Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  02/04/2025

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  For the first several months I received an eviction notice despite paying on time or early.They have since changed their computer system and despite paying on time or early every month they won't fix my account so that I can log in. I cannot keep track of my bills, my insurance, or utilities. Paper bills do not come regularly.I was told to change utilities into my name. I tried and was told the apartment covers them. I recieve a $75 fee for utilities + the bill every month and another $75 fee for the insurance. I pay extra every month to covers these things not knowing my actual bill.

  Business response

  02/07/2025

  This resident came into our office on Tuesday, February 4th in the afternoon. Our Assistant Manager, **** *****, was more than happy to help her set up her Resident Portal. We are open Monday through Friday from 9am to 6pm and are open to help any of our residents if they have technical difficulties signing up. We also will always provide you your balance if you call and a ledger as well. The Resident Portal was set up on the 4th with my Assistant Manager and the resident, ******* ******. The resident has a signed lease that states the monthly rent along with the need to have the requested utilities in your name along with the penalty of not having those in your name and/or not having renter's insurance in your name. The resident had their own difficulties signing up through the Resident Portal. Most of our residents had no issue signing up for this portal at all. Our policy is to have the electric and gas in your name. The resident has not had their gas utility in their name, therefor, they are charged a $75 monthly penalty (as stated in their lease), for each month they do not have it in their name. The property first receives these bills and then applies the amounts to the resident's ledger. I've spoken to the resident regarding them not having utilities in their name or ****************** to which they stated that "they did not trust insurance companies" and refused to obtain a policy. They also stated that the gas utility deposit was too high for them to pay at the time to start up service, therefor, they were continuing to pay the monthly fee. If I were to waive any of these fees, this would be against Fair Housing Laws as all of our Residents must abide by the policies in the lease. In regard to the eviction/balance notices, anyone who owes a balance on the 6th is sent a basic 'Balance Due with Detail' letter. If you owe over $100 or more, we do send a Final Notice. Which has only been sent to this resident once, when they owed over $200 dollars. I have several forms of documentation to provide but am not sure legally what I am able to. I have ledgers, copies of the notices, and a copy of the lease which is signed. This issue has been resolved. The resident has the Resident Portal active. My assistant even helped them set up their ****************** and reinstructed them on which utility company to contact to turn on their gas services. This is all explained before their move in as well. We also send monthly reminders if you do not have ******************.

  Business response

  02/24/2025

  To Whom It May Concern,
  
  We are writing in response to the complaint submitted regarding case ID ********.
  
  *** ****** visited our leasing office on Tuesday, February 4th, in the afternoon. Our Assistant Manager was happy to assist her in setting up her Resident Portal and addressing any technical issues she encountered. Our office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and we are always available to help residents who experience technical difficulties with their accounts. Additionally, residents can always call the office to inquire about their balance, and we will gladly provide a printed ledger for their review.
  
  As outlined in the signed lease agreement, the monthly rent,insurance, and utility responsibilities are specified. It is clearly stated that utilities such as electric and gas must be in the resident's name as well as having an active renters insurance policy. *** ****** had not yet transferred the gas utility to their name, and as a result, has incurred a monthly penalty fee for each month this requirement has not been met, as stipulated in the lease. Our policy is to have the gas and electric accounts in the resident's name, and the property first receives these bills before applying the amounts to the resident's ledger for repayment. *** ****** additionally did not have an active renters insurance policy as stipulated in the lease agreement.
  
  The property manager has previously discussed this matter with *** ******* who acknowledged the penalty fee and confirmed they would continue to pay it.
  
  Regarding the eviction and balance notices, our standard procedure is to send a "Balance Due with Detail" letter to anyone with an outstanding balance by the 6th of the month. If a residents balance exceeds $100 by the 10th-12th, a Final Notice is sent. This procedure was followed for *** ******* as she had a balance exceeding $200. Copies of the notices sent are retained in *** ****** s file.
  
