ComplaintsforKatz Properties

• Initial Complaint

  03/01/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The property management company has sent a new copy of lease agreement for rent. The lease agreement has doubled in price. There is no rational reason for this increase. The company took over the property from previous owner about 5 years ago. They have raised the rent about 10% each year without just cause. There have been no property or apartment improvements since they have taken over. I believe all tenants that have been there would agree the condition of the grounds and snow removal service has deteriorated.

  Business response

  03/01/2024

  Good Afternoon,

  We have caught the error on the renewal and a corrected renewal will be going out ASAP.

  Sorry for the inconvenience.

   

  Katz Properties, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  01/11/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Katz properties sent my security deposit refund for $781.02. They incorrectly spelled my name on the check **** instead of ****. They are refusing to send me a new check with the correct spelling of my name. I am unable to deposit/cash a check with my name spelt incorrectly. I would like to have a new check sent with the correct spelling.

  Business response

  01/12/2024

  Good Morning ****, 

  When I originally sent out ****'s security deposit check he had not provided us with a forwarding address. When he reached out to us to have the check reissued, I did reissue it right away. By a human error I did *************** his name but it was not done intentionally. After a couple emails with ****, I did ask him to please return the reissued check and I would send out a new one for him with the corrected name. He also was requesting us to  send the check just in his name because him and his girlfriend do not have a joint bank account.  I am surprised this is an issue because I have the check ready to be picked up form the mail man today. 

   

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

  Katz Properties, Inc. 

• Initial Complaint

  01/01/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My boyfriend has been renting an apartment that recently got bought my ****. No one answers the phone, the building has so many problems and broken items that do not get fixed. The rent has gone up and down each month and there's no consistency. When you call the office no one will answer or return your phone call.

  Business response

  01/02/2024

  I would need a little more info to look into this....WHAT IS THE ADDRESS?  I am not sure what number is being called (our number is ************), but we are in the office Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm. and we answer the phones all day long.  Obviously, with the holidays, we were closed both Monday 12/25/23 and Monday 1/1/24.

• Initial Complaint

  12/12/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I applied for an apartment with **** and they manipulated me into fully signing a lease. Lied and said its the application for the lease. Told me I would get approved and never spoke to me after that. A few months later Im being told I owe over two grand for an apartment I NEVER accepted, got told I was approved for or given keys. This company is a scam at its finest. I called them many times and they always try to make you feel stupid. My fiance and I can both confirm we did not accept this apartment nor will we be paying for it. I dont want this to affect my credit.

  Business response

  12/12/2023

  I apologize that you feel this way, however, all of our paperwork(that you signed) is clearly marked as to what it is.  As far as I have ******************** has reached out to you to let you know about your approval.

  We will do our best to get the unit re-rented as quickly as we can.

  Customer response

  12/12/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed. 
  I was never contacted about approval and even if I was, I would have declined. No one contacted me after your paperwork which **** told me was the application. Which I have proof of. Again, I didnt accept this apartment and you went ahead with it anyways. Saying I owe money on an apartment I never saw let alone accepted! I will not be paying this as I didnt even get contact about approval. I would suggest not to make your applications that way or your team could have been much more clear. I didnt live there. Im not paying it, my lawyer and others will be involved if you continue to ask me to pay for an apartment that I never accepted or even viewed. 
  Regards,
  
  *******************************

  Business response

  12/13/2023

  I am sorry that you did not read what your signed first.  We will do our best to get it re-rented as quickly as we can.

  Customer response

  12/13/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  As proven above, **** was made aware of my confusion. Took advantage of that. Didnt contact me after this conversation. No one lived in that apartment. I will not pay it. No one said Hello, you are approved. When would you like to get the keys? My lawyer will be contacted shortly. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *******************************

  Business response

  12/13/2023

  Again, I apologize that you signed legally binding contracts when you were unsure.  We will do our best to get it re-rented as quickly as we can.

