Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  06/14/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I recently rented from Schermerhorn and they kept majority of my security deposit. When I questioned them they were rude and told me I am a person who doesn’t like being told no and that I had a snarky attitude for asking about why they withheld my money. Most of the deposit held was due to enzyme treatment on the carpet. They charged me $525. I asked for receipts and the receipts provided showed they only spent $300 on the enzyme treatment. They only gave me back $105 and are now saying they’re charging me for deodorizing and cleaning the carpets as well, which was not an original charge on my reconciliation. They still owe me $120 based on their receipts. They will not answer my messages or calls anymore, and their last message to me says they are not reimbursing me any more of my money from my refundable security deposit. I told them I may have to take them to small claims and they told me good luck because I will have to pay legal fees based on the lease - all in all telling me they can keep my money because I can’t afford to sue them. They also made me have the carpets professionally cleaned before moving out which I did, and they went through with a black light which did not show any stains. Then Schermerhorn had their own company go through and show stains that were not there before I moved out. I have read reviews that this company purposely puts stains onto the carpets.

  Business response

  08/03/2022

  Not included in letter attached hereto is a screen shot of email back & forth with Ms. ******** below, she never once called the office as we require all correspondences in writing for proper documentation for both parties.Additionally included are two photos taken during the move out inspection which clearly shows dog hair, we advised to receive a refund from professional carpet cleaner in response, she disparaged the third party professional carpet cleaner we used to comes with 30+ experience. My final comment is the carpet in living room was brand new when she moved in, she snuck pets into the apartment as she started with a non -pet lease until she was found in default and had three total.  She believes we are retaliating regarding the commercial equipment trailer that she was also found in default of and asked to remove, I assured her we treat each tenant equally and severally without bias or prejudice, a landlord is only as good as the tenants that live with it, and we simply ask they comply with the terms of their lease. The Security Deposit Reconciliation was prepared and charged in accordance with the final inspection, compared to the move in condition report, the terms of the signed lease and NYS Real Property Law. Ms. ******** is very quick to slander and disparage. We treat people the way we are treated there was unequivocally no “trying to scam me out of money” she agreed to the terms of the lease when she signed it; specifically Lease Schedule D paragraph g. There is nothing normal about how she returned the property,  pet urine is a biohazard

  Customer response

  08/05/2022

  I would like to clarify also that my animals are all well past their potty training phase of life and have all gone through puppy school and are very well mannered. They NEVER have accidents in the house. My cat has been litter box trained since he was 8 weeks old and he’s now 8 years old. The stains Schermerhorn said were in my apartment were in spots that I had furniture and would be physically impossible for the animals to get under to urinate as they were flush to the ground. I had another tenant from Unit G in The Oaks call me saying Schermerhorn is using the same video they used against me regarding his carpets. 

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