Better Call Harry investigates American Homes 4 rent

Better Call Harry

[@MindinMyBizBeinNosey]

As a real estate agent in Atlanta that had clients moving to their homes several years ago, I can truly say they need to investigate application fees. They will take applications all the way up into someone puts a deposit on it after they get approved. They already charge a crazy amount for everyone in the household 18 and up. I have seen people pay $200 in application fees for a family of four, 18 and up, just to get denied. They had no idea that there were several other applicants that applied before them. The company's will tell you that you can move your application to another property, but the catch is, you have to pick from what they have even it is not on this side of town that you live on. People eventually walk away from it because they don't want to move in the area they originally never even looked at. This is not only for American Homes 4 rent, but a lot of these big property management companies. They make thousands every month off of application fees. So if you ever wonder why it is taking them so long to approve or deny your application, they are racking up application fees. I remember a lady that was on the news for doing that and never renting the place out. Because she was a private landlord she was penalized and it became a news story immediately. These property management companies have been doing this for years and they have not been investigated yet. I just don't understand how they have been able to get away with it for so long. I didn't know how bad it was until I have partnered with one of these big property management companies and I just could not believe how long it would take them to approve my clients. They always gave me a bunch of excuses. It never made sense to me and I didn't know why. I would show their houses several times to several different people. The houses were nice so mostly everyone will put in an application. But I would show more people the same houses a few times a week and I was just one agent. There needs to be an investigation on application fees and some kind of laws to put some regulations on these companies to not scam people out of their money knowing that they are not going to rent the place out to them. There have been people that have inbox me to ask for help because they had to move into Extended Stays because they lost so much of their deposit money paying application fees in different places Because they had grown children that had to pay an application fee as well. They lost $200 several times and didn't get the property. The sad part about it all is that the companies already know that they had several previous applications that they have been working on before their application was even accepted. And to make matters worse the customer service when you call is horrible. They have attitudes and make it seem like it's not a big deal and they have the right to take as much time as they want. Or they come up with some stupid excuse for when they give the property to someone else when you call to ask for an update on your application. It is so sad!

[@tommywood6929]

These guys are stealing from me. Been trying to get their attention for 4 months since moved in. These guys are crooks and need to be shut down. A class action lawsuit should be headed their way. I’m complaining to every tenant policing agency I can find.

[@lisasimpson361]

👏🏼

[@JessHotard]

If y’all want my story let me know I’m one of Their tenants and batteling them right now over issues and have to move.

[@arielmcbayfiocski9797]

Info please

[@arielmcbayfiocski9797]

Seriously considering a move they have the best looking properties

[@adriangilmore8647]

They obviously didn't care about this report because they are still doing the same things. Assume if you rent a property from them that you will need to do all the maintenance as if you own the home. If that is ok, you will not have a problem with this company. If not, don't rent from them.

[@pf5658]

This video should have a lot more views and likes. Glad I came across it.👍🏽

[@kusumiyesufu3090]

Bad experience.. I can’t wait to get out same experience

[@sveabryan9126]

Has anyone with American Homes 4 Rent been charged for a security deposit when they renew their lease? Paperwork looks as though we are being charged another security deposit which is equal to a full months rent. Hate to call the property manager about it for reasons I don't have time to explain here.

[@caseythompson474]

I’m a renter from them. While my husband was deployed to Iraq and I’m dealing with being disabled, my plumbing backed up and sewage started backing into my bathtubs. They kept saying they were trying to get someone out but what they do is send out emails to the people willing to work for the crap money they’ll pay and after 6 days of no plumbing I had to move my kids and I into a hotel. I called a plumber crying because all I could afford was two nights in a hotel and had to leave that day and they sent someone out who ran a camera under the house through the pipes and found toy cars and wipes and tampons. My youngest was 17 at the time and we don’t flush anything other than toilet paper. Out of the $750 I was out I got back $300 and only got that because the plumbing company said that it was backed up a long time and looking at the clog there was no way we could have done it. They even tried to evict us.

[@cosmogal627]

Same thing happened to me. I had to call the city to come up and check my line. They too, like her tried to blame me. For 4 years the same thing kept happening to me. Found out it was the line outside as the pipe had a hole in it. They still took a whole 2 yrs for them to fix it. Because I had proof of the city coming out I am sure is why they did. I cannot keep up with the payments anymore. I am over it

[@JessHotard]

Same thing happened to me as well in Texas. Toilet backup up they blamed me flooded downstairs, sewage backup and now trying to charge me after 8 months ago there was nails & wood in the pipes

[@ODK321]

Companies like AMH and Invitation homes are ruining the home ownership experience. They are going around snatching up houses for cash and thereby making it harder for average home buyers to buy homes and once they get it, they are all about maximizing profit. You do that by increasing revenues (either raising rents on the homes they keep or selling homes for a premium and thereby raising home prices) and/or lowering costs (not fixing things). It's a disgrace. They all need to be regulated. Also, Air BnB's are hurting home ownership as well as many of those are turning into party houses in residential neighborhoods. It's almost like neighborhoods don't exist anymore. People want to profit off of everything-schools, healthcare, prisons, now neighborhoods

[@tommywood6929]

If you want my story I’ll be happy to share too. Hopefully will help others not fall prey to these thugs.

[@arielmcbayfiocski9797]

Just tell your story here!!!

[@mysticvalley2003]

This is a relatively easy fix. Once a company or subsidiary of one connected directly or indirectly buys over say a 1,000 homes add an additional non deductible tax to the properties at 20%. Ahh you say they will raise the rents! At first yes, but rents do have a ceiling! What we are seeing is a combination of two things at work, free markers and the American dream being sacrificed in the name of profits. As a former landlord one thing is certain, there are more tennants than there are corporate property owners, guess who will win!

[@nancybthescratcher6327]

My Air is out and they doing nothing it been 3 weeks nothing I got American home 4 rent 🎉

[@koala6607]

I used to work for them. They are Wall Street criminals. I was often by myself in the call center taking calls from the entire region with hundreds of calls in a queue, most of them emergencies, most of them never answered because there was simply no one in the call center to answer them. No lunch all day. The manager was rude and desperately incompetent, yelling at three employees who were doing work of 14 employees, that they do not know how to organize their work. There are managers favorite workers who practically do not have to work at all and get benefits and overtime which other folks do not have an access to. There are many labor laws violations within this company. I am shocked they have not been shut down yet.

[@Nikoleeebabii]

This just happened to my family

[@destin4u2c6882]

They are crooked at the long they have come dominated rentals in Tampa every year your rent goes up with no repairs now they went u to have dam near perfect credit to rent of I had perfect credit I would buy

[@Nikoleeebabii]

We were just scammed moved in and kicked out with kids on street yesterday out of 2200$

[@arielmcbayfiocski9797]

What happened? Dang explain instead of giving half answers! One reason why nothin happens to them! No one standing up or telling the whole truth about things!!

[@arielmcbayfiocski9797]

Too many horror stories! Nope

[@judep4372]

Horrible company!!!

[@michaelritchie3315]

This company is a joke... BBB went from A+ rating to NR rating...

[@michaelritchie3315]

We had the same issues at our property just a few days after we moved in. The same issue this lady had. We had to do our own clean up and then the workers come and go... no inspections etc.

[@michaelritchie3315]

And rent is 1595.... what. These guys are complete garbage when it comes to home rental... terrible company anyone is best but them ..