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Report: #346284

Complaint Review: Smart Solutions Sf - Saint Louis Missouri

  • Submitted:
  • Updated:
  • Reported By: ofallon Illinois
  • Author Confirmed What's this?
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  • Smart Solutions Sf 9369 Olive Blvd Ste 200 Saint Louis, Missouri U.S.A.

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I had filed a bankruptcy chap. 7, I wanted to buy a house, so I wanted to get my credit together. I tried calling lenders and real estate places, and they told me the best way to go was to lease to own with option to buy. I really didnt know anything about this, all I know is that I wanted to move. I came across a number in the news paper saying that they can help lease to own with little or no money down. I called the number they had me to listen to this automated person with details on what to do next. They had a website to go to.

I went to the website and it had on it 350 gurantee to find you a house and it also intelled about there credit program for 500 more. There was an email address if you had questions, I had a lot of them. I finally talk to someone and I had even more questions. They told me that they could have me in a house in 2 weeks. This is what I wanted to move, Ipaid them the money 350 dollars,and 100 dollars down on the credit program.They found me house that one of the workers for smart solutions owned I gave him a thousand dollars down he told me I could move in, but the house still needed work, the day I was suppose to move in the electric meter was removed. He said the house had already passed inspection, come to find out it didnt and they were stealing electric. A month had passed and I had told my landlord were I was living that I would move by a certain day he gave me an eviction notice. Me still believing that I had a house, was told about a week after all of this that the house didnt pass inspection and that I could'nt move. I was left homeless, I tried to contact Steve Scharf the owner of smart solutions he didnt answer my calls or call me back I had to move and leave all of my furniture, and I am currently sleeping on the floor with no furniture. I have tried and tried to get my money back he wont even talk to me, I have emailed him he said that he would return my 200 dollars, but I have yet to see any money. These people are rip offs

Joyce
ofallon, Illinois
U.S.A.

This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 07/01/2008 10:07 AM and is a permanent record located here: https://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/smart-solutions-sf/saint-louis-missouri-63132-3217/smart-solutions-sf-they-left-me-homeless-saint-louis-mo-63132-3217-saint-louis-missouri-346284. 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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REBUTTALS & REPLIES:
0Author
1Consumer
4Employee/Owner

#5 REBUTTAL Owner of company

Oh my God..everyone is slandering smart solutions...lol...what a joke

AUTHOR: revsiddell - (United States of America)

POSTED: Saturday, January 07, 2012

Oh Slander and harrasment are this companies favorite words. Its a common threat, just look at the other ripoff reports(someone has told them it works)..I've also contacted fox 2, BBB, attorney general, St Louis county pd, and Bridgeton P.D. but they keep changing names and locations. The definition of slander is an action of making a false statement..and you cant harass someone who owes you money, to a certain extent....its terrible how we all have the same exact issue, but we're all lying..Smart Solutions, sooner or later the government will catch you in the very act, and then what will you say...personal I cant wait to see the day... iew full HTML message

The strange part is Smart Solutions gives the same response for every accusation...We are all liars, its always someone elses fault. They've even gone as far as saying I have a criminal record. As if its supposed to justify the face that the company pocketed 1450.00 of my families money. This company is a complete ripoff! They have moved several times in an attempt to hide from customers that they have scammed. I too, was promised a home, credit repair, etc. of course NONE of it came to pass. Then Smart Solutions claims the reason they weren't able to complete the credi repair, is because I was unable to be contacted....How many people put up $1450.00 and then hide from the company they paid it to?...lol...Another thing this company will do is try thier best to make the consumer think its thier fault. and what ever they can dig up about your family members is fair game to make themselves look like they are justified in stealing from you. So Beware...Do not do business Smart Solutions,Leander realty or Give Me Hope Ministries...Yes I said Ministries...

