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During that month, my half-brother was living with a male friend (1992-11-10) who was apparently showing romantic interest in him, and who was also apparently making some disrespectful comments towards him. My half-brother wasn't thrilled with any of that; therefore, he didn't want to continue to live with that friend of his. On 2023-05-12, my half-brother told me: "let me know if you're down to live together."
After living alone for nearly two consecutive years, I eventually agreed to live with my half-brother, and we both decided to find a new place. We rented a two-bedroom apartment for 1,650.00 USD per month, and the water was included in the price. The female property manager that my half-brother and I had is a real-estate agent who was born on 1982-07-10. She's an incompetent property manager of dubious dedication, and I'm glad that I don't have a familial vinculum with her. Here are some examples of her incompetence: she inexplicably changed my first and last names, even though the lease, the "Nonstandard Rental Provisions," and the "Tenant Information Sheet" that I e-mailed her had my first and last names; she forgot to pay for the water for the entire apartment building; she never sent any of us a renewal offer, even though we've always paid the rent on time; she never even sent any of us a copy of the signed lease, even though I told her that I would like a copy of the signed lease; she put the wrong zip code multiple times, even though the website of the USPS and the website of the local property appraiser's office both show the correct zip code; and she incorrectly claimed that we forfeited the security deposit, even though there was no automatic renewal, we paid for all 12 months of the 12-month lease, and we returned the keys on time.
My half-brother always paid half of the rent, and I always paid the other half of the rent. Additionally, he paid half of the security deposit, and I paid the other half of the security deposit. Nevertheless, I was unfairly marginalized by the property manager. She sent my half-brother a multiplicity of notifications, but she sent me only one notification. (She sent me a notification only on 2023-12-07.) Furthermore, although I sent her many messages, she replied to only two of those messages. (She sent me a reply only on 2023-07-15 and 2023-12-07.) My half-brother is younger than me, and he's a high-school dropout. He has a GED certificate; on the other hand, I actually have a high-school diploma. These were my final grades of my last semester of high school:
On 2023-06-19, I e-mailed the property manager my application; however, she didn't reply to my e-mail. On 2023-06-21, she texted my half-brother: "you're approved!"
On 2023-06-29, my half-brother and I signed a 12-month lease (2023-07-01 through 2024-06-30). Later that day, I e-mailed the property manager the lease, the "Nonstandard Rental Provisions," and the "Tenant Information Sheet"; however, she didn't reply to my e-mail. Surprisingly, nobody sent any of us a copy of the signed lease. My half-brother and I signed under "tenant," but we never got to see any other signature. The lease started on 2023-07-01, but my bedroom didn't have electricity until 2023-07-14. On 2023-07-08, I sent the property manager an e-mail in which I told her that I would like a copy of the signed lease, and that there's still no electricity in my bedroom.
She didn't reply to my e-mail. On 2023-07-09, I returned the keys of my previous apartment. On 2023-07-10, she told my half-brother that "maintenance will be entering with an inspector tomorrow," that she has "a new washer being delivered and hooked up on Friday," and that "the electrician will be there this Friday as well."
In September, before the new tiles were installed on 2023-09-11, a worker left the washer and the dryer outside for days, and they both got rained on, because the worker who put them outside didn't cover them with anything.
On 2024-01-12, when my half-brother saw how she looked on 2023-09-07, he told me: "that's. Incredible." On 2024-01-31, when my stepfather saw how she looked on 2023-09-07, he told me: "lol, she does lack professionalism and has a lot to learn to be successful."
She wasn't appropriately dressed for work, and that's certainly a form of disrespect. It's unlikely that she'll ever internalize proper etiquette. I remember a 1993 Spanish-language cookbook that says: "es importante conocer las cosas fundamentales acerca del comportamiento que debe usarse en cada ocasi
On 2023-09-07, when the maintenance worker and the property manager showed up for that inspection, I told both of them that there are times when the dryer stops unexpectedly. By the way, it is highly probable that they saw that the washer and the dryer were outside, and that nothing was covering them; however, they chose to not do anything about it.
