ComplaintsforDorfman Property Management & Sales

• Initial Complaint

  06/26/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 6/10/24, I was notified of an annual inspection of my rental property that indicated & that this inspection is completed prior to each renewal. I have been at this home for 2 years & this is the only inspection that was done prior to any renewal of the lease. After the inspection was completed, Dorfman Property Management stated that they determined that a "woman" was living at the property that was not listed as a occupant of the property. I informed them that the "woman" was my girlfriend & that she stays at my home occasionally but maintains her own residence & that we can provide a valid lease indicating that she permanently lives at another location. Dorfman indicated that she needed to be on the lease & dictated that we submit a rental application & then proceeded to charge me $75 . Then 3 days later I received notice of the "inspection" results that included a demand for repairs for burnt out light bulbs, broken blinds, missing door know (which was in the process of being replaced), missing furnace filter (the furnace doesn't require a filter), missing kitchen ******* ******* located in the yard. Dorfman demanded repairs be made within 30 days or else if repairs were not made another inspection would occur & then a notice to vacate would be issued. No additional inspection has take place. I asked for lease documentation that stated that repairs were to be made after an inspection that required a 30 day completion time frame. I noted that the property had to be returned to the property management company in the same condition in which I received the property in 2022 & this stipulation is only related to the termination of the lease. Dorfman has failed to provide me with the lease documentation regarding repairs. Additionally, my current lease does not expire until 8/31/24. I feel that their notice to vacate is retaliatory in nature in order to force me to move so that they can raise the rent an exorbitant amount.

  Business response

  06/28/2024

  Good Morning,

  I attached the copy of the lease. Please pay attention to the highlighted areas.

  We have always done yearly inspections up through 2020 then with Covid it took several years to get caught back up. We started last year but was only able to get the first two years missed inspected and now beginning 2024 we are back on schedule for normal yearly inspections.

  As you will see per our lease all/any damages caused by a tenant is the responsibility of the tenant to repair. After the inspection the tenant was informed of things that he needed to repair and his response was the lease says he only has to return the home in good condition. Per our lease the tenant must keep the home in good condition at all times.

  The tenant is also in violation of his lease by having additional adults living in the property that per his lease says if they stay more than 7 days they must report that to our office.

  Our lease also says that either party (tenant or landlord) has the right to give a 30 day notice of non renewal. Based on the lease violation and the condition of the home we are exercising our right to not renew the lease and have given a 60 day notice (out of courtesy and giving ample time for the tenant to find a new property).

  We did not process the application from the other adult that is living in the property so we will refund that app fee and will not be processing the application but notice to vacate on 8/31/2024 stands.

  If you have any other questions or would like pictures of our findings please let me know.

   

   

   

   

   

  Customer response

  06/28/2024

  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. 
  
  in response to the Landlord's explanation:

  1. Again, the additional person that they claim is living at my home, maintains her own residence and we can provide a valid lease stating as much. We are not in violation of the lease as she does not stay for more than 7 consecutive days.

  2. The lease doesn't stipulate (even in the highlighted areas marked by the Landlord) that repairs or to be completed in 30 days only that "shall surrender the same, at termination of, as in good of condition as received." Additionally, the initial letter indicated a 30 day timeframe to complete "repairs" and that window of time was not given and the Landlord gave 30 days notice to vacate 3 days after I raised the issue of completing repairs in 30 days which is not in the lease. There was never another inspection performed and there certainly  wasn't 30 days given to complete the repairs as outlined in the Landlords letter dated 6/20/24. Please see attached letter.

  3. The repairs they seek are minor in nature and in no way reflects on the overall presentation of the property. These "repairs" are strictly located inside of the home and would only take a couple of hours to replace. 

  4. The inspection letter was dated for 6/20/24, my response to the letter was sent via email on 6/22/24, and the Landlord's notice to vacate was given on 6/24/24. Please see attached move out letter. Again, there was no 30 day window given to complete the repairs.

  5. The Landlord's response to my questioning of lease is retaliatory and is a means to force me to vacte the property so that the Landlord can raise the rent to an exorbitant amount and then lease the property again.