  We are pleased to inform you that the issues have been resolved as of February 4, 2025. *** ****** now has access to her Resident Portal, and our Assistant Manager assisted her in setting up her ****************** policy. Additionally, *** ****** was provided with instructions on how to contact the appropriate utility company to initiate gas service in her name. We also send monthly reminders to residents who do not have ****************** a process that is explained at the time of move-in.
  
  Please dont hesitate to contact us if further clarification is needed.

• Initial Complaint

  07/16/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I paid $150 for application fee and was told if I didn't get the apartment, I would receive $100 back and that was as of April 17th and every time I called they wouldn't answer. I left my Drivers license there and *********************** the assistant manager called me and told me it was there and he mailed it to my new address. I tried calling from my cell phone but they have me blocked, but when I called from work, I got thru only to leave a voicemail message. They knew I was moving and the manager that I talked to stated that I will receive it by May 17th. I had to borrow money to replace the money they were supposed to send. I would like an extra $100 to be compensated for all I've been thru to recover the money they said I would receive back. They have a lot of complaints on this matter and I just want to receive what I am due.

  Business response

  07/24/2024

  Original statement and refund was mailed to address on file **************************************************. The address listed here is different and we will mail to the one listed now at ************

  Customer response

  07/25/2024

  Better Business Bureau:

  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this response/resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  
  

  Regards,

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

• Initial Complaint

  05/21/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I will upload pdf. Too much to type

  Business response

  06/04/2024

  Reached out to the resident to go over questions pertaining to the lease and termination option. The former employee and prior manager had given them conflicting information from what was stated in the lease. It is no wonder why the resident was confused. The lease clearly states the option to terminate and the protocol surrounding it, but our employee did not explain it clearly. This allowed for us to speak with our new staff and make sure that they are explaining the leases and addendums clearly. After working with a resident we can also confirm understanding and if there are any additional questions. I feel bad that the resident got conflicting messages from our interim manager and former manager, but verified the lease in place and the next steps needed should they wish to give notice. 

  Customer response

  06/04/2024

  Better Business Bureau:

  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this response/resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  
  

  Regards,

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

• Initial Complaint

  04/27/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I had applied for an apartment on 4/22/2024 paying a total of ******. On 4/23/2024 I returned with my ID and social was then told my dad also needed his social so we had to run all over the place trying to get that situation settled ( he lost his social after a car accident.) Then on 4/26/2024 I get told ** denied and it seems this is not the first time theyve ran an application scam. Im on disability I dont have expendable income and being told Ill only get ****** back is insulting. I want every cent returned.The office staff was rude, said they dont care about tenant safety. Just horrible.

  Business response

  04/29/2024

  Thank you for reaching out and providing an opportunity to respond. We understand your concerns and hope to provide some clarification regarding our application processes.
  
  ******************************* conducts business in accordance with all federal, state and local Fair Housing laws. The property accept all applicants who apply and qualify based on the screening criteria set for the property. All applicants are required to sign an application prior to the screening process,and this specifies that the $50 per person application fee is not refundable,and the $150 administration fee is refundable up to 24 hours from submitting an application or if an application is not approved. If your application was not approved, we will ensure the full $150 administration fee is returned to you in a timely manner.
  
  We believe this settles this dispute per the signed application agreement. 

• Initial Complaint

  03/29/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I signed a legal lease document that the company broke and forced me into a more expensive unit. I was sent an email three days before Im supposed to move in telling me my unit no longer available and the only thing they had was something more expensive since then it has been nothing but issues. My apartment was not ready for move-in, it was extremely dirty. There was an inch gap between the windows and the wall siding in air and bugs, paint dripped all over the floors, deteriorating cabinets and much more. Ive had multiple infestation of bugs, including roaches, and soldier flies. The conditions in my apartment are currently not livable and they will not let me move out. The manger is impossible to work with and stonewalls you every step of the way.

