Rent Problems Are Frustrating; but you're not alone: Thousands of tenants rely on RPA to solve problems
Bed Bugs Pest Infestation | Case#**-*649
New York,
New York -
10032
Over the four years living in this apartment building we have had to deal with bed bugs almost the entire time we have been here. The entire building is infested, with multiple reports going back to 2011 that different apartments in the building have had infestations. When we had our very first infestation, Jerry, the super at the time, hired a man who had no idea what he was doing to try to fix the problem, his solution was to recommend we put baby powder all over the bedroom. We spent a ridiculous amount of money trying to fix the problem. We had to buy a new mattress, purchase huge ziploc bags that we kept our clothes in for months, and had to wash and dry all of our clothes and bedding multiple times(which resulted in ruining some items of clothes I owned), I had to personally caulk the entire apartment because Jerry kept making appointments with us to caulk and never came, and had to take multiple days off of my job in order to deal with the problem originally. The infestation stayed, and the building finally hired a professional to come and spray. He informed us that multiple apartments were infested, which is why we see them coming from cracks in the walls and see them crawling on walls. He gave us better information including how to try to deal with the problems. We now have to buy new mattress covers and cups to put under the bed every few months, if not every month. About six months ago I contacted our new super and told him we were having a bad outbreak again. He came with his own spray twice and sprayed our apartment with something he had purchased at the hardware store, which obviously did not fix the problem. I finally contacted 301 and told them of the problem. They brought the same professional out to spray, he only sprayed once, didn\\\'t come again, and we are having one of the worst infestations since we moved. We have been sprayed more times than I can count at this apartment, have taken every single possible precaution(constantly changing the mattress covers, keeping our bed away from the walls, washing and drying our pillows and bedsheets, and have caulked the whole apartment). It is obvious this problem is coming from somewhere else in the building and no amount of spraying in our apartment is going to make a difference.
Unsafe Home Condemn | Case#**-*346 unsafe home conditions leaking roof electric outlets in need of repair c/o leaks from water heater furnace never clean windows falling out house is starting to buckle house is held up with jacks
Bed Bug Parasite Problems | Case#**-*914
MORENO VALLEY,
CA -
92553 0826
A few weeks ago my wife started finding rashes and bite marks on herself and our young infant. 3 days ago I found that the cause of the problem was bed bugs. The apartment sprayed our house for roaches but the bed bugs remained. I returned to the housing office to file another complaint and I was accused of bringing the bed bugs into the complex and threatened with a minimum charge of $395.00. I advised the woman that our mattress is very new and was not the culprit and that it was obvious to me that the infestation came from another apartment attached to us. She told me that no one else had complained so we must be responsible and that they can spread so they hired an exterminator. We now have to throw away a new $600.00 mattress because of the lackadaisical extermination process this complex has as well as being fined almost $395.00 for an infestation that I am certain the apartment complex is responsible for. Also 10's of roaches are found daily outside of our apartment and several complaints were made since the first day we moved in, luckily we are clean enough that they do not enter our unit (often). This is unacceptable, my children are being eaten alive in their sleep and we are being charged for it!!!
More than 3 months to return my security deposit | Case#**-*909
wilmington,
Delaware -
19801
I moved out of the property by the 5/31/2014 end of my lease term. I did not receivethe refund of my security deposit until the first week 9/2014. I believe that the law is that I should have received it in 30 days. The landlord ignored many of my multiple requests for an update on the status of my refund and my later inquiry to better understand what was deducted from my refund.
Deposit Problems, Breach of Agreement because of beg bugs | Case#**-*110 I moved in the apartment at 2464 harney st. this mid June. I was fine in the first month. However, I was bit later. I did not notice it in the beginning. I thought it migbt be mosquito. One day I found several bites in my arms and hands. The bites were close to one another, very red with blisters, made me feel itchy. I realized something was wrong. I googled online and asked coworkers. Then I found I was bitten by bedbugs. I called the office and emailed the landlord several times. The land lord said he wouldn't do anything for that and lied to me that only my apt has the bed bug problems. I spent several hundred dollars on treatment but it is still there. I can't get rid of the bed bugs. Then one day a neighbor told me that my apartment was treated for bed bugs last summer. I realized it was the building's problem. There are also mice, cockroaches, spiders and termites besides bed bugs in the apartment. They did nothing about it. The management is poor. I have to break the lease to get away of the problems. I couldn't sleep well. I spray, vacuum, steam, cleaning and do laudry everyday. My foot was fractured and is still in the process of recovery. All these labors are torture to my foot. The bed bug problem causes me moneytary loss, phisical torturn and spiritual damage. It It is a nightmare living here.
