In January of I needed to move because of the escalating crime in/around the apartment community that I was living in. The new rommate that I was moving in with found Fieldstone Trace, which is located just south of Polaris Mall area. I liked the layout of the apartment, except for when I would watch tv, the neighbors would pound on the walls. I could hear them laughing through the walls if I didn't have the tv or radio on.
About 1 year into the 15 month lease, my roommate informed me she was moving to California. She tried to arrange with the rental office so she could be removed from the lease and I could find someone else to move in. The rental office stated that they would not let her off the lease, even though she was transferred by her job. They also told us that they wouldn't sign anyone else onto the lease, which forced me to pay the remaining rent myself, (after the arrangement of monies worked out privately) since w/o a lease, I couldn't bind anyone else to the rental agreement and hold them responsible.
When I did move out in April I cleaned and repainted my room as well as shampooing the carpet in my room. The downstairs I left "broom clean" as in the move-out checklist it stated that the carpets would be shampood anyways. I also repainted and repaired any walls that needed attention. Overall I left the unit in decent condition, and the deposit of $199 was more than enough to cover any items that were missed.
The next month, I received a bill for $1372.71 in cleaning and damage charges. The itemized bill that I received was outrageous, stating that the carpet, which wasn't new when we moved in, needed to be replaced. That charge alone was for $948. Triangle Real Estate, or Ardent Property Management, as they are now known due to their horrible business practices forced the name change, then sent this to their collections division. I called "in good faith" to try and work out something with them.instead, I was harassed and hounded by a man who called himself "TC". TC tried to strong arm me into payment by being unproffessional, at times in the conversation telling me to "Shut up and Listen, " "I'll take you to court, " and "You don't know anything." Then he gave me an offer to settle of $1000, which I refused, instead insisting to ask questions and see receipts, to which he replied "My offer goes up $100 every time you interrupt me."
I am still fighting with these people, with the possibility of going to court looking like a reality. I have checked with the Better Business Bureau, which Triangle maintains they will no longer respond to any customer complaints, nor will they arbitrate with them. Triangle has an unsatisfactory standing with the BBB. I have also attained a very large stack of complaints through the Attorney General's office on Triangle, all of which show poor consumer practices.in addition, I contacted a public non-profit attorney group, which Triangle would not mediate through as well. This company distances itself from any consumer group, trying to make people feel helpless so they have to pay their outrageous charges.
Lastly, if you live in one of their communities, you are forced to use Columbus and Central Ohio Systems for water service, and American Power and Light for Electric services, both of whom are directly tied to Triangle and are simply power and water "resellers." They buy power and water, then resell to the residents at a higher rate, further lining the pockets of this greedy corporation.
STAY AWAY!
Also as a side note, I now live in a community originally built and rented out by Triangle, then sold to a private landlord. Although the apartment is small, and cheaply built like all of their other "cookie cutter" apartments, I am happy with the current landlord, simply because they have been helpful, upfront, allow me to have AEP and Columbus water, and charge rent fair for the apartment that I am renting.
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