  Business response

  04/05/2024

  Thank you for sending and providing the opportunity to respond. We acknowledge the customers concerns and frustrations, and hope to provide further clarification below.

  The customer was scheduled to move into an apartment on 5/26/23. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the original tenant of that apartment was unable to move out. The office staff reached out to the customer to notify them the apartment was no longer available, and were able to offer a different apartment option for the customer to move into. The customer agreed and proceeded with moving into the apartment that was available at the time.

  Upon move-in, the customer expressed dissatisfaction with the cleanliness of the apartment. The apartment had been cleaned by professional cleaners prior to move-in, but the staff had the unit re-cleaned for the customer due to their concerns.

  On 10/2/23, the customer submitted a work order for gaps around the bedroom and living room windows. On 10/3/23, the maintenance team caulked the gaps around both the bedroom and living room windows.

  On 10/4/23, the customer reported pests in their apartment. Pest control was contacted and treated the apartment on 10/12/23.

  On 3/25/24, the customer reported roaches in their apartment. The staff scheduled pest control immediately and the apartment was treated the same week, on 3/28/24. Surrounding apartments were also inspected and no activity was found in surrounding units. A follow-up visit was conducted the following week on 4/4/24 and will continue until no live activity is found.

  On Friday 3/29/24, the customer submitted a contact form to the corporate office. The following Monday, the customer was contacted and offered the option to be released from their lease with no penalty fees.

  While we understand the customer has expressed dissatisfaction with the apartment, each item that has been reported to staff by the customer has been addressed in a timely manner. We do not agree that the disputed amount and desired compensation from the customer properly aligns with the situation. In addition, the customer has been offered the option to move out early without any early termination penalty fees. We believe this is a resolution to the residents concerns and settlement of this complaint.

  Thank you again for the opportunity to respond. We sincerely hope to resolve this matter in a positive manner for the customer.

• Initial Complaint

  02/07/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  No freight elevator available for our planned move out. One elevator for the building has been broken for 9 months. Barrett and stokely does not have a plan to move larger pieces of furniture out the building other than keeping our furniture for an indefinite amount of time. Other residents have moved out and have had to leave furniture behind in empty units. Difficult to get a response from Barrett.

  Business response

  02/08/2024

  Hello,

  We currently have 2 working elevators. Parts were moved from the freight elevator to another elevator. The freight elevator is being revamped, with all the mechanical parts being replaced. This is a large project, and will take some time to complete. We have been working closely with American Elevators.

  We had only 1 resident that could not get a couch removed.

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

   

  Customer response

  02/08/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined the response would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below. 
  
  [Provide details of why you are not satisfied with this resolution.]
  I have been made aware that our couch will not fit on the passenger elevator for our move out in 2.5 weeks. While I have been told that Barrett and Stokely are working on the problem and are going to let me know what route they are going to take in the next few days,  I am not confident that this will happen. The response the BBB received does not address a solution for my concern.only that its a big project. The residents at my building have been dealing with a non working elevator since last May. We all waited until July to be told that an elevator was to be replaced soon. In December we were told this would happen in early January. In early January Barrett and Stokely rendered the freight elevator inoperable and fixed the non working passenger elevator. I am one of many residents who are out of patience. I pay $2500 a month and am leaving after 11 years due to this issue. And now Im not sure I will be able to take my all my furniture with me. So no, I am not satisfied with this response. I will be satisfied when I am told how my furniture will be removed from the building OR reimbursed for the furniture I have to leave behind. In short.its been too long with no definite dates for fully functioning elevators.

