I've been a renter several times in my life, and I do not make this statement lightly: Jay Moukadam, and his company, are the most dishonest, ethically bankrupt property managers I have ever had the misfortune of dealing with. I'll also state clearly that never, to the best of my knowledge, did Jay do anything illegal. But from the first day we dealt with him, to the nightmarish experience of retrieving our damage deposit, Jay was dishonest, manipulative, and consistently negotiated in bad faith.
He and his partner, Louie, were as charming as possible during lease negotiation process, assuring us that all documents were standard, all of the house's minor blemishes would be repaired, and that a handshake was as good as a contract. Louie took photos to establish the house's condition, to be kept on file in the office. Regrettably, we didn't take our own photos; we were assured that it wouldn't be necessary. After the ink dried on the lease, the tone changed: requested copies of the move-in photos were never provided. Requested move-in repairs were not performed; "spoken contracts" were conveniently forgotten. Jay was rude and degrading to my wife, and dismissed her concerns about necessary repairs. He challenged us to move out if we didn't like it. We learned that the lease was written in a non-standard way to give extreme advantage to the management company in all matters of dispute, and final say of what constituted expected repairs, or wear and tear.
When the time came to move out of the rental and retrieve our damage deposit, the dishonesty kicked into high gear. The "before" photos that had been held in the office were suddenly "lost". Jay not only had the chutzpah to mock me for not taking my own photos, he lied through his teeth about the "before" condition of the house, trying to swindle me for brand-new whole-house carpeting and hardwood floors. It was only the chance discovery of a second set of photos on my part, and some quick research into tenant's rights, that saved me from losing thousands of dollars, in addition to my damage deposit. All of this while conducting a high-stress out-of-state move (something Jay was aware of, and exploited ruthlessly.)
If you must do business with Jay Moukadam, let me offer this advice: consider his words to be of no value whatsoever. Assume that he will never honor a spoken promise. Conduct all business via e-mail, and keep a written record of conversations. Never assume that a contract is standard or written in good faith; always get it checked by a second party. Assume his "helpful tips" are outright lies. Prepare to be bullied and intimidated. You are dealing with a crook who knows the legal system backwards and forwards, and salivates at the prospect of bleeding you dry. read more