On 2023-09-10, she texted my half-brother: "maintenance will be entering every unit tomorrow." (The maintenance worker was inside our apartment on 2023-09-07, and, four days later, he showed up again.)
On 2023-10-25, she texted my half-brother: "maintenance will be by tomorrow to assess the above mentioned items [washer and dryer]." She also texted him: "we're scheduled for an attic inspection next week, painting will follow soon after."
On 2023-10-26, the maintenance worker saw that there's a problem with the washer, and he told me: "it doesn't work the way it should be working." He also told me that he doesn't know how to fix it. Unfortunately, he didn't get to see the dryer stopping unexpectedly, but I reminded him about that problem. On 2023-10-30, a worker showed up to inspect our attic.
On 2023-12-01, after my half-brother told the property manager that the washer and the dryer are still not working properly, she told my half-brother that she didn't realize that there were still issues.
Later that day, I sent the property manager an e-mail in which I told her that the maintenance worker told me that he doesn't know how to fix the washer, and I reminded her that we also have a problem with the dryer.
She didn't reply to my e-mail. On 2023-12-04, she texted my half-brother that "maintenance will be there Wednesday" to paint the ceiling. There were many stains on the ceiling, and those stains were not aesthetically appealing.
Shortly afterwards, before the technician showed up, I e-mailed her a video that shows the dryer stopping unexpectedly. She replied the next day. (Although she told me "will be repairing the machines soon," there was no solution until 2024-01-30.)
On 2023-12-10, she texted my half-brother: "I will be doing a walk-through of the property tomorrow." On 2023-12-11, she texted my half-brother that she'll be "rescheduling the walk-through to tomorrow."
On 2023-12-18, she texted my half-brother: "maintenance will be there tomorrow." (The maintenance worker was inside our apartment on 2023-12-15, and, four days later, he showed up again.) The maintenance worker wasn't the only one who showed up on 2023-12-19, because a City worker and an exterminator also showed up that day. Nobody told any of us that an exterminator was going to show up that day; nevertheless, I allowed the exterminator to enter our apartment.
The City worker showed up to leave us a notice, because the property manager forgot to pay for the water for the entire apartment building. The City worker wrote "1
I sent a picture of the notice to my half-brother, and he sent it to the property manager. She texted my half-brother: "I have no idea what that is about." Later, she texted him: "it should all be squared away now."
On 2024-01-29, she texted my half-brother: "we will be having a new washer and dryer set delivered tomorrow." She also told him that she's "going to be meeting them at the property."
She didn't reply to my e-mail. On 2024-03-10, the property manager e-mailed my half-brother the latest rent statement, which was the only rent statement that she ever sent any of us, and my half-brother sent it to me. In the e-mail, she put the wrong year. Additionally, in the rent statement, she put the wrong zip code, and she inexplicably changed my first and last names.
The lease, the "Nonstandard Rental Provisions," and the "Tenant Information Sheet" that I e-mailed her on 2023-06-29 had my first and last names, but, for some unknown reason, she changed my first and last names. The website of the USPS and the website of the local property appraiser's office both show the correct zip code, but she still put the wrong zip code. That wasn't the first time, though, because, last year, she had already put the wrong zip code in the lease and in the "Customer Delivery Ticket."
She didn't reply to my e-mail. Her apparent indifference, which is unbecoming of a property manager, fails to relieve disquietude, and it really speaks volumes about her unprincipled behavior. However, I'm not the only one who has received the cold shoulder from her. On 2019-04-26, she made a public post in which she said that a particular male (1978-04-07) with whom she had a male child has called and texted her numerous times, but that "he's not getting a response." In that post, she also said that she has him "blocked" on social media.
On 2024-04-02, she texted my half-brother: "all parking spots are labeled with your unit number. There are 2 spaces per unit." Not all parking spots have a unit number, and there are actually less than two spaces per unit. Like I said earlier, there's a total of five apartments. If there are two spaces per unit, like she claims, then that would mean that there are 10 parking spots; however, there are only eight parking spots.
