Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. 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.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/05/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I called the property manager to have them fix a dishwasher. They came over and determined that it was unfixable so they brought a brand new dishwasher. Next thing I know, I am getting charged $618 because they say the reason that they had to fix the dishwasher is because we tried to fix it. Which is not true. I have tried to resolve this with the property manager but they say the maintenance man told them that we said we tried to fix it. This is not true! I have done everything I can to resolve it with the maintenance person and the property manager and the landlord without success. The maintenance man told me that young America does this all the time. The person I spoke to on the phone initially told me they are having a lot of problems with people being charged and not knowing what the charge is for. Now. She claims that she never said it even though it was on a recorded line.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/13/2025

  On 1/6 Mr. ******* entered a service request stating his dishwasher was leaking onto the floor of his apartment. When our maintenance team arrived, a technician noted that the propeller inside the dishwasher was broken (unable to attach pictures due to size, but can share). Upon speaking with someone in the unit, it was noted that they turned the shutoff valve in the hopes it would prevent water from flowing to the machine, believing it would stop the leaking. During their investigation of the reported problem, the technician stated the water supply line to the dishwasher was no longer connected to the shutoff valve as the copper ring had swelled (apparently due to heavy water pressure) and disconnected (unable to attach picture due to size, but can share).

  
  The damage to the propeller of the dishwasher required a replacement of the appliance along with a replacement of the damaged supply line. The maintenance supervisor for the building indicated in his 25+ years of working maintenance he has never seen a dishwasher propeller break on its own. Typically this type of damage is consistent with food deposits clogging the holes or from physical damage by someone loading the dishwasher. In a short period of time these minor issues cause the propeller to break and Mr. ******* has lived in the unit since at least July 2024. All of these factors made our maintenance team determine the cause of the broken propeller arm to be considered damaged by an occupant of the unit. The supply line was also determined to be damaged due to the bulging of the copper ring and the statement that someone in the unit shut the valve off. According to section 9 of the lease on file for this unit (unable to attach lease doc due to size, but can share) “Tenant shall be responsible for damages cause by his negligence and that of his family or invitees and guests.”

  
  Given these findings, we do not believe any credit is warranted for this charge as Mr. ********* account was charged for the labor to identify and resolve the problem as well as parts for a new supply line and dishwasher appliance. In terms of the interaction with someone on the phone in our office, the YA representative stated that residents often call us with questions about mid-lease damage charges considering the details shown for said charges are often brief and cannot explain everything that went into it. This is why the customer service team has a process for reviewing/investigating disputes for these charges, which was done prior to this complaint being lodged as they are able to provide further details and credit certain charges if their review determines the resident not to be at fault. However, that was not the case with this charge after it has been reviewed by multiple supervisors.

  
  We will also respond to a recent email send by Mr. ******* with this message and continue responding to any questions/concerns as best we can. Files to support this message were attempted to be attached, but we were unable to do so due to file size limitations. We are happy to share these another way. Thank you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/13/2025

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  First of all, they can't decide why I was charged. First, they said the reason I was charged for the dishwasher was because we told the maintenance man we tried to fix it. That was untrue! We did not try to fix the dishwasher and No one told him that.

   

  Then they said the reason that we are being charged is because this is the first they had heard of the dishwasher being faulty. 

   

  Now on the answer to the better Business bureau, they are saying that we are being charged because we turned off the water and broke the propeller in the dishwasher. Supposedly the maintenance man said that in his 25 years this is the first time he had said that. 

   

  That about every other time we used the dishwasher. If you ever get a chance to see the pictures, there is a burn mark from the element on the propeller. That was an older dishwasher and that propeller kept flying off. We kept having to replace it every other time. When the maintenance man came over and he saw the broken propeller he even said "oh it happens sometimes." So either he was lying then or he's lying now. 

   

  The service technician, ***** said when he was here that "Young America tries to get their money anyway they can." I did not want to add that part but this is what he said. It appears to be true.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/21/2025

  Since our last message we spoke with *****, the service technician who was responsible for this service request and individual quoted in **** *******'s last message. ***** indicated that in addition to trying to shut down water to the dishwasher, an occupant of the unit told him they tried to fix the dishwasher prior to his arrival. He also stated he never said anything close to Mr. ********* quote that “Young America tries to get their money anyway they can.” And the quote that this sort of damage “happens sometimes” was mistaken as he was referring to the dishwasher leaking when it is damaged, as it was. ***** is also one of the individuals who identified the damaged dishwasher as being caused by someone in the unit. Yes, there may be signs of burned material from the element on the propeller, however the only way this would happen is if it was damaged. Whether that damage was from food remnants clogging the spouts on the propeller (caused by dishes not being rinsed thoroughly prior to loading) or, more commonly, physical damage and something striking it, it is still damage for which the costs to repair should be charged back to the resident(s) per the lease agreement. Young America took over management of the property in July and there was no history at all of issues with it since then, while if there was existing damage to the dishwasher at that time there would be other indicators of a problem prior to the propeller actually breaking, and no such issues were reported to our office.

