Yesterday I check the mail and I get a notice from my rental agency that I now Owe them 105 dollars. 40 For A bounced check and 65 for a late fee. Let me explain something here. My paycheck bounced. This was not due to our company having money, this was due to the bank not depositing company checks on time. There was no WAY I could have known my PAYCHECK was going to bounce. The day I find out about it (the 4th) I call my rental agency and Im told they didnt even know i bounced a check.instead of waiting to get a notice from them like I was told I went and got a note from my boss stating it was my PAYCHECK that bounced, and a certified check in the amount of my rent and took it to them. I was told that they "might" keep me on Automatic reoccurring debit and to call them Monday.
So, I call Tuesday and Im told that yes, you are still on auto Deb. And that I would be getting a letter in the mail and its "just procedure". Not once was it mentioned that this "letter" Is a BILL for #105.00. $40 for a bounced check and a $65.00 late fee. So I call Debra and Im like, whats up with this. I get that the reason I was late is the 3rd day of the month is the LAST day of the grace period to get my rent in since it is due on the 1st. So I try to get through this ladies head that if they took my check out when it was DUE (the 1st) that I would have never bounced with them nor incurred a late fee. And that even if I bounced a check on the first that I would have had two days to rectify the situation and STILL not get a late fee. All I get told is that I can talk to the "owner and broker" and be at his mercy. I was basically told that her and rob (my leasing agent) really went out on a limb to keep me on auto debit and the owner will most likely take me off and still make me pay, and if I go to him they will be called out on the carpet for keeping me on auto pay" So she is sitting there threatening me. Nice huh?
I talk to the broker today and hes is the most double taking person I have ever meet. First I get this speal about how fair they are. An example I got was, the grace period actually ends on closing of the 2nd of each month, yet if I bring a check in on the 3rd before the bookeeper gets there then they will not consider it late. I throw right back if the check being there ON the third is late then technically ANYONE on auto debit IS late since the checks dont get printed until he/she gets there. All I get out of this one is a blank stare and being told Im wrong.
I asked him why does he take my rent check out on the last possible day and he states its because they deposit all the checks at the same time and if he took them out the 1st people would complain he is taking them out early. I ask him, sir, what day is the rent due? He states the first. I then ask him why should it matter what the last possible day the rent is due, shouldnt the rent come out THE FIRST because thats technically when its REALLY DUE. He tells me he does this out of fairness. No he doesnt he does this shit because if something happens to that check on the LAST DAY he knows the bank wont post it until the NEXT day and they can collect a 65 dollar late charge. Its wrong and immoral.
On top of this he has the audacity to tell ME that I should NOT TRY to take MONEY out of HIS POCKET for CIRCUMSTANCES my BOSS started. So I let him know that if he took out my check when he was SUPPOSED TO then NONE OF THIS BULLSHIT would be happening because I would have only owed the BANK and not some outragious 40 dollar NSF and 65 dollar late fee. I also let him know that if he took my money out on the first then he would not even be ABLE to collect a 65 dollar late charge. This guy would not come off 65 bucks. I even OFFERED TO PAY the 40 DOLLAR NSF even though I know that its only a FIVE dollar charge to try to cash a bounced check.
I did not intend to bounce this check. The way I do my money is I only put enough in my bank account to cover the bills EXACTLY. The rest goes into a money market account and this is in the tens of thousands of dollars. The rental agency even has a copy of the bank statement showing this. This is an account I can touch if NEED be, but it is really for a down payment on a house in my near future and I do NOT want to touch it. Yet, they are still treating me like I MENT to do this.
I hate you REMAX.
Not to mention that my apartment is in DIRECT violation of the DUVAL COUNTY HOUSING CODE. And that I have a copy of an e-mail from my real estate agent stating that " he does not want to fix anything since the place may be getting sold to another broker"
Excuse me? So you are not going to address CODE in my apartment just because the tenant says so and you are going to attempt to pawn this rickety place off on some OTHER rental agency? Geez.
-This place for starters has a CRACKED window.
-My roof LEAKS. I was told a roofer came out TWO months ago and last night I noticed that a TARP is now on my roof that was never before. To me this shows there IS A LEAK and it is NOT FIXED.
-My front door is more than 3/8ths an inch off the ground and is letting in Leaves, bugs, spiders (I have been bitten once) and lizards. Do you know how nasty it is to find a DEAD lizard in your house? No to mention how much spider bites hurt???
-My back concrete porch is getting lifted up by tree roots. I have feel off this once already. One side of it is at a 45 degree angle.
-I could not find it in the housing code but my whole place is NOT GROUNDED electricity wise. This means that any kind of thunderstorm we have I have to go unplugging everything. It has FRIED one computer and has basically rendered out JBLS useless since they have to be grounded for the touch volume to work. (no they cannot be turned up any other way)
-I think two windows can open. The others are non operational due to not having cranks to open them with. This may no longer be covered in the code since usually it only deals with ventilation, but it is a fire hazard.
-The electrical outlet in the kitchen is coming out of the wall. I can see the wires, this has never been fixed.
Please, I need help from someone. I have been very nice and accommodating to these people when it comes to them NEVER repairing anything. I have sent multiple e-mails about these things and always get the response " we will look at it" and nothing is ever done. I was even told by the broker today that if the cracked window it double pane he does not legally have to fix it.
Can someone give me some kind of legal advise on what I should do about these people. I want to turn them in to code enforcement but have 8 months left on my lease and really dont want my life to become a living hell with these people. I do not think it is right to not give anyone time to get things in to them on time and I do not feel I should have to pay these outrageous fees when they wont even fix what was wrong before I moved in.
Any help with be greatly appriciated! Thanks!
Mad as heck
jacksonville, Florida
U.S.A.
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