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

  
  

  Customer response

  06/28/2024

  My issue with this complaint is that the Landlord stated in their inspection letter that I had 30 days to complete "repairs" that  are really minor and are replacement issues. The landlord issued the notice to vacate only 4 days later without providing the time to make the repairs/replacements outlined in their letter. I have no issue with the repairs/replacement being requested, it's the timing of the notice to vacate is my primary concern. The notice to vacate appears retaliatory because I questioned the language in the lease. And the landlord has failed to provide the time that they provided in their inspection letter. How is that fair? The end goal for them was to see me vacate the property so that they could raise the rent for the next occupant and they knew that I would question the amount of the rent increase if I were to stay at the property. 

  Business response

  07/01/2024

  I think I said this in the first response. This is about the home not being taken care of. The response from the tenant was NOT "I will take care of these things" but it was argumentative demanding we show him where in his lease that it says he has to do this now (which is in the lease I previously sent)... back and forth went on for a couple of days.  

  The home is not being taken care of. Among the damages I previously noted there was trash outside the home, lots of weeds growing through mulch area and the gutters full, trash and weeds are the tenants responsibility and per the lease I sent in the previous response it is the tenants responsibility to report other issues immediately that could harm the home and they are not doing that.

  The application fee has been refunded per what he requested but per the lease since he is not taking care of the home and in violation of the lease we will not renew the lease.

  Thank you.

   

   

  Customer response

  07/02/2024

  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. 
  
  Please view attached screen shots related to initial communication between myself and the Landlord. In no way was I "argumentative". I was polite and calm, simply asking where it is stated in the lease that "repairs" are to be completed within ************************* the 2nd email that I never said that I wouldn't make the repairs. The Landlord's response to my email was to send a notice to vacate 3 days later. This notice to vacate is RETALIATORY in nature and is an attempt to force me to vacate the property so that they can rent to another party at a much higher rate. The Landlord initially cited that another adult (a "woman") was living at the property, which she has not reside in my home and can be proven. Now, the landlord is adding additional "repairs" to their complaint. Ridiculous. 

  To the LANDLORD....it would have been more professional and ethical for you to simply state that you would not be renewing the lease instead of grasping and fabricating reasons to terminate the lease in order to conceal your true intentions for the property. 
  

  Please tell me where this is "argumentative": Please note the dates and times of the email exchange.

  To:*******************************
  Sat, Jun 22 at 8:16 PM
  
  Good evening...
  
  After carefully reviewing the lease, I am unable to find any reference or provision stipulating that "repairs" are to completed within 30 days of an inspection; only that the property needs to be returned to the Landlord in the same condition as in which the property was received by the Tenant. This provision only applies to the termination of the lease which has not been initiated by either party. 
  
  Please cite any other signed documentation and/or lease provisions stating such responsibility that is held by the tenant.

  Respectfully,
  
  *****************************

  Your response to this first email:

  ********************;
  From:********************************************************************************
  
  Mon, Jun 24 at 10:38 AM
  
  Hello,
  
  Attached you will find a copy of your move out confirmation letter. Please review the attached letter dated for the end of your lease.
  
  Thank you,
  Dorfman Property Management 

  And here is my response:

  To: *********************
  
  Mon, Jun 24 at 10:48 AM
  
  ****,
  
  Please explain the meaning of this letter....are you not renewing the lease? And if not, why?

  Their response:

  ************************;
  From:********************************************************************************
  Mon, Jun 24 at 1:35 PM

  Hello,
  
  We are not going to renew the lease at this time. Based on the inspection and the follow up email we sent you it appears you are unwilling to help take care of the property that you rent.
  
  Thank you,
  
  [cid:af854431-2d71-4cd4-8eae-2093f37670e7]
  [cid:9f8446da-d99e-40b4-bfea-26dc9d7ca02b]
  
  ********************* (He/him/his)
  Administrative Assistant at
  Dorfman Property Management
  Phone *********************
  Web www.godorfman.com
  Email *********************************
  ************************************* ************, **. 46204

  My response: 

  To: *************************

   Mon, Jun 24 at 1:58 PM

  I never said that I wouldnt make the repairsI only asked to provide me with the lease sections stipulating that repairs were to be completed after an inspection. I just pointed out that the property was to be returned in the same condition as it was received. 
  
  I have made my rental payments on time every month for almost 2 years and the repairs you have cited are minor issues that can be resolved quickly.
  
  In all honesty it appears as if your response is retaliatory because I asked questions about the lease. 
  
