SUMMARY (Please see details afterwards):
For starter: All what is listed in this review is DOCUMENTED with documents, formal email communications, and legitimate professional business receipts. This review is not just an angry customer presenting their side of the story. I will be more than happy to provide copies of all the evidence and documents that I collected if you want to corroborate my review below.
Peabody charged me - as tenant - charges that are described as 'arbitrary' to say the very least. Of course, they will claim that they (responded to tenants' inquiry) and (provided supporting documents). What they really do is charge ARBITARIRLY INFLATED charges (See DETAILED EXAMPLES below).
They do the above counting on the assumption that the tenant will be (1) uninformed, (2) too busy to push back, or (3) not willing to put the time and effort to go after their right.
Basically, Peabody Residential tries to please the landlord that contracted them through passing on unjustified and arbitrarily inflated costs to the tenant. They want to please and keep their client (the landlord) through making the tenants pay for it. When I (the tenant) presented what I see as very reasonable counter-claims to their charges, they do respond but their responses are basically dodging the bullet to the landlord stating that (this was the landlord's decision). They do not recognize their job is to 'be fair to both parties', not solely please their client who contracts them at the expense of the tenant.
Peabody Residential also only enforces rules and agreements when they play out to THEIR favor. When they play out to the tenant's favor, they bend the rules and blame it on (misunderstanding or miscommunication) - See Item 2 under (DETAILS) Section below. They do not have accountability for their actions. They just try to please the client that contracts them at the expense of the tenant whom they think does not have any leverage.
I STRONGLY AND WHOLE HEARTIDLY RECOMMEND against using Peabody Residential Property Management services WHETHER you are a tenant or a landlord. If you are a tenant: they will not protect or fight for your rights. If you are a landlord, eventually you will run into a tenant who is willing to put time and effort to go after you to get their rights through legal action.
DETAILS:
Here is a NON-COMPREHENSIVE list of examples of what I described above:
(1) SECURITY DEPOSIT:
(1.a) I used professional move-out cleaning service ($325 + $50 tips) and professional carpet cleaning service ($125 + $20 tips) as instructed. I sent receipts to them. TWICE. They STILL decided to deduct $536 out of my security deposit for cleaning. The justification was (Landlord thought cleaning was insufficient). They did not do any due diligence to corroborate the lanlodrd's statement. As it turns out, the new tenant is just picky and demanded additional cleaning. They decided to pass on these costs to me as tenant (I have DOCUMENTED proof of this).
An additional point here: When Peabody Residential was administering (Showings) to find new tenants, the showings were very sloppy, leaving doors open, keeping shoes on, etc. I sent them an email to document this, and they responded acknowledging receipt of my email. They still did not do it and decided to charge me, tenant, for the (high cleanliness standards of the new tenant).
(1.b) There was a broken (Hot water dispenser faucet) at the kitchen. In fact, that faucet was broken since day one since I moved in, I did not bother to report it as I thought it was minor. Ok, no problem this is my responsibility. I acknowledge. What I do not acknowledge: They decided to charge $,1150 for replacement of a hot water dispenser (the part cost from a comprehensive search at multiple vendors ranges between $30-200).
Basically what they do: they get an arbitrary quotation from a random vendor to please the landlord and the new tenants, and simply pass on the costs to the old tenant.
I asked them for a receipt of the part cost, they sent me a receipt with random line items and a bottom-line figure of $1,150 without any further explanation. When I inquired further, they mentioned they will get additional quotations as reference and never got back to me.
(1.c) They charged me $125 for a bathroom sink stopper that costs somewhere between ($2 to $5). Furthermore, that stopper was NOT included as an issue in the formal move-out inspection report. ARBITARRY CHARGES. INFLATED CHARGES.
(1.d) I changed all light bulbs upon moving out. They still had 3 bulbs reported burnt. Considering that I moved out 2 weeks earlier than my lease end date, I will give them the benefit of doubt and assume the 3 bulbs were burned. What did they charge me? $90!!! Ninety Dollars for changing 3 regular light bulbs. ARBITRARILY INFLATED CHARGES.
(1.e) I occupied the property for 3 years. The backyard had a screen door, facing the backyard. They reported (Holes on the screen door) in the inspection report. Very nor read more