u/bri_1975

I posted about this before but now I have sort of an update.
At the end of May, my boyfriend and I submitted an application to apply for a specific unit, half of a duplex, in an apartment complex. We got approved for that unit and we toured it for the first time on June 1. The upstairs had a lingering odor of cat urine, but we agreed that we wanted the apartment despite this. It had been vacant for a month sitting in the heat so we hoped maybe airing it out and cleaning would help. Also, rentals are VERY slim in our area and this is the first we’ve found that was within our budget, nice, and checked all of our boxes.
We were given a move in date of June 8th and the lease signing process was explained to us.
Later that evening after our tour, I texted the property manager and told her that we were willing to try managing the odor, but we were wondering if something could be added into the lease or put into writing somewhere that management would continue to address the issue if it persisted after we moved in. She replied by saying that she was not comfortable moving us or anyone else into the unit with that level of odor and that we needed to postpone our move-in date so that they could address the issue.
They ended up replacing all of the carpets and the subfloor is within the unit and we re-toured the apartment on June 8. This time the smell was completely gone, except for inside of the closet in the master bedroom in this closet. There was a structure that was built over top of the cavity above the staircase. The piece of wood that covered this structure was stained and seemed to be the remaining isolated source of the issue. The property manager asked if we still wanted it and we said yes. She assured us this was a quick “10 minute fix.” She told us that she was going on vacation that week but she would put in the maintenance request before she left for vacation so we should expect to have a move in date the next week.
What followed was 2.5 weeks of complete silence. I didn’t reach out the rest of the week of June 8th because I knew she was on vacation, but we also heard nothing the entire week of June 15th. I sent a few texts to her throughout the week and attempted calling the main office and left voicemails and received no response. We were very confused because we’d literally been making preparations to move in.
She did not reach back out to us until June 23rd. She sent me a text apologizing for the delay and stated that they were continuing with additional remodeling due to the odor issue. She offered to call us that evening to talk.
On this phone call she actually said that they had discovered “extensive water damage” and that even the tenant in the occupied half of the other unit had to be vacated. We asked if the unit could be held for us since we were willing to wait for it and she just said she “didn’t know” and that there was “no timeline” for the repairs. She offered to let us tour another unit in the same complex and we scheduled for that Saturday. She said she’d send over conformation information which she never did.
On the Friday before our scheduled tour (June 26th) she texted me and said that we had to cancel the tour because the current tenant wasn’t fully moved out yet and she’d let us know when it would be ready. I said okay and again asked if I could have a clearer answer on the original duplex since that’s the one we’d been preparing to move into. We understood that there was no timeline but since it was in fact being prepared, if we were willing to wait a few more months for it couldn’t we just be the first call when it was done?
She didn’t answer this text but she did call me the following Monday (June 29). On this phone call she told me that there is actually talk of the unit being potentially demolished and she didn’t want to keep us waiting on a false hope. She also said that the alternative unit did not include a half bath or washer and dryer hookup, which the duplex did have. The rent was $5 cheaper. She told us about another unit as well in a different complex but it was bigger and out of our budget, which I did let her know.
So for context here, the original unit we applied for is very close to where we currently live (5 minutes) and on the corner of a main road. We pass by it when we go to the local park or I pass by it if I take the back way home from work. It’s not in some faraway area that we’d likely never see again. Over the weekend we drove by it and there are clear signs of occupation on both sides. The neighboring unit (that had apparently been vacated) had a car parked outside (the same one that was there when we toured). The unit that we planned to move into has blinds hanging up, lights on inside, two cars parked outside, and a decorative wreath hanging on the door. This is TWO DAYS after the property manager told me on the phone that it was not available to us because this water damage was so extensive that there was talk of DEMOLITION.
To be clear, I understand that we signed nothing and paid nothing and that legally they did not owe anything to us. It seems obvious to me that they leased the unit to someone else, whether is was by mistake or intentional (maybe hoping to get someone who didn’t care about the odor-even though we were willing to sign even before they changed the carpets). Whatever the case is, I cannot understand why she is seemingly lying to us? Of course we would’ve been upset to hear that the unit had been leased to someone else, but they legally didn’t owe it to us. So why would she come up with this elaborate story? I feel like I am going crazy, genuinely as if I am being gaslit by this property manager.

