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| Harbour Walk Apartments also Complete Care LLC STEALING ELECTRICITY TO RENT APARTMENTS: FOUND OUT $1400 and only 30 days LATER TAMPA, Florida |
| 5th of Dec, 2011 by User775947 |
| APARTMENT COMPLEX RESPONSIBLE FOR STEALING TAMPA ELECTRIC AND RENTING ILLEGAL UNITS: Harbour Walk ApartmentsOn October 13, 2011, owner of Complete Care, LLC, Keith agreed to subletting an apartment to myself. Apparently HarbourWalk staff does not have the sound ability to pay their vendors, therefore they allow them to sublet various units throughout the apartment; I was to sublet 8368 Crystal Harbour Drive, Apt 202.I paid $800 for rent, $400 deposit, and later in the month a $200 pet fee. I had not problems whatsoever until rent was due on the 15th On Thursday, November 10th, Keith sent me a text message to advise me of his 'wife's' cellular number so I can be in touch with her when the rent is due (he assumed that I would be paying the rent earlier). His wife, Juanita contacted me on Friday, November 11th, in attempts to meet up with me and collect the rent. She also states to me "Brandi, did Keith tell you that you may be responsible for your own lightbill in the near future? Because we have been receiving notices that Tampa ELECTRIC will no longer furnish the lights, due to the office (HarbourWalk) changes". I advised her "no" I was not aware of this, but I have to do what I have to do, as long as it is not sudden because I work from home. She stated that it wouldn't be a problem because they had be in business for nearly a year. - Juanita contacted me on Sunday morning to leave a voicemessage stating that she was in the area and wanted to know if she could come and pick up the rent. Well because she is 10 minutes away, living in WestChase I became a little concerned with the urgency of picking up the rent when it wasnt due until Tuesday the 15th, because due to location she would always be in the area. Tuesday, while sitting home working my power was shut off. I attempted to contact Keith, who by the way was convieniently out of town during this initial issue, and Juanita via text message.9774 Neither responded for a half an hour, so I decided to call Keith. He acted as if he hadn't received my message and he would contact his wife to call TECO. Juanita called back and began to try and carefully choose her words. "Omg, Brandi, didn't WE just talk about you changing over the lights." She said this twice as if someone else was to be listening in on the conversation.I advised her that I needed to have the lights back on immediately because I work from home and I SOLEly depend on my computer services to work. She advised that she would be calling TECO and putting in an emergency 'work order' for the lights to be turned back on the same day. She then asked me to contact TECO and inquire about a deposit for my own use of lights; I obliged. I spoke with Melvin at Tampa Electric and he advised that the deposit would be X amount of dollars. Due to sudden curiousity I asked what time the service tech would be out to turn the lights back on. Melvin advised that there was no work order on the address. He began to dig into the account of this UNIT more. He was able to inform me that the address hadn't been billed since August. I called Juanita and asked her the status of the lights and she informed that they would be on aroun 4pm. I okayed her. At 4 pm I texted her and asked of the status and she replied that it would be a little later because it was "too hot" outside. I replied: "What does the heat have to do with anything?" Juanita then called my phone, laughing, to tell me she was referring to "personnel and tenants in the area"I, then began to question how the lights were going to be on, because TECO had no work order in place. Juanita advised that I "didnt need to worry about how the lights were going to be on, just know that they will be on." Then her next question was "When can I pick up the rent?"I informed her that I didn't know what they were up to and that I wasn't really interested in knowing at this point, but I would pay the rent as soon as Tampa Electric was able to cut on the lights in my own name. She (Juanita) was upset with this news, but she eventually okayed.Ashley, a collections representative of TECO called to advise me that she needed a copy of my lease and identification to be faxed. After a series of attempted faxes, they finally received my information on November 19th. Between the 15th and the 19th I placed mtiple calls to Tampa Electric to find more information. After speaking with one woman, whose name I failed to notate, she advised that the bills at the proposed address was so high during the previous months, due to unexplained activity, that the collections department needed to verify that I am not the cause of the high bill. In the meantime, Juanita is still attempting to collect the rent. I advised her that I would pay the rent minus the $200 for deposit and she replied "why should I pay rent somewhere where I do not lay my head?" I advised her that as a business professional she is supposed to hold up her end of the bargain and the lights sudden disconnect, and the fact that I don't seem to be in the position to obtain lights at this address for what ever reason. She immediately advised that if I didn't want to pay the rent then I could move my things out of the apartment the next day. I informed her that they would definitely be an issue and we mutually agreed to disconnect the call. Her husband, Keith began sending a series of multiple text messages in attempts to "find out what is going on". I advised him of the situation, which I was sure at this point, he was listening in on anyway. He called my phone and began to change the tone of his voice after attempting to negotiate the rent. I advised the two that I would just be moving within 30 days, because this is such an