She also sent him a picture of a car that is regularly driven by a tenant from a different apartment. (She wasn't the one who took that picture. On 2024-04-01, at 8:07 AM, a tenant from a different apartment took that picture.) By saying "whoever has this car in this spot," she insinuated that she doesn't know to whom that car belongs. One of the questions of the "Tenant Information Sheet" that both my half-brother and I e-mailed her separately says: "do you own a vehicle?" Additionally, one has the possibility to write down "color/make/model" and "vehicle plates." Therefore, if the tenant who regularly drives that car also sent her that same "Tenant Information Sheet," then she should have known to whom that car belongs.
On 2024-04-22, the maintenance worker showed up to work outside. He installed new soffit vents, but he put loose trash inside our trash bin. This year's first issue of the City's free magazine clearly said: "all garbage must be bagged." When I noticed what he did without permission, I quickly remembered that, on 2023-07-18, when he had come to install new mailboxes, he put some recyclable items inside somebody else's recycling bin. (In that apartment building, the recycling bins are green with either a green lid or a sky-blue lid, and the trash bins are green with a black lid.)
On 2024-05-09, a male photographer (1976-07-21) showed up with a female real-estate agent (1980-01-07). She told me that she and her boss (1979-08-30), who is also a female real-estate agent, will try to sell the apartment building, and she gave me her business card.
On 2024-05-17, the property manager texted my half-brother: "we will be having an inspection of the property done at 10am on Tuesday May 23rd." However, that Tuesday was actually May 21st. By the way, our apartment had an excessive amount of inspections. On 2024-05-17, my half-brother texted me: "it's annoying having people show up repeatedly. I don't like that."
On 2024-05-18, I sent her an e-mail to let her know that my half-brother and I "are interested in receiving a renewal offer soon, because our last day is 43 days from today." I also told her that "we would like to make a decision soon."
She didn't reply to my e-mail. On 2024-05-21, two males and one female entered our apartment at 10:17 AM, and they left at 10:18 AM. After that, at 10:57 AM, a different male and the same female entered our apartment, and they left at 11:08 AM. Those four people were the ones who inspected our apartment that day. Later, at 1:02 PM, the maintenance worker unexpectedly entered our apartment. Nobody told any of us that the maintenance worker was going to show up that day. Shortly after he opened our front door, I greeted him, and I asked him: "how are you?" He replied something like: "just keep doing what you're doing." He didn't answer my question, and he didn't tell me why he had come. He was discourteous. He had come to replace one of our door hinges that was heavily corroded, even though neither my half-brother nor I ever complained to the property manager or the maintenance worker about that problem.
On 2024-05-23, the property manager texted my half-brother that "maintenance will be there tomorrow" to photograph our electrical panel. (The maintenance worker was inside our apartment on 2024-05-21, and, three days later, he showed up again.)
Later that day, I texted the maintenance worker: "what pictures do you need? I might be able to send them to you, or you may come here tomorrow to photograph our electrical panel yourself. It's up to you." I even sent him a picture of our electrical panel, because I wanted to show him my inclination to cooperate with him. He replied: "no thanks, I'll be there tomorrow at 11:30." Although I always found him to be somewhat insolent, I had to acquiesce to his desire to enter our apartment again.
On 2024-05-28, my half-brother told the property manager: "I wanted to know if we could receive the renewal offer." She told him: "let me get some details and I'll get back to you soon!"
Consequently, later that day, I e-mailed the female real-estate agent who gave me her business card: "my half-brother and I won't be waiting until the new owners take over. He and I will find a new place." Although that real-estate agent claims to have proven that "no one will work harder for you" than her, she didn't reply to my e-mail; however, she did send it to her boss. (Those two females are the ones who ended up selling the apartment building.) Her boss told me that, if, for some reason, the property does not close, she's sure that the property manager's boss (1971-10-03) would agree to give me another annual lease; nevertheless, I had already sent a move-out notice. She also told me: "at this point our hands are tied with the contract terms." I told her that, when I used to live in a different city, "and my lease was going to end on 2022-07-25, the property manager that I had at that time sent me a renewal offer on 2022-05-09."
