Duped, Deceived, and Hornswaggled by Apt. Complex

[junctionalfunkie]

I'm so fucking mad.
I signed a lease (13 months) in May for an apartment in a complex here in Austin. I went to the initial meeting with an apartment locator, so of course the complex agents gave the total hard sell. Now, during this "interview" or whatever you want to call it, I was provided with very professional, glossy booklets describing the luxurious amenities this place (CBO) had on site: Pools, Basketball Courts, and an indoor gym. Unfortunately, I was very physically sick that day, and sat in the car most of the time, except to come in and sign the lease.

Now then, since May, I have used the pools often, and vaguely wondered where this mysterious basketball court and indoor, Nautilus-laden gymnasium might be hidden. (I'm pretty lazy, so I didn't wonder too seriously.)

About a month ago, I go to the apartment complex office to pay my rent, and casually ask the woman there where the indoor gym is. "Gym?" she says, her face a mask of confusion. "There's no gym here."

Well, I assumed I was mistaken about the brochure or whatever, so I forgot about it.

Until yesterday, when I found the glossy, full-color booklet advocating the amenities of CBO in all their gleaming detail. I was furious! (I had had a couple glasses of wine,at this point.)

At this point, I should mention that about 3 weeks ago, CBO was sold to another company, MGW.

So, I storm down to the office, 20 minutes before it closed at 6pm, right into what appeared to be a meeting of managers. I explained to them how much a part their fantastical amenities had played in my decision to move into their complex. They seemed confused.

I put the booklet on the desk and opened it to the page depicting a friendly, racially diverse group of pretty people enjoying a pick-up basketball game.

"That's a basketball court, right?" I asked. "Where is it?"

"We don't have one," someone said quietly.

I turned the page to the photo of the new and spotless indoor gym, laden with modern exercise equipment.

"That's the gym, right? Where is it?"

Same answer. Then one of the women (they were all women, about 5 or 6 of them) said something I had been expecting:

"Sir, that brochure depicts the amenities available at CBO complexes in general, not necessarily at this location."

I was ready for this. I flipped the booklet to its rear cover and pointed to the lone address: 3209 S. I-35, Austin. The very location we were standing in. CBO has 3 or 4 other complexes around town, but only this one has been sold to MGW).

Finally, one woman mustered the gumption to speak:

"Sir, I think you need to read your contract."

"Oh, really?" I retorted. "I suppose there's a clause in the contract that allows you to promise whatever visionary or conceptual amenities float into your heads, in order to dupe people into renting here? Right? Why stop at basketball courts? Why not promise personal helipads, free rent every other month?"

At this point, I was so livid, I spun on my heel and headed for the door.

"You can't do this to people," I snarled. "People live here work very hard and lying to them like this is wrong. This is going to cost you people a lot of money."

And I left.

What should I do? Contact a lawyer? The BBB? Make up signs and put them all over the complex to list support from residents?

This is the second time in 6 months I've been fucked by real estate companies.

I'm gonna go live in a tree.

 

[Missykins]

You should speak with the agent with whom you originally dealt with. If your contract has some sort of disclaimer, then there isn't much you can do about it. Otherwise, you may be able to break your lease, but that's tricky.

 

[Missykins]

BTW, did you ask for a tour before signing?

 

[nguboi]

Man, the worst thing about going to college was living in lying, scumbag runned apartment complex that promise you personal, great service and they are scum of the earth and lie about everything. I kept very strict records of one apt complex screwing me over, and contacted the head office and wrote a hand written note about the devil itself, manager fat cow whoever, and I got a deduction for one month rent... whatever.

Maybe try something like that, I feel your anger, I hate hate hate apt's now.

 

[Missykins]

Man, the worst thing about going to college was living in lying, scumbag runned apartment complex that promise you personal, great service and they are scum of the earth and lie about everything. I kept very strict records of one apt complex screwing me over, and contacted the head office and wrote a hand written note about the devil itself, manager fat cow whoever, and I got a deduction for one month rent... whatever.

Maybe try something like that, I feel your anger, I hate hate hate apt's now.

