I found David Colwell Apartments on rent.com and after touring several of their available units I filled out a rental application.
My employer is a Los Angeles based filmmaker and I am European, with a very foreign sounding name. The application was to take a week or so to process and it entailed mainly verifying my income.
After a week went by I called the rental office and was told that on top of my employment verification and my rental history, they also needed copies of my id. Fair enough but why wasn't I told before? This meant I would have to wait another several days.
A few days passed and I didn't hear from them. Meanwhile, I was staying in a hotel, which cost way too much money! Another few days passed and I still heard nothing back, so I called. This time I was told they want the telephone number of my employer (they had only gotten a fax from him before) to talk to him personally about my income.
Again, I wondered why they didn't do this sooner, instead of wasting my time and money - but soon I realized I was given the runaround, either because I am a foreigner, or because I work in film, or both.
This was discrimination of the worst kind! They treated me as if I was a six-year old kid, or as if I am stupid. I actually think they broke the law but it would be difficult to prove because they can say they "forgot" to ask for those things right away.
It cost me 3 wasted weeks in a hotel and a lot of legwork - for nothing! At the end of the 3 weeks they actually requested something else, which I don't remember what it was but I strongly advise you NOT to do any business with David Calwell Apartments!
0 comments