Complaint Review: Arnel Management Company - Costa Mesa California

I am a renter at Casa Madrid Apartments in Anaheim, CA. This property is managed by Arnel Management Company. Only after several incidents did I decide to look into any information that I could find about the company. I have been renting for the last six months at Casa Madrid and it has been a living nightmare. Every week it's something new. What follows is an Email that I sent to Arnel Management Company...

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Please forward this message to Delores. This is David from Casa Madrid.

I have yet another incident with Casa Madrid. Actually Two. 1) My Jeep which I called and registered is sitting in MY stall with two boots on it. 2) I got a notice to pay or be evicted put on my door yesterday the 2nd. I have been out of town for the weekend with my wife. I have not been a minute late for the last six months and I don't intend to be. However, I come home from vacation (much needed) and find a letter to pay or quite on my door when I get home.

Delores, is there any way of moving to another, nicer, complex that Arnel manages? I am miserable living at Casa Madrid and don't see any solution. It seems like every week there is something new. I am getting tired of fighting this fight with Casa Madrid. I have filed a complaint with the BBB but don't see that doing any good either.

My fight is not with Arnel. You have been more than helpful, I am just tired of being treated like an inmate in Casa Madrid's jail. There are at least two nights out of the four weeknights that I need to go to sleep when I hear music and parties going on with the neighbors. The air conditioning unit is not strong enough to cool the house to a comfortable level. The apartment is dark and dreary. It still, to this day, smells of chemicals from being moved into an apartment that was not ready to be moved into. (I was meant to be moved into 112 but the apartment was not vacant the day I had been promised).

I am lucky to be able to park within a block of the complex when I get home at night. I was told that there would be additional parking spaces allotted for a fee, not that I could register more vehicles and struggle for limited parking spots for a fee. I was also told that I would be offered a garage. None of which was true.

You already know about the power being turned off because management called and had it turned into Casa Madrid's name after I had it switched into my name. You know about it taking 72hrs for the maintenance man to be able to turn it back on. I still have the threatening letter telling me that it is "YOUR RESPONSIBILITY!" to pay the electric bill. My wife is scared to go into the management office. Prospective clients are having their cars towed and being laughed at when they ask where their cars are.

I still haven't seen the $20.00 I am owed for having to put a stop payment of two checks because they cannot get their accounting right. There is still to this day an over paid amount for the pro-rated rent from when I first moved in.

$1,020 - $75.00 (introductory deduction) = $945.00 / 30days = $31.50 per day x 11 days = $346.50 (this is what I initially paid for the prorated rent)

$1,020 / 30days = $34.00 x 11 days = $374.00 (this is what I was supposed to pay)

There is a difference of $27.50. However, I was told to refund the full $75.00 introductory deduction. Which I did because I did not want to deal any further with the management or be further harassed by them. I am still owed $47.50 for this and $20.00 for the two cancelled checks. I could care less about the $67.50 and would pay ten times this amount or more to be out of this situation. I would like to be able to move this weekend. Please, Please let me know how I can go about terminating my lease without being further punished for it.

I am willing to do anything to be out of this situation. I F'in HATE LIVING AT CASA MADRID.

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"As of today, Tuesday May 4th, my car has been towed. I contacted Arnel management company and explained to them the following"...

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Amy, I had left you a message about an hour ago with an associate at your office. My Jeep is now in impound and I need to know if you are going to be able to help me out. As I am sure you know, the longer it sits in impound the more I will have to pay.

I have previously had five other cars that I had been parking within the gates. I had an agreement with PNS that I would call every time I had gotten a new vehicle and they would update their records accordingly. After a long conversation with the PNS supervisor I came to the understanding that the previous agreement was no longer sufficient because Casa Madrid is having parking issues and has had to become more strict on their parking situation. I can understand that there is a shortage of parking however, if they are going to change their guidelines then I should at least be informed of that change.

I now have a form that needs to be sent back to PNS. I don't have my car. Can you assist me?

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She got back to me with this Email.....

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David,

According to PNS, you did not register the car with them therefore the car was towed. He said that you usually do register the cars that you bring on the property since you do get a new one every couple months. Being that the car was not registered, there is really nothing I can do to get the car returned to you at no charge.

As far as the other complaints, I am working on them and will let you know as soon as I get an answer from the Supervisor.

Sincerely,

Amy Godfrey

Marketing Relations Coordinator

Arnel Residential Management

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It is becoming evident that this is clearly a ripoff. I work for a car dealer and am not the typical renter with one or two cars to register. What kind of management company treats its tenants in this manner? I will do everything in my power (although it is limited) to make sure everyone knows about this scam. I have access to a direct mailer machine and will make sure every home in Orange County knows about this Rip-off.

DO NOT RENT FROM ANY ARNEL MANAGED COMPANY. YOU WILL REGRET IT!

David

ANAHEIM, California
U.S.A.