in months of leg work and sending emails to make sure things are getting done appropriately. I AGAIN had to fight tooth and nail to reach someone to get these things taken care of. Why did I finally get my filters and my neighbors have STILL not received theirs, and their leases began before mine?? 

  
  

  I do accept this apology but moving forward, I need 33 Realty to simply do their job. And again, if I could communicate moving forward with the person who responded to this complaint that would be beneficial to both parties. 

  
  

  If you would like me to submit a comment / resolution to the BBB complaint, I have no problem doing so, after the doors start being locked on a regular basis, after the neighbors receive their filters and we start seeing things improving. 

  
  

  Thank you, 

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

• Initial Complaint

  01/03/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  12/01/2022 my lease began I applied for a unit and was promised by ********************* that unit and price when I got the lease it was for a different price and different unit and I told them this they told me my unit was being rented so admites guilt of false add, I didnt have anywhere else to go at this point they gave me options of different units none of which have the same floor plan appliances or rental price for what I applied for I asked for the rent price to be reduced to what I applied for and was denied they justified this by saying its what I applied for but the first application was a YEAR AGO and the rent was $875 then!!!!! at this point I hired an attorney for bait and switch lawsuit, so I was forced to move into everything I didnt want because i signed the lease after 5 days of being homeless because of them two days when I moved in a piece of the roof fell on my car and hit my dog causing injuries I had to pay for! the lease states they need to provide a SAFE HOME and nothing is safe about that!! I complained and of course nothing! a few days after that i was emailed because a complaint was sent for alleged marijuana smoke coming from my unit but I dont smoke? Probably the racist child abusing neighbors I have notified my attorney of the character defamation theyve violated my right to quiet enjoyment with construction right outside my window that I wasnt made aware of so I could prepare and leave during it bc I work from home which they obviously know since they have my employment on file the workers were playing loud music yelling like it was a party from early in the morning till sundown all while Im working I didnt have 4 minutes of peace today at all it was so bad I had an anxiety attack threw up and almost fainted because I was overwhelmed I was told to clock out because it wasnt tolerated. These people have messed with my time, money, my JOB NOW and will not comp you for any inconvenience this is MY LIFE you people are ruining!!!

  

  Business response

  01/12/2023

  Janessa, 
  
  We are so sorry that youve had such a frustrating experience with your apartment.  We want to give every tenant excellent service and provide them with a great living experience.  We are sorry we havent met your expectations.  
   
  You first toured an apartment February 19, 2022 and then applied for an apartment on July 17, 2022.  Your initial application was not approved.  On November 8, 2022 your second application was approved.  Between November 17 and December 1, 2022 you had multiple interactions with members of our Leasing and ******************* teams. By this time, the unit you originally toured in February was no longer available.  Our team showed you several available options through photos and tours, both in person and through video.  The property manager and leasing agent made sure you were fully aware of which unit you were signing a lease for before they let you sign.  They were up front with the monthly cost of rent for the unit you chose.  After you moved in, you expressed disappointment about your unit and you were given more pictures and information about other available units but in the end you decided to stay in your current unit.  We really wanted to be sure you were pleased with your living space and made every effort to be accommodating.  
  
  We dont have any record of a piece of the roof falling or causing damage. Please reach out to your property manager about it and include any documentation about it so they can be of assistance and schedule any necessary repairs to the roof. 
  We received a complaint about the smell of marijuana in the building so we sent a general reminder that it is a non-smoking building.  If this didnt apply to you, please disregard that email. 
  
  There is construction happening on site and we apologize for not providing all the updates.  We had sent out several updates to tenants, but that was before your lease started.  After your complaint we reached out to the construction team to get an update on their progress.  We also asked the workers to turn down their music and be more conscientious, reminding them people are working from home.  The work is scheduled to be finished Friday, January 13th.  We are sorry for the disturbance the construction has caused. 

