4/4/23
A bitter ending
During my move-out walkthrough on 3/1/23, I pointed out some staining and dirt marks on the carpets. The Avalon employee informed me that I should not try to remove the stains myself as "tenants usually make it worse" (that is a quote), which I found unusual but followed his advice. Later, when I received the bill, I was shocked to see that I had been charged over $800 for carpet damages. I was charged for ripping up all the carpeting in the apartment for some grime in the living room that I... could have cleaned myself, despite paying an additional $170 for their Clean Sweep program. I feel as though they used this opportunity to remodel the unit, as the manager described the carpeting as "old" when I spoke with her.
I acknowledge that there was some dirt on the carpets, but I would have liked to have had the opportunity to clean it myself and not been given a clear directive by an employee that I shouldn't even attempt it. The information provided to me by Avalon staff was inaccurate, and I feel misled. I relied on their advice and ended up paying a lot of money for damages that I could have possibly handled myself very easily.
As a renter for over 25 years, I have never been billed for damages like this. I believe this speaks to the character of Avalon Marlborough and AvalonBay Communities in general. While there may be provisions in the lease that justify their actions, the lack of transparency and misguidance from their staff have left a bad taste in my mouth. There’s a fine when it comes to unethical behavior, and I believe that it was crossed the instant I was told not to address carpet issues on my own. Therefore, I can no longer recommend this community or company in good faith to others. As a renter, you have choices, so I urge you to consider whether this is a community you want to deal with.
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