incovenience. He became upset and went from wanting me to pay the whole $800 for rent, to wanting me to pay $400 to stay for 30 days. I was upfront and honest when I advised that I don't feel comfortable handing over my money to someone who THANKED me for not going to the office and who had the lights turned back on in the apartment while I was away, but TAMPA ELECTRIC had no awareness of this. Juanita began to go the extremities of telling me why I should pay the rent. One of her reasons was because her husband went through extreme measures to furnish me with illegal lights. I advised her that I was comfortable with a business professional performing illegal acts just to get the rent. After a series of phone conversations with Juanita, ranging from "Oh my gosh brandi, I know you didnt expect everything to be legit, I mean come on we posted an ad on craigslist" to "This is so petty Brandi, you're the only tenant that has made a big deal of nothing, just move by December 5th"I knew at this point, he and she did not want me to raise a big fuss.I began my own investigation of the premises. Upon my research I would count the meters in my building everyday that I would leave and return home (this started on November 15th). Everyday there was a serious of 4 to 5 meters that were being exchanged out and Teco was ever in the area. I also came home one evening around 6-6:30 and the whole maintenance crew was out in the area, an apartment was being shown (it was just about dark and the office was closed. I began traveling daily to a family members home to use the internet service to work (me and my two puppies, which I would never leave alone). WEDNESDAY, Thanksgiving EVE, I My lights were disconnected again on November 21st and I went to my bedroom window which has a view of vehicles leaving a cul de sac by the meters outside; no vehicle was seen leaving. Instead I saw a woman carry a brown plastic bag, scratching her head and looking around in the direction of where my apartment stood (the universal sign that she was up to no good). I always had someone staying the night over due to my uncomfortability. I had my house guest run to the window to see what I saw and provide her own analysis. i still failed to see the Teco van leaving the premises. I did see Keith, the Complete Care van parked in the corner from where the young lady was walking to with the brown paper bag.I knew that the lease apparently was not approved. I made plans to relocate once I seek legal advice. After leaving my apartment on the morning of Thanksgiving Eve, I didn't return until approximately midnight that night. My locks that I had personally purchased the week prior had been changed to an interior door lock.Due to all of the events leading, I changed my locks the week before (after I had the unpleasant series of calls from Keith and Juanita). I had a friend contact Keith because he was aware of all of the things going on, due to being with me everyday and listening to the ridiculous phone calls.Keith eventually showed to the apartment and acted as if he was not aware of what was going on. He remained in the stairway waiting for "emergency" maintenance to come and unlock the door. Upon waiting, I overheard him telling whomever was on the other end of his line, that he needed to have the door opened because he was letting "us" stay here for a few days because we didn't have anywhere to go....? (I had my uncle with me who overheard the same comment)Approximately 2 am a maintenance rep came and unlocked the doors. He looked at me with the strangest look when he drove off, but I didn't pay him any attention until I went into the apartment and found lighting and discovered that MOSTly ALL of my things had been stolen out of the apartment.I failed to mention previously that Keith came and stated that maintenance accidentally changed the locks because they had the apartment listed on the vacant list.I contacted the Sherriff's department and went through most details, but he was able to piece the scenario together himself.Keith attempted to seem concerned, while his wife sent me a series of text messages in attempts to obtain a portion of the rent because of his "good deed" of coming out fore day in the morning and unlocking locks that should have never been changed. Keith told me to come into the office the next day because he would need to speak with someone in the office to find out what was going on. I wasn't enthused at his inclination, because office personnel at this point were someway apart of this fiasco.The next morning upon arriving to the office and speaking with Steve (maybe Stevie) he advised that he was waiting on Angela the manager to get back with them before they knew what steps to take in trying to resolve this issue. I informed him of the other events that led to my belongings being missing and he began to advise me that "per company policy" that are not allowed to have subletters, but they were "aware that Keith was renting out apartment". I asked him was he aware that this was a liability, because I couldn't even obtain electricity and he states "Well Brandi that is why it is AGAINST company policy", assenuating the AGAINST word. When asked to speak to someone in management in the back office, he attempted to get Lisa (assistant manager) to speak with me and aparently she would not so she sent steve to tell me that had no news for me that I would have to wait on the property manager. During this time, my friend who is FLUENT in spanish was sitting outside listening to a conversation between two men. One was questioning the other as to why I was in the office, and the other replied that I was trying to find out what happened to my things; he also told the other gentlemen that maybe they should stop speaking because they felt he could possibly understand the language (and he could). Steve came out the office and attempted to give me lessons on how to pick