  In the interest of good customer service, we are willing to credit $118.15 to reduce the total cost of the charge to just $500, a discount of about 19% in the hopes we can maintain a constructive relationship with Mr. ******* and the other residents of the house. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/24/2024

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We have rented from YA REALTY for only 4 months. Our lease states we will receive reasonable prior notice prior to YA personnel entering our home. The verbiage in the lease defines reasonable prior notice communication via text, email or resident portal. The day before they need to enter. On 12/05/2024 at around noon an employee of YA entered our home with zero notice to preform non emergency routine maintenance. I immediately ejected the unwelcome intruder from our home. Upon contacting a customer service  I was initially told that they had not violated the lease and have been continuously Gaslighted and bullied by their refusal to own the mistakes. They do acknowledge we should have received notice out of one side of their mouths while denying any need for consequences on their part. As of this writing we have now been ghosted by customer service . I implore anyone considering entering into a lease with YA REALTY for to do your research. Slumlords that absolutely don’t give a care for residents. Beyond disgusting. We can not get communication from office. Deny delay and gaslighting

  Business Response

  Date: 12/27/2024

  On 12/5/24 our maintenance team stopped by to replace the battery in the keypad entry door lock to ensure the lock maintains power and functionality. This came after lock batteries had failed at several other properties across our student and residential divisions. The maintenance technician stated they knocked and announced themselves before opening the door. After opening the door to perform the work on the keypad lock, the tech stated they remained around the front door area so as not to be intrusive. Typically if residents have an issue with work like this being done, they will ask the technician to return another time as some other residents in the area had done while this work was being performed; to our knowledge this was not requested at that time. Based on this, we do not believe any violation of the lease occurred, but understand that is not how the resident(s) see it believing our notice was not reasonable and that the work was not an emergency. We have since changed our protocol regarding how notices are sent for maintenance work to ensure residents are notified of necessary entry as far ahead of time as possible and avoid issues such as this.
  
  The residents have since requested that their lease be terminated without penalty, which would financially harm the owner(s) of the building for whom Young America Realty manages the property due to rent payments they would not receive until a new lease is signed for the unit, which could take 60+ days based on current vacancies in the community. We have offered to transfer Mr. ****** and any other residents on the lease to another apartment given they have stated they are uncomfortable remaining in the unit. After this offer it was made, residents clarified that they do not wish to live under YA’s management whatsoever and believe termination of the lease or financial compensation are the only remedies to their complaint. As of now these options are not reasonable given there was no violation of the lease nor applicable law/ordinance. Bloomington, unlike Normal, does not have any ordinance stating residents must receive notice a certain amount of time ahead of necessary entry.
  
  We have continued to stay in regular contact with the residents and should the health of the owner’s portfolio change, allowing them to take on a loss that would come with early termination of the lease agreement that is scheduled to continue through 7/25/25. Claims that Mr. ****** or any other resident of the unit have been “ghosted” is an outright false statement that can be supported by call/email records. We will continue to stay in contact with the residents regarding this matter or any other that may come up to do what we can to help in the hopes we can find a mutually agreeable resolution.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/30/2024

   I am rejecting this response because:
  They are attempting to rewrite the events and are not actually attempting to resolve the situation. 
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/13/2024

  Type:Facilities Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I want BBB to have YA remove repair charges for $749.02 from My account. I moved in 10/26/22. 11/27/22 I notified Young America front door & frame in bad shape, not safe for me and my kids. Could easily be pushed open. knob needs to be replaced it is coming off. doorknob replaced.12/5/22 pls add weather stripping to the front door. Draft comes in the living room. 12/22/22 subzero weather, cold air blowing thru door, needs weather stripping, door guard, install peep hole. Need to change out the door. Only peep hole installed. 3/9/23 No heat in apartment 'temp is now 51 degrees in unit." door seeping air, small children. Nothing done. Stayed with family for days during winter. I put plastic over windows and air sock under door. stayed in bdr up, cold on main floor. 4/8/23 Maintenance installed lock cover inside to keep small child from opening door. 4/15/23 door lock is damaged, I paid $140.95 for lock and lock area to be repaired. Door not replaced. 12/5/23 add weather stripping to the front door. Draft comes in the living room. Not completed 12/31/23,,7/10/24,,10/1/24The front door(lock) needs to be fixed - see photo. 10/1/24..NOW YOUNG AMERICA INSTALLS A NEW DOOR. CHARGES ME $680.92 WHEN I SAID I WONT PAY FOR THEIR NEW DOOR THEY CHARGED ME 2 WEEKS LATE FEES $68.10 AND TOLD ME IF I don't pay in 5 days they will evict me. I've paid rent on time for 2 years. I filed a complaint with city of Bloomington for BLACK MOLD IN THE APARTMENT. these actions are retaliation... My son has health issues and they charge me $749.02 for a door and wont' check for the BLACK. Everything here are band aid repairs. I'm forced to move, and I want BBB to intercede and have them remove charges before they trump up attorney fees and have the sheriff department try to evict me. Their intent is to mess up my credit with court cost and attorney fees for something I am NOT responsible for. Mold complaint coming next. Requested property mgr call. for 6 mo. No return call. Maintenance Requests