  Customer response

  01/16/2023

   
  Complaint: 18680045
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  
  

  I reject this response because 1. I toured one place in February correct, however I toured this one unit im staying in AFTER the lease signed the property manager ******* knows I didnt see it (photos attached of convo) also expressed that once I did see it I WAS NOT HAPPY and would be willing to stay if its for the price I applied for this isnt even a two bedroom is a 1 bed 1 office. The room couldnt fit a twin bed and a dresser lets be real. there was 0 disclosures on the listing saying floorplans may vary I never got the videos or tours I was promised which I spoke with ********************* aboutthroughout the 3 week disorganized application process i got photos of a completely different unit from ****** that I rejected then got 3 photos of ONE unit until AFTER I applied. 2. I specifically applied for an address that was listed as available that was also listed at $950 at the time of my application, your attachment is  messages explaining they wanted EXTRA DEPOSIT DUE TO A PREVIOUS DENAIL NOT DISCUSSING A DIFFERENT RENT PRICE | the rent advertised and what I got are not the same, the floor plan I applied for and what I got are not the same period point blank this is legally A  BAIT AND SWITCH. Which I was forced into because my previous lease was over and I was homeless.  Ive spoken to an attorney, the city, also contacted the attorney general (also let them know about the numerous ordinance violations) which have all agreed this is a VALID case of bait and switch you waited until I was legally bonded to show me any other unit and the units werent even ready or the same floor plans or amenities I applied for. 3. I sent pictures and videos of the damage the next day from the move in  so thats an invalid claim saying you dont have documentation  ALSO attached them to the complaint 4. Because the renovations were NEVER told to me I had to abruptly leave my home live in a hotel for over a week to not jeopardize my job which was a violation of section 8 in the lease agreement. 98% of what you responded is incorrect/invalid and theres clear signs of miscommunication internally this company has a strong history of not taking responsibility and its sad Ive dont everything you people have asked of me just to be treated like s*** on the bottom of a shoe. Cant even spell my name correctly LOL 

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

  

  Business response

  01/19/2023

  Our company has been up front about the rent pricesee email in attached document to view the breakdown. The rent did not include parking and other fees, but any other costs were laid out clearly.  
  
  After seeing pictures of several units Jenessa said she preferred a unit with stainless steel appliances and darker cabinets. The leasing agent, ******, then sent her pictures of an available unit that has those items, but was on *********/***** Drive, rather than **********. ******* asked to have that unit, saying,
  Ok Ill take it if I renew my lease when this passes can it be with a different unit or can I get a different unit when avail closer to renewal date?? Maybe the other one I sent?? Thank you for taking the extra time to help! If you have a cash app or something Id love to tip you! Is there a way to have a new lease sent over to me with this unit and the correct rent price so I can get started on making a Nipsco Account and my renters insurance? 
  To which ****** replied

  Sounds good, Theyre looking for 12mo leases at the moment but they may be able to get you on a waiting list for a unit on the canden side if something becomes available...Ill let **** know right now and see if they can get something put together for you tomorrow! Sorry, Just realized tomorrow is Saturday! It will likely be Monday when they can get a new lease put together and sent over. 

  
  The lease started on December 1, 2022 and ******* received access to the unit on *********/***** on this day. On December 1, at 7:06pm ******* texted ****** to say she would like to move to an apartment on Canden rather than the one on *********/***** she had signed the lease for. ***********;let ******* know a new lease could be drawn up if she wanted to move into another apartment on Canden. We coordinated with a leasing agent to show ******* any available units on Canden. It was short notice so a tour in person wasnt an option, but the leasing agent sent her more pictures of units available on Canden.  

  
  On December 2, ******* said she wanted to live in 6045-4 on Canden. It was close to the end of the day on Friday so ******* was told there would be a delay due to the weekend. A new lease for the unit on Canden would be generated Monday the following week.  
  

  On December 3, ******* texted ****** to say she changed her mind and no longer wanted to move into the unit on Canden Drive. She wanted to stay in the unit on *****/*********. ******* told ****** she wanted a rent reduction from $975 to $925. ****** let ******* know that the rent could not be lowered. Once a lease is created it is not possible to change the rent price. Any negotiation must take place before the lease is signed. 
  