• Initial Complaint

  07/19/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  ********************* (***), a Katz Properties managed property in *********, ** violated our lease and wrongfully withheld our deposit. We were displaced from our unit on numerous occasions due to a severe bed bug infestation. A pest control tech inspected the property and determined we were not responsible. We were informed by individuals several floors below in the same building were also infested with bed bugs. Katz properties placed blame on both our neighbors and the other individuals several floors below. We requested a heat treatment to permenantly solve the issue, but **** indicated they would only perform chemical treatments. We lost thousands of dollars in property to the infestation and were displaced from our residents on more than 5 occasions for pest control treatment. Additionally, ***************************, the property manager of JVT lied to us on multiple occasions regarding the pest treatment procedures. The pest control vendor would have conversations with us that directly conflicted with what we were told from ***. In direct violation of lease requirements, contractors entered our apartment without permission on 14 different occasions in a 12 month period. On two separate occasions, the force in which they opened the door caused damage to property in our apartment. Upon raising this concern with ***, she did not show any sympathy and instructed us to speak with the contractors directly. The contractor she instructed us to speak with did not understand English. One day in particular, there were two units on our floor being worked on down the hall from ours and contractors entered our room 3 times in a 2 hour span; once the door was locked, the contractors banged on the door before realizing their mistake again. My wife was alone in our apartment during this and did not feel safe. In all cases, *** would respond to emails with phone calls so nothing was recorded in writing and would subsequently lie about conversations.

  Business response

  07/19/2023

  To Whom it May ***************** name is ***************************, and I am the site manager at this apartment community.  Under no circumstance was any portion of the security deposit that was withheld done so wrongfully.  The residents were not charged for any items that were normal wear and tear.  They were provided a clean apartment upon move-in (which can be confirmed with their returned move-in inspection report).  There were no notes indicating that anything was dirty upon move-in.  They chose to not clean their apartment upon vacating and were charged cleaning fees for the following:  stove, kitchen cabinets, all flooring, toilet, tub, bath vanity cabinets, and microwave. In addition, the bath counter needed to be resurfaced from damage that they caused, and three interior apartment doors had holes punched into them.  ********************* explained to an employee here that the door damage was caused from " him playing video games" and subsequently flailed into the doors causing the damage.  The point that ******* is attempting to make that someone forcefully entered without notice causing door damage is ridiculous.  The doors that they were charged for were interior doors, not the apartment entry door. 

  There was an instance of bedbugs originating from the residents across the hall from them.  After the treatment was successfully performed by our exterminator, in good faith we did issue them a rent credit in the amount of $2,025.00 for  their out-of-pocket expenses.  This was in the form of a rent credit that was issued 9/13/21.

  Regarding the story of 14 occasions of entry without notice, that number has grown each time they tell this story.  I am aware that a contractor accidentally attempted to enter.  He was remodeling an apartment on that hallway and made a mistake.  When *******'s roommate, ********, came to my office to tell me this story, I immediately contacted the ** and he attempted to speak with her/ them about this and they did not reply to him.  He absolutely speaks English.  At the time that I spoke with ******** in my office I asked her if they had a working deadbolt/ security chain on their door that could be engaged so that she would feel more comfortable.  She informed me that they did have that, but she didn't feel as though she should have to take those measures in order to feel safe,  I recall that conversation because I found that answer a bit strange in a high rise building in downtown *********, but that was her decision.  In essence, they are claiming that this happened 14 times in a year and that they felt unsafe, but they did not bother to actually secure their door with the tools that they were provided with to do so.

  The comments that I lie are absurd and undeserving of refute.

   

   

   

   

   

   

  Customer response

  07/19/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  

  The response from the business in no way addresses the crux of the issue.  Katz Properties has coninuously disregarded safety of their residents, which is underscored by the heartless response provided by *******

  In regards to the cleanliness or the property, *** stated we did not clean the property.  We hired professional cleaners to thoroughly clean the property prior to move-out.  I'm not sure how that would consititue "did not bother to clean".  None of the door damage was in relation to video games, this is laughable.  Doors were damaged due to a shooting incident outside of our property that a military veteran reacted to strongly.  Please refer to the attached communication provided to a Katz Properties employee.  Additionally, part of the security deposit was withheld due to damage to the entry door and fixtures, which was caused by contractors. It is appauling to me that *** would call our fear for safety and concern for lease violations as "ridiculous".  It is true and my wife feared for her safety as part of a medical diagnosis that she suffers from.

