HALLMARK ATHENS STUDENT HOUSING, LLC, PLAINTIFF: I’ve been served with an eviction notice for failure to pay rent. I don’t have time to fully explain how pissed off I am, but here’s a summary: rent is due on the 1st of the month (and not “before”, either). I handed a check to one of the landlord’s employees in the landlord’s office on September 30th (i.e., a day early). The check cleared my account on the 2nd (i.e., they already cashed it three days or more ago). The notice – taped to my door for all to see – is dated today. I have until the 8th to “prevent any legal measure being taken”.
My roommate Bryan told me about the note while I was in the computer lab working on one of the many projects I have due. I figured he was joking. It would be a good prank to photoshop an eviction notice – they already know I’m a tad highstrung at times. He assured me it was real. I figured it was one of these deals: “Hey, your rent is due, just a reminder. If your check is already in the mail please disregard this”.
Nope. See it for yourself:
DEFENDANT: I called. Spoke with the woman I handed the check to. “Do you remember?! I handed it to you!” She remembered, but she couldn’t do anything, it was somebody else’s area. Of course that person wasn’t available. Left a message. She called while I was in class. Returned her call at 17:15: gone, won’t be back until the 7th (I have until the 8th to “prevent legal action”).
Woman I spoke with couldn’t do anything other than repeat “that’s our policy” and “if you have proof, bring it to the office”. (Idiotically enough they will accept a printout from my bank as “proof”.)
Now, the office isn’t open until 10, and I have to leave for class/work by 9 and don’t get back until, well, 12:30 at night today. It will be an hour round-trip to come back here and deal with this tomorrow.
This is the final straw. Our apartment complex, The Summit at Coates Run, has been extremely unprofessional at several steps along the way. At one point they thought nothing of having me and my roommates split up living with total strangers because our apartment hadn’t passed city inspection yet. I will detail it more later, but if you’re finding this in a Google search looking for an apartment in Athens, talk to me, I’ll fill you in. I have other things I need to be doing right now rather than dignify this crap with more verbiage than I already have.
I have made excuses for them because my initial contact with a salesperson was good and I gave them the benefit of the doubt several times subsequently, but I’m done. These people need to get their act together – by their own admission (“yes, in the transition to new ownership some systems are having problems”) – and stop treating us like criminals/children. It’s galling to be treated this way when I have been professional and they have been the culpable party all along.
In other news, I got back to the apartment tonight at 12:30 to find all of my neighbors outside screaming and yelling about something. Turns out there is a raccoon curled up in a terrified ball outside a neighbor’s door (because several neighbors have left bags of garbage outside!) I tried to shoo it away (nobody else was doing anything) with a broom and by spraying water, but it would not budge. I gave up and went inside to read my eviction notice. And eat dinner. At 1am.
Why don’t you just (threaten to) sue them with harrassment. Say that yuo didn’t pass exams because of the stress they put you through and claim living there for free for the rest of your studies.. so they can’t harrass you anymore.. Isn’t that the American way? ;)
Howdy, Leave the raccoon alone, the neighbor’s have to deal with it. It will go away when the food source disappears. Besides, raccoons have nice stripes, it could be a skunk!!!! If you have proof tell them to stuff it!
This is wrong in so many ways. But the girly girl writing makes it a little bit hysterical. What, no hearts on the eyes? Seriously, if you had the energy, I’d get the media involved. Send them the notice & a copy of your canceled check, along with the story. File a complaint with the BBB, and whatever agency regulates housing in Ohio. Report them to the school.
I’m actually trying to be less confrontational in my old age, but I think given the crap they’ve pulled on us in the past couple of months that a visit with the OU Office for Off Campus Housing might be a good idea. I don’t expect our management company to change their beloved policies, but at least others can be warned/prepared.
Not so far off base: it took me a while to calm down enough to concentrate on work, then I got riled up again when I got home and saw the actual notice. Had some nightmare during the night about having to move to some cockroach-infested dump that didn’t have electricity or plumbing, and the floor was on about a 15 degree slant.
You mean the Hillside?
Wow, you crazy OU student you. I knew it was a party school, but wow!