I'm hip. I had a landlord once tell me to use the oven as heat. How about I put a stick up your ass and make myself a fire? Living there was like camping. I reported him to code enforcement and that definitely got him moving, but that was a because of a lack of heat, not a pool.

(edited by Johnny1 to fix problem with quote tags)

 

[junctionalfunkie]

You should speak with the agent with whom you originally dealt with. If your contract has some sort of disclaimer, then there isn't much you can do about it. Otherwise, you may be able to break your lease, but that's tricky.

What?

A disclaimer in an official contract that stipulates "amenities described in this promotional brochure are not necessarily extant in the physical world. This company reserves the right to advertise perks that may or may not exist in other dimensions."?

Are you fucking serious?

I don't know where you live, but it sounds pretty shitty. No offense.

The agent is, ostensibly, a representative of the company, and held to the same standards, at least here in the First World (or whatever the USA qualifies as these days).

 

[junctionalfunkie]

BTW, did you ask for a tour before signing?

What exactly is the relevance of that question? If the contract promised an Orgasmatron in every unit, would it be my responsibility to verify it?

What exactly does the word "contract" mean to the legal community?

 

[junctionalfunkie]

Man, the worst thing about going to college was living in lying, scumbag runned apartment complex that promise you personal, great service and they are scum of the earth and lie about everything. I kept very strict records of one apt complex screwing me over, and contacted the head office and wrote a hand written note about the devil itself, manager fat cow whoever, and I got a deduction for one month rent... whatever.

Maybe try something like that, I feel your anger, I hate hate hate apt's now.

Did you involve a lawyer? Because I know armies of them (including daddy, who is particularly bloodthirsty and contracts is his specialty).

 

[Missykins]

What?

A disclaimer in an official contract that stipulates "amenities described in this promotional brochure are not necessarily extant in the physical world. This company reserves the right to advertise perks that may or may not exist in other dimensions."?

Are you fucking serious?

I don't know where you live, but it sounds pretty shitty. No offense.

The agent is, ostensibly, a representative of the company, and held to the same standards, at least here in the First World (or whatever the USA qualifies as these days).

Here's a news flash for you: I am on your side, so take it easy!

 

[MidnightBaby]

Jf I agree with that ^, Missykins was only being helpful, you shouldn't attack people like that! But I do acknowledge it was probably from your shitty day/mood. Hope you're sorting it out.. Answer my email!

 

[junctionalfunkie]

Sorry, Missykins. I WAS having a bad day that day. Then things got exponentially worse... sorry.

MB, you've got mail.

 

[NeoMeeko]

Damn that is pretty fucked up. I have seen brochures where they say "Pool is not at South location" or something like that, but it is made clear. I would be pretty pissed and feel absolutely deceived.

I'm not sure what you could do though, I guess it really depends on the wording of the contract you signed.

 

[rgpizza]

Was it a crappy thing for the apartment complex to misrepresent themselves? absolutly. But their is no reason for you to take it out on them employees who work in the rental office.

Even through it was crappy that the apartment complex misrepresented itself you signed the lease without taking a tour or asking any questions. It certainly sounds like you just went into the office and signed the papers without even reading your contract. On top of that you didn't even notice they didn't have the ammenities until almost five months later.

The most you can hope for is to be let out of your lease agreement which would require moving which is a pain i the ass and losing your security deposit if you put one down. Or you can write a letter or two to the owners and hope to gett some type of discount off your monthly rent. Either is unlikley to happen. It sucks you got screwed but I doubt the owner of the complex or anyone who works their actually care.

In the future make sure you take the tour of any apartment complex before you move in and read your contract thoughrly before signing anything. For all you know they might have it stated in the contract that that particular apartment complex doesn't have the ammenities in the brocure or that they are future ammenites that they are plannig on putting in.

Realistically you can complain and put on a pity party all you want but nothing is going to come out of it so again be more careful before signing anything in the future especially the agreement to where you are going to live. It's better to shop around yourself instead fo going through a leasing agent, all the leasing agent wanted was for you to sign the lease so he can get his 100 dollars commision.