an interior door lock to get into the apartment. I asked him to have maintenance meet me over there to assist with the maintanence issue. After asking him 3 different times he finally obliged and sent someone to the unit. Steve also agreed that it was "strange that you should mention the TECO meters because a technician came out yesterday" and asked for clarification on which of the 4 meterless units was in need of a meter for electricity and they told him neither. (I feel that this was my building). This is why all of a sudden my unit was mistaken for the vacant list. I came back to the office an hour later and demanded to speak to the manager that was in the office. She was the most UNPLEASANT individual in a role of a professional that I've ever encountered. She looked at me as if I was wasting her time by interrupting her day. She looked me in my face and told me that YES, maintenance had permission to change the locks, it was an error, and NO ONE went in my apartment and stole anything. She repeated this twice, basically telling me that I'm a liar. I then mentioned that I would waste anyones time especially not mine by filing a ficticious police report for something that wasn't there. I also advised her of the lights, which I mentioned I had taken pictures for a few weeks (but this was not true, I merely wanted a reaction out of her since she was otherwise lifeless in the conversation). She advised all of her information as a matter of factly and she told me that when her boss called her back and told her what to do she would call. While in the midst of our conversation, the maintenance gentlemen came in a side door as if he was looking for something. And she states "he just came in". and looked at me as if I should continue the conversation. I pleaded that she just tell maintanance to return all of my items which were new and it wouldnt be an issue.She looked at me again and began shaking her head TELLING me that NO ONE went in my apartment. UNBELIEVABLE. What Lisa or Keith knew was that Steve informed me, during our own conversation, that Keith was no longer going to be given the two-bedroom units and that he was given until the 1st of December to move his things to another building from the unit I was in. So technically, if he was given this notification, maintenance or whomever had permission to change the locks went in and STOLE all of his belongings. He is essentially a part of the maintenance and cleaning crew. He has relationships with these people after working within the company for close to a year (from what he told me). I constantly see him on the premises, so there is no way that he was out of the loop or nor was there any miscommunication with that unit. Lisa also mentioned that the maintenance rep could see that lights weren't on and he merely changed the locks. The lights had not been disconnected for long there was no stale or awkward feel or smell, so there was no way that the lock changer would've been able to tell this if he stood at the steps (as they stated) and changed the locks, accidentally. After seeing that Lisa should not have been in management I told her that I would wait on her call by 5pm. She called shortly after (approximately 30 minutes later) and told me "Hi Brandi, I spoke with my manager, Angela and she FEELS the same way I do; No one is going to jeopardize their job by going into your apartment; no one went in and stole anything". This is exactly how she spoke to me as if I'm in the business of lying. She also mentioned that she would "need to get a copy of the case number I have with the police report you state you filed". I told her that I was on another side of town and I could read her the numbers off of the officer's business card. She says: "Sure, I will go ahead and write it down, but when you're back on the side of town I need to make a copy of what you state you have" I told her one moment I would get her Officer Fisher's phone number, but I ended up disconnecting the call because she seems to talk as if I was lying and at the same time trying to make me out of a fool to believe that my locks were accidentally changed but the missingTELEVISION (FLAT SCREEN BRAND NEW) X-BOX AND CONTROLLERS AND GAME BRAND NEW PRINTER/FAX/SCANNER CABINET FULL OF TOILETRIES My entire kitchen was decorated in Coca-Cola which cost me close to $600 (coke refrig..etc) ALL GONE BRAND NEW GEORGE FOREMEN GRILL FINGER PRINTLESS TRASH CAN (WHICH THEY DUMPED ALL THE TRASH OUT ON THE CARPET) CABINET OF TOILETRIES (SOAP, TOOTHPASTE, MOUTHWASH, ETC) I just purchased decorative cartoon USB FLASH DRIVES from china to put on ebay (ALL STOLEN) They did not have keys to my locks because I changed them the week prior, so force was made to get into the unit. The top and bottom lock had a key that I just purchased at home depot. Now I wonder if my fact that my tire had two puncture holes and went flat the week prior when everything came to light, had something to do with this. Keith showed up to the apartment, with a gun in his back pants (he don't know me and my friend (a male) saw this). He went from stopping all maintenance personnel and supposedly questioning them, to hanging out having a conversation with them in the distance while I waiting in the parking lot for answers. The officer asked that I obtain his license plates number if I could. I took this opportunity to ride through the entire complex looking for his vehichle and when I reached the backside of the complex, which is one way in, one way out....the maintenance supervisor came out of his apartment, on the phone, looking around. Had Keith notified him to look and see what I was up to?...This is something that I hope a single mom, with kids don't have to experience. I have been forced to move for lack of electricity and no one has attempted to research the issue of my missing belongings and the lock. |
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