Late last week we received a letter from the management company of blood suckers and bastards. The letter ignored the rebuttle that we sent as response to their first letter. The new letter stated that if we didn't pay them several thousand dollars within ten days that they'd send us to collections.We sent the last letter certified mail and the post office was never able to deliver it and no one from the apartment company ever picked it up. We followed up by overnighting it to them. Still, several weeks passed before the sent a new letter (that didn't even acknowledge anything that we tried to negotiate).
This time we faxed them a letter saying that any attempt to slander our credit will be vigrorously faught by both Jay and I and that we dispute owing them any money. It also points out that they've made no attempt to come to an agreement, nor did they acknowledge our losses.
So, they called. They are saying that because the girls and I traveled last summer that we likely brought the bed bugs into the building and that the company had to exterminate the hallways after we moved out. The thing is that we hired a company to safely remove all of our belongings and dispose of them. Also, the girls and I traveled TO MY PARENTS HOUSE in Naples. We came home to a bed bug infestation. Philadelphia is number 2 in the country for bed bug infestation. My parents did not, do not and never have had bed bugs. They live in one of the wealthiest communities in the US, for Christ's sake. Not that money has that much to do with it... but one of the biggest reasons that bed bugs are so prevalent in cities is because they are so expensive to exterminate. When people can't exterminate properly because they don't have THOUSANDS of dollars at hand... the bed bugs spread.
The apartment company is also saying that the condo association fined them because we moved out on the wrong day and used the wrong hallway. But Jay had our move approved by the condo association days before we actually left and all parties were in agreement that doing the move at night and through a back door would be the best, healthiest thing to do.
So, here's the thing. I WILL NOT. I WILL NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER give those bloodsuckers one penny of our money. I know that they can say that we didn't have to throw out everything that we own. Some experts say that you do. Some experts say that you don't. And if we went to court, they could probably find lots of people to say that we chose it so we can eat the money. For the most part, that's fine. Jay and I are back on our feet. We came out of this okay. And look, it even worked as the catalyst to get me a job that I really like.
But the apartment wasn't inhabitable. How in the world can they possibly be charging us for something that we couldn't live in.
That company is one big giant jerk and I hate it.
OMG! I HATE those people! My bet: They got hit hard financially from this and are looking at anyone they think may cave for compensation. Threaten with a lawsuit. Again and again. And follow up with a letter from a lawyer - I bet they start leaving you alone. They probably don't have much left to fight with.
ReplyDeleteToo bad for them.
Kim, I parked in the parking garage that is next to the building last week while I did an errand after work. It looked so empty. Just dark and abandoned.
ReplyDeleteAnd, I'll bet that you're right.
They're such jerks.
ok, first, deep breaths, you are in the right on this, but they will not listen to you and jay, they are a big company and you are just 2 people, they will do and say anything to try to make it your fault. *you need a lawyer* you can usually find lawyers that will give free consultation and don't make you pay any fees to the lawyer until after a settlement.
ReplyDelete(just as an aside slander is spoken and libel is written)
i think that they were slanderous in trying to blame the infestation on you. with the help of your lawyer you can get proof that there were no bed bugs in FL nor did your parents have them. and also, come on, Naples FL vs Philly PA? get over yourself, mean company.
you also have pretty damn good documentation with this here blog with dates and stuff. you have 2 kids, you have hashimotos, jay had tranverse myletis, you are high risk and had the right to throw away your stuff to be safe. even if getting $ for your stuff is out of the picture, there is no way you should have to pay any fines.
find a lawyer. be calm about it because you are right. and good luck!
Hey Guys, we are definitely getting a lawyer. Jay and I know that they'll just squash us.
ReplyDeleteThankfully, we've gotten help with two of the letters. Now I know why they said "any attempt to slander or libel our credit..." hahahha... I actually had no clue!
I know of people who have had infestations in their home last a year and when all is said and done they have bed bugs who have grown to be the size of fingernails and are being bitten over 50 times a night. So, if getting rid of all of our possessions meant protecting our family from THAT... so be it. It was hard, but a few months later we are all just happy to have each other.
That said, I am not paying that company 4000 dollars. ln my heart, I know that it's possible that we were the first people in the building to have bed bugs. After all, I saw mattresses (lots of them) on the other side of the parking garage out to the trash. I had no idea why they'd be there at the time. My exterminator says that the entire neighborhood is infested. It's so irresponsible to put infested mattresses and furniture out to the trash. Those f'ers just crawl over to the next place. They are survivors. And I'm not saying that's definitely where we got them... but I'm saying that it's totally possible.
That said, our apartment was no longer inhabitable. We could not, in good conscience, allow our children to sleep there every night. Had we not had a place to go, we would have found one. I do believe that the law in on our side. It took the company WEEKS to deal with the issue. As a matter of fact, the apartment company did not exterminate that apartment until we told them that we'd need them to before the company we hired would safely take our furniture. Oh, and they're seeing that the company that we hired didn't do it correctly. I guess they'll need to take it up with that company though.
oh dear lord. i am glad you got help with the letters and that you're getting a lawyer. kim is prolly right, they likely lost a lot of the tenants and are trying whatever they can to get something from someone, but it will not be you! it's total negligence to not exterminate until you requested, they are required by law to do everything they can about a known sitch. lame. and good luck.
ReplyDelete