I, Lucy * entered into a contract with Jefferson Commons Student housing around August with the express purpose of my daughter Ashley having a place to live. She did move into the apartment with three other girls in August.
I was givin a sheet to list everything that was wrong in the apartment and instructed to turn it into the front desk ASAP. We did as we were told. We tried to write down every small thing that we saw that was wrong with the apartment. I did not notice some very small bleach spots in the main hallway until several hours after helping the girls move in. At this time I did have one of the girls note these spots on their sheet. I may have even noted it on mine at the time. I just wanted to ensure that it was noted.
Everything was fine with the apartment until the girls were ready to clean the apartment and leave. At this time, I was told that the girls could pay $120.00 each and have the apartment cleaned for them. Put, this into perspective. One very small student housing apartment with 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms and they expected $480.00 to clean it? I asked if we could clean it ourselves and was told yes. I was sent a sheet explaining exactly what they wanted cleaned and how.
Three of the girls met at the apartment on the day before moveout day and spent approximately a combined total of over 20 hours cleaning every nook and cranny of this apartment. They were instructed to even clean both sides of all mini blinds and all ceiling fans. They did as they were told. The next day the apartment personell came in for a walk through and told the girls that although the apartment was clean, they were still required to pay an extra $25.00 each for cleaning. What for? They had just spent 20 hours cleaning this small apartment.
Then for the real kicker. The girls were told they had small bleach spots on the carpet and would have to pay $157.00 each to replace the carpet! The girls quickly pointed out that they had reported the bleach spots upon the first day of arrival. A property manager then came through and agreed that they had noted the bleach spots in the hall but had failed to note some very insignificant ones that were in the living room. Therefore, she would let them pay half of the replacement cost each.
I contacted Jefferson Commons immediately upon hearing this and let them know that I felt that they were just trying to squeeze money out of unsuspecting college students. I stated that because I failed to see the insignificant bleach spots in the living area that I would be glad to pay half of the replacement cost on the condition that they would allow me a walk through after the replacement of the carpet. I wanted to ensure that they indeed did replace the carpet. They did agree to this.
What do you know, they DID NOT replace the carpet. They instead sent us a bill for the $25.00 extra cleaning cost and $57.00 for carpet cleaning!
Today they called threatening to turn me into a collection agency if I did not pay. I have excellent credit. I could care less if they turn me in.
I did tell them that I felt that they were running a scam. They have over 1,000 apartments. (Hypothetically): They bougusly claim that the carpet has to be replaced at the cost of $628.00. Say they do this to 500 of their apartments. That is $314,000.00. They do not replace the carpet.
The next year new students move in and the cycle continues until the carpet actually HAS to be replaced.in the mean time they have collected a huge some of money for bogus carpet replacement claims, not to mention other items such as broken doors and such that are initially looked over upon moving in.
I instructed them to fax me the copy of my signed contract with the express intent to collect for extra cleaning upon leaving after instructing the students to clean to a spotless state. Furthermore, I wanted to see that I had agreed to pay for carpet cleaning services upon exiting the premises.
They were extremely defensive and irrate. They said that I would be contacted by a property manager. I told them that would be fine. We left it at that.
This institution is clearly misleading renters and practicing in gouging and fraudulent representations.
Thank you.
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