  While we were credited for bedbug damage, the $2,025 credit does not even sniff the more than $6,000 losses we incured from the damage.

  I take offense that *** would indicate we are "telling a story" about contractors entering our residence and that the number has changed.  This number remains consistent with the number stated in my email to April in September of 2022, as evidenced in the attached.  We have remained consistent in our expression of events related to the concern of our health and safety at *********************.  **** and *** specifically, continue to act as if we are creating scenarios and putting on some type of show.  We are only concerned for the health and safety of future residence of this poorly managed property.  "Please bolt your door so we don't violate your lease" is the worst stance I've ever heard from a property manager.  However, when we do bolt the door and there is banging on our door.  My wife is supposed to simply ignore the noise and not be bothered by something that appears to be an imminent threat.  These individuals lack all empathy and are only concerned with the bottom line and hiding a severe bed bug infestation from their residence.  **** and *** lack all moral fibre and experience delusions of grandeur.  It is apparent to me that *** will never admit fault or apologies for wrongdoings.  This organizatoin needs intervention.

  I am happy to further discuss any of these matters as we are clear of wrongdoing and would like to look out for future residents.

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

  Business response

  07/20/2023

  move out photos are attached.

  Business response

  07/24/2023

   

  Regarding the above-mentioned complaint, I have submitted all of the move-out inspection photos (please see the link below).  In addition, attached is a copy of an email correspondence between me and Mr. *** dated 9/13/2021 regarding his rent credit for personal property loss in reference to bedbugs that have been mentioned within Mr. ***** complaint.  He was appreciative of this gesture back in 2021 according to his own words; therefore, I am not understanding why nearly two years later this is being mentioned in his complaint.  

   

  **************************TezueN6ZhH7J5uZPA 

   

  Please let me know if there is any issue opening the photos via the link.

   

  Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  05/23/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  These people at **** Property are calling themselves "**** ***************** LLC" They wanted to evict me because they did not get the March rent check that I mailed to the address I had been sending the rent to since they toke control of the building in 2015yr. They did not tell me they changed their address from ********************************************************************************************* or gave me the new address Katz Properties, **** ******************************************************************************** to send the rent checks to. My rent is paid in full for March and April. Also they charged me a $75.00 late payment fee for March and a $300.00 lawyer and filling fee which I would not have had to pay had they told me they moved. I want my $375.00 refunded or a rental credit. In late February 2023' I called the **** office and asked the clerk if the water bill was going out and how much is it. I increased this March rent check by $44.85 for the water. Even then the clerk did not tell me that the address to mail the rent check had been changed. In late March 2023 I received a call from **** Prop saying I was being evicted for not paying the March 2023'yr. rent. After talking with several people in the office I sent another check which included rent for March, April the water cost and the late payment fee $1,794.85 by certified mail to the same *************** address. Still no one said the rent should be sent to a different address. Since **** did not receive my two check that were sent to the old address they said I could pay online. This included an additional $300.00 lawyer fee. Bringing the total to $2,169.85 which I paid online April 3rd. Also there has been a water leak from the roof back in November/December according to the building manager ***. I have made repeated phone calls to get the damage to the apartment fixed. The ceiling has paint falling in the kitchen and the rug is stained and has a moldy smell. Many of my clothes that were on the floor were water soaked.

  Business response

  05/24/2023

  We have a forwarding address in with the post office and have had it in since January, so there is no reason we would not have received your rent.  As far as the attorney fees, you would have been notified a few different ways in-regards to your owed rent (phone, email and a 5-day notice hand delivered and mailed), we don't just charge fees without contacting you first.  I apologize that you took your time on handling this before it went further.

• Initial Complaint

  01/10/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Gave a 60 day notice to vacate the property back in 2016. This would have ended the annual lease contract 2 months early. The business owner then notified me that I would be charged until the unit was rented out again after lease agreement that was originally imposed. There was nothing within the signed lease contract that legally held me liable for monthly rent until the unit was rented. My security deposit was withheld as collateral which should hold me liable for those 2 months I ended lease early minus the security deposit. Since this a large sum of $9195 has been reported to my credit as a collection which I refuse to pay that full amount. I am requesting this amount be reviewed and corrected on my credit report.