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#4 REBUTTAL Owner of company

Oh my God..everyone is slandering smart solutions...lol...what a joke

AUTHOR: revsiddell - (United States of America)

POSTED: Saturday, January 07, 2012

Oh Slander and harrasment are this companies favorite words. Its a common threat, just look at the other ripoff reports(someone has told them it works)..I've also contacted fox 2, BBB, attorney general, St Louis county pd, and Bridgeton P.D. but they keep changing names and locations. The definition of slander is an action of making a false statement..and you cant harass someone who owes you money, to a certain extent....its terrible how we all have the same exact issue, but we're all lying..Smart Solutions, sooner or later the government will catch you in the very act, and then what will you say...personal I cant wait to see the day... iew full HTML message

The strange part is Smart Solutions gives the same response for every accusation...We are all liars, its always someone elses fault. They've even gone as far as saying I have a criminal record. As if its supposed to justify the face that the company pocketed 1450.00 of my families money. This company is a complete ripoff! They have moved several times in an attempt to hide from customers that they have scammed. I too, was promised a home, credit repair, etc. of course NONE of it came to pass. Then Smart Solutions claims the reason they weren't able to complete the credi repair, is because I was unable to be contacted....How many people put up $1450.00 and then hide from the company they paid it to?...lol...Another thing this company will do is try thier best to make the consumer think its thier fault. and what ever they can dig up about your family members is fair game to make themselves look like they are justified in stealing from you. So Beware...Do not do business Smart Solutions,Leander realty or Give Me Hope Ministries...Yes I said Ministries...

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#3 Consumer Comment

thank you

AUTHOR: Imprisongaryjohnson - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Friday, July 29, 2011

I'm glad I read your report, and the others as well, about this company. My husband and I were going to work with them, but I was a little put off by the $500 upfront fee. After doing some research, I found out that it's actually pretty simple to repair your own credit and you can do it for free. There's a website, free annual credit report dot com, that let's you see and dispute your negative credit at the same time. It costs you nothing. There are several rent to own companies that you can go even through and they don't charge you $500 for basically nothing. For that matter, you can research homes, foreclosed or by owner, and work towards an arrangement where you can rent to own their homes. In this market a lot of people are having trouble selling their houses, so they're more willing to do this.

As for this company. I think their services are unnecessary. If they literally threaten to sue anyone who says negative things about them on this website, it doesn't look professional in any way shape or form. It looks petty and childish for a company who is supposed to be a professional credit repair/ housing negotiator to behave in this manner as they have in their rebuttals. This isn't second grade, "What did you call me? I'm telling your mom!" and school yard playground antics are a bit outdated when it comes to the business world. Every one is entitled to their opinions and every one has the right to express their experiences. The content of these rebuttals has finalized my decision not to work with this company.

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#2 REBUTTAL Owner of company

Additional Update To Aforementioned Rebuttal

AUTHOR: Michael - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Thursday, September 24, 2009

Apparently, the Smart Solutions and the Smart Solutions Representative, Dave, did not own the house mentioned in this complaint.  The house was owned by a Mr. Steve Bray (which Smart Solutions has proof of this fact).  Smart Solutions Financial Services, LLC has NEVER had any ownership in any property in Illinois or in any other State - including the house mentioned in this complaint.

The client, Joyce, alleges that the owner (Steve Bray) was stealing electric from some other source.  Regardless of whether this statement is true or false, Smart Solutions Financial Services has NEVER engaged in stealing any electricity at any time from any source whatsoever.  Furthermore, to steal electricity, one must have control or own the property in question - which Smart Solutions had neither the control or ownership of any property to do so.  I also find it hard to believe that the owner of this house was, in fact, stealing electricity since Joyce specifically mentions that the electric meter had been REMOVED as mentioned in her complaint!

Finally, I wanted to address the headline of this complaint.  Since Smart Solutions Financial Services, LLC has not owned any property at any time prior to this rebuttal, it would be IMPOSSIBLE for our company to make someone "homeless."  Only a current landlord who is renting to a renter has the power and legal ability to dislocate a renter.  THIS COMMENT ABOUT SMART SOLUTIONS CAUSING JOYCE TO BECOME HOMELESS IS COMPLETELY WRONG, UNTRUE AND INCORRECT.  If Joyce would like to blame someone for her alleged "homelessness," I suggest she look to her old landlord who had the power to kick her out of the residence she was renting.  If Joyce knew that she was going to be displaced, she should have been responsible enough to make alternative plans for temporary housing and storage of her personal belongings until such time she could move into the residence in question after it passed inspection.

