ya mama got jell-o feet w/ fruit in the toes.

so i had an apartment but now i dont.

Dear Sir/Madam:

I recently fell in love with Lindy Property's York North Apartments. I am currently living in Louisville, KY, and have been living in the same house with my family for over 22 years. In August, I begin graduate school at Temple University located in Philadelphia (as you know). This is quite a big change. Philadelphia is a far larger city than I am accustomed to; not only will I be faced with holding my own in such a large, confusing city, but I'll have to do so while managing my very first apartment on my own. The task is daunting, but York North quieted many of my worries and fears. It was perfect. With all the amenities and extras offered, it provided the support I'd need to make my transition from Louisville to Philly, from dependency to self-sufficiency, much smoother. The price was more than I had hoped to pay for a one-bedroom apartment, but I was more than willing to pay the extra cost for peace of mind, especially after the apartment's website said that 5-month leases were available. The apartment just kept getting better and better.

I had a close friend of mine, someone I have known and trusted for years, check out the apartment for me--I was unable to take off the necessary time from work to fly up and look at it myself, and since he doesn't live too far from the apartment, he agreed to take the tour for me. He also left my contact information with the employee who gave hi m the tour, a polite, friendly young lady named Anissa. Not long after, Ms. Anissa contacted me by phone, and we began making plans for the leasing of an apartment in my name.

Anissa was great. She answered all of my questions to the best of her ability. There were a couple of things that I asked about, though, that I felt should have been presented to me without having to ask, but in the beginning, they were very miniscule things that produced no problems or friction during the leasing process. There was some withheld information, however, that unfortunately led me to end my previously amicable relations with York North Apartments.

I was never asked what kind of lease I was interested in (5-month, 10-month, or 120-month, as advertised on the apartment's web site). I understand and acknowledge my fault in not inquiring about these options earlier, but the bigger fault, I believe, lies with the leasing agent for not mentioning it either. It is very important and valid to note that I have never rented an apartment before in my life. I looked to and depended on York North's leasing agents to be thorough and cover each and every base during this process, and this includes the open and informative discussion of the terms of the length of stay. Unfortunately, Ms. Anissa did not do this. Not knowing the ins and outs of the process of renting an apartment, when I was never asked how long I wanted the lease, I figured that perhaps there would be a place on the lease or in other paperwork where I could specify the desired length of stay. Again, I acknowledge my fault in not inquiring about it sooner, but this was largely the leasing agent's responsibility; it is not up to me to do her job for her, nor is it her place to assume that I know such important factions about the lease and leasing process, which is precisely what she did.

I received my lease by mail on Thursday, June 9th, 2005. While reading it over, I noticed that I had been assigned a 12-month length of stay, which I simply cannot afford at York North's prices (my plan was to stay at York North for the first five months of my tenure in Philadelphia, during which I would have the opportunity to become acclimated with the city enough to find another apartment with greater financial compatibility with my current situation). Still, I was not alarmed; everything else had been handled and worked out with no problem, and I trusted that my leasing agent would help me handle this in the same manner.

I called the leasing office at approximately 1:37 p.m. the following day to find that Ms. Anissa was not available to take my call; I was informed of this by another young lady who answered the phone. I figured that perhaps she would be able to help me out with this discrepancy with the same zesty friendliness that Ms. Anissa had so consistently shown. Instead, I was routinely interrupted, talked over, and talked down to by the young lady who answered my call. She coarsely informed me that the information I found on the website had not been updated in a year and was no longer valid--in other words, 5-month leases weren't even a possibility. This young lady and I got absolutely nothing accomplished, mainly because she would not let me get a word in edgewise--she was beyond rude and ultimately utterly unhelpful and incompetent. Had I been presented with this sort of attitude when my interaction with York North Apartments began, I can assure you that I would have taken my business elsewhere instantly. This is absolutely no way to conduct business or treat your clients. I greatly regret that I did not get her name; I was too upset to ask it at the time.

Thankfully, I was able to speak with Ms. Anissa a few minutes later. She informed me that, contrary to what the young lady had just told me, 5-month leases are, indeed, an option, but the quota for such leases had already been filled. I was heartbroken. If I had been actively presented with this information when we began interacting weeks earlier, perhaps there still would have been a 5-month lease available? Who's to say? I did admit my fault in not inquiring about it earlier, but I also reminded her that it was her job to present me with this information. I should have been plainly told that a 12-month length of stay was the only option before my lease was drawn. I was not informed of this. She explained this fault by saying that she told this information to the friend of mine whom she gave the tour to (which he denies), and because of that, she assumed that I knew this as well. This is severely problematic for two major reasons. First, my friend's name was not to be on the lease. Mine was. I was to be the paying tenant, not him. As such, this important information should have been relayed directly to me by the leasing agent, not to a third party who will ultimately have nothing to do with the renting, upkeep, or payments made on this apartment after the lease is signed. Secondly, assumptions have absolutely no place in the conduction of business--it only makes room for confusion and problems like this one. It is extremely counter-productive and is a poor reflection on the staff of York North Apartments, the apartments themselves, and ultimately, the realty group or person that owns the property. It is very unprofessional and she should have known better.

I wanted to alert you to this incident because it concerns you, the owners of York North Apartments. The employees there are extensions and representatives of Lindy Property Management Company, and as I stated earlier, this incident stands as an unfavorable testament to the quality of your business, which I am certain you will not be happy with. If someone was to ask me whether or not I recommend seeking residence with York North Apartments, my answer would be a bitter and resounding "no," all because of this incident.

I am in a slight panic now because of what happened this past week with York North Apartments. I have no apartment to move in to in August. I have very little time to find another place to live, and I currently don't have the money or the time off from work to fly to Philadelphia to go apartment hunting again. In the midst of this crisis and confusion, however, I wanted to be sure to make the time to alert you to the way business is being conducted at York North Apartments in your name.

Sincerely,

Tracy L. Clayton,
Thoroughly Unsatisfied Customer

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i had to send them a $300 non-refundable deposit so that they'd hold my apartment for me. when i called and had the above conversation with them, it hadnt cleared yet.

i stopped payment on that check like a motherfucker.

5 comments

ya mama got jell-o feet w/ fruit in the toes.

6.11.2005

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