Complaint Review: Shadow Oaks Apartments - Austin Texas
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- Author Confirmed
- Shadow Oaks Apartments 12148 Jollyville Road Austin, Texas U.S.A.
- Phone: 512-331-8861
- Web:
- Category: Landlords
Shadow Oaks Apartments Aka Arruth Associates Inc. Overcharged on rent, charges 2 different prices for rent, forces you into month-to-month lease without your written approval then charges you more than $250 more than your previous rent. Ripoff Austin Texas
*Consumer Comment: Month to month lease
*Consumer Suggestion: Be careful next time you rent.
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Shadow Oaks is an apartment complex in Austin, Texas. It is owned by Arruth Asscociates in Houston. Their address is 5718 Westheimer, Suite 2100, Houston, 77057. Their phone number is 713-784-1994.
Shadow Oaks has a two-tier pricing system for its apartments. One price - the price they advertise the apartments for and a fictional 'market price' that is around $200-300 more. For example, my rent on my first lease was $650, the second lease was $670. The 'market price' listed on my lease was $850.
Approximately 6 weeks before my first lease was to expire, I received a note stating that I had until the end of my lease to inform management whether or not I wanted to renew my lease with a certain increase. I decided to renew with a rent increase of $20 for seven more months.
As the end of my second lease came near, I foolishly assumed that I had until the end of the lease to decide whether I wanted to renew or leave. I decided to leave and informed an employee in the office. She said I had to pay an extra months rent because I hadn't given 30 days written notice. After looking over my lease, it appeared she was correct. I foolishly assumed the extra-months-rent/punishment payment would be $670, the amount of my last rent payment.
I returned to the office several days later to speak to the manager. He insisted that I pay $960 (not $670 or $850) since I was now on a 'month-to-month' lease, though I had not agreed to this nor was the magic amount of $960 mentioned anyplace in the lease agreement.
Wanting to avoid a major argument, I gave the manager 'Larry' a check for $960. He refused to give me a receipt but stated I could use the cancelled check as a receipt, which I intend to do. While I made a mistake in not giving 30 days written notice, I feel I've been ripped off by having to pay $290 over the previous rent for an apartment I will not be living in.
I called Arruth Associates to complain. They apparently do not return phone calls.
I'm looking at other options and avenues to illuminate the shady practices of Arruth Associates.
Bill
Austin, Texas
U.S.A.
This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 05/30/2007 04:35 PM and is a permanent record located here: https://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/shadow-oaks-apartments/austin-texas-78759/shadow-oaks-apartments-aka-arruth-associates-inc-overcharged-on-rent-charges-2-different-251264. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year. Ripoff Report has an exclusive license to this report. It may not be copied without the written permission of Ripoff Report. READ: Foreign websites steal our content
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#2 Consumer Comment
Month to month lease
AUTHOR: Sharon - (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Thursday, May 31, 2007
Usually when your lease expires, you are automatically put on a month to month lease, according to the last lease agreement that you signed. Month to month leases usually charge market rent on the apartment, plus a premium for being month to month.
I am a property manager myself, and always make sure that people understand this part of their lease when they move in, because going month to month can get costly.
I am sorry that you had to pay so much, but is it really a rip off? Or just lease terms that you don't like?
#1 Consumer Suggestion
Be careful next time you rent.
AUTHOR: Nikki - (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Most apartment complexes have basically the same rules. However the apartments here in Florida require a 60 day notice before you move.
Your rent during your lease period was low because you were grandfathered in from your first lease, so they were only able to raise your rent a certain amount each year ($20). Then, when you were out of the lease period, your rent was the market rate plus an add for the month to month. Most apartments charge you more for month to month rentals than yearly lease rentals and that's why you had to pay $960.
A 30 day notice is pretty fair since they have to clean, paint and re-carpet the apartment, plus they want to have a tenant in line to rent after you. The 60 day notice they make us give in Florida is too long.
You will probably have basically the same terms if you move to another apartment complex. Unfortunately you had to learn the hard way (as most of us usually do). Just make sure you pay them or that blemish will be on your credit report and will do some harm if you try to rent or buy within the next 7 years.
Good luck in your new abode!
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