Deposit Problems | Case#**-*231
Bossier City,
Kentucky -
71111
On 7/31/2018 I moved out of the property once I fulfilled my lease terms. I cleaned the location spotless and also took photos and a video walkthroughof the property how I left it. I already seen several complaints that the management coumpany tried everything in their power to keep deposit. I requested my full deposit and after several weeks for waiting no deposit. I called to inquire about the deposit and they assured me it would be mailed out by the end of the month. Two weeks later on the 9/4 I called them back and they stated they couldn’t mail it out due to the holiday. I asked when it would me mailed out and again the assured me it would be there that week. On Friday the 7 I called back and spoke to Micha about not receiving the deposit and she stated the owner Brad would need to approve the refund and she stated it would be mailed out and a tracking number that day. Never received a call on Friday. Monday the 10th I called again and she told the receptionist that she was about to send me the tracking number via email. Again I never received an email. Tuesday the 11th I called back again and asked to talk to Micha. Micha stated she was heading to the post office and would call me back with the tracking number. I did receive a call from her with the tracking number. On Thursday the 13th I received the deposit and a bill for over 350 dollars for cleaning. I took photos and a video walkthrough of the property showing the everything was in order. I called the company back to inquire about the charges and stated Micha would have to discuss that with me but she was not in. Friday I called back and Micha informed me she would need to look at the detail and talk to the owner to approve the refund and promised a call back that afternoon. Never recevied a call back and multiple attempt to reach the owner or Micha have been made without a call back. I want to know why I was charged for the cleaning when I have proofs nothing needed cleaning.
Breach Of Agreement | Case#**-*437 I moved in November 21, 2014. The agent that handled my application did not go over any of the extra charges on my lease, only informed me of the rent amount of $915.00. I paid my rent on Dec 3, 2014 for $915.00. I then received a statement from the residence with additional charges of approx $75.00 for January rent. I went to the office on Wednesday, December 31, 2014 to inquire about the extra charges and to receive a copy of my lease, which I was never given. The lease was supposed to be signed electronically. I never signed it electronically, and it was discovered that the agent signed it, not me (the lease actually shows it was signed from the agent’s email address). I spoke with the property manager on Monday, January 5, 2015 and informed her that I was never told about any of the additional charges and that I never electronically signed the lease. She took my rent of $915.00 and said she would speak with her Regional Manager about the situation. She called me on Tuesday, January 6, 2015 and told me that because they have a signed lease, it is binding and they will hold me to the standard of the lease.
BEDBUGS INFESTATION | Case#**-*122
REDLANDS,
CA -
92373 4452
On 07/07/19 I slept on my grandkids room while they were out for the weekend, next morning I had over 100 bites all over my body, I inspected the bed and found bugs that at first didn\\\'t know what they were, We cleaned the room and thought that would be the end of it, but I kept getting bites every night after that, it was very frustrating, so we wrapped the mattresses in plastic and got rid of them, we didn\\\'t want the children to get biten by those bugs. We contacted the leasing office to let them know about the infestation, and assistant manager told my son that they would be treating the apartment within two days. When the inspectors came to the unit, they reported not seeing any signs of infestation and that for if we had any bedbugs it must have been because we brought them in to the apartment, making it our responsibility to take care of the problem by paying them $800 USD for it. We refused because we didn\\\'t think it was fair, and also because we could not afford it. We decided to try eliminating the pest ourselves, but it has been impossible, every day there are more and more bugs, even though we have steamed, vacuumed, sprayed, washed and cleaned the whole place continuously. My arms, legs, back, feet, hands and feet had been biten so much, them my son got a few bites and we discovered more bugs in the couches, then my six year old grandson woke up crying with multiple bites on his legs, and last night my 13 year old granddaughter was terrified when she woke up and found herself covered in bugs, she is now afraid of sleeping on her own bed. My 17 year old grandson just told us that he and his sister had been getting bites for a while but they thought they would end soon. At this very moment, while I\\\'m typing this, I can feel a bug crawling on my neck....Yes, it was a small size bedbug. This needs to stop, Please HELP US. The leasing office doesn\\\'t want to take responsibility, we cannot afford to pay for the treatment, and neither the children (nor us, the adults deserve this) We pay rent on time every month, we follow the regulations and try our best to be good tenants. We deserve to leave in a sanitary livable place.
Bed Bug Infestation | Case#**-*375
Pheonix,
Arizona -
85009
I Mariam Lawrence am filing this complaint in regards to the bedbug infestation found at my apartment 1002 at Los Vecinos Apartments at 1950 N. 43rd Avenue in Pheonix Arizona 85009. Upon receiving my keys to my apartment on 5-15-2017 I found bedbugs in the bedroom area in one of the corners. I took pictures of the bedbugs, and then notified management in the front office. I have not moved any of my belongings into the apartment and I myself have been staying in my car and had to go out of my way to get a hotel ever since the first day I\'ve received my keys. Management has said they would have the apartment inspected and treated the following business day but has not kept their word and continues to make excuses. I want out of the lease without any penalties whatsoever because of the bedbug infestations and the lack of cooperation with management in regards to having it taken care in a timely manner so that I can comfortably inhabit the living space without these bed bugs trying to attack me. I would also like a refund of the deposit and liability fees, and if possible, compensation and reimbursement for the money spent to have the electricity turned on at the apartment and also for the nights stayed in hotel.
