Getting Ripped Off (apartment complex, lease, attorney)

[VJP]

^^ Holy crap! I pay 26 dollars every two months for water service to dekalb county and I live in a 2100 sq ft SFH. I used to live in an apartment where ista was the billing aggregator and they used to charge a 4.95 admin fee. I found that other friends living in Ista managed properties would have no admin fee, or their trash would be 8 bucks and mine was 5 ....seems like they get to negotiate with the apartment complex a little and seems like there's a racket going on here.

I think it is time to discuss with the local BBB and inquire at the chamber of commerce or a consumer group on how to take action and quickly. You could get a class action style petition or movement going, that would get these people's attention quickly that everyone is on to their racket. Unfortunately, you can't NOT pay without facing serious consequences.

BTW - welcome to America, where they nickel and dime you to death

[cityhopper]

I, too, as a renter have issues with how apartment complexes in this area handle water/sewage/trash fees. For instance, before I signed the lease I was told specifically trash was included. Nothing in the lease stated there was an additional flat fee for trash. That is until I received my bill for water and sewage and couldn't understand why the bill was over $50 for one month...then I phone the company which told me the apartment complex charges a flat $20 fee for trash in the water/sewage bill. I find that EXTREMELY excessive.

The fees are not so much of a problem as the complete LACK of disclosure. I have NEVER had the amount of "unexpected" surprises from additional fees and issues with maintenance than I have in the metro. I have lived in both the North and South sides of the city; in decent and very nice communities.

[YARDGOAT]

I think thats unfair,but dont know about the legal end of it.If the lease offiice cant help ,maybe a quick talk to a lawyer might help.On my cable and phone bill i pay a franchise fee,i think if im helping pay them back for there investment i should share on the profit.But know that will never happen.Good luck to you............YG

[springfm]

hello everybody,

today i was checking heartland regional power company listing into secretary of state website that where it is located and who is the owner of it, along with that i also looked at the the connor group; and my surprise both the company's have same register office "6485 Centerville Business Parkway CENTERVILLE OH 45459". and their registered agent are also same "C T Copr Process company"

[robk268]

I too am being charged these very high rates by the Hearland Regional Power Company owned by the Connor Group. Did you know that if you are late paying the bill for $72.50 (8.98 water; 32.69 sewer; 9.99 trash; 6.86 common electric; 5.99 pest control and 7.99 administration fee) you will then be charged a late fee of $21.99. I have never heard of a 30% late fee on utilities. Additionally they charge an activation Fee of $24.99 and a $19.99 disconnect fee. Be sure that you never pay with a check that bounces since they also tack on a $45.00 fee for a returned check.

[CinciOhio]

Beware of their late fees. I was charged $18.50 for a 73 cent oversight on my last bill. Boy, this Conner Group is scary.

[cityhopper]

I have lived in a ton of cities and have never seen such obscene charges on "servicing" the service which should be in the cost of being charged for the service.

My lease is ending very soon and two things I will avoid, Connor Group (no experience with them directly), Infinite Energy (or gas service period), and OP Technology. All of them are ripoffs.

The perils of being a renter in Atlanta. I have yet to have one good rental experience in this city. I guess you must have been $1500 plus to get a "decent" experience.

[Buckhead Betty1]

Contact your local news station. They have investigative reporters that will look into these matters for you and put the findings on tv. That's what I would do. Totally blast them publicly! Then they would have to answer.
What apartment complexes are these so I know never to rent from them?

[InkedParrot]

Originally Posted by Buckhead Betty1

Contact your local news station. They have investigative reporters that will look into these matters for you and put the findings on tv. That's what I would do. Totally blast them publicly! Then they would have to answer.
What apartment complexes are these so I know never to rent from them?

Very good idea!! Here on the West Coast a lot of the news station do local investigation stories into corrupt business practices and it usually get answers.

[samiwas1]

This is what is happening everywhere. As corporate conglomerates become the overseers of outsourced billing, they will jack up the costs in any way possible, especially by adding "administrative charges" and "service fees". It's all in the name of generating profit. Companies like this no longer give a crap about providing decent service and having happy (long-time or repeat) customers. It's about generating profit quickly by any means necessary. But the bubble usually bursts at some point and these companies go out of business, or just start up a new one.

Thankfully, my house has none of these types of things. And I'm pretty sure my apartment only had one outsourced utility, but it was metered per unit. I don't think I would rent from a place that used one of those corporate outsourced deals.