Walker Club Apartments
Looking For Low-Income Rentals? Beware the Shark Housing!

I moved into Walker Club Apartments, a low-income housing authority, with my wife and children on 08/26 after paying initial $500 security deposit plus miscellaneous procedures. Rent was always paid in full on time and everytime during our tenancy. Copies of cleared checks from my bank statements are solid evidence. Due to loss of my job on 10/26, we were not able to complete the lease on financial hardship. As anyone may or may not know, Florida is a work-at-will state, meaning an employee can be terminated at anytime, without reason or cause, and it does not matter if you were with a company for 10 years or not. Florida has no job security in writing, plain and simple. I advised Ruby Colon, assistant property manager, of the situation in mid 11 and that we plan to voluntarily surrender the apartment on or before 11/31. We moved out entirely on 11/30. All keys were returned the same day to Melanie Putnam, general property manager. Putnam conducted an inspection with me to find the apartment was fully satisfactory and without any damage, the same way it was rented out to me. It was only fair that Walker Club should be entitled to keep my $500 security deposit as an early termination fee since I did not give 30 days notice to vacate in writing. I had no problem with that. End of a happy story, or so I thought? Two months later, Walker Club sent me a bill for $1400 to my new address. That blatant ripoff process is commonly known as a "shark housing" lease contract according to Consumer Reports, a leading well-known and non-biased publication sold on newstands in an effort to educate and inform the working class. Shark housing is becoming an increasing problem across America, not just Florida. To further add insult, they even forwarded my phone number to a collection agency named Hunter Warfield, who calls me regularily with racial slurs and epithets, and even threats of bodily harm and violence by any means necessary, which is truly unprofessional and unlawful. Walker Club alleges that they are authorized to charge my account $1400 up until the rental is re-leased due to the "shark housing" process despite the fact that my security deposit is more than sufficient as an early termination fee. This is an unethical business practice by all means of the human race. Unfortunately, "shark housing is spreading like a plague" as Ralph Nader, consumer protection advocate, simply has put it. It needs to be made public and known to hard-working consumers who live paycheck to paycheck. Lawmakers have allowed this issue to slip through the cracks and now it's time to step up and make some revisions. Are you listening Governor Charlie Christ?

Company: Walker Club Apartments
Country: USA
State: Florida
City: Vero Beach
Address: 2650 69th Terr
Phone: 7722990293

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