This is an e-mail I received today from a individual that just moved out. While living here I've heard (and seen) West Tech Lofts unjustifiably keep people's security deposit, and randomly making charges that equal the amount they initially paid. This is deceitful as the e-mail says!
Nicole,
Can you please forward this e-mail to whoever is in charge of handling my move out charges.
Thanks!
To whom it may concern,
Today, 9/9/2011, I received a statement of deposit from "west tech lofts team" which is humorous to say the least. Coincidentally the $450 security deposit I paid upon move in was the exact same amount of "damages" caused to the apartment. The charges consist of:
- Hallway carpet not clean: $60.00
- Stove Drip Pan replaced: $6.00
- Diswasher Cleaning: 25.00
- Oven Cleaning: $25.00
- Wood Tile Floors not clean: 50.00
- General Apartment Cleaning: 100.00
- Early Move out: 185.50
Some discrepancies I've found in your notice include:
- How can the dishwasher be dirty? the last few loads were cups only and I ran the cleaner after the last load. This $25 fee is laughable at the least.
- The night before I moved out I cleaned the oven to the direct letter in which the maintenance man (Dan) instructed me to do so. This $25 fee is ridiculous as well!
- I was charged $50 for wood tile floor cleaning? First of all, the "tile" upon which you speak of is a 5' X 5' space that was swept and mopped before I left, The bathroom is another 5' X 3' and for that I was charged $50? That has to be over $1,000 an hour!
- And of course the general apartment cleaning of $100. When I left every room was vacuumed, swept, mopped, and everything else needed for move out. As Dan told me during the inspection the height of some items (to include the ceiling fan 20 foot +) made it impossible for me to clean and I would not be charged.
- And then the last charge of early move out fee will be fought 100% of the way. As you know I presented you with orders to accompany a military unit to Afghanistan and as per our lease that allows me to get out early, under the law. In person you originally claimed that we added someone else on the lease, Chris, which is accurate but as I pointed out the addendum specifically states him as an occupant, and not a lease holder. Furthermore, even tho the lease says that Erin does not count for my early termination allowance under the lease, I asked you both in person, and via e-mail to consider letting her out of the lease early without termination fee's as well. I instructed you to inform me if you were going to charge a fee, this way we can find a way to keep her as an occupant and you did not, she was even instructed by the leasing office to turn in a notice to vacate without being informed of a fee, further acknowledging your agreement to let her out early. Thus making this fee deceitful on the behalf of West Tech Lofts, and I fully plan to take my e-mail to the BBB in regards to the deceitfulness regarding that instance. One last reason why I feel that the early move out fee is deceitful is due to the fact that the lease clearly states early move out to be 1 months rent, yet you charged me only 185.50, showing me that you are filling the void of $ left over in my security deposit with fees that will allow you to keep my money.
West Tech Lofts,
How can you justifiably charge these fee's ? Not only are they unjustified but you are taking the money out of someone leaving to defend this country. I will be writing about this apartment complex and posting all my discrepancies in every area of apartment finding websites I can. $450 dollars does not seem like a lot to an apartment complex that overcharges for everything, but when you're leaving this country and expecting $$ to assist you in purchasing needed supplies that $450 is a lot of money!
If you reconsider the charges on the notice, please let me know ASAP. If not I know plenty of veteran advocate groups out there that would love to hear my story. I will be forwarding this e-mail to resource residential next week if I do not hear a reply back from you.