  Regards,
  
  *********************

  
  

  Customer response

  02/22/2024

  At this time Barrett and Stokely agreed to reimburse us for the cost of our couch. At last note it seemed that they could not have a freight elevator resolution for several more months. They have agreed to reimburse us for our cost of the sofa that was purchased two years ago. On February 20 I received an email from Barrett and Stokely sharing this resolution. Once I receive a check I will consider my complaint resolved. Thank you. *********************

• Initial Complaint

  12/18/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  I lived at this apartment for several months and due to personal reasons I had to terminate my lease agreement early. I went in during office hours and filled out all the necessary paperwork and asked when I would be getting my deposit back, as well as a copy of my lease break. I provided all information requested and paid all penalties and complied with all terms to break my lease.I moved out on October 21st, and before handing my keys in, asked if I could do a walk through with the property manager. I was denied and told that as long as I took pictures there would be no issue.I received only about $15 back from my $200 deposit, the total returned including the amount I had overpaid.When I asked about the rest of my deposit, I was told that there was a stain on my carpeting and that it required special cleaning. When I asked where the stain was and for an itemized receipt for the cleaning, they couldn't tell me where it was, would not provide me a receipt, and said they had lost my check-in paperwork. It has been past the 45 day requirement for the information I requested and they have been refusing to provide the itemized receipt that I requested that lists the alleged damages and cost of repair, citing that it was not their job by law to provide that information.I have tried on multiple occasions trying to resolve the issue, and they will not get back to me at all.I have attached a picture of the tenant rights law that I mentioned above, a word document with notes on conversations held with them, as well as a picture of the stain that was present during my move-in and a picture of the area when I moved out, which doesn't have a stain. I have put the date the pictures were taken in the bottom left corner.

  Business response

  01/02/2024

  I spoke with the site and they had not communicated to the former resident that they would be calling them, but had sent them emails about the move-out ******************** stated that a move-out request was never made and that keys were turned in to the office. The resident was required to give fulfill a 60 day notice. A notice was received, but the resident moved out prior to the notice period and fiduciary obligation. The charges assessed to the resident were not just related to carpet, but also part of the lease termination fee.  Former resident is requesting refunds in excess of deposit and refund already issued. The resident was returned a portion of the deposit outside of damages. The additional days of rent as of now were not assessed to the final account statement. The site did not update the address for the former resident when the final account statement was sent. It was issued to the current address for mail forwarding. If resident did not deposit or receive the original payment we will reissue again. 

  Customer response

  01/03/2024

  Hello, I have provided additional details that conflict with the response given by the manager at Landmark Apartments below.

  On October 9th I informed Landmark apartment staff that I needed to terminate my lease early and would be moving out on October 21st, as well as handing in my keys upon moving out. When I handed in my keys, I spoke directly to the manager and requested to do a walk-through, but the manager told me that he was busy and was unable to do one. He told me that as long as I had taken pictures of my apartment that it would be fine.
  Before that, I had signed a lease break agreement, and supplied them with my new address.  Upon informing Landmark staff (the gentleman who sits at the front desk and answers the phones)  I was informed that I would owe $2138 for terminating my lease early, which is 2 months of rent based off my move out date and any penalties/associated costs for early termination, which I paid in excess in order to cover the $49.02 for utilities and an extra $63.96 due to a miscalculation on my part. I paid $2250.98, which is greater than the $2187.02 that I owed cumulatively for breaking my lease early and covering utilities and any rent payment that was outstanding.
  I was refunded $81.68, which I have not cashed due to trying to resolve the issue first. Out of the amount, only $17.72 of that is my returned deposit. As my deposit was $200 and the amount that I overpaid was $63.96, I asked if they would return the excess that I paid with the check for my deposit.
  