Complaint Process in 3 Simple Steps:
File Apartment Complaint: Fill out complaint form with your proposed resolution. Instantly recieve your case number.
Check Status: See the current status, respond, upload files or images, accept fair solution or purpose alternative solutions.
Landlord Public Record: Positive or Negative record is attached to landlord based upon their responses. Your (tenant) information is not made public.
Complaints Tips:
Uploading pictures / files is helpful
Try to request fair solutions
Focus on major issue, not on many
Check your status every 3 days
Avoid accusations or hostile tones
Be willing to accept alternate solution
How Does the RPA Help Resolve Rental Problems?
Once you file a complaint, the RPA will contact your landlord or property manager to mediate a prompt resolution. The RPA online mediation system provides an effective complaint resolution process that helps solve problems quickly. Complaints filed through the RPA are documented and help protect tenants' rights by providing a program that protects against landlord retaliation and unfair practices. Agreements reached through the RPA Apartment Complaint Center are legally binding and enforceable. When required the complaint can be used as evidence in court.
The RPA requires a $35 one-time processing fee to cover the cost associated with contacting the landlord, online mediation, paperwork, and public record filing. Prior to 2006 the RPA complaint program had no fee. However, due to abuse by tenants that were filing bogus complaints; the RPA found it necessary to charge of fee to eliminate fake complaints and to cover costs associated with complaint handling. If you are looking to report the problem only and not seeking a resolution, you can use our free Report Landlord option. (The report landlord option will only document the problem and will not provide any assistance in resolving disputes.)
Tip: On your complaint form you can request that management reimburse you for RPA filing fees.
How long does the process take?
The RPA is able to resolve complaints fairly quickly, unlike court or other legal options. Cases are normally assigned in the order received; however, you can upgrade your case to be rushed if you need your case escalated. (option available immediately after filing)For fastest processing try to submit your complaint before the next processing deadline. (Count down shown next to "File Complaint" button.) Once the mediation process begins, your landlord will have 3 business days to respond to the mailed notice. If a landlord email address is provided the RPA will send out both a written notice and email notice which can provide an immediate resolution. Many times cases are resolved immediately after receiving the RPA® notice, however depending on the complaint, it can take longer if both parties are unable to reach an agreement quickly.
Tip: To speed up the process... On the complaint form request reasonable and fair solutions.
Does the RPA Guarantee to Resolve Every Complaint?
Each complaint is guaranteed to be worked by the RPA complaint system. The RPA mediation system will work to resolve every complaint regardless of how big or small the complaint. However, the RPA can't guarantee the end results of any complaint. While we work to solve each complaint, the guarantee is limited to our processing of your complaint. All fees associated with the complaint are non-refundable dispute the outcome of the complaint. Each complaint is Guaranteed to be worked by our complaint system and will be documented against the landlord should they fail to cooperate.
Tip: To get positive resolutions to your complaint; try providing resolutions that are fair.
What Happens After I file a Complaint?
Upon filing your landlord / property manager complaint you will instantly receive a case number. Your complaint case number can be used to immediately access your complaint status page. The RPA will process your complaint and contact your landlord for an immediate resolution. On your status page you can view case status, upload files or images, respond to the complaint, update/ change resolutions, accept or close complaint. The RPA complaint center updates your case status in real time and provides you with tracking to see exactly what is happening with your complaint. Once the case is closed, the complaint will be attached to your landlords public record which is quickly indexed by all major search engines. (Your information is never made public)
Tip: Check your case status at least every 3 days. (Respond / update your case as required)
Protection Against Landlord Retaliation
Its unlawful for your landlord to retaliate against you because you filed a complaint. Your landlord cannot evict, harass, limit access, raise rent, or treat you unfairly because you filed a complaint. As a tenant, you must still pay rent and comply with rent terms stated within your contract. Filing a complaint does not eliminate your responsibilities.
Tip: Check your case status at least every 3 days. (Respond / update your case as required)
Who Can File a Complaint with the RPA?
Any renter located in the United States of America has the right to file a complaint with the RPA. The RPA does not accept complaints outside of the USA. In general, the RPA will accept every complaint regardless of how big or small the problem may be.
Tip: When possible, try resolving your problem with your landlord before filing a complaint.
