ComplaintsforGraff Realty Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  04/13/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  ******** rented us a place that smelled of smoke and cat urine. We moved out. I couldn't even breathe. My lungs closed up. We gave them a deposit of $3750 and they won't give us it back. It did not smell during the walk through. It smelled when we moved in. Unfortunately we are now having to go to court to try to get our $3750.00 back. We were only in the apartment for less than a week because the smell was so bad The ******************* came our and confirmed the whole apartment smelled of cat urine.

  

  Business response

  04/13/2023

  Thank you for the opportunity to share our experience of the situation.  This has been a nightmare.  We have tried everything to rectify this situation raised by ***************************** for herself and he husband to be satisfied to the extent that we offered that they could leave the unit if everything was left in the condition they received it to receive their security deposit back.  The unit has been held up since 2/22/23 and we hired ********************* in our office as a Realtor to handle this rental because I was extremely busy.  My Mom (********* Graff/Owner) paid her a commission.  I had an in-depth conversation with ******************* (********'s husband) that we have no intention of harming them.  We are trying to make the place somewhere they are comfortable and if they are not, we are trying to be agreeable but I also explained that there are expenses we have incurred as well so we all need to be reasonable with eachother.   We had every intention of providing back $1,500 (their security deposit) to them and we will still would.  But nothing except 100% of the $3,750 is acceptable to them and it's just not reasonable.   They brought in the attorney threats so I informed them my Mom will now need to reserve that money for legal fees, by their choice, not ours.  I am just waiting for them to accept the $1,500 and stop beating us up or come up with something reasonable.  Or- we just have to wait for their lawsuit.   It's my Mom's decision.  I asked her to consider giving all of the money back even though they don't deserve it but she doesn't feel it's right.  She worked in good faith for them.  I don't have control over my Mom's decision.  This is between them and her.  Please help us get this resolved and kindly advise if there's anything additional I can provide.  Thank you,  *************;

  Customer response

  04/13/2023

   
  Complaint: 19930347
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

  Customer response

  04/13/2023

  They covered up the cat urine and smoke smell through our walk through and completely deceived us. When we moved in the smell was awful. Even the Village Hall of ******** said it smelled like cat urine. They called me and said that I am.high maintenance and that I would have to pay for the mold test too and that they would not help with that and were extremely demeaning to us. They will not give us back our deposit and said they will not respond to us. They will only respond to a lawyer.

  

  Business response

  04/13/2023

  I am having a hard time seeing which files are uploading properly but my intention is to show you that we have tried all along to solve the stated issue (even while I was trying to enjoy a much need vacation which my children and husband on Spring Break in *****) and there was nothing we could do to make ***************** happy.  She did not want to live at the unit.  It was completely redone.  We had an occupancy permit.  We reduced our asking rent by $200 monthly for them out of kindness.  We delayed the start date if they would put utilities in their name.  Built a shed for them.  Provided a lawnmower for them because they didn't have one but were required to cut the grass.  I am at a loss.  

  Customer response

  04/14/2023

   
  Complaint: 19930347
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

  Customer response

  04/15/2023

  I am not accepting it because I got an email from the stating they won't give us our deposit back. And it's illegal nor to give us our deposit back. They are illegally holding on to our money. They won't respond to us and my lawyer contacted their lawyer and their lawyer won't respond to our lawyer either. They scanned us out of $3750.00. Awful people and scam artists. They deceived us into giving them $3750 for a place that smells of cat urine and smoke. And now we are stuck living with my parents because they won't give us our deposit back to put toward a different apartment. I've tried contacting them several times and they ignore us.

  

  Business response

  04/17/2023

  1. I would like to know who their attorney contacted  because I never provided them our attorney's contact details.  Please kindly request proof.

  2. Their security deposit is $1,500 (if ******** gives permission, I will send a copy of their lease) and, if it will make them happy & settle their complaint, we will agree to refund their deposit, as we have stated we will, as long as they are not planning to go to court.  If they do, because we have no legal obligation to refund any monies, due to a 1- year signed lease and their unilateral decision to vacate before reaching a monetary refund agreement, we will need to maintain the funds to defend ourselves against their claims.

  3. We ask that in exchange for a settlement that ******** and ******************* remove their false and slanderous social media posts and this BBB complaint. It's hard to believe that anyone would ask someone for something so great which they have no obligation to provide meanwhile while publicly posting such unkind, inaccuracies.

  4. We (my Mom, *****, and I) [I believe ******************* also wants to come together too] have been at the table waiting to come together the entire time.  ******** wants to fight.  She wants what she wants.  She is only concerned with herself and her wants. Not my Mom's expenses incurred while the property was held for them. The commission my Mom doesn't get back for the agent who recommended ******** & *** to my Mom. The money ($2,500+) and time we have spent trying to fix the issue for ******** and ***. The time and energy we are spending here.  This is not my property.  I do not call the shots.  It belongs to my mother.  ******** has chosen to continously threaten "law", "lawyer", etc.  We just want to solve the problem.  If she wants to do it the "legal" way- we are trying to abide... let's move forward.  Please provide us with the lawsuit so we can provide it to our lawyer so that the case can get settled the way ******** wants it settled.  If she wants to come to the table with a reasonable agreement as a reasonable human being as we prefer to interact, please come to the table with something reasonable.  

  We simply do not have time to argue with someone who doesn't want to listen.  We want to move on for everyone's sake.  They said they need a new place.  We are happy to provide them their deposit immediately if they will satisfy them.  We are truly not trying to harm anyone.  This is about being fair and reasonable. 

  Customer response

  04/18/2023

   
  Complaint: 19930347
  
  I am rejecting this response because: *** and I have contacted you several times by email with no response. In your last email you mentioned you will not respond to us until we file a court case. Our attorney emailed you too and you didn't respond either. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

  

  Business response

  04/18/2023

  Please provide, in this thread,  via the BBB, what it is that you would like me to respond to that I have not already addressed that we would not otherwise need to address through court.

  My goal is a solution to this raised issue.  I do not see that you are looking to come to an agreement.  

  What is your goal?

  Customer response

  04/19/2023

  We would just like our deposit back since we only lived in the place for 2 days because of the awful cat urine and smoke smell. All we are asking for is our deposit back so we can move out of our parents place and find another place to live. 
  Complaint: 19930347
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