ComplaintsforOptimum Real Estate Management

• Initial Complaint

  01/25/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  i pay $800+ in rent every month to deal with the landlord of westwood apartments who ignores phone calls and emails regarding living conditions here. *** tried reaching out to artisan management group who is owned by optum realty, as the landlord here is unreachable and they also never return calls or emails. i need to file a complaint against the landlord here to the management group but how can i do that if they dont return my calls?

• Initial Complaint

  02/10/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I moved into this companies property ******************** in ************, **, in January of 2021. After repeated instances of maintenance requests being ignored for weeks and months, after repeated threats by property management, after overall terrible building and property upkeep, I decided to move out in very early November of 2021. When I gave the property manager my notice, she said she would try to rent out my unit early so that I would not have to pay for the full final 2.5 months of my lease. They posted the apartment, but listed it as not available until February 2022 so it was unable to be rented as she promised shed try to do. I have also recently gotten my deposit statement, where I am being charged for carpet cleaning. It clearly states in my lease that carpet cleaning is considered standard and I will not be charged for it. I have called and emailed both the local management and the company management multiple times with no response. The one time I got ahold of someone with the local office, all shed say is your lease doesnt say that. We always charge for carpet cleaning. At the very least, I should get the carpet cleaning fee refunded, as it was a break of my lease. I also feel I should receive at least a partial refund on the final 2.5 months of rent as the property manager promised shed try to rent it and they very much did not.

  Business response

  03/02/2022

  Tell us why March 2, 2022
  RE:  BBB Case #********
  
  Artisan Management Group and Optimum Real Estate Management is in receipt of the above-mentioned customer complaint, and we appreciate the opportunity to respond to *************************** complaint regarding move out charges and lease termination fees.
  ******************** Management received a written notice to vacate from *********************** on November 2,2021, stating he was vacating the apartment December 1, 2021. In receipt of the notice to vacate, it was communicated with the above-mentioned customer, he would be responsible for rent and utilities until the end of his lease January 12, 2022, unless the apartment was rented in advance. As of today, the apartment has not been rented. Per section 4.1 of the lease agreement,paragraph 3, a 60-day written notice is required. Please see attached lease agreement.
  The above-mentioned customer had two animals in the apartment. Per the lease agreement Section 11,residents are responsible for any cleaning or repairs due to pets and/or animals in the home. Due to having two cats in the apartment, the above stated customer is responsible for carpet cleaning, as it was beyond normal wear and tear.
  ******************** Management reviewed the above-mentioned residents ledger, and *************************** was not charged a lease termination fee. Please see the attached ledger. 
  
  Thank you for the opportunity to resolve this matter and we do apologize for any frustrations that this has caused.    
  If you have further questions, you can reach me @ *************************************. 

  Customer response

  03/04/2022

   
  Complaint: 16748388
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I fully vacuumed and cleaned the carpet myself prior to vacating unit and carpet was in good condition upon moveout.  Further, as ruled in **************** and later upheld by **** Supreme Court, a required carpet cleaning charge to be held against security deposit is against the law.  Without documentation of what actual cause for cleaning there was, I should not have been charged a blanket cleaning fee simply for having pets, especially since I had already provided a $500 pet deposit that should have been for covering any such issues.

  While I do not argue that I moved out prior to the end of my lease, the landlord made no attempt to re-lease the unit prior to the official end of my lease despite their representative telling me they would.  Had they advertised the unit as available after I had moved out and turned in my keys, then it is entirely possible that the unit would be rented already.

  Finally, I was just made aware of the fact that the landlord failed to return electric service to their name after my lease terminated, resulting in my account being charged an additional $40.91 for the month of February.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