  Business Response

  Date: 11/22/2024

  When our maintenance team inspected the apartment prior to Ms. ******** move-in, there were no issues with the door latching/locking properly. According to our records, when our team responded to her maintenance request on 11/27/22, the technician noted there was no air getting in and weather stripping was present at that time. In this request our team replaced the doorknob to ensure it would properly latch and lock. The next service request on file was noted on 12/22/22 in which Ms. ****** stated there was cold air getting in the front door. Again, it was noted by the responding technician that they could not observe any cold air getting in, but adjusted the door handle to ensure the door was closing at tightly as it could and installing the peep hole as well. On 3/9/23 a maintenance request was entered, but no mention of the door, simply that the furnace was not working for which our team repaired the furnace to get heat going again. 
  
  On 3/16/23 Ms. ****** entered another service request stating the door would not close or lock. Upon inspection of the door, it was determined it was kicked in as the knob/lock was working fine, but the door jamb was completely broken and the door was damaged at the lock. It was discussed replacing the door then, however our team was able to get the door locking/latching properly without full replacement. The account was then charged for this work and ***** admitted then the door was kicked in. 
  
  The next service request for the door was for the child-proof lock to be installed 4/8/23 which was completed. The next request was not until 12/5/23, as was stated, however when our team went out there that day the door was noted as closing tightly with no visible gaps allowing cold air to get in. The cold air being felt near the door was simply the door itself being cold due to the cold temperatures outside at that time. No weather stripping was needed. Service request entered 12/31/23 has no mention of the door being an issue, rather the furnace being out for which an HVAC specialist was called to make a repair 1/1/24. 
  
  After this, our records indicate there were no other service requests for the front door until that entered 10/1/24, which stated “The front door needs to be fixed - see photo.” Upon inspection, it was determined the door knob/latch was beyond repair due to it being kicked in back in March ’23 and a full door replacement was completed at that time. Because this was due to damaged from the kicked in door, Ms. ****** was charged the cost for this replacement. On that same day a separate request was entered citing a black mold concern in the bathroom. Upon inspection, the shower knob was replaced as it was old and worn, possibly having some mold/mildew buildup in it and the base around the toilet was re-caulked as requested by *****. 
  
  Since then, our maintenance team worked to resolve a minor leak in one of the bathrooms that could have led to a minor mold/mildew issue, however our team treated these areas and resolved the source of the leak. They also replaced some trim in this area as there was moisture buildup from a sump pump issue that led to minor mold growth as well. Areas around this trim were treated to kill any mold/mildew present and prevent further issues. Our maintenance team also met a Bloomington city inspector on-site 10/30/24 after Ms. ****** reported a mold issue, however when the maintenance supervisor and city inspector walked unit checking for mold none was found. We then offered, as we do in similar situations, a deal that we would schedule an air quality test to measure the mold spore count in the air. This would determine if mold is present in the unit as samples taken indoors would be compared to those found outdoors to see if there are elevated levels inside. In these cases, we offer to pay for this test costing about $350 if the test comes back to say there is mold present in the unit; however, if the test comes back negative as we believe it will, Ms. ****** would be responsible for the cost. She has refused this offer multiple times. 
  
  We are happy to continue working with ***** on any issues related to the apartment and maintenance of it. However these charges cannot be credited at this time as the door replacement was directly due to the damage from it being kicked in and we have yet to identify mold being present, while not receiving cooperation when offered to further test given our deal (something we offer to anyone who believes there to be mold in their unit, if our maintenance team does not believe so). Additionally, managers in the YA office have been informed of all details regarding this matter and do not believe Ms. ****** requires assistance beyond our Customer Service Supervisor, ****** ***********, who has emailed and spoken on the phone with her. We are happy to provide documentation to support any of these records noted, but are unable to share here due to the amount that would be needed as well as the size of some of the files.
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/24/2024

