ComplaintsforMid-Ohio Development Corporation

• Initial Complaint

  11/13/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The Mid-Ohio Development company is a *********** development company. I'm a leasee for the property since 11/1/2022, and have renewed my yearly lease according to their requirements. However, this year I am moving into another unit with another leasee, and they have requested our 401K retirement accounts as form of collateral. Mid-Ohio Development has violated privacy laws. The new rent agreement begins on 11/15/24 in the amount of $1,148 per month.

  Business response

  11/13/2024

  I think there might be some confusion regarding your co-applicant application.  I am confused in regards to you saying you were asked to show proof of your 401K account as collateral.   We do not accept collateral.   If an applicant does not have rental history, they are required to have a co-signer unless their income is 4 times the monthly rent.   Per the rental guidelines, proof of income can be achieved through periodic payments and/or lump sum balances.  Your co-applicant provided her 401K statement as proof of income, along with her paystubs.  There were no privacy laws violated.

• Initial Complaint

  04/12/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  - Discrimination against residents living in unrenovated apartments by providing a lower standard of maintenance compared to renovated apartments. - As of 4/1/23, they implemented new rules and regulations that would lead to eviction if not adhered to. This includes putting a bird feeder next to your living room window, using more than 3 decorations, using any decorations outside of the small patch of mulch next to your door, forbiddance of anything on the windowsills, and the requirement that all curtains must be white. On 4/17, they have notified tenants that they will rip out any perennials planted by tenants. - Due to their company structure, it is impossible to speak with anybody in the organization other than the office of your complex, which is managed by somebody who must refer to an unknown, uncontactable supervisor to answer questions. - Groundskeeping is appalling, with most work going toward beautifying the front part of the complex. Despite my requests, I still have exclusively dead bushes in front of my apartment. They ripped out a perfectly healthy flowering bush that was lovely and replaced it with straw and grass. They did work on my neighbor's bush in 2017 that caused the bottom half to die. It has never recovered. - I do not object to things like chairs and bikes needing to be stored in garages, as this is entirely reasonable. I also understand the restrictions on grills. In summary, I did not sign up for an HOA and if these changes are not addressed in a reasonable time, me and other tenants will seek alternative avenues.

  Business response

  04/13/2023

  Due to items being placed in common mulch beds throughout the community we have limited everyone to the use of the mulch bed directly next to their front door.  We have also adjusted rules and regulations regarding items that are and are not allowed to improve the appearance of the community.  These rules include all residents living in the community.  The initial notice regarding the changes was sent out in January.  Every resident was informed that the new rules would be in place beginning March 1st to allow everyone enough time to make adjustments for the changes. Additional notices have been sent out to residents who have not yet made the proper changes.    

  We budget for the maintenance of landscaping and replace landscaping as the budget allows at the end of the year.  If you have a shrub that need attention, let the office know and we will be sure to take a look at it in November when we decide which shrubs we are removing or replacing. 

  We have a strict policy of treating every resident the same. If you could be more specific as to how residents in renovated apartments are being treated differently than residents in apartments that are not renovated, I can look into that situation. We do not offer a direct line of communication to the supervisors of the property management team.  Any issues or concerns should be addressed with the Property Manager who will answer you questions or contact someone for an answer and the Property Manager will respond to you.  If you are not receiving a response from the Property Manager regarding your concerns, please let me know.

  Customer response

  04/14/2023

  -  First off, our property manager is fantastic. She is communicative, prompt, and understanding. Unfortunately, she is not a decision maker. Every time a non-standard question is asked, she has to speak with a supervisor (whose name we don't know and who we cannot contact). The people who are making decisions about communities that they aren't living in have also made it impossible for residents to talk to them directly. She is also not the one who decides what blinds or other replacements we get. You do not treat every resident the same - or whoever chooses those replacements doesn't. One resident living in a non-renovated apartment who has lived here for several years had her blinds replaced. Instead of the nice slat blinds that the renovated apartments received, she received cheap blinds that filter the light at best, not block. That is not treating everyone to the same standard. 

  - Some of the new rules are great. The problem is that we did not sign up for an HOA, and based on the conversations I've had in the last few days with other residents, you did not ask anybody if they wanted a "uniform" appearance to the community. In fact, several residents who have no decoration in their area said that they will miss the decorations by residents who do. Please advise how the determination of uniformity was decided upon, and who is hurt by a birdfeeder next to my living room window? (I already spoke with the neighbor whose door faces my window and they like having birdsong, so they aren't bothered. And I use no-waste birdseed.)

  - I have asked for my shrubs to be fixed and they were trimmed down to a bundle of sticks poking out of the ground. I hate it and accept that there is a limited budget. But why is it that we have to live with worse landscaping in the back of the complex without also being able to improve/beautify the space? 

  My complaint is about a complete disconnect by the members of management who actually make the decisions and the tenants whose lives they are impacting. If you are unable to find the budget to make the back half of the complex look as nice as the front half where prospective residents mostly spend their time, then allow us more than a 5x5 square next to our front doors. If you're going to keep jacking up the rent every year despite the increased cost of living in Columbus, at least offer new services as well. I've researched Mid-Ohio Development and they are extremely successful. Surely they could afford recycling bins or nicer common spaces than a rickety park bench or someone to take care of the bushes they plant so the budget isn't getting wasted on bushes that immediately die. And if we cannot speak directly with decision makers, please advise why they do not want to speak with us.

  Business response

  04/17/2023

  The initial response addressed all concerns.  There will be no further comment from Mid-Ohio Development.

• Initial Complaint

  01/08/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Business is charging exorbitant fees to rent month to month that is not standard for the area of said rental complex. Currently charging 150 dollars per month following a 12 month lease to stay in the property. Area is economically disadvantaged, rural, and with an unfortunate rental market. Business also boasts that they WILL charge for carpet cleaning for every move out despite being only for "normal wear and tear."

  Business response

  01/10/2023

  We conduct quarterly market studies and our MTM fees and S/T premiums are actually lower than most of our competitors.  We only charge for carpet cleaning if the carpet has not been cleaned prior to move out, and this is an industry standard, as well. 

  Customer response

  01/10/2023

  it is inaccurate. Carpet cleaning can only be charged for wear and tear beyond normal. No complexes charge MTM fee in muskingum county. Did not explain what fees are for.  

  
  

  Customer response

  01/11/2023

  an apartment complex with a waiting list has no reason to charge a month to month fee nor a < 12 month lease fee. Also, for your information, examples of reasonable wear and tear
  Faded or peeling paint
  Water stains in the shower
  Small marks, nicks and nail holes in the wall
  Light dirt or marks on the carpet
  Worn down rugs and carpet
  Re-keying the lock when you leave
  
  Regards,
  
  Sara Pieren

  Business response

  01/12/2023

  I agree with what you consider normal wear and tear.  I am not sure what the issue is since you haven't moved out & have not been charged any move out charges.  We do have a waiting list most, if not all the time.  This is more the reason why we would charge a MTM fee.  It is advantageous to us, as a company, to have a resident locked in to 12-month lease so we have a better idea of when they will be moving out.  Again, the higher MTM fee is a market standard and I am sorry you don't agree with it.  I don't know what more you are expecting, but the MTM fee still stands. 

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