A little background:
Last month, knowing I was about to pay my final month's rent for last year's lease (June 2009-May 2010), I held off on paying the rent on the 1st because I'd been overpaying my rent by a dollar each month, and J**** (the then-manager) said that I should have a credit on my account because I'd overpaid by $1 each month. At the time, she was swamped and didn't have time to check for it. So, instead of me just subtracting that $12 from my rent check, I waited to confirm that with her or another manager. No one else in the office was ever available to confirm this info.
At some point between the time I spoke with J**** and the time i actually went in to pay the rent, J**** was FIRED. When I went in to pay, a LA (leasing agent) said that she had NO CLUE what J**** was talking about, and there was no credit. I mention to her that, clearly, she can see I've overpaid my rent by $1 each and every month so...where did that $12 go? "I'm not sure... but it's not here." Ok. Fine. So, how much is the rent? She says "$146." What? I'm sorry...what? In their system, they have my final month's rent as $146. Knowing this is clearly incorrect, I ask to have it investigated. After some searching, they discover that the PROPERTY MANAGER has applied someone else's rent check to my rental account. Whaaaaaaaaaaaaat????!!!!!
So, at this point the correct rent is late, and has incurred a late fee. I paid the rent amount but wanted to wait and see if the credit would be found before paying the late fee. I was assured by the LA that she would check to see where the credit was and I could pay the late fee when I returned from vacation in a few days.
When I returned from vacation, not only was my credit still missing but my late fee (normally $50) was now $62. I'm sorry....wha? So, I went and got a money order for $50 and dropped it off. No one said anything else about it. It's important to mention that because my lease was ending, I was required to fill out a lease renewal packet which included a Student status verification form. When I turned in this packet--specifically this form explaining my full time student status-- I was told I would have to move because the property "doesn't allow full time students to live here." Again...I'm sorry...WHAT?
Luckily, before i even had time to panic, I found out from the school that all my classes had automatically been DROPPED anyway because my financial aid wasn't processed because I filled out the 10-11 school year form instead of the 09-10 school year form. Great. Just...great.
June 1st approaches and I hadn't heard from the office that my lease had been renewed and was ready to sign. So, I didn't pay the rent. June 2nd arrived. I called the office but the lease still wasn't ready. They were waiting on "official notification from the school" that I wasn't a full time student. I asked the new girl, J***** "if the new lease isn't ready to sign before the 5th and the rent isn't paid, will there be a late fee?" She put the phone down, asked the LA, I CLEARLY heard the LA say "no, she should be fine", and J***** repeated these words to me. So, I went on about my business.
TODAY, June 8th, i walk out of my apt and there's a notice to 'pay $1138 or vacate' stuck in my doorknocker. Ahahahahahahaha! What??!!! After taking yesterday off work to get over the last leg of my sinus infection and see a doctor, I am now late for work because I have to go to the rental office and sort this mess out.
I place the notice on her desk and say "what is this??" She says "Oh, have you paid your rent yet?"
"no, of course not. My lease isn't ready to be signed." "Oh, that doesn't matter. you still have to pay your rent." "Absolutely not! Why would I ever pay you a thousand dollars for an apt I haven't signed a lease for? It's still in renewal processing so if that doesn't go well, and I have to move out, I KNOW I won't get my money back!" She says "Well are you ready to sign it now?" *growl* "Yes, i am ready, you moron!. i've been waiting to hear back from YOU to let me know when it is ready! Weren't you waiting to hear back from the school??" "Well, you said you dropped all your classes, right? if you'll just sign here stating as much, you can sign your new lease." Really. Really? so, is this the "official notification" you've been waiting on from the school? *deep sigh*
I remind her that I should not have to pay a late fee for this month when I called and was told I wouldn't have to. I explained the day I called and spoke with J*** and what had been said. Since J**** was sitting right next to us, the LA asks J*** "do you remember this?" J**** remembers, and explains exactly what I'd already said, VERBATIM. the LA says "no, i don't remember that. I thought you were asking if you still had to pay your rent if your lease wasn't ready...and I said yes, you do still have to pay your rent."
Actually, NO. No you didn't think that...and no you didn't say that....because I didn't ask you that. My question was very very specific, and included nothing about paying rent without the lease being ready. I would never say that because I would never do that. I wouldn't ask a question about something that has no possibility of ever happening. Again, I would never ever EVER pay money for something I haven't signed for, NOT FOR THESE APARTMENTS, so I know for a fact I didn't ask about paying rent + late fees before signing a lease. So she claims she'll have to wait until the property manager comes in to discuss it with her, and see if she will remove the late fee. She can discuss whatever she'd like with whomever she'd like to discuss it with. *shrug* I'm paying $1,019 for my rent, and not a penny more. I asked her where the rest of that 1138 originated, and of course, she didn't know. She claims there's a 50 late fee for this month, and other fees she mumbled under her breath and punched into the calculator...but they only equaled up to $1076. Then why does the notice say 1138? There's an extra $62. Apparently, from last month. Because apparently, they have, again, lost another money order, the one i paid for last month's late fee.
I cannot get out of this apt FAST.ENOUGH.TO.SAVE.MY.OWN.LIFE.
Run Forest Ruuuunnnnnnnn!
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