   I am rejecting this response because: This is the same script that ****** has been emailing me for over a month. There are some mistruths quoted in his response. He purposely ignored all the information I submitted about the number of times I complained about this door and then quoted responses from the maintenance people that was never discussed with me. I think the responses were fabricated because Young America is good for doing what they want. Just like when they sent me an eviction letter stating they were going to evict me ( A 2 YEAR tenant that has paid on time for two years close to $30,000) for an outlandish amount for a replacement door that I asked for before I moved in there. ****** and I do not agree on his response and he overlooks my reasons for why I will not pay that amount for the door, late fees , a managers to do his job and oversee an inspection that I did not ask for. I have repeatedly asked to speak with management, and no one will contact me. ****** and the things he states are unreasonable. And it is an outright lie that they said they would pay $350 to check for mold. They told me I could pay to have the apartment tested which I told ******* it is not my responsible to pay for their maintenance. I want a neutral arbitrator to meet with me and someone reasonable from Young America to get this resolved before they charge me attorney fees, court cost and ruin my credit which this is their ultimate goal. Retaliation. I'm through with the emails back and forth and their lack of concern for my young son's health and the fact he has missed over a month of school due to mold in this apartment. An arbitrator, a neutral party.
   
  
  

  Business Response

  Date: 12/04/2024

  Please see the attached records taken from our property management system, ********, to support the statements made in our previous response about maintenance work done in the unit related to the door and the bathroom/”mold” issue. We cannot speak to any complaints made regarding the door outside of the service requests entered as these issues are always directed to service requests so there is a record and so our maintenance team has a ticket to address the issue. We do not believe we are overlooking Ms. ******** objections to paying for the door replacement and reasoning behind it, rather when looking at service requests and records as a whole for the unit we believe the door was only truly damaged when it was kicked in. Our maintenance technicians who observe and address such issues do not receive any additional pay or other benefit from an item being marked as damaged versus normal wear/tear. ****** is a manager with Young America Realty who also does not see any benefit from a maintenance item that has been charged back and the individual who oversees issues such as these. Additionally our managers are fully aware of this dispute of the charges related to the city inspection and door. In the interest of resolving one of these charges and discussion with Bloomington City Inspectors Dept, we have decided to credit the fee for maintenance needing to inspect the unit for the alleged mold in unit. Again, we are happy to move forward with our deal regarding air quality tests and to pay for the test should the scientific test (like an experiment compared to an outside sample) come back indicating a mold problem in the unit and it would only be charged to Ms. ******** account if it comes back normal, as we believe it will.
  We understand the 5-day notice was served due to the balance related to the door, however we never filed for eviction nor moved forward with the notice in any way after our collections team discovered the door charge was being disputed. Again, we are happy to continue working with Ms. ****** regarding the door charge and provide any proof/support to our stance, however photos and other files cannot be shared in this portal due to file size limitations.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/12/2024

   I am rejecting this response because: this is the same message from YA. They continue to ignore my request and any documentation with regards to removing this charge from my account. 
  The attached records you supplied are the same records I provided from your ********. If anything, these records support my reasoning for not paying these charges. No where in any of the maintenance request I sent in do any of the service technicians dispute my statements about the door being unstable and how the door could easily be pushing in which is not secure for me and my family. This is the same door from 10/2022 and April 2023 when the door was leaned against and because of the lack of stability the lock came off. You continue to state the door was kicked in. I’d like to see pictures of the kick marks, the door damage and the work that was done to repair the lock. I have pictures of the repaired lock and nowhere does it show or state a new door needs to be replaced in 1 ½ years. Your insinuation something was done on 10/2024 is incorrect.  I could have used screw expanders to fix the lock or super glue in the screw wholes for that part concerned. Young America refuses to remove the charge because of retaliation. They charged me for two other charges that I complained about, and the charges were removed. They billed me for the insides of the toilet tank to be replaced. As old as the toilet is, yes, the insides or preferably the toilet would need to be replaced at some point. Then I complained about the black mold in the ceiling and under the sinks, basement and basement steps, standing water mold and debris in the back yard and the smell of mold in this unit every time it rains and all they did was paint the mold under the sink fixtures. I filed a complaint with the city of Bloomington for a health inspection because my young son has respiratory problems and sickness that parallels black mold exposure. They offered for me to pay for an inspection. If it comes back negative, I must incur the cost: if it is positive for mold Young America will pay the $350 inspection fee. “This is what they are referring to as I’ll make you a deal” Everything with them they expect me to pay for their maintenance. What is my rent paying for? With my city complaint the city inspector asked the YA supervisor to walk with her during the inspection and Young America charged me $98+ dollars for the YA supervisor to do his job. I refused to pay this. I didn’t request a supervisor to come to my premises. The city did and I contacted them to pay the fee if it was a legitimate fee. The City Director contacted Young America’s President, and the decision was made by the Young America President to remove the charge.
  To state they are resolving one of the charges on my account, it had to be addressed to the president of YA before it was seen this is just retaliation because I will not pay for something that I didn’t ask for. They had planned to start eviction preceding until I advised them this amount is disputed and I’m sure a two-year tenant that pays their rent on time would not be evicted for a door that I did not agree to pay for.
  I have repeatedly asked to speak with higher management to no avail. There are a number of problems with this apartment that are overlooked. Statement from ******, a supervisor in collections at YA
  *****,
  I have passed your message along; however I cannot force any of our other managers to reach out and I have not been informed of any plans for them to do so. I have shared the details with them and I believe they are in agreement with what I have communicated so far.
   