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#1 REBUTTAL Owner of company

A COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS COMPLAINT

AUTHOR: Michael - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Wednesday, September 23, 2009

My name is Michael Hathman and I am the VP of Smart Solutions Financial Services, LLC.  I felt there was a need to make a rebuttal of the complaint that was made against our company.


First, any person who has damaged credit or who has filed a bankruptcy is a high risk for default on a lease.  In most cases, landlords will NOT lease to high risk persons - especially any person who has filed a Chapter 7 or 13 bankruptcy - even if a leasing arrangement is a straight lease, lease purchase or lease with an option to buy.  Of course, this person was not concerned with her credit and only wanted to move - regardless of how badly damaged her credit was.  NEWSFLASH: If any renter does not care about their credit, chances are (and the landlord will definitely feel this way) the renter probably will also not care about paying their rent - which was the case with this person.


The individual that used to work for Smart Solutions Financial Services, LLC (whose name was Dave) had run their own personal ad in the Belleville newspaper was looking for a renter to rent his property.  Joyce answered that ad and allegedly listened to a pre-recorded message about the rent to own home program offered through Smart Solutions. and the website associated with our firm.  At the time, the enrollment fee of $350.00 that was charged to the client for the Rent To Own Homes Program was to pay for a Realtor to locate and help the client rent/rent to own or lease option a house - especially if the client had damaged credit) the fee would pay for the Realtor's time to search, research and show properties to the clients (most of which have damaged credit).  It is extremely hard to locate properties where clients can lease/lease purchase or lease with an option to buy UNLESS that client is enrolled in a credit repair program - and Smart Solutions REQUIRES any client who enrolls in the Rent To Own Homes Program to also enroll in the Platinum Smart Financial (& Credit Repair Program) - ESPECIALLY IF THE CLIENT IS GOING TO BUY THE HOME.  IT IS NEARLY 100% IMPOSSIBLE TO PURCHASE A HOME WITH SUBSTANDARD CREDIT MUCHLESS WITH A RECENT BANKRUPTCY DISCHARGE AS IS THE CASE WITH THIS PERSON.


Of course, we disclose all the pertinent information to our clients - just as we did in this case.  Joyce was told that "typical move-in time" generally takes 2 weeks to 30 days (or longer in the event the renter gets too choosy or picky - such as: kitchen's too small; yard is too small; color scheme isn't right; closets are too little, etc).  This lady was also advised that there may be a down payment and that the amount could range from 0 to 5 percent of the home's value and we would try to keep that dollar figure as low as possible - but not so low the landlord would not accept the amount offered.  Also, the house MUST PASS INSPECTION AND THAT IF IT DOES NOT THERE WILL BE A WAIT UNTIL SUCH TIME THAT THE CITY GIVES THE HOUSE PASSING CERTIFICATION.  If there is a wait, then this person MUST MAKE TEMPORARY LIVING ARRANGEMENTS UNTIL SUCH TIME THAT THE CITY WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE AN ALLOWANCE FOR OCCUPANCY.  FAILURE BY THE CLIENT TO MAKE TEMPORARY LIVING ARRANGEMENTS IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CLIENT until such time that the long-term or permanent residence is ready for occupancy.  Failure by the client to make temporary storage arrangements for client furniture is also NOT the responsibility of Smart Solutions.  U-Haul is an excellent storage option and trucks only cost $20.00 to rent.


Steve Scharf was in constant contact with this person and delivered on finding a house for her with a landlord willing to give her a new chance at eventually owning her own house (IN SPITE OF HAVING DAMAGED CREDIT AND A FILED CHAPTER 7 BANKRUPTCY).  It is not Smart Solutions' fault if any house in any area of the US does not pass inspection in an acceptable period of time.  INSPECTIONS are the city's duty and SLOW OR UNREASONABLE INSPECTIONS ARE THE LIABILITY OF ANY CITY INSPECTOR who does not issue a passed inspection in a reasonable period of time when reasonable repairs have been made to the house by the property owner.  FURTHERMORE, Smart Solutions DID FULLY REFUND THE $200.00 and has documentation to prove that the refund has indeed been made.  As far as being "rip offs" this is slander and completely unacceptable.  Currently, this case is being referred to Smart Solutions legal department and a slander suit will most likely be filed by December 2009.

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