Complaint Review: Richard Garbell - dallas Texas

From: Richard Garbell

IN RE: Report #627838

Ripoff Report’s motto is “Let the Truth be Known”. To lie intentionally about anyone is truly evil. In her report, “Kathy” has described me as a “SLUMLORD“. Her statement is a deliberate lie! So, what does that make a libelous “Kathy” out to be?

My rental home, at 10906 Stallcup Drive in Dallas, Texas, is not a slum property anymore than “Kathy‘s” home which is located directly across the street is a slum property. My rental property’s market value is higher than “Kathy’s” house. If “Kathy” were to check out recent Dallas County Appraisal District’s (DCAD) valuations for homes on the 10900 block of Stallcup, she would learn that the 10906 Stallcup property is the second highest tax appraised valued property on the block, while her owner occupied home is appraised by DCAD at ten (10) percent less valuation than my property’s value.

My rental home was built 60 years ago and is located in a modestly priced older neighborhood in east Dallas. I have owned the home for nearly 26 years - a long holding period for a residential real estate investment. The 3-2-2 home has more than 1100 s/f of air conditioned living space, with an attached one car garage and large fenced yard with patio in the rear of the house. The house’s exterior is BRICK veneer, not “rotted” wood, as alleged by “Kathy.”

Over the past quarter century plus of ownership operations, I have made numerous capital improvements to the property. Among the many improvements made are: installation of a central heat and air conditioning system, new roof replacement, a new water heater, new mini blinds, new vinyl windows, ceiling fans in all of the bedrooms and in the dining area, installation of new garage and entry doors, replacement flooring in the bathrooms, removal of old carpeting and refinishing of underlying hardwood floors.

These improvements and other capital upgrades have been primarily made during the past ten (10) years or so. One should not be surprised that with property age and normal wear and tear from tenant use or abuse, periodic plumbing leaks, heating/air conditioning and/or appliance systems breakdowns have occurred during the past 26 years. Periodic routine home repairs, pest control and miscellaneous maintenance needs are customarily conducted. If a tenant alerted me to any ‘serious’ or “emergency” property problems, repairs made were nearly always addressed in a timely and appropriate manner.

My rental home has been leased, at fair market value, to 8 or 9 different tenants over the last quarter century of ownership operations. Fortunately, in both good and bad economic times, rental receipt collections from occupants have been nearly at 100%. Not a bad record of property operations for a wrongfully accused “slumlord” and for a rental home allegedly ‘infested with rats, squirrels, ants, etc. since 1996’ or the past fifteen (15) consecutive years, as falsely claimed by “Kathy”. 

Despite “Kathy’s” unsuccessful efforts to the contrary, the property is currently leased at fair market rent to a young family. As has always been the case, as part of the Stallcup lease arrangement I include in the home rental a kitchen range, refrigerator, disposal, dishwasher, along with a washing machine and dryer. A full package of appliances are not generally available to home renters in the Casa View community.

There is “no mold” at the property! And, in all my 26 years owning the home, no tenant HAS EVER BEEN ASKED OR REQUIRED to sign a “mold addendum”, as “Kathy” erroneously stated. However, under recent federal laws, EPA requires rental property owners and tenants to signature a “lead paint addendum” to rental home lease agreements. I comply with this law.

It is true that a recent tenant of mine failed to comply with a section of the lease and let unruly growth of shrubbery (vegetation) spread up one side of the house. It is the tenants’ responsibility in the lease agreement to take care of the home’s lawn and shrubbery. That same tenant, irresponsibly, allowed many mature shrubs and an old large front lawn tree to die as a result of their lack of attention and care. Last fall at the end of that tenant‘s leasehold, I had to cut down the unruly “vegetation growth”, remove dead shrubs and plant new shrubs in the front of the home.

The work was done by Mr. Roy Alcantara, who “Kathy“ also maligns in the report. He completed that work on my behalf. Mr. Alcantara is an “independent” licensed heating and air conditioning contractor, and not a “handyman” as wrongfully described by “Kathy”. Although Roy can and has performed miscellaneous home repairs for me and tenants at Stallcup, in the past, as well. Mr. Alcantara is a decent hard working young man that I am fortunate to have available to work for me.

As an aside, the City of Dallas Code Enforcement Division that “Kathy” willfully and unfairly reported the property to, inspected the property last fall. Code officers reported that they observed no serious problems with the home or my home ownership operations. Lastly, a good neighbor would be grateful for the many fine, law abiding tenants I have leased to in the past and should be thankful that I have attended to my property well, barring the failure of neglectful tenants in not keeping the exterior of the rental home and lawn care in good condition, as my tenant last year failed to do so.

I hold no ill will towards “Kathy”. I have no intention to further comment on or plan to respond again to Rip-Off Report #637838.