RentalApartment False Advertising... Please help (Dallas, Howe: apartment complex, rental, neighborhood)

[New2DallasTexas]

Hi Y'all,

Yesterday, in the late afternoon, my wife got the keys to our new rental apartment in North Dallas.

We had signed a 1 year lease before the specific apartment was available to be seen, since right now, the apartments seem to go really fast. We needed to live in that neighborhood since we do not drive (we are relatively new to Texas as we are from NYC where most people do not have cars) and need to live with in walking distance to a particular address that we need to go everyday to [Sorry to say, the public bus transportation here in Dallas is unfortunately to say at this point is still too infrequent and unreliable to be dependent on].

My wife took pictures which look quite different than what we saw in the model apartment/other apartment in the complex or the pictures on the website (They had showed us the model apartment and then another time were allowed to see a similar apartment in the complex because the specific apartment we we going to lease was still occupied). Specifically the cabinets are completely different as in old/worn out and totally cheaper style. Also there is some water damage to the sink area (warped underneath the sink along with water spots on the cabinetry) along with what appears to be a bit of mold.

My wife and I had discussed the bad signs that I noticed when visiting the apartment complex [plus the various website like Yelp that had some negative reviews]. The management rarely answers the phone, does not return messages left on the voice mail, usually fails to respond to email, etc. It seems to be owned by a out of state management company and they probably do not realize or care how their onsite staff is so poorly mismanaging the place since maybe all they are interested in is that the apartments are all rented out (could be that they are even happy with saving money/time/labor in not having to update the apartments). However we still needed to live there as there were no apartments in the area available (no vacancies).

I feel that it was like a bait and switch situation. They probably felt that since we already had signed the lease before looking at the actual apartment (and gave them the remained of the month's rent before giving us the keys to the apartment), they could get away with not updating the apartment (to the standards of the model apartment/the other apartment that they showed us/pictures of the typical apartments on the website) when the previous tenant vacated the apartment (I feel sorry for the previous tenant for having to live with those conditions...).

I am very not happy. I do realize that we are still fortunate to have a roof over our heads and so many people are suffering with a homelessness as well as the horrible COVID-19 plague that has killed so many people around the world. So I hope I do not sound too whinny...

They gave my wife a check list of things that I need to note if there is any sort of problems with the and I have to return it to the management office which they will compare to when we move out in a year.

Should I mention my dissatisfaction to the management when handing in their check list? Now that they 'got us', what recourse do we have? What would you recommend that we do? I greatly appreciate it! Thank you so much in advance for your kind responses

[Think of it this way: you buy a car at the dealership that has plush seats and when you finally get the car you see that the seats that you got are not plush at all {I do not know anything about cars].

[ChristieP]

https://txtenants.org/

Ask this organization for help.

[tmtex]

You will need a car

[New2DallasTexas]

Originally Posted by ChristieP

https://txtenants.org/

Ask this organization for help.

I appreciate that. I gave them a call and left a message.

Watched their youtube video and they explained habitability. Worn out/damaged cabinets are cosmetic and not really affecting the safety of the inhabitants so from my understanding it would not be an issue of habitability. I do not know if this would mean anything... going through the landlord/tenant court could result in a record that would possibly cause me to be discriminated for future rental properties.

[WorldKlas]

Sorry this happened and I do believe you are pretty stuck. But that doesn’t prevent you from making lots and lots of noise with the rental office so they may agree to move you to a more appealing unit when one is available.

For now, if you don’t hear lots of neighbor noises or the hallways don’t reek of pot or food smells, consider that a real blessing. So many apartments are cosmetically appealing but awful, noisy or stinky neighbors can but such a damper on happiness at home.

BTW, public transportation in Dallas is reliable.

[New2DallasTexas]

Originally Posted by WorldKlas

Sorry this happened and I do believe you are pretty stuck. But that doesn’t prevent you from making lots and lots of noise with the rental office so they may agree to move you to a more appealing unit when one is available.

For now, if you don’t hear lots of neighbor noises or the hallways don’t reek of pot or food smells, consider that a real blessing. So many apartments are cosmetically appealing but awful, noisy or stinky neighbors can but such a damper on happiness at home.

BTW, public transportation in Dallas is reliable.

I do hope we do not have to deal with smells and noise. Yelp comments for the complex have stated that is an issue as well, along with crime. The issue is that if the management office is able to be so lackadaisical about basic commitments, then what ensures that they will make sure that the rest of the quality of life/environmental/safety factors will be given any concern whatsoever.

Wordklas, I do appreciate what you say and thank you for your kind advice. However as someone without a car and therefore at the kind mercies of the DART system, I must be honest and tell you that NYC has a better public bus transportation system (e.g. there are routes that buses are only scheduled for once an hour, some routes are not working on Sundays or go on an abridged route, the app shows on the map that the bus is passed you at the bus stop there but actually the driver did not show up so what you are seeing is a ghost, the bus is late by 15+ minutes, even after taking a bus, one still has to walk 20+ minutes to get to one's destination, etc.). I do appreciate that DART is better than many cities in the USA, but not to a degree that makes traveling convenient.

[Rakin]

Same reason I never believe those photos restaurants like McDonalds post of their food. It always looks better than what you get.

I've never gotten a Double Mac that looked anywhere like the one advertised.

I would always want to see the real apartment I was getting.

[turf3]

Well, are you really surprised that the public transport in New York City, the largest city in the US with 8.8 million people and a density of 27,800 per sq. mi., where they've been developing a subway system since the late 1800s, is more developed than that of Dallas, a city of 1.3 million and a density of 3960/sq. mi.?

Trust me, you need to get cars and drivers' licenses, chop chop. That would also allow you to move to better apartments at a reasonable commuting distance.

[ChristieP]

It is safe to say that NYC has the best public transit system in the entire USA, with only Washington DC even close. You will need a car in DFW. It is very, very difficult to live here without one.

[veuvegirl]

You’ll need a car in Dallas. The transportation system is subpar to any metropolitan area. That would be my first priority in your shoes.