Complaint Review: Kerry Neal Esq - Media Pennsylvania

I stumbled across this report doing some cursory reviews and Google searches. I believe Ms. Felicia Clemons, doing business as Fenomenal Communications ([email protected]), is wrong on the facts and has cast me personally and my management companies (Your Local Leasing Company (YLLCO); and secondarily, Elite Rental Properties, Inc.) in false light.

 I met with and personally performed a walk through with Ms. Clemons on May 30, 2011. What Ms. Clemons fails to mention is that she was NOT the first tenant selected, but rather a distant third. Her 'story' spoke to me, she was a younger person with credit issues and was looking to establish good rental and credit history. I was entranced by her story. At the time of our walk-through and lease signing (5/30/11), I asked her to inspect the apartment for any deficiencies and note these, by email, for my maintenance personnel to address. At the time of lease signing, it was noted that there were some 'punch' items to do (replacement of bedroom door knobs and clearing a slow drain in the bathroom). The apartment was (and, once again, is) a beautiful 2 bedroom garden apartment with garage parking in a quiet part of Sharon Hill, Pa. Because I thought 'why not give this young lady a chance' I went as far as purchasing and installing a brand new washer and dryer - this is something that is not required of me by the lease agreement.

 On Tuesday May 31, 2011 Ms. Clemons wrote an email to me (post inspection and lease signing) acknowledging the few items left to repair and inquiring whether she could paint the unit. I replied to her and addressed her final small repairs and wrote "You may paint part or all of the unit. It must be changed back to the original paint color upon departure. Generally, I paint all the units one single color so I buy paint in bulk so it's not particularly expensive and I can supply you with the paint or we can arrive at a solution to have the unit painted upon departure. Have fun painting :-)".

 Ms. Clemons tendered timely notice to vacate on or about June 2014. She was provided a schedule of expenses at that time. Providing a move-out checklist and cost schedule is customary practice and is totally reasonable to set expectations related to vacating an apartment. Upon vacating the unit, a walkthrough inspection was made and an assessment of damages. Most notably, Ms. Clemons FAILED to paint the apartment back to the neutral color it was and I had to pay to prime and repaint a deep burgundy wall in order to get it back to the color off-white originally painted. The cost to me to repaint far exceeded the $350 I charged her in the security deposit reconciliation. In addition to having to repaint (after her breach of agreement) I also had to replace/repair broken drywall (appears someone kicked in the wall), replace broken/removed smoke detectors, replace broken window shades, replace a broken electrical outlet and bathroom wall light fixture, do a complete cleaning to the oven/range and the whole of the unit, and re-screen 2 windows in which the screens were damaged and/or destroyed. On August 15, 2014 I communicated this to Ms. Clemons (in writing) along with notice of the security deposit reconciliation showing a balance due of $171.00. Ms. Clemons has, as of this writing, not satisfied the balance due.

 Some additional notes - I was contacted some time in 2012 by my management company inquiring about what business was being operated in the apartment. I had no idea that she was operating some sort of business (apparently Fenomenal Communications) out of the unit. Furthermore, her operating a business was prima facie evidence of breach of lease. Additionally, it was noted that she was keeping a dog in the property - clearly in violation of the lease absent written approval. With both of these, I allowed her to remain by amending the lease agreement with respect to the animal and accepting her attestation that no business was being conducted in the property.

 It seems strange to me that now Ms. Clemons would use this forum to vent her frustrations. As relates to her claim that I was such a bad and terrible landlord, I can only point to the fact that she independently agreed to RENEW her LEASE for her apartment not once but TWICE for TWO ADDITIONAL TERMS - a total of THREE YEARS of tenancy. She lived in the apartment from 2011 to 2014 - a full three plus years. If everything was so terrible, she could have (and perhaps should have) exercised her right to vacate after the initial one year term. It's not as if anyone held a gun to her head to remain - she surely wasn't under duress... I certainly did not force her to remain and neither did either of the two property management companies during the total term of her occupancy.

A question here - is it reasonable that I (who have been renting and selling properties for more than 15 years) and two very reputable property management companies totally ignored her for three years??? A loose wire is a loose wire; it would have been addressed if we were made aware of it. PERIOD. She received no better or worse treatment than any other tenant. Combined, I operate 7 rental units. I operate with character and professional integrity and with accountability. When other people were telling Ms. Clemons 'no' I looked past some of the issues and history and invited her in. When other landlords were allowing their properties to fall into disrepair and foreclosure during the property crash of 2010-2012, I continued running losses and paying debt service, maintenance, and professional property management fees - all of which Ms. Clemons was a direct beneficiary of.

 SHAME on you, Felicia Clemons, for putting my professional reputation as an attorney and landlord in false light. Shame on you for leveling allegations having no basis in truth or fact. And, shame on you for your repugnant behavior and material misrepresentations here and elsewhere with your false claims.

As the young people now say - 'BYE FELICIA'

Kerry Neal