Apartment is in terrible state

[elena77]

Pennsylvania - I was going to rent a 2 bedroom apartment with my boyfriend and a roommate. We already got approved and put the deposit down. First we were told we cannot see the apartment and were shown a samle and told that we can sign the lease and move in on the 15th of the following month (April). A week later we were told that the move-in date changes to 23rd and we received a letter stating that. Few days later, around beginning of April we were told that the move in date will be changed to the 28th. I refused because I had to move out of my current place by the 29th of April which gave me only 24 hours to move all my stuff. I argued with landlord and finally we agreed on the 25th.

Meanwhile we got the address of an actual aprtment and went to look at it from the outside to see how easy it will be to move. It was horrible! The bedroom windows were looking at a highway, the whole floor where the apartment is located was deserted, the carpets were dirty and the kitchen was turned down. The bathroom looks terrible as well.
The palce looked like there was a war. There is no way it can be fixed within a week.

My roomate's mother forbid her from signing the lease and adviced us against signing it as well. What I want now is to get my security deposit back. I am supposed to go to sign a lease in 1 week. Is there any legal action I can take if the landlord will refuse to give me the deposit back?What is the name of your state?

 

[Cvillecpm]

Request your deposit be refunded and if they do not refund it, sue them in Small Claims court.

 

[Hot Topic]

You should have beat feet when they refused to show you the apartment.

 

[LindaP777]

You should have beat feet when they refused to show you the apartment.

Exactly! That alone should have told them something!

 

[acmb05]

Exactly! That alone should have told them something!

Unfortunately in most states and especially with large apartment complexes this is common practice to show the "model unit" instead of the actual unit that is being rented as they are usually still occupied.

Apartments close to me back up to train tracks and of course the model units are at the front of the complex far away from the tracks. They have a hard time renting them so they save them for the section 8 tenants. They show them the model unit and once approved by section 8 they give them a unit in the back by the tracks.

 

[LindaP777]

Unfortunately in most states and especially with large apartment complexes this is common practice to show the "model unit" instead of the actual unit that is being rented as they are usually still occupied.

Apartments close to me back up to train tracks and of course the model units are at the front of the complex far away from the tracks. They have a hard time renting them so they save them for the section 8 tenants. They show them the model unit and once approved by section 8 they give them a unit in the back by the tracks.

REALLY!? I've never heard of that, but that's awful! And people actually give a deposit just based on the model apartment, not the actual apartment?

 

[elena77]

The only thing that might be a problem is that they can claim I knew about the apartment because they've given me the actual address of the unit, but we didn't find it in the dark (the unit is in the back and I assumed there are no apartment). We left without looking at it because it was too dark outside. Can they bring that against me in court? I mean the fact that I didn't say something right away?

 

[Gadfly]

Many units rent this way. Next time put an inspection clause in the agreement. If they don't accept that, then that should be a great big red flag.

 

[elena77]

well, actually inspection is due on Tuesday, when we are supposed to sign the lease. I don't know how they were going to pull it through... It seems that they are trying to get to the point where we have no choice, because I have to be out of my current place by the end of next week

Thank you guys for your help

 

[elena77]

I spoke to a landlord and they told me they don't know about refunding my security deposit, so I guess I have no choice but taking them to a small court.

They say the apartment will be finished by my move-in date but the problem is it still faces the highway. Also they say there are no other available apartments there at the time.

 

[Alaska landlord]

I don't think you are standing on firm ground. You knew about the apartment and accepted the terms of it being ready by a set date. If they come through for you, then you have no choice but to accept the apartment or lose the Security deposit. The fact that it faces the highway is not a justifiable reason to back out now.

 

[elena77]

I am not really backing out. I just want another apartment