Hadley Hall, Randy Gilchrist Stolen Security Deposit, Detroit Michigan

My boyfriend and I learned about an apartment located in Detroit's midtown on craigslist. We met with the building manager of Hadley Hall, Randy Gilchrist, and he showed us around the building. We liked the place and agreed that we needed time to think about it, but Randy persistently told us that we needed to act FAST. The process, he told us, would require us to submit an application (costing $25 per applicant), but we could only reserve the apartment if we payed the sum of our security deposit, a total of $700. Randy told us that another couple was interested in the place, and he encouraged us to submit the deposit with the application.

The next day, we submitted our applications, application fees (total of $50), and the security deposit (2 checks for $350 each). He ran our applications quickly, and we received emails confirming approval later that afternoon.

After reviewing the lease at home (BEFORE signing), we decided that Hadley Hall's restrictive environment may not be the right place for us. We called Randy and notified him that we were not going to follow through with signing the lease. He irritatedly said 'I'll call you back,' though he never actually did, nor did he answer my phone calls.

The application states: A deposit equal to one month's rent is necessary to take the apartment off the market. The deposit will be forfeited if the applicant decides not to move into the property AFTER the apartment is taken off the market.

Five days after NOT signing the lease, my check for $350 was deposited. Despite what the application says, I have received no consolation that I'll be getting my money back, and the apartment is no longer listed on craigslist and has therefore been taken off the market.