  Landmark has still not addressed my concerns in my complaint,specifically:
  1. I was not provided with and still have not received an itemized breakdown of damages that is required to be provided within 45 days of move out.Manager states they are not obligated to provide an itemized receipt which is contrary to all research information I have located (see apartment disagreement notes and image000000.png). It is illegal for the landlord to use the security deposit for repairs as part of normal wear and tear, such as carpet cleaning which is what they appear to be charging for.I have provided them a photo of the stains (see both images titled 19 March 2023 2.07PM~2.jpg) that were present when I moved in.They have refused to provide requested photos of alleged damage.Minor stains in carpeting, such as those that were present when I moved in, is also considered normal wear and tear.
  2. Landlord may subtract unpaid rent from the security deposit which they are alleging, but since they sent me a refund of $63.96 due to over-payment, their claim that I owed fiduciary obligations is incorrect (see Paying My Lease Break Gmail).I directly communicated and worked with the on-site staff to make sure all financial obligations were covered and paid in full.Staff informed me that the quicker I moved out the better as they believed they could quickly re-rent the apartment as it was in high demand as it was a two bedroom on the ground floor with a washer and dryer.
  3. I have requested copies of my original move in walk-through and all associated documentation which the manager has stated on numerous occasions that they have not been able to locate (see Apartment Disagreement Notes for timeline of contacts). I have contacted them mainly via phone calls as none of my emails ever received an answer.

   

  Sincerely,

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

  Customer response

  01/04/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined the response would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below. 
  
  [Provide details of why you are not satisfied with this resolution.]

  Hello, I have provided additional details that conflict with the response given by the manager at Landmark Apartments below.

  On October 9th I informed Landmark apartment staff that I needed to terminate my lease early and would be moving out on October 21st, as well as handing in my keys upon moving out. When I handed in my keys, I spoke directly to the manager and requested to do a walk-through, but the manager told me that he was busy and was unable to do one. He told me that as long as I had taken pictures of my apartment that it would be fine.
  Before that, I had signed a lease break agreement, and supplied them with my new address.  Upon informing Landmark staff (the gentleman who sits at the front desk and answers the phones)  I was informed that I would owe $2138 for terminating my lease early, which is 2 months of rent based off my move out date and any penalties/associated costs for early termination, which I paid in excess in order to cover the $49.02 for utilities and an extra $63.96 due to a miscalculation on my part. I paid $2250.98, which is greater than the $2187.02 that I owed cumulatively for breaking my lease early and covering utilities and any rent payment that was outstanding.
  I was refunded $81.68, which I have not cashed due to trying to resolve the issue first. Out of the amount, only $17.72 of that is my returned deposit. As my deposit was $200 and the amount that I overpaid was $63.96, I asked if they would return the excess that I paid with the check for my deposit.
  
  Landmark has still not addressed my concerns in my complaint, specifically:
  1. I was not provided with and still have not received an itemized breakdown of damages that is required to be provided within 45 days of move out.Manager states they are not obligated to provide an itemized receipt which is contrary to all research information I have located (see apartment disagreement notes and image000000.png). It is illegal for the landlord to use the security deposit for repairs as part of normal wear and tear, such as carpet cleaning which is what they appear to be charging for.I have provided them a photo of the stains (see both images titled 19 March 2023 2.07PM~2.jpg) that were present when I moved in.They have refused to provide requested photos of alleged damage.Minor stains in carpeting, such as those that were present when I moved in, is also considered normal wear and tear.
  2. Landlord may subtract unpaid rent from the security deposit which they are alleging, but since they sent me a refund of $63.96 due to over-payment, their claim that I owed fiduciary obligations is incorrect (see Paying My Lease Break Gmail).I directly communicated and worked with the on-site staff to make sure all financial obligations were covered and paid in full.Staff informed me that the quicker I moved out the better as they believed they could quickly re-rent the apartment as it was in high demand as it was a two bedroom on the ground floor with a washer and dryer.
  3. I have requested copies of my original move in walk-through and all associated documentation which the manager has stated on numerous occasions that they have not been able to locate (see Apartment Disagreement Notes for timeline of contacts). I have contacted them mainly via phone calls as none of my emails ever received an answer.

