Apartment Review for Falls At Marina Bay

Letter written to management, problem still not resolved. I see many people moving out.

Dear Management:

September 24, 2003, I requested in writing that the serious problem of sewage from another unit backing up in my apartment be corrected and rectified. Since then, I have repeatedly made the same request both in person at the office and via telephone calls on October 14, October 21, October 24, and October 28 asking that someone return my call. Now it is November 6, and still no one has responded either in writing or by telephone. My several attempts to bring this matter to a close have all been to no avail. A construction problem in your building put one of your residents at a great health risk and also caused damage to personal property, and your response was to ignore the situation.

There is no excuse for that. None. I know from experience that successful property management is all about communication and time management. Your investors, residents and staff all expect prompt replies to questions and a quick response to problems. However, in six weeks of my constant pleas for communication, you havent had the courtesy to even return a phone call. Ignoring a serious problem that is your responsibility is not only rude, but often results in adding unpleasant consequences to that which youve tried so hard to avoid.

Once again, let me recap what happened: On September 23, the plumbing in the apartment unit above mine broke down (we later learned because of a contractor error). That caused water and sewage in the overhead unit to back up and leak down into my unit. Four hours after I called to report this drastic situation, your maintenance man finally responded, and when he saw the obvious water damages to my mattress and bedding he said, Dont worry, the owner will take care of any damages.

I had a conversation with my insurance company regarding the damages I incurred, and I forwarded that information to you in writing on September 24. I requested then that you contact me with further instructions about how to handle and repair the situation, but you remained silent. When it was determined that the cause of the sewage back up was due to construction negligence, your appropriate measure would have been to directly file a damage claim with the insurance carrier of The Falls at Marina Bay and proceed to repair and reimburse any losses.

On October 14, I spoke with **** in the Marina Bay office, who told me Marina Bays controller would be handling the claim and either he or the insurance company would contact me directly. They did not.

On October 28, I spoke with **** again. This time, she said I would not be contacted by your controller or insurance company. Instead, she thought I would have to file with my insurance carrier. She stated that she needed to speak with **** and would get back with me.

The location and monthly rental prices at Marina Bay should place it in what property management ling calls an A community. However, from the beginning this issue has not been handled at all as one would expect from an A community. Instead of jumping in to rectify the problem, your nonexistent response caused feces to come up through the pipes and sit three inches deep in my tub, all over the toilet, and spread out onto the floor. I certainly couldnt stay in the apartment. I knew the Center for Disease Control lists this as hazardous waste contamination.

I moved into a temporary unit, and was horrified to learn that this toxic waste sat in my apartment for days, with no one even coming to look at it. I have photos and witnesses to this horrific situation. At the very least, you should have sent someone to remove the black water that continued to back up for four days and had the toxic waste cleaned up on a daily basis. I went into the Marina Bay office and asked for that to be done, but it wasnt. Instead, toxic waste was allowed to sit and spread continually into my carpeting and my personal items.

Where was Marina Bay management? Why didnt you have someone qualified go there immediately to access the situation? And why did you allow what everyone knows to be hazardous to continue? Apparently the Marina Bay office staff has not been educated and informed about the hazards of raw sewage. Your staff thought that a normal carpet cleaning would make all well. No. That is simply ignorance of the facts. Please refer to Working with sewage: The Health Hazards-A Guide for Employers found on the Internet at ****.

I took it upon myself to find three qualified contractors from which you could ask for bids to have my apartment properly remediated. This is the property managers job, but since no one on your staff seemed to know how to proceed, I found them for you.

On an A property none of this should ever happen. But if for some reason it did, management should jump to make sincere apologies, waive rent for a month if a tenant couldnt sleep in their own bed for three weeks, and make certain the insurance issue was handled swiftly and completely. That is standard procedure in properties of this caliber. But at Marina Bay Im not the property manager, Im the tenant client. I need your help, and I am dismayed and frustrated to encounter something so serious, so dangerous, and so expensive and have you turn your backs on my problem.

My life was **** for three weeks. I had to endure a terrible smell and dangerous substance that originated in another apartment and permeated my belongings for a week. I was forced to relocate three times because it was unsafe to be in my apartment. I had to move everything in my apartment, and then I had to move everything back. I had to take my property to the dry cleaners myself, pick it up, and carry it in. I had to purchase a new mattress.

Moreover, I returned one day to discover that your contractor drilled and sawed through the concrete floor and didnt cover anything up. Everything was covered in concrete dust and had to be cleaned! There was concrete dust ? inch thick on everything I owned, several items were broken, a $200.00 Donna Karen purse was thrown on the floor and covered in concrete dust. This time, knowing it wouldnt make a difference, I didnt even bother to call the Marina Bay staff, in disgust, I just cleaned it up.

I should also point out that during this month, my work and income was severely disrupted.

There are several options I can pursue to recover my losses. As previously stated in my letter of September 24, I would like to settle this amicably. However, if I do not receive a response by Wednesday, November 12, I will then assume that The Falls at Marina Bay management does not wish to reach an amicable agreement. In that case, Ill be forced to seek another recourse.

I really do not want to be difficult, but I am angry and have every right to be. I just want to be reimbursed for my losses. I do realize that part of the lack of communication is because your staff is overwhelmed and not prepared to handle the difficult aspects of their job. I do understand that, at least I hope this is the case, and not that no one cares when terrible things occur.