Apartment Living

When I first moved to NC I didn't really research apartments. The hubs had been stationed there for 6 years before I entered the picture and although he knew the area he had been deployed so much the longest time there was usually 3 month intervals. So he just found apartments to stay at random. He was still deployed when I searched for apartments for us and my only requirement was that they allowed dogs. I found ones that did and that was final.

Our first complex was poorly run. There were constant break ins and they refused to do something about the fact that non residents would come and use the pool, gym, laundry facilities and bball courts. Instead of hiring a guard or requiring passes for these conveniences they closed them to the residents. So we knew we wanted to move but needed to wait till our year lease was up.

In the middle of July, during the hottest weekend we woke up one Saturday morning to no air and no power. We called management who did not come until Sunday even though we called repeatedly and were told maintenance would be there shortly. When they finally came they said it would be Monday before the air was fixed. We have two dogs who they told to keep in one room so the dogs wouldn't bother them when they came to fix it. By Wednesday the air still wasn't fixed and it was 110 degrees in our apartment. We continued to call and were told it would be fixed shortly. Well unfortunately before it was fixed one of the dogs got sick of being locked in a hot room every day and chewed a hole in the carpet. Of course despite our security deposit, pet deposit and pet fee we were still charged 1600 bucks when we moved out. Though to be fair it was our dog that ruined the carpet

Onto our new apartment. It was in a gated community, only a year old and cable, electricity were all included in the rent. They allotted you a certain amour based on the complexes average of usage for the month and if you went over you had to pay extra. We always owed extra but didn't mind since it was convenient only writing out one bill per month instead of multiple checks to various places.

We had no problems living in this community and you can bet the dogs were watched at all times and kenneled when we were not home as to avoid another carpet incident.

Part of the requirements as tenants was that we were responsible to get the carpets professionally cleaned upon move out. When we renewed our year lease in November we received a free carpet cleaning from Stanley steamer to be used at any time. We knew we'd be moving soon and waited to use it until then. In December the complex changed management companies but we did not have to sign a new lease.

In march when I gave our 60 move out notice I asked to schedule the carpet cleaning. They said I didn't have to worry about that since the carpet would be replaced upon move out per the new managements policy. Score

When the hubs returned in April and provided them with copy of his orders, he again Inquired about the carpets and was told they would be replaced.

I checked in with the office a few days before we moved out to see what we would owe for the first two days in may and our electric bill. She said they would come do the wall through with us the morning we moved out and let us know what we owed if there were any damages and then we needed to settle everything up in the office

So the morning of the second I called for our walk through. Management told me they'd do the walk through after we left. That they quickly had to get in and start cleaning because the new tenants were moving in may 4th. We stopped at the office, paid the two days rent and electricity bill and were on our way

My old friend and neighbor said the new tenants moved in on the fourth and since we heard nothing from
The apartments assumed we were good to go. Until this week when we received an invoice from them for 700 dollars. They charged us for carpet replacement and a late fee. So we called and asked why we were being charged a carpet replacement fee when they told us it would be replaced anyway. They then tried to backtrack and day they never told us that and thy the carpets smelled of urine. Now I'll admit when the dogs ruined a carpet but peed on them. They are both out of that stage and I honestly can't remember when they had an accident. When I also asked why our non refundable pet deposit of 600 bucks wouldn't cover that they told us that that fee only guaranteed us that Theroux could live there. Excuse me? How crazy is that.

Then when I inquired about the layered she said it was because we didn't pay our rent and electric bill. I pointed out that on the invoice she sent it clearly showed the check I wrote out for what we owed. So she backtracked some more and said she had forgotten about that and would waive the late fee but also added we owed 30 more dollars for the electricity. She said they didn't get the final bill until may 10th so we needed to add that on to the carpet total. Since that wasn't on the invoice told her
she could send us out a new bill with the correct amount we owed. And get this we only have ten days to pay.

What bothers me most is the sketchy way they handled everything. You tell us you are going todo a walk through with us upon moving out and then say it will be done after. Again we were told the carpet would be replaced and then we receive a bill, a bill which wasn't even dated until the 19th.17 days after we moved out. 15 days after the new tenants moved in. Are we getting billed for their damages? This just drives me insane. Why do apartments always screw you. And with closing on our house in a week I'm
Not paying for something they waited for so long to send out. Theycan wait.
Ugh end rant! Hope everyone had a great weekend

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