   

  Sincerely,

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

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  10/29/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  Hello, I pay $1,080 a month for an apartment I feel is unsafe. I have cracking walls, sagging floors, leaks in the ceiling, and much more. The property manager is dismissive of these claims that I feel are not baseless and should be investigated. I feel there is some sort of structural damage that is causing our apartment to shift and tilt. The sagging floors are getting worse, our shower moves side to side when using it, and the floors feel very weak. Our walls have cracks that start as hairline then get worse. When told about this, they throw a paste over the cracks till they split again, and then repeat. We have lived here for 7 months and I have already have to file for service request a dozen times. The maintenance men here are always talking down on the company, saying how things are extremely outdated and needs major renovation. The property manager also reiterated this when speaking on these issues, saying these places are very old but yet they still dont take the necessary steps to update and make these more livable. The building I live in is extremely dirty, covered in what looks like algae and the wooded decks are extremely unsafe. They said they were fixing them up but only did a handful even though they ALL need it. This complex is situated on the bank of a creek / small river and I believe is the reason Im experiencing all of these cracks and sagging floors. I absolutely want to break my lease or at least have this building inspected by an outsourced professional, one who would be honest. Theres so much more I could say about this place from the on-site laundromat, to the dog park, to the property managers apparent lack of care. The reviews of this place all the same as well, from black mold issues, to maintenance issues, to the property manager. This all stems from an absolute lack of care or understanding from the parent company, Barrett & Stokely **** I would love for all issues to be addressed to the company which I have no reply from still.

• Initial Complaint

  09/19/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I just moved into these apartments, at this point Ive not been here for a month. On September 5, 2023 my bathtub wouldnt drain I contacted management and left a voicemail, no one returned my call that day. On September 6, 2023 the bathtub water started draining through the ceiling into my kitchen. I contacted the office again and someone came over. At the time of the incident I was walking out the door for work. Since everything in the kitchen was wet including the stove & no working bathroom, they put us in a hotel for one night. The next day the bathroom was finished however all the cabinets, drywall and ceiling in the kitchen was removed. Fans and a dehumidifier were placed in the area for 4 days to dry the area. They came back in removed all the equipment and nothing has been done since. The cabinets and the water logged stove are sitting in the dining room. I have no working kitchen. Ive reached out to **************** received no return calls & no update as to when the kitchen will be completed. Its going on 2 weeks without a working kitchen. I cant even use a crockpot or a single burner as none of the outlets work in the kitchen. Upon moving in only 2 outlets worked in the kitchen, which has never been addressed either after repeated attempts requesting them to be fixed. I was told twice that an electrician is on site and they would be fixed that day but again nothing was done. Its simple, ** asking for a working kitchen along with working outlets throughout the apartment.

  Business response

  09/27/2023

  Hello ********************, 

  As of today, 9/27/23, it is my understanding that all of these repairs have been made and the apartment has been returned to its original condition.  Please feel free to reach out to me at anytime to discuss this situation. 

  ***********************;

   

  Customer response

  09/28/2023

  The apartment is not 100% complete. The majority of the concerns have been addressed but I am still waiting on an electrician to address the electrical in the kitchen, since its not functional. Theres a telephonic meeting in the works with the district manager. 

• Initial Complaint

  01/26/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Damage to my vehicle caused by a sprinkler pipe falling from the ceiling and damaging my car. I have spoken with both my ************* insurance company and due to the nature of the accident with the sprinkler coming out of the ceiling and damaging my car, the claim will need to be processed through your company, so we need to figure out those next steps so my taillight light can get fixed. After multiple weeks of being told the property manager would be in touch, I had to follow up multiple times and get an estimate which they asked me to do, just to have them tell me they will not be filing a claim on their end nor providing reimbursement. "I have spoken with the upper management team regarding your vehicle and the estimate. I have been advised that we are not filing a claim in this matter or providing reimbursement for the damage. While you were advised to ask us to file a claim on your behalf, we are not obligated to do so. At this time, should you choose to do so, you can make a claim with your insurance company. Unfortunately, as this was related to freezing temperatures beyond our control, we were not negligent in this matter." The issue is this pipe should never have fallen from the ceiling.

  Business response

  02/02/2023

  We have come to a mutual agreement and this issue has been resolved. 

*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. ↩