Why you absolutely SHOULD NOT RENT FROM PEAK PROPERTY GROUP, EVER. There are a lot of reasons I wish I had never rented with them. Here are just a few.
-They bribe people to leave five star reviews.
-Stupid lease terms.
-Stupid renewal terms.
-Massive yearly rent increase.
-Shady and unscrupulous business practices.
-Office never picks up the phone.
-No outdoor or common area maintenance.
-No guaranteed parking, even if you pay for it.
-Pest infestations.
First of all, they bribe people to leave good reviews with free and discounted rent drawings and gift cards. I.e, "Leave us a five star review on Google and you'll be entered in a drawing to get $100 off your next month of rent!" So take that into account when you're reading through their reviews.
Their "OSU" properties have ridiculous leases. It doesn't matter when you sign the lease, it ends in July. So you may not even have 12 months at your place before they raise your rent or kick you out. They won't tell you that upfront.
You have to tell them if you want to renew for the next year by the end of September, which, if you did sign your lease in July, is only two months after you moved in. If you don't, they consider your unit available and will start showing it to people immediately. Eight months to go until your lease is up? They'll show your unit to potential renters all eight months, Monday through Friday, anytime between 9AM and 5PM. Hope you enjoy having your space constantly invaded by a parade of strangers months and months before you even begin looking for another place to live. If you change your mind between October and July and decide you want to renew, they'll let you (at a price even higher than what your renewal rate would have been), as long as your unit hasn't already been rented by someone else. Again, they won't tell you any of this upfront.
The increase in rent is beyond uncalled for. This was the nail in the coffin for me. I thought it was a typo. We're talking MULTIPLE HUNDREDS of dollars increase. They do nothing to warrant an increase of that much. I might be more understanding if the building or unit were drastically improved, but they weren't. If you think you're getting a place at a decent price, beware! Once your renewal time comes, you'll be paying hundreds more a month if you want to stay.
Record all conversation you have with them, or get the exchange in writing. You'll be told one thing, only to be told something completely different by the same person later. They'll condescend to you when you bring this to their attention, insisting that you must be remembering incorrectly.
The office never answers their phone. Ever. Good luck trying to get ahold of anyone. You'll always have to wait for them to call you back at their convenience, which could take a week. Enjoy playing phone tag.
They say they'll do snow and ice removal, but they don't. The outdoor walkways and steps were never shoveled or treated for ice. They also neglect to repair outdoor and common area issues like steps, fences, porch lights, concrete, door knobs, hallway lights, hand rails, etc.
You're not guaranteed your parking spot, even if you pay for it. If you email them (because you can't ever reach them via phone) with issues, like a neighbor's guest parking in your spot, they'll tell you to work it out your own.
Pests. What kind? Take your pick. Too bad the critters you're sharing your apartment with aren't helping out with the rent. If you don't like seeing mice and rats run across your floor, get a cat. The cat would do a better job at extermination than Peak would.
These are just a few of the issues you'll be dealing with if you sign a lease with these slumlords. Don't let pictures of shiny appliances or updated shower tile fool you. These people pray on young college kids who can't or won't stand up for themselves, and they take advantage of that. If you want even an "ok" rental experience, do not choose them. But if you like being bent over, then by all means, rent your next home from Peak Property Group. read more