  The floor plans vary in this apartment complex and the leasing agent and property manager were clear about that.  It is also evident in pictures.
  

  We apologize for how confusing the leasing situation became. We wanted ************;to be happy with her unit so we showed you several options. Our intention was to be accommodating. We knew ************;had a time crunch with getting out of her previous apartment and moving into a new apartment. We understood she had a particular vision in mind when it came to her new place and we wanted to find her a unit that matched that vision. It is unfortunate the original unit ******* liked in February was no longer available in December. 

  
  We regret that we havent been able to meet ******** expectations despite our best efforts. We were up front about the cost of her unit before the lease signing. We were up front about the variance in floor plans. We were not able to reduce the rent.   

• Initial Complaint

  01/02/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  *** lived in The Fields for three years now and every winter there is some sort of heating outage. This year the heat in my unit went out on Dec. 26th and as of today, Jan. 2nd I am still without any heat. I have called the city, the ********, the corporate office at 33 Realty, and the building manager, and still have no idea when the heat will be fixed. The only answer is they are waiting on a part to arrive. It has been over a week and its completely outrageous that we can live in a city like ******* and have a management company get away with not providing heat. The temps were around 10 degrees the first couple of days the heat went out. The corporate offices have not answered any of my calls. They dont return my calls at all. The building manager is overwhelmed and doing the job of two people. An email was sent saying the **** company was waiting on a part. So in a city with dozens of **** companies, 33 Realty can only rely on one? 33 Realty is responsible for the safety of its residents. Its unbelievable that they expect residents to live in a unit with temps reading anywhere from 37 to 54 degrees in the middle of a ******* winter. Imagine the people who have pets, kids, or are elderly. I would never rent from them again. They clearly arent interested in maintaining the integrity of their properties. Its all about profit above the residents. Its depressing to see a beautiful building like The Fields being so poorly run by grubby owners and a management firm. If your heat goes out every winter it should be something you are prepared for. However, 33 Realty would rather let its tenants freeze in 37-degree apartments than invest in a proper **** system.

  

  Business response

  01/11/2023

  ******, 
  First, we want to say we are so sorry to have disappointed you.  We do everything within our power to prepare our buildings for winter and be sure the **** systems are in excellent repair.  Despite our best efforts, the heat still went out in your unit.  While the heat was out we provided you with space heaters, but because your ceilings are 17 feet high we know that wasnt enough to keep your unit warm.  That is why we sent you $1500.00 to cover the cost of a hotel stay, as well as a daily credit on rent for each day the heat was out.  We understand that having to stay in a hotel rather than your own home was inconvenient and a disappointment.  We did everything in our power to hasten the repairs.  We also did our best to communicate with you and provide frequent updates.   
  

  Only an **** certified technician could provide service.  All across the city there were heating units breaking down because of the extreme cold, so we were very fortunate to have a qualified technician as they were in short supply that weekend.  Additionally, the weather was so extreme that the repairmans devices would freeze and shut down, making the work go slower. 
  

  Your heat went out on December 23 and EMCOR was onsite later that same day.  EMCOR informed the property manager that a vital part of your heating unit needed to be replaced.  The part was ordered on December 24.  Unfortunately, due to the holidays, delivery was slowed, and the part arrived January 3.  EMCOR started replacing the part on January 4.  
  

  EMCOR was at the building servicing any broken units every day from December 23- January 5 (except for ********* **** ********* Day and New Years Eve).  On January 5 your system was operational again.   
  Throughout the whole saga your property manager communicated updates to you through text messages as well as several phone calls.   
  

  We are sorry for the inconvenience this caused you. We made every effort to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. Even when there are circumstances beyond our control, we strive to be prompt and responsive. 