  So bottom line..where do you stand with the lease renewal? Im assuming that the rent will go up and probably significantly based on comps that I have seen. 
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  11/30/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This is in part, a copy of my email to Dorfman Property Management: I mailed a check on 11-20-22 and to this date and time it has NOT been cashed. I specifically mailed it early to avoid a late fee. This same problem occurred early in the summer and late fees were incurred. ************************* and ****(unsure of last name) assured me that I would not be charged for this. I mail rent at least 1 week prior to due date. I was charged 175.00$ for this previously. This morning(11-29-22) I spoke with **** and initially she said that I needed to speak with someone else. I persisted and finally, she admitted your office "has the check". It is NOT reflected on the online portal, nor does my bank have a record of it being cashed. The check is dated 11-20-22 for Decembers rent. Please attend to this matter. I should not have to worry about this each and every month. The date is now 11-30-22 and the check has still not been cashed. BBB,I have written several emails to Dorfman(*************************) with no resolution. Now I stand to incur more late fees starting 0n Dec. 1, 2022(Tomorrow). I believe they are purposely holding checks back to get more money through late fees or it's just plain incompetence. ******************* ***************************************************

  Business response

  12/01/2022

  Good morning,

   

  The tenant did call and ask if we received his check. He called the same morning in which the payment was received in our office, he was verbally told his check was here. He was also informed that it would be processed the next day, it was processed the next day as he was informed.

   

  Per our lease we cannot control when the mail gets delivered to us that is an issue he would have to discuss with ***** We offer online options to pay in which everything shows in "real time" when you pay by a paper check you cannot expect it to show the day after you place it in the mailbox. If he mailed the check on 11/20 it took the post office until the 29th to put it in our drop box which is emptied daily including weekends.  This was explained to the tenant, and he was informed we had the check, so I am not sure what exactly the problem is at this point and time.

  We received the check on the 29th, we entered it on the 30th.  From this point it is all up to the banks as to when our bank pulls it from his bank, there is nothing at all I can do once it is entered into our system.

   

  The time this past summer he is speaking about, and he was charged late fees we never received that check he mailed so again that is an issue with *****

   

  I did also remind the tenant this week that we do offer online payments and sent him another link to use that service so he can see things in "real time".

   

  
  Let me know if I can answer any further questions.

  Customer response

  12/01/2022

  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.]
  
  Regards,
  
  *******************
  

• Initial Complaint

  08/20/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I rented a house from Dorfman Property Management for 8 years and on 1-22-20 I gave them my 30 notice and they informed me I would still have to pay the rent for that month, which I did and they also informed me I would get my deposit back , which I did not . I did not reach out about it because I was caring for a special needs child that took all my time and after she passed I just realized I was never refunded my deposit

  Business response

  08/29/2022

  Good Afternoon,

   

  I have attached documentation of the final move out report, however ************** did not provide a forwarding address when she vacated so we mailed it to the address on file as the law requires we do. If there were an address changed done through **** it should have been forwarded to ***************

   

  As you will see on her move out report ************** owes Dorfman Property money which is the amount less her security deposit. There was a lot of damage to the home which was caused by family of Ms. ****** in which she is being charged, I have included a copy of the police report as well.

   

  If you have any questions please feel free to let me know.

   

  Sincerely,

  Dorfman Property Management

  Customer response

  08/30/2022

  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 read Dorfman Property Management report and I do not agree with what they said , first they said I didnt send an forwarding address so they sent me a check , if I owe you money why would you send a check . Second the repairs that was listed was from when I moved in and I had a list of what needed to be done and maintenance didnt fix everything on the list . Bullet holes was already in the shower when I moved in , the door was never fixed and I called maintenance many times about the floor because it kept coming up and nothing was done . The house was shot up I was at work and dDorfman said they wouldnt pay for it so I had to fix 3 windows and have all the walls fixed out of my pocket . I had issues with the stove and called multiple times and still had issues . I was charged over a hundred dollars because the person they sent to fix the stove forgot to plug it back up and I had to pay for them coming out . I had to pay over $700 for the garage door because they said it was my fault when I told them it was like that when I moved in and had called twice before to have it fixed . They was always racist toward me and talked to me any kind of way . I took my own pictures and I do not owe them anything . I also ready they said I didnt give my 30 day notice but they fail to mention that they sent a letter say they was going up on the rent a hundred dollars and if I didnt agree I had a certain amount of time to give them notice , I gave them notice the day I received the letter because if I didnt give them notice I would have to pay and renew the lease. The 8 years living there I was bet late on the rent always paid o time and they did house inspections which they didnt have an issue she they inspected it  and the police report they provided I dont know who that is and that person is not a family member of mine .

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

  
  

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