Q: Rent application fee not refunded after a misleading listing. What are my options?
I recently moved to the US on a non-immigrant work VISA. Before moving, I was evaluating apts to rent and found this agency that had an apartment (~$2000 rent) which seemed good for me.
I went through the application process on their official website. Paid around $600 in application fee + $100 application fee security deposit. The next morning I receive an email saying that the unit I applied for is actually ~$2700 rent.
I found that odd because every rent aggregator website also listed it for $2000. I told them it is out of my budget and to refund the complete fee because I would not have applied in the first place had I known the rent was so high. The agency assured me that the refund checks will be mailed to an address I provided.
Fast forward to today- After numerous emails and calls, I haven't still received the money.They say they have mailed the checks via USPS but fail to provide a tracking number.It has been 2 months now and I am not sure if I can get my money back
A: So, they have acknowledged that they owe you the money; that is good. It is only a matter of getting the check to you. It appears to have been lost in the mail; that happens. Ask them to write you a new check and stop payment on the old one. Or consider picking it up at their office.
A: You should file a complaint with the Florida attorney general consumer complaint department. They will assign an investigator and investigate the fraud.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