  Sincerely,
  ******
  ****** ***********
  Customer Service Supervisor 
  ************
    “I have requested in this complaint to have a neutral arbitrator handle this complaint and have yet to be contacted to participate in that meeting. Instead, this is the email I received from collections” ******** ***** |She|Her|Hers|, Dec 10, 2024, 12:44?PM
  
  Hello *****,
  Our manager has corresponded that no further adjustments can or will be made to the amount owed on your account, unless the full amount is paid, it will garner late fees, but that is not interest. I noticed that your move out will be soon, and if this is not paid now, this will most likely be deducted from your security deposit.
  I still want the arbitration meeting, I want all pictures that were taken by the maintenance technicians before the door lock was repaired and pictures taken after the door lock was repaired. I want tech notes of work completed, and I am requesting pictures of the apartment door before I moved in and what the door looked like when the decision was made to just replace the door. Mail them to my apartment since the file is to large to attach on here. 
  Ultimately, I want these charges removed from my account. I’m done with this Apartment complex, and I just want to move on and take my family to someplace safe, clean, healthy, and have a secure living environment for all of us
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/30/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On 10/16 me and my three other roommates were charged $200 each for water. I had called on Monday October 21st and was told it was a mistake and would be resolved. Then on Wednesday 23rd it was still the same so another roommate called and was told it would be fixed by Friday, it was not. On Monday the 28th I called again and was told we have to pay the 200 which is an $800 dollar water bill all together because of a toilet that was continuously running. But we had filled a Matinence request on that toilet two days after moving in, was told the issues was resolved and it was not. So we then put in another matinance request and it was finally fixed after 9 days. So far all of my roommates have called and email along with our parents. Every time we have had to leave a voicemail with no call back and we have all received open tickets from our emails. We don’t believe we should have to pay this as the toilet was never really fixed when it said it was and we have been told multiple times it was a mistake.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/05/2024

  ***** and her roommate ****** picked up their keys on 6/6/24. Given this, all individuals on the lease (as one party) had possession of the unit as of that day and would be responsible for reporting maintenance issues to us after this date per the language of the lease. 
  
  
  As you will see in the attached service history records, a service request was not put in for the toilet until 8/20. When our team stopped out on that day, the consumption report (also attached) shows they did not resolve the running water issue that caused the bill to be as high as it was. Then around 9/5 our office was alerted that the unit was using a higher-than-normal amount of water and at that time our maintenance stopped out, IDed the running toilet, and resolved the issue. No service requests between this time were entered for the running toilet. Because of this, the bill from 8/20-9/5 is eligible for credit. Given the bill only ran until 9/3, we extended it to 9/5 to account for the next month's bill that will have 2 days of the running toilet on it. This will actually make the credit initially given as of 11/4 larger. 
  
  
  Given the bill 8/1-9/3 was $809.58 for 33 days of service, we took $809.58/33 to get a day-to-day cost of $24.53. Then, multiplying this by 14 days covering 8/21 (24hrs after service request was entered) to 9/5 gives us $343.46, which we will round up to $344. This will be $11/person more than what was previously credited to the account and this increase will be issued over the next 24 hours. We are happy to work with Ms. ****** on this matter further if she wishes to contact us directly. Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/23/2024

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On March 12, 2024, I signed a lease with Young America and requested a handicapped parking space due to my severe spinal condition. I have scoliosis and have undergone two spinal surgeries, which cause chronic pain. To manage it, I must avoid carrying heavy loads and twisting my back when exiting my car. Young America verbally informed me that the building was “grandfathered in,” implying that since the building was constructed prior to the passing of handicapped parking laws, they were not required to provide a designated handicapped spot. However, they appeared willing to work with me, though follow-through was lacking. Between March and August 2024, I repeatedly contacted Young America about the parking accommodation. On April 3, 2024, I received a voicemail from ******, stating they were shifting spaces and would call me back, but no follow-up occurred. Later in the summer, I visited their office and spoke with ******** *****, who said they had purchased a handicapped sign and moved my parking spot closer to the elevator. On August 2, 2024, when I called to check on the status, another staff member informed me that the sign had been put up. However, upon moving in on August 16, I discovered that no handicapped spot had been designated. Although my parking spot had been moved closer to the elevator, it was one of the tightest spaces, making it very difficult to exit the vehicle. On August 26, 2024, a staff member suggested I park slightly outside the spot to create more space. While this temporarily helped, I am concerned by Young America’s failure to fulfill their promises. Had I been reliant on a wheelchair, the situation would have been much worse. In conclusion, while I found a temporary solution with the help of a front desk worker, I feel that the lack of follow-through from Young America’s management and the repeated assurances with no action were deeply concerning, especially in regard to accommodating a health-related issue.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/02/2024