What she should understand is that, before the apartment building was listed for sale, the property manager should have taken the initiative to send us a renewal offer; however, even though my half-brother and I have always paid the rent on time, the property manager has refused to send us a renewal offer.
On 2024-06-03, at 6:29 PM, I took a picture of the property where my half-brother and I are currently living. On that day, he and I saw it only from the outside. On 2024-06-05, we were finally able to see it from the inside, and we sent the applications. On 2024-06-07, we got approved, and we paid the security deposit for our current place of residence. 10 days later, I texted the female real-estate agent (2002-07-30) who approved us.
On 2024-06-18, we paid for the first month, and we signed a 12-month lease. On 2024-06-28, we returned the keys of our previous apartment, and my half-brother texted the property manager our new address. Surprisingly, she texted my half-brother: "since no notice was given, your security deposit is forfeited." After my half-brother basically told her that I did send a move-out notice, which wasn't even required, she told him: "it's either 30 or 60 days notice to move required." (Although she told him that she will send "a letter of allocation," neither my half-brother nor I ever received a letter from her.)
Later that day, I texted her to remonstrate against her decision to keep the security deposit; however, she didn't reply to my text message. Her questionable decision to keep the security deposit discomfited me, but I found consolation in the fact that she's certainly wrong. In the lease that my half-brother and I signed, there's a section about the term of the lease that says: "check either A or B." We selected paragraph 1B, which is a 12-month lease, and it says: "upon termination date, tenant shall be required to vacate the premises." There's no automatic renewal, and that's an irrefragable fact of great importance. Considering that there's no automatic renewal, considering that we paid for all 12 months of the 12-month lease, considering that we returned the keys on time, and considering that, during the duration of the lease, nobody sent any of us a renewal offer, we were not required to send a "notice to terminate," which is the only relevant notice that is mentioned in the lease that my half-brother and I signed.
On 2024-07-01, the male director (1978-04-11) of property management of the real-estate company that took over our previous apartment building texted my half-brother: "su alquiler de julio debe pagarse en nuestra oficina." It means: "your rent of July must be paid in our office." Later, he texted my half-brother: "there is no message saying you will be moving out."
Apparently, nobody told him that, by the time the new real-estate company took over on 2024-07-01, which occurred after the end of our lease, we were no longer living there. The two females who ended up selling the apartment building should accept most of the blame for such a disgraceful lack of transparency, because they knew that I had sent a move-out notice on 2024-06-03. The property manager should also accept part of the blame, because she knew that we had returned the keys on 2024-06-28.
On 2024-08-02, I paid 55.75 USD to get a sincere opinion from a male real-estate agent (1951-08-12). I told him the relevant details about the disagreement over the security deposit, and I told him that I want to know who is wrong. On 2024-08-05, he told me: "it's pretty apparent that you're entitled to a refund of your security deposit." He also sent me a PDF file in which he told me: "your lease does not require a notice from you regarding non-renewal."
The property manager had said: "since no notice was given, your security deposit is forfeited." I'm glad that her ridiculous argument was confuted by him, because I certainly want the truth to prevail. Later that day, I texted the property manager: "we weren't required to send a move-out notice or a termination notice."
She didn't reply to my text message, but I understand that it's improbable that she'll ever show compunction. Her moral compass is questionable, and her apparent refusal to read the lease objectively made me feel indignant. Needless to say, her performance leaves a lot to be desired.
On 2024-08-25, I paid 24.10 USD to get a sincere opinion from a male lawyer. I told him the relevant details about the disagreement over the security deposit, and I told him that I want to know who is wrong. On 2024-08-26, he told me: "it appears that you are on the right side." He also told me: "the lease clearly dictates that your lease expires on a specific date."
