Chicago Apartment Solutions Kevin Ovcina First Month Rent Scam Chicago Illinois

On 10/19/2014, Kevin Ovcina, a real estate agent representing the Chicago Apartment Solutions, asked me to write a check in the amount of $1300, as the first month rent payment for an apartment located at: 4656 N. Winthrop, Chicago, IL.

Mr. Ovcina explained to me that it was just a practical way to secure this apartment, which I was interested in moving in with my family, starting Nov. 1, 2014.  Since I did not have too much time in front of me, I went ahead and submitted the $1300 check without signing a lease.

Two days later, the Chicago Apartment Solutions forwarded the lease for me to review and sign. However certain important legal disclosures, clearly and specifically required by law, (including the Heating Cost Disclosure to the tenant before the tenant sign the lease) were missing.

The Chicago Apartment Solutions failed to inform me, in writing, that I would be responsible for heating cost. Lastly, the Chicago Apartment Solutions did not send me a yearly heating cost estimate from People’s Gas, which I had clearly and specifically requested.

I informed Mr. Ovcina in writing that, since the above-named documents could not be produced, I was asking the Chicago Apartment Solutions to stop the process and return my $1300 back immediately. The company refused to send my money back and indicated that the $1300 I had paid were not to cover the first month rent, it was actually a fee to Chicago Apartment Solutions.

The company's response was a total contradiction to what Kevin Ovcina shared with me two days earlier. It appears now that Mr. Ovcina of the Chicago Apartment Solutions intentionally tricked me. Mr. Ovcina's lie is so flagrant as he had me write the following mention on the memo section of the check: " First month rent".

Would Mr. Ovcina have clearly informed me that I was paying a finders fee to his company, I would not have written a check. But instead, he purposely lied to me by indicating that I just needed to write the first month check.

The conduct of Mr. Ovcina and the Chicago Apartment Solutions is absolutely despicable. I spent 20 minutes on the internet and I found out (via yelp) that there are many more people out there who have been abused by this company. I hope someone in your company can seriously take a look at this.