Firstly, Im a single professional who works in airline management. My career entails that I move every 2-3 years on average. I travel very often and I do not spend much time at home. I also live alone, and have done so for a number of years.
I moved to Kenner, Louisiana (a suburb of New Orleans) and into the Relais Esplanade apartments, a property owned by Shadowlake Management Company, in September. The apartment complex seemed "adequate" by my standards (i.E. None too fancy, but okay enough to deal with), and I was in a hurry to find a place to live at the time.
My first eyebrow was raised in September when I was about to move in. I was walked to the apartment with an apartment office person with a video camera.in all the apartments and cities Ive lived in before, Ive never had that happen. It seemed very odd, but I didnt think too much of it at the time.
They also made numerous inquiries into my employment status, credit history, etc... Which normally is not so unusual, but they made a big deal out of it for some reason. They treated me almost as though I was lucky to be able to live there (which, for a single professional like myself, not only was I not impressed, but I was somewhat insulted, to say the least). It was like a big con to make the place seem grander than it was. I can attest that Relais Esplanade, with its 20 year old buildings, is not grand at any rate, nor was I impressed with their somewhat farcical acting abilities.
During the almost 2 years that I lived at the Relais Esplanade Apartment complex (1201 West Esplanade Avenue, Kenner, LA 70065), I did not encounter too many problems, although I did have a dispute in October with the manager, Rene, who tried to renege on a verbal agreement we had made regarding my lease. I had to threaten to sue to get the problem corrected. She was difficult to deal with then and now. I couldnt get her to return my calls, nor was she available often when I stopped by to meet with her.
I also had part of my apartment get flooded once, and there was another time when my apartment was infested by wasps for several weeks on end. Id kill as many as 20-30 wasps at a time almost every day. It was very uncomfortable and I almost moved out. The only thing that kept me there was the fact that I travel often and I have "alot of stuff" which would be a pain to move. The wasps eventually went away.
In October I found out I would have to move starting April 1. I gave the complex the required notice and I moved out at the end of March. This is when things got interesting.
Upon my leaving, one of the apartment people, Tabitha, performed a walk-around of my apartment with a video camera. Again, I recalled how they strangely did it when I moved in and how I thought it odd they were doing it again. Due to my other problem before with Rene, the apartment manager, I was quite distrustful of the apartment management at that point, and the whole video thing made me even more suspicious.
I turned in my keys, and I thought all was finished at this point. They said theyd send me my $200 deposit in the mail, minus $20 for a "pool pass" (a small plastic piece which I supposedly received and signed for when I first moved in... Funny because I never used the pool nor do I remember receiving it) and minus $20 for my "parking sticker" (which was on my truck when I sold it to my father... You dont need a parking sticker to park there, although Im in the process of retrieving that at the moment).
I felt like they were trying to rip me off of $40 at the time, and I saw what they were up to. The whole phony "pool pass" and "parking sticker" scam was a way to try to keep as much of my deposit as possible. I was glad to be leaving them, although I suspected that they might try something funny when I left. It is important to mention that this individual did not complain of anything wrong with my carpet during this time (thats because there was nothing wrong with it).
Fast forward about 2 weeks later.
I get a bill in the mail for approximately $61 from the Relais Esplanade Apartment management. They said that my carpet was ruined and that it had to be replaced at my expense. They said that they were keeping my deposit, and that I owed them an additional $61 for the carpet.
I complained that there was nothing wrong with my carpet, that Id lived there 2 years and I was home less than half that time and I lived alone. Id never spilled anything on the carpet. Other than very slight normal wear and tear expected of my living there for 2 years, there was nothing wrong with the carpet. This Tabitha said they "have the video" and that I would have to pay for it. She said there were some black stains at the door where you open it. I said that there were marks from the door where you open it, because the carpet is up to the door, but that is normal wear and tear. It isnt my fault they have the carpet up to the door, and Im not responsible for the minor door opening marks.