  There seems to be a misunderstanding of what our intentions were when working with Ms. ****** and the request for accommodation for the parking space at *** ** ****. The building has limited parking in the garage underneath with off-site parking needed for many residents and is not required to have a handicapped parking space according to applicable building code (annual inspections done by Town of Normal). Additionally, each parking space in the lot is designated to a particular unit of the building with only those residents holding the ability to park there or tow vehicles not from their unit.
  

  When we learned of this verbal request for accommodation in April, stating that due to mobility concerns a parking space closer to the elevator was needed, we evaluated possible options. Following this, our customer service team created a plan with leasing and maintenance teams to swap a parking space for apartment #** (********* apt) with another that was as close to the elevator as possible. Due to there being additional parking off-site for residents of the building that is unavailable until August, there were no assigned parking spaces for the building between 5/11/24 and 8/1/24, as this helps allow the few residents who lived in town over the summer to park near the building. At this time we set up a temporary handicapped space for Ms. ****** to use that is the closest space to the elevator as this is the space (originally marked #*) we had in mind to be swapped with a space for unit #** to allow both units to have the same number of parking spaces, while accommodating the mobility concerns. On 5/23 ******* spoke with ******** in our office to clarify our plan, asking to ensure a parking space closest to the elevator is needed and that additional space to get in/out of the vehicle would not be needed as well. In this conversation ******** was told a space closest to the elevator would be best and no additional room around the parking space was required. Based on this, we repainted the identifying parking space numbers so #** was as close to the elevator as possible, a swap with a space for unit #*. An in-person conversation was had in August with Customer Service Supervisor, ******, and at that time ******* communicated concerns of not having enough space to get in/out of the vehicle. To accommodate this, we contacted the ***** ******, who oversee vehicle removal for all Young America properties, to allow Ms. ****** or anybody using the parking space to allow the vehicle to be parked further back to allow extra room in/out of the vehicle. This was agreed at that time to be a fair arrangement.
  

  At this point in time, we are unable to swap parking spaces again and designating any parking space on-site as handicapped would require another unit to give up their parking space, something they are guaranteed in their lease. Taking away a parking space would likely require a substantial cost to the building to either compensate the residents losing the parking space or pay for another parking arrangement, not to mention it being an unfair inconvenience to the residents of that unit losing the space. Furthermore, this building is not required to have a designated handicapped space according to applicable building code, which has been confirmed by municipal inspectors. We understand if Ms. ****** is still having issues with the parking arrangement and accommodation made on our end and apologize for any misunderstanding or miscommunication. We are happy to work with all parties involved in the hopes a resolution can be found soon.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/18/2024

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I signed a lease with my roommate on August 3rd, 2023 for one year at **** ****** ***. We have stayed here through the year and have always paid on time, been clean and careful tenants, and reached out with adequate warning about our lease. In August 2023 we worked with the director of the residential division, named ****. He promised us a month-by-month leasing after our initial year in the apartment complex. This is also reflected in our lease agreement linked here. In June 2024, I followed up with the residential department as my current roommate was moving, but I wished to continue my current lease with my new roommate coming in August. This was agreed to, and I was given the steps to be able to sign a 6 month lease with my new roommate. July 8th, 2024 I received a notice of adjustment of my account to reflect a moveout, which was incorrect. I followed up with the office, and repeatedly I got moved around to different people in the company who gave differing information and confused me over and over with what needed to transpire. We got our paperwork submitted and filled out the forms needed for our lease in August. Now, the department is going back on their word to provide us with a 6 month lease, and is requiring a 12 month lease if we are to stay. Otherwise, on the 2nd we need to be moved out. The company won't allow us to speak with **** as he is moving to a different department, and it seems like this has been ripped out from under us. We need a 6 month lease and now with 2 weeks to find an apartment in a college town, we feel extremely put out by the company.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/25/2024