• Initial Complaint

  11/18/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On or about 7/6/2022 I executed a lease to rent an apartment with 33 Realty Management. I did not take possession of the unit and reached an informal agreement with 33 Realty to rescind the lease by mutual agreement. I electronically signed the Lease Termination document as requested by 33 Realty. Per Section 1:6 of the agreement: "All refund checks will be issued when 33 Management has received a signed copy of this termination." Since 9/1/2022, only one representative (*************************** Portfolio Manager) has responded to any of the calls or voice mail messages left with 33 Realty regarding refund of $1925.00 due and payable. I provided ************** with my current address, and he stated that he believed I would need to file a dispute with my credit card company to obtain a refund since my initial payment had been by debit/credit card (which was encouraged by 33 Realty to expedite the process of securing the unit and obtaining a move in date). ************** did not follow up by phone, US mail or email. To date I have received no written correspondence from 33 Realty regarding my refund. The lack of response is what I have come to expect from 33 Realty, and I shouldn't have to file a BBB complaint or contemplate filing in small claims court to obtain a refund that 33 Realty contractually agreed to issue almost three months ago. Unfortunately, my experience is not the exception but appears to be a business practice of not responding to tenants. I would be grateful for any assistance BBB can provide to resolve this issue. I am fortunate that this is an inconvenience and not a financial hardship.

  

  Business response

  11/28/2022

  Deron,  
  First, we want to apologize for the frustration this situation has caused you.  As you discussed with ***** in a phone call, in order to refund the payment made with your credit card you will have to dispute the charge with your credit card company. They will send our accounting team a request to confirm the dispute with us and we will approve it. As of today, we still have not received a dispute from your credit card company about your charge. It may be necessary for you to follow up with your credit card company about the dispute.  If you have any further questions, we encourage you to call ********************* directly or call the mainline to be transferred to a supervisor. ...

• Initial Complaint

  09/24/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I also plan on taking this to court, but I'm hoping to prevent this company from doing the same to other tenants. I am currently on a lease and have paid my rent through October to this property management company. On 9/23 I went to move the rest of my belongings from my apartment, even though I still have over a month to do so. Upon arriving at my apartment I noticed many of my belongings had been moved to my balcony. I went inside to see that the apartment complexes maintenance people had obviously moved my stuff outside and prepped my apartment to begin renovations. Once I started looking through what I had there, I noticed there were multiple things stolen by the maintenance people. I know this part is a criminal matter, however, it is appalling to me that they would even let themselves into my apartment with no contact attempted to be made, 2 days after I paid rent. This is completely unprofessional and just completely wrong of the company. at the bare minimum, aside from my stolen property returned, I believe I am owed my rent that I paid to cover my lease until October 31st, since clearly I cannot live or keep property there.

  

  Business response

  10/03/2022

  ******, 
  

  First, we sincerely apologize.  We are truly sorry for the mistake we made.  Your property managers have been in touch with you since you left this review, but we wanted to still respond to your review here.  As we have discussed, our maintenance team made an error and went into the wrong unit (your unit).  They did so believing it was a fully vacated unit from a different previous tenant.  You had moved most of your items out already, so they felt they had the correct unit.  They started to repaint the unit to prepare it for the next tenants.  Obviously, this is in no way your fault. We have been working with you and our team to correct the situation. 
  

  Your lease was not up until the end of October.  As we have discussed, we are happy to refund your October rent.  In order to refund the payment made with a debit card, you have had to dispute the charge with your bank.  They will send our accounting team a request to confirm the dispute with us and we will approve it. This could take the bank several weeks to process, but we have alerted our accounting team to expedite the process on our end once we hear from the bank. 

  
  There are items you said were missinga vacuum cleaner and a tablet from a previous employer.  We checked with our staff and have been told none of them took the items.  We are grateful for your assistance in trying to locate the tablet by getting the serial number and any other relevant information.  We are hopeful we can locate it quickly. 

  
  This situation is still ongoing, but we wanted to provide a response.  We are very sorry for our mistake and the trouble it has caused you.  We are doing what we can to make it right and appreciate your willingness to work with us.  

*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. ↩