Tabitha said she would talk to "Rene" and get back with me. Im extremely angry by this point, because I see through their scam. Im also greatly offended that they had the audacity to try to get "more" money from me. Thats pretty darn bold. Of course, s expected, Rene told Tabitha to tell me that I would have to pay the $61. Tabitha told me that they had already replaced the carpet in the apartment.
I called the main office of Shadowlake Management in Gretna at this point. The person I needed to talk to was out at the time, said the secretary, and I left a message. My call was not returned. I called back a few days later and left a message again. Once again, no response. A week or so later, I called again. The same secretary took another message from me... Only this time, I was not about to be pushed aside. I made it clear to this individual that someone better be in touch with me very soon or I would let my lawyer take care of the situation.
I received a return call from a Dana at Shadowlake Management a short while later. She was very nice and apologetic. She said she was out on vacation, which is why my calls were not returned (the whole office apparently stops whenever this one individual is on vacation, it seems). She said shed "review the tapes" and get back with me soon. She didnt for several days. When she finally did get back in touch with me, she told me that she had several other people with similar disputes at that apartment, and she was backlogged. She said the tapes werent where they should be either, which caused a further delay. She said shed call back soon.
About 4 days later, Dana finally called me back and said that there was abnormal wear and tear on the carpet in the main traffic area (i.E. From the front door to the kitchen and my bedroom... Not the front stains at the front door like Tabitha told me). She said that my carpet was put in on 28 Sep and that I moved in the following day, 29 Sep 2000.
She said that there was a formula for the age of the carpet they applied to my case, and with the carpet being so damaged as it "supposedly" was, I had to pay a certain percentage of the costs to re-carpet the apartment. She said the "move out video" specifically shows the wear on the carpet in that area, and she said that I was present in the video. I told her that I was present, and that the carpet was fine when I moved out, and that Tabitha did not say that there was a problem with my carpet. I also wisely pointed out that the video was "before" the carpet was steam cleaned also, so it is in effect, even cleaner than it was in the video, and it looked pretty darn good then.
Dana didnt have much to say about that, other than shell have Rene video the apartment today (May 13th) before they replace the carpet. Now, Tabitha told me the carpet was replaced long ago. I moved out over 6 weeks ago. There were many inconsistencies with their stories. I also find it hard to believe that, if the apartment did need new carpet, they would wait 6 weeks to replace it. Kenner is a very popular place to live for newcomers into New Orleans, and I know they do not have problems leasing apartments at Relais Esplanade. Dana told me I would have to pay the $61 and she would send me the tapes.
I gave her an address to send the tapes to (an attorney) and I reiterated that this matter will be settled in a different venue and that I am removing myself from the situation at present. I also made it clear that I did not intend to pay a dime to Shadowlake Management, I expected to receive my deposit within due time. I also may seek damages for the stress and trouble they have caused me, and/or a criminal investigation into their business conduct.
I have lived in various apartments in various cities and states around the nation. Never have I had any problems like this in anywhere that I have lived. Never had I had someone walk around my apartment with a video camera, nor have I ever been scammed out of various "fees" upon the termination of my business, until I moved into the
It appears to me that Shadowlake Management Company, Inc., is operating various scams to cheat their tenants out of their deposits at the end of their leases. The "pool pass fee" and the "parking decal fee" are prime examples of scams to get that extra $40 out of tenants. The "video" is a ploy to make you think they have some kind of "evidence" of sorts against you, so therefore you might be inclined to give in to their fraud. And the "carpet scam" is, to my recent knowledge, one of many old scams that unethical apartment managers use to defraud their tenants.
Shadowlake Management Company, Inc., seems to be a very dishonest, unethical, shoddily run, hardly competent company at best. I would strongly urge consumers to avoid business dealings with them at any of their properties to avoid what appear to be flagrantly fraudulent business practices.
Please see these sites to know what properties to avoid:
Http://www.shadowlakemgt.com/relaisesplanade.html
Http://www.shadowlakemgt.com
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