  Our residential leasing office indicated they recall **** having a conversation with ****, however we are not aware of any agreement to offer a 6-month lease with this new roommate and have not seen any notes of a verbal agreement nor any actual lease offer for 6 months. A 12-month renewal letter and lease offer was sent out 6/7/24, however this offer expired after 30 days and that we could no longer offer month-to-month leases due to direction of the property owners (YA Realty is 3rd party property management and does not own any of the buildings in our portfolio). If the renewal was not accepted, the letter (attached) stated we would adjust the account for move-out and this was considered a 30-day notice (in advance of 30 days before lease expiration). The move-out adjustments were then made on 7/8/24, 30 days after the renewal letter was sent. On 7/15 we have a note that **** came into the office to discuss removing one roommate and adding another, but nothing about a renewal lease was discussed at that time. We have since been in contact with the resident and offered to extend the lease another month due to the confusion/misunderstanding to allow more time to find alternative housing, but this was rejected as we were told other arrangements had been made. **** is welcome to contact Customer Service Supervisor ****** *********** ********************** with any questions/concerns moving forward. Thank you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/25/2024

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  I had discussed with everyone I encountered in the YA residential office that my intention was to drop one roommate and add another, and continue my lease for another 6 months. The renewal letter lapsed because it was the incorrect renewal timeline as discussed with ****. The fact that discussions and agreements had been made with an agent in the facility, and then suddenly this agent moves to another department and therefore no one is willing to discuss with **** or former arrangements with him weeks after he moves departments is beyond me. My mistake is not getting our agreement in writing, which I realize is extremely base line. I require no further assistance or contact from this company. Have a good day. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/29/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  This is a dispute where YA charged me with utilities twice in a month, charged me for the alleged damages in 2 of my roommates' rooms without photo evidence, and also charged us for cleaning when the apartment was in a suitable condition.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/10/2024

  When looking at ******* account, I cannot see any period of time in which they were charged double for a utility bill. We did have issues receiving utility bills for the final months of the lease, however this is only for utility consumption during the period of time in which ***** and their roommates were in possession of the unit. Additionally, the signed lease states residents are responsible for the condition of the entire apartment throughout the lease up until move-out and we are not aware of who resides in what room so all residents are charged equally for damages. From what I can see in the photos reviewed as well as the inspection sheet, it appears we have documentation of each blind that was damaged as well as the stove drip pans that needed to be replaced. We also found some minor stains in the carpet and on the furniture in the unit, which required specialised cleaning to address. As none of these damages were noted at the time of move-in the lease states residents are to be held responsible for the costs. The only way we are able to move the charges off one roommate's account to another is if someone comes forward claiming responsibility for the damage AND they pay off the full amount of the charge on their account. We are happy to continue working with ***** on this or any other issues and are available to answer to end-of-year charges at ****************************. Unfortunately we are unable to share the documentation we have to support the damages found in unit due to the size limits in this portal, however they can be shared via email. Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/28/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We have just been charged $500 for each Roomate (4 people) for repairs that are unnecessary and over priced. For example, $50 for replaced toilet seats that were never broken. These people are scammers. They made all residents pay $75 for installation of solar panels because they were supposed to reduce our electricity charges. Instead of that happening, we had to pay monthly for solar energy on top of electricity. The maintenance guy came over and even said “don’t tell anyone this is coming from me, but those solar panels can’t even power a bathroom” so why were we even paying for them? Plus, we had someone repair drywall before so the charges are ridiculous. Also, a small carpet stain is $400+ for a room I wasn’t even living in?

  Business Response

  Date: 07/12/2024

  I have reviewed the pictures and inspection sheets from ******' apartment - *** ** ****** ***. From what I can see, it appears there were stains on the toilet seats in the 1/2 bathroom and two of the bedroom bathrooms, which required replacements totaling $30.75/resident. The bleached carpet in bedroom A required the carpet to be replacement, which cost $540 total. Keep in mind the signed lease for the apartment states all residents are held jointly responsible for damages unless someone comes forward to take responsibility for the charge and pay the total amount themselves. Additionally, nowhere on your account ledger were there charges for the installation of solar panels. The panels on the property are not factored into your electricity bills charged either. The renewable energy charges on your account come from a service who provides this renewable electricity to ****** to supply you with power. This renewable energy is charged at a lower rate than ******** traditionally-sourced electricity, which ultimately leads to savings for any residents in the program.

  
  Pictures we attempted to share to support this appear to be too large for this portal, but we will provide them via another way if needed. We are happy to review any charges on the account further and such charge disputes can be emailed to **************************** and we are happy to continue working with ****** as needed to resolve this matter. Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/02/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  The ***** pool has been opened for two days. Since opening day, the pool has been filled with non-residence who have completely trashed our living area. As someone who is living at ***** and paying over $800 worth of rent, I should be able to use the pool I am paying for without having over 100 people around me who don't live at this residence. Young America security has done absolutely nothing to prevent non-residence from entering our property. This has raised huge safety concerns to residents especially since the incident that happened April 27th. Young America informed residents that they would be implementing more security all around the property. This never happened. The security that they have hired, sits around and does not prevent anyone, non-residents, from entering. Young America has now shut down the pools due to the damage that non-residences have caused. Again, as someone who is paying over $800 in rent, I should be able to use the amenities that I AM PAYING FOR, peacefully. Young America needs to implement some sort of security system that keeps non-residence from using the amenities that residents are paying for. This is absolutely ridiculous.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/14/2024

