Be leery of whom you rent FROM... It's usually the other way around, but you have to be careful who you call "landlord" even a "pastor." My husband and I rented a basement section of a house that Charles Ambroselli and his family lived in beginning in October. His posting was listed on Craig's List (should have know it was going to be a problem from the start) that it was a two bedroom, "apartment" with all utilities included for $900.00.
At the time, this was just what we were looking for and meet with Charlie to view the place. Without much, he gave us a lease that wasn't properly filled in with our names at the top just stating how much rent was and he did a lot of revising to the document right on the spot in pen. (Should have know by the lack of professionalism) We paid first month's rent and security deposit of $900.00 each.
After my family and I moved in the problems begins... in the mini kitchenette area we had was leaking from the ceiling due to a piping issue caused from Charlies kitchen area. We had to endure dirty water dripping and leaking in the area were we cook food which is very unsanitary for me and my family (which there's and 11 year old, who has compromising health issues and immune system and at the time a 4 month old).
Charlie did have the repairs taken care of... NEXT, our kitchen sink began to leak underneath due to poor basic plumbing sealing around the base of the sink... Again this was repaired. NEXT, water began to spray in my son's extremely small room (for $900) from the vent due to bad plumbing. Charlie gives the excuse that his mother, who previously housed the basement (we will later find out that's not just the case) took baths and therefore he doesn't know why it's leaking.
That's not an excuse, you should know all the details of what you're renting to people. NEXT, there are MAJOR electrical issues with the space, you can't even turn on the oven and dryer at the same time nor have the dishwasher and coffee machine running simultaneously without the power going off! There are faulty sockets that werent screwed back into the wall properly resulting in my son getting shocked.
There are only two big windows and one tiny window throughout the whole "apartment, " at the time there was no vents for air and definitely no heating. We had to purchase our own space heaters and run the stove for added heat and be confined to one room so we all could stay warm. At this time my children began to get coughs and sniffles and my daughter, who is still very young, kept a cough for MONTHS. We thought it was due to the draftiness of the place, but would later find out that the culprit was MOLD!!!
As the spring began to come, mold began popping up in the room my husband and I shared with our baby girl. It began in one spot then soon spread like wild fire; it wrapped itself around the entire room, into the closet and into my son's bedroom. Charlie did have things taken care of, BUT the hired help wasn't the most professional either (that's what happens when someone is being CHEAP!) The helper left all his mess in the room and we had to vacate to the living taking out all of our belongings, being displaced. Using our personal items, towel and trash can to clean up his mess.
Long story condensed... We had to move in and out of our room a total of three times just to get things repaired, then the mold presented itself in our pantry with our food, in the dinning area and Charlie tried to brush off the who incident although repairs were being made. A numerous amount of our belongings were damaged/destroyed due to the mold included our bed; Charlie refuses to pay us for our damages stating we should have had renters insurance that his bogus rental contract advised. I have already been in a living situation prior were I HAD insurance and it DOES NOT cover mold damage.
The place were I rented from was professional enough and had the morals to pay me for my damages; Charlie who supposed to be a "pastor" stated to my husband he doesn't have any moral obligation to do the right thing. He did give us an "out" by saying he "understands" if we have to leave; of course we were going to leave! Look at all of the unhealthy situations we had/have to endure.
HERE'S THE KICKER... As I stated in the beginning, Charlie and his family lived upstairs... How do you as a landlord just up and MOVE/VACATE your section of the house WITHOUT letting your tenants know that you're leaving. ANYTHING could have happened in that house and my husband and I don't have ANY rights to do anything.
The bottom line, the check I wrote payable to CHARLES AMBROSELLI for the month of May, was placed with a stop payment. I refused to pay anymore rent to a place in which I had to live in these conditions and remember rent included all utilities, but Charlie took away the cable and internet service. Charlie did give us back our deposit BUT WITH CONDITIONS... He had to physically SEE the moving truck we rented parked by the house and us loading our belongings on the truck.
Charlie found out the check that was written to him for May had a stop payment on it... He held onto the check for the WHOLE month and wanted to deposit it AFTER we left and AFTER he gave us back the $900. He then called my husband trying to run the guilt trip that we took money from the church. Umm... How is that if the check was written out to CHARLES AMBROSELLI.
His church is Kingdom of Mt. Zion Church in Smyrna off Fairground Road, in which there should be a separate account. OK PASTOR, what are YOU doing with the funds of your church!?!? Then he tried to text and guilt me with the scripture Malachi 3:8-10 and I quote" That check you stopped was give to a church. For your own sake learn this scripture so God can reverse the curse that plagues your finances." LISTEN, I'm a Christian myself and I know what this scripture is about.
It refers to TITHES AND OFFERINGS... I don't/didn't pay my tithe nor offering to CHARLES AMBROSELLI. Furthermore he shouldn't be using any money from the church to take care of his personal affairs. This is the most shadiest pastor (and there are many out there) who give Christ a bad name. He quickly repaired everything so he can yet rent again and get more money from some new victims.
All was well, we never was disrespectful, kept his place in order and clean, was only late twice with the rent, but with notification to him, agreed upon and paid the extra expenses. (rent was due on the 25th and we had until the 1st to pay) although he tried to make it seem like we were late numerous times.
I sure hope his new tenants don't have to endure what me and my family has had to... We've had to yet again uproot our lives and move, lose possessions all at the expense of someone who calls himself "a pastor." Now we have to take him to court to be compensated for our items. He also didn't install proper ventilation until AFTER we decided we was going to leave and there was no proper ventilation to exhaust the hot air from the dryer which was coming right back into the house which is a fire hazard.
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