My boyfriend and I applied and got approved for an apartment in late May. We took an initial tour on June 1st. The upstairs smelled like cat urine, but we loved it otherwise. We were given a move in date (which I have proof of in texts) but it ended up getting postponed because they replaced the carpets.
At the time of signing the lease we would also pay our first months rent which would be prorated depending on our move in date. Because the date was postponed, we did not sign the lease.
After they did the repairs, we re toured the apartment on June 8th. There was a chase/cover in the master bedroom closet that had visible staining and still smelled. But otherwise the odor was gone. They’d replaced all carpets and subfloors and placed an odor blocking sealant. We were told it would be a quick repair and that we could expect to move in shortly after. Our property manager told us that they were going on vacation “that week” but that the request would be put in before they left. They also encouraged us to reach out via text if we needed anything in the meantime.
I did not reach out that week, as I was aware of the vacation, but I did expect to hear something the following week. I sent a text that Monday evening just checking in. I heard nothing the following day. Mid week I attempted calling the property management office and got no answer. I sent another check in text on Thursday and got no response. When it had been a full two weeks with no contact I was getting worried that something had been miscommunicated on the vacation which led to the apartment had been rented to someone else, or even that they’d just forgotten about us. I thought even if the vacation had been extended, SOMEONE would be available at the office to answer. This is a management company that owns multiple complexes in my area and surrounding states so surely the person we had been communicating with was not the sole person in this office.
I finally got a text mid week this week (after two and a half weeks of complete silence). Mind you, we had reasonably believed we were moving into this apartment. We’d both taken unpaid time off of work for the tours and had been making plans for the move. Because we were approved and given an initial move in date and assured that after this quick repair we would be moving in.
In the text they apologized and stated that they were doing additional remodeling because they were still “unhappy with the odor.” They said they could call us that evening.
On the phone though they explained something much more significant. When they removed the board in the closet to replace it they discovered extensive water damage. The issue was significant enough that the neighboring tenant had to be temporarily relocated.
They have no estimated timeline for repairs. I asked, if we’re willing to wait, can the original apartment be held for us? Would it be ours when repairs were complete? They essentially just said they didn’t know and that there was no timeline.
They offered an alternate apartment instead that will be available soon. It has he same bedroom/bathroom count,
similar square footage, but it is fundamentally different.
The original apartment that we applied for was a duplex, had parking directly beside it, and had a washer and dryer hookup in unit. The alternate apartment is a middle unit with neighbors on both sides in a long row of attached apartments. And they are “unsure” if it has a washer and dryer hookup in unit. And obviously a different parking situation.
We agreed to tour it, but I’m feeling pretty confident that it does not meet our preferences. We applied to the original apartment for a reason. We were approved, planning, invested time and money, and strung along for nearly a month now, and they can’t tell us whether or not that original apartment will even be offered to us. I’m so confused and frustrated. I don’t even know how to proceed. If we end up not wanting this other one (as I suspect we won’t) and they refuse to guarantee the original apartment to us, are we just SOL? Out a month of our time and $100 in application fees?

My boyfriend and I got approved for an apartment on May 28. We toured on June 1st. We loved the apartment and wanted it but the upstairs smelled like cat urine. The property manager agreed that there was a strong smell and that they wanted to eliminate the issue before we signed the lease. Originally our move in date was June 8, but since the odor issue needed addressed we were told the date would need to be postponed and they did not send the lease yet, because at the time of signing we would also pay a prorated rent amount, which would obviously be affected by our move in date. Property owner confirmed on June 3rd that the carpets were being replaced and that we could re tour the following Monday. We ended up re touring on June 8th. They had replaced all carpeting and the subfloor, and placed an odor blocking layer between as an extra precaution. The smell was gone. The upstairs bedroom closet had a chase/cover built over the stair structure below which had visible staining and smelled. It was clearly the only remaining isolated source of the issue. The property manager assured us that it was an easy “10 minute fix” and was no problem. They asked if we were still interested and we said yes. The property manager told us they were going on vacation that week but they would put the request for the fix in before they left. They also told us we could reach out to them if we needed to in the meantime even while they were gone, which I did not intend to do. So we did not hear anything that whole week as expected. When the following week rolled around (June 15th) I expected to hear from them but we didn’t. I waited until the late afternoon around 4pm and texted them just asking for an update. I gave it all day Tuesday and heard nothing. On Wednesday I’d still heard nothing so I called the office. I tried all menu options and got no response. I called back a 4th time so that I could leave a voicemail. No one called me back so Thursday so I sent another text again just asking for an update and saying that I wanted to make sure my text and voicemail didn’t get lost. My boyfriend ended up calling and actually got in contact with someone. They said the property manager was still on vacation and was expected back Friday (the 19th). We said okay and realized their vacation was longer than we’d anticipated and we didn’t want to bother them. So I didn’t fully expect to hear from them Friday, being that it was the first day back. I did not. So yesterday was the following Monday (the 22ND). I called the office at in the afternoon and got no answer. Today, Tuesday, I called the office in the morning as soon as they opened thinking I’d catch someone and did not get an answer. I tried mid morning again and nothing. I sent one more follow up text to the property manager just politely asking for some kind of update. We have not heard anything in over two weeks now. I don’t want to feel like I’m harassing them but I’m not understanding why there’s no one available out of the whole management company that could answer a phone call? Even if we can’t move in for another month, I just would like someone to tell me something. We have not signed a lease because we never received it and we have not put any money down. But we honestly really want the apartment. It checks all of our boxes and renting is extremely limited in our area. I don’t get the vibe that they are going to give it to someone else. But since we haven’t signed or paid, it’s not ours and I’m having trouble feeling secure about the situation. They took the listing down as being available after we toured. But I genuinely don’t know what else we could do and I truly don’t think we’re being unreasonable for expecting a response on an answer for an apartment we got approved for almost a month ago.

Not sure if this is the best place to post this but I thought I’d give it a try. My boyfriend’s birthday is coming up and I’d really like to plan some sort of car related experience for him. Last year I got him a time slot with Xtreme Xperience for him to drive a super car around a track for a few laps. He loved that but it was pretty short and very expensive. He drives a Civic SI and he’s starting to get into modding it. He’s really into JDM cars and always talking about the car scene in Japan but unfortunately a trip there isn’t really in my budget right now. For reference we’re in southwestern PA and I’d like to not travel too far just because it’s hard for us to align our work schedules without taking time off. I’m not opposed to a short weekend trip if it’s worth it. I’m not well versed in the car scene at all so I’m just not even sure where to start. Even any non-experience suggestions would be appreciated. TIA!!