  Business response

  01/11/2023

  I am showing in your records that you had a lease until 4/30/2016 and you moved out 10/22/2015.  You would have been responsible for the rent until 4/30/2016 or until the unit re-rents.

• Initial Complaint

  11/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I want them to have someone come in a take care of the ***** problem in the apartment building. They have done nothing to fix the issue. Multiple tenants have called many times and the office acts like they know nothing about it. They are spreading.

  Business response

  11/18/2022

  That is not true, we do have a pest control tech out there trying to fix the issue....he can only spray so often.

• Initial Complaint

  10/17/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Katz Properties charged insane amounts for what obviously amounts to wear and tear by withholding from Security Deposit.After the buying the property at n16 w22330 Watertown rd. apt **** from GE Electric ( their old retreat center ) , the property has been in steady steep decline. Complaints were made but nothing handled. I have difficulty with stairs. Last week there the elevator went out and was told for the rest of the weekend at least, I was just out of luck. Things began to break all over. Things went uncleaned. Things that were amenities that **** me there were suddenly gone or ill kept. What's the most logical course for a property to take after all this? Raise the rent. So I left. I managed to take pictures of when I moved in and when I left. Things like the fan blades were left as they were given to me. The rest of the apartment was cleaned. The stove was used maybe 4 times. Nothing was beyond 15 mins cleaning or what one would call reasonable wear and tear. WI statutes ****** on withholding from and return of security deposits is clear that anything under normal use should not be charged. If they do include it in the signed contract anyways, be ready for exorbitant pricing for the most basic 5 min jobs that are obviously well with normal wear and tear. Fan blades that you can get with a wet rag (that were dirty when I got it) ***** bucks. Oven cleaning that is barely dirty? 50 bucks. etc. Nothing beyond normal usage. I don't mind having money with held for any utilities I may have owed but the prices for cleaning are the most expensive scammer prices ever. We specifically went around filling anywhere I hung a picture. Sanded it. My dad came back the next day to take pictures and refill and re sand incase any shrinkage in the fill occurred. This is despite tack and nail holes for pictures is considered normal wear and tear and not even considered damage in the law. No one is getting paid that much to do that cleaning.

  Business response

  10/18/2022

  Good Morning ****, I have attached some of the pictures of the items we did deduct from Mr. *********** security deposit. These are standard items that we do charge for if they do not clean them. Mr. ********* did not even reach out to us to speak to us about his security deposit before writing this review.  Please see the attached pictures for more information. If you have any other questions, please let me know. 

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

  Katz Properties

  Customer response

  10/18/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  I did in fact reach out.  I can provide the email I sent.  Also,  the fact that it is common to charge for things that fall under normal wear and tear is against WI statuets. This includes basic cleaning unless deemed excessive. Perhaps if **** feels this is okay they should review the law. Also, the amounts is ridiculous. Tell me if a 20 minuet wipe down equals 50 dollars Per item.
  
  Regards,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  05/09/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In 2017 I rented an apartment from **** in the last month of my lease I lost my job and asked my security equal to the rent be used to pay the last months rent. I moved out gave my forwarding adress and heard nothing from them. Then a few years ago I learned **** filed an eviction against me after I no longer lived at the property. I assumed this was for the rent. I have recently found out they have been telling places I applied to rent at that I damaged property and specifically a counter top. I find this unjust given I was never served with any papers or contacted by **** after moving out that there were any issues and they had my email, phone number and address. When I moved in I noticed a slight bend in the counter top but thought nothing of it. I didnt damage anything when I lived there and again was never allowed to defend myself against these allegations so them telling places Im trying to rent from that I damaged property is slandering me. I have a perfect rental record besides that one month and they need to stop telling places I am trying to rent from charges I never was given the opportunity to refute. Its clear if this continues I will need to hire a lawyer.

  Business response

  05/24/2022

  When **************** vacated the apartment he had a balance on his account that his security deposit went towards.  He had owed for multiple water bills, late rent fee and repair of a counter top.  **************** was given notice of his balance multiple times. The reason he was served an eviction notice was for the rent that was due. He has since made the payment to FSC and has a zero balance with us at Katz Properties. 

*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. ↩