  We understand and addressed the issues related to the pool at *** ** ****** ******* since the opening day earlier this month. Unfortunately residents of the building let in guests who did not respect the rules nor the structures around the pool, resulting in the gate meant to keep non-residents out (requires resident FOB scan to access) being broken. Due to this occurring after our office had closed and due to the fact that it went unnoticed and unreported, the gate was unable to be addressed until the following day. We did include added security on multiple days that week, however they did not engage individuals entering the pool as it appeared that each individual was let in by someone already in the pool area (which should have only been residents and guests). Due to the misuse of this pool area that night and several nights since, we have had to shut down the pool a few more times. Residents found responsible for violations of the lease causing the large crowd described by Ms. ************ are being held responsible for their behavior causing this situation. We believe measures being taken to hold residents accountable in addition to decreased traffic over the summer as well as preparations being made for the June student move-in will help in any situations that arise in the future. We are here to address any questions/concerns our residents have regarding any issues related to their apartment/house by calling our office at ************.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/24/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I rented an apartment with Young America Reality (YAR) for a little over 2 years. I moved out on August 1, 2023 and was charged $1,025.94 in damages. I know for myself, and the various people that helped me would attest, that I left the unit extremely clean and far from even normal wear and tear amounts of damage. The damages cited by YAR including, but not limited to, damage to a screen door that was done before I moved in, replacement of a carpet that was immaculate, and painting of walls were unjustified and of preposterous scale. Regardless, I went through the process they lay out to dispute these charges. I sent an email to the address specified to send disputes to. That address responded that it does not respond to disputes, try a different email. So I emailed that address. No response ever received. I tried calling; YAR was non-responsive there as well. Later, I still received threats that they would send me to collections if I did not pay. I responded that I had disputed these charges with them and had not gotten a response ever. Eventually, they sent my charges to collections. Now at this point I would still like to avoid the stress and time associated with taking this matter to court. I want YAR to recall the $586 debt from the collection agency so that this negative impact on my credit can be removed as well as give me back my $575 deposit that they have wrongfully kept form me.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/01/2024

  After checking with other Departments in Young America Realty, we cannot seem to find any record of an email disputing damage charges after Mr. ******** move out in August 2023. This said, we have records showing 6 emails sent between September, October, and November as well as a phone call made in October to bring this balance to ******** attention, only one email was responded to, however at that point the account had been delinquent for over 2 months, which led to it being sent to an outside collections agency. 

  When looking at the damages, they do appear to be justified based on the pictures in the attached document, which has also been shared with Mr. ****** along with the following explainations. If there are any issues or discrepancies of what has been charged, we will work through them directly with ****** in the hopes we can clarify the situation and make any adjustments should any charge(s) be found unwarranted. Please see contents of the message sent 2/29 and the pictures attached to this message. 

  "Attached are photos of the apartment unit after you moved out of the unit that justify the damage charges. Below is the justification for the damage charges:
  
  • Charge to clean out the garbage disposal = $13.75; we charge the owners of this property a labor rate of $55.00 for repairs completed by our maintenance technicians; we charged you $13.75 (0.25 labor hours) for the labor to clean out the garbage disposal that had considerable food, etc. in the disposal.
  • Charge to repair the damaged patio screen = $45.06; we charged you for the labor (i.e., $13.75 (0.25 labor hours)) to take the screen to our vendor to repair the damaged screen and the actual cost from the vendor to repair the damaged screen (i.e., $31.31); the photos show the damaged patio screen.
  • Charge to complete the drywall repairs = $110.00; the maintenance technicians worked on the drywall repairs for 2.5 hours; however, we charged you $110.00 (2.00 labor hours) for the labor to complete the drywall repairs; we did not charge you for the drywall materials needed for these drywall repairs; the photos detail some of the areas where drywall repairs were made.
  • Charge to paint the areas where the drywall repairs were completed and paint the marked-up walls = $447.88; we charged you $350.00 for the labor to paint the walls where the drywall repairs were completed and paint the marked-up walls; we also charged you $97.88 for the painting materials that were used; the photos detail some of the areas where we had to paint the areas where the drywall repairs were completed and paint the marked-up walls.
  • Charge to replace the damaged/stained carpet = $395.98; we only charged you 28.57% of the total cost to replace the damaged/stained carpet; the photos detail the areas where the carpets were damaged/stained.
  
  We believe the damage charges were appropriate based on the condition of the apartment unit after you moved out of the unit."