What would you do? UPDATE!!!

[Deleted]

Yes another "What would you do" question.

We moved into our new apartment on Saturday and as soon as we moved in we knew something was wrong. The kitchen looked weird to me and then it clicked: we were missing cabinets.

So that same day we informed one of the Leasing associate about the situation and she said she would informed maintenance about it.

Here is what was advertised and what we saw in another unit and what we thought (stupid us) that we would be getting:


Now I am not home till Saturday so cannot post a picture of my kitchen, but imagine no cabinets on top of the fridge and no cabinets between the microwave/fridge and microwave and cabinets on the other side. So basically the microwave and the cabinets on top of it stand alone and there is a big gap on each side.

So here start the saga, we left the apartment on Sunday night and on Monday we get an email from the leasing agent and she states:"I have placed a work order for maintenance to see if we are able to install cabinets above the refrigerator."

So the alarm in my head went off and I replied back on Tuesday:

"The following had my wife worried and I hope we can clarify it and put her mind at ease : " if we are able to install cabinets above the refrigerator"

That leave some doubts : are we getting the cabinets or not. I have attached a picture of what we thought we would be getting and also saw in DXXX when we visited the complex the first time (at the time the cabinets in our unit weren't installed yet).

Currently our kitchen is missing the cabinets on each side of the microwave and the ones on top of the refrigerator.

Thank you in advance and we really appreciate all your help so far."


*will continue below

[Deleted]

Today I get an answer from her :

Unfortunately, just because another unit that was similar to yours had cabinets set up one way does not mean that your unit would be identical, as you can tell from the difference in the back bedroom layout. I did write up a work order for maintenance to see if they have a cabinet that would fit above your refrigerator and luckily they do. XXX is not sure of when he can get in to install the cabinet but it will be done over the course of the next few weeks.

If the cabinet has not been installed by 10/1/12 feel free to follow up with us.

Thank you

Now by then I was already having a bad day and I just lost it, I just gave those folks 4k of my money and this is the treatment I was getting. So before I could calm down I replied:

XXX,

I am confused by this. Are you stating it is normal to have no cabinets next to the microwave and on top of the refrigerator? This is not just about having cabinets on top of the refrigerator, there is a gap between the cabinets on one side and the microwave and the microwave and refrigerator. Blank, nothing, just the wall.

This isn't a layout issue (like the bedroom you mention), there is NO cabinets on each side of the microwave and on top of the fridge.

We have rented for the past 5 years and this it is not standard to have a gap between the cabinets. We have cabinets going on one side, then no cabinets, then cabinets on top of the microwave and no cabinets again and none on top of the fridge.

And we are not disputing layout or room size here. This picture was advertised on Zillow as what you had available to rent and what we thought we were getting. And we did question the absence of the cabinets and what we would be getting if we picked DXXX and in your own words: "These cabinets did not come in yet but yes it should be exactly like the apartment we just saw" (DXXX) .

There is no cabinets on each side of the microwave, none. One of the features we liked about the apartment (mostly my wife) is the amount of cabinet space that would be provided in the kitchen. And while I understand not all features are the same in all the apartments, I doubt that design is common in your complex or we would see it in any of your other 131 units. We are missing cabinets and I am doubtful that this is the latest trend.

I am sorry but this is somewhat frustrating and infuriating. Please take a walk down to our apartment and honestly answer me if that is normal? Is yes please tell me in which of your other 131 units you have such design? Or where can I see such a design?

Have we known that fact, that DXXX would come with an incomplete set of cabinets we would have picked DXXX. We were promised by you that we would be getting the same exact design, appliances, etc. Yes we understand layout would not have been the same but not that it also meant minus 3 sets of cabinets.

[Deleted]

Now here is my problem with the whole situation :
a) I am not stupid, cabinets are obviously missing
b) Instead of rectifying the situation, she tried to make it sound we were in the wrong and they were doing us a favor by trying to put cabinets on top of the refrigerator
c) You knew 2 weeks prior I was moving in on the 8th, yet you are asking me to wait around for your maintenance guy to come install the cabinets that should have been there and if 3 weeks from now they are still not in place to feel free to contact you.

So yes I am pissed. What would you do going forward?

[hoops902]

Me? I probably wouldn't care honestly. But I don't blame you for being pissed.

[quince]

I would do nothing. Husband would probably say something polite and forceful to whoever we were renting from.

Good luck getting this resolved.

[Peace77]

I would find out the Landlord -Tenant agency for your new town or county and contact them. This looks like a case of "bait and switch". They showed you one thing and sold you another. I would demand that the cabinets be installed and that all the cabinets match.
The problem now is that it might take a few weeks for cabinets to be made.

[whoisjohngalt]

OMG, my kitchen looked identical when we lived in MA....so weird.....

I would mention "breach of contract" and ask her nicely if she is planning to do anything to rectify the situation quickly or will she be taking money off your rent for the inconvenience or do you REALLY have to go "seeking legal counsel" route. anyway, MA is VERY tenant friendly state, so hopefully you'll get this resolved.

I gotta say, though, cabinets would be the least of my concern right now, bc if she told you one thing AND in writing and now saying something else - I would be worried about other issues coming up and not being able to resolve them. but I am paranoid that way

Lena

[Tennesseer]

Apartment complexes usually have have a limited number of apartment layout plans/designs based upon the number of bedrooms in each unit.

I assume your unit style/design plan is not unique to the whole complex and their must be other units with your exact layout plan.

I would ask to see other units in your exact apartment layout plan and check the cabinets in their units. If the rooms layout is the same as yours then you should have the same number of kitchen cabinets as the others.

[Cookies Galore]

Did you ask to see the apartment you were renting? Some complexes have showroom apartments that aren't an exact representation of what you're actually getting.

[Deleted]

Sept 12, 2012 20:00:14 GMT -5 Cookies Galore said:

Did you ask to see the apartment you were renting? Some complexes have showroom apartments that aren't an exact representation of what you're actually getting.

Yes I did and that is what I refer to in my email. We saw the two units that were left (the other one is already rented) and ours were missing cabinets.

And we did question the absence of the cabinets and what we would be getting if we picked DXXX and in your own words: "These cabinets did not come in yet but yes it should be exactly like the apartment we just saw" (DXXX) .

[seriousthistime]

Kitchens don't have random cabinets here and there. The wall cabinets might stop at a weird place but they aren't sporadic on the wall. It's weird that she would think you would accept that. I have NEVER seen a kitchen with wall cabinets only over the microwave. And, if push came to shove, over the refrigerator too.

I think you are approaching it correctly. Be polite but insistent. But expect that if they have to order more, it could take some time to resolve and that there probably won't be a rent reduction for it.

[Deleted]

You've got a lotta drama in your life.

[TheOtherMe]

Guess I've been missing things. I didn't know you moved.

I would be seriously concerned about future issues with this complex.

A kitchen without proper cabinets. Unheard of.

I will tell you what I did after my apartment flooded due to manager's neglect when a tenant was evicted and the heat was turned off. Pipes froze and burst after I told them that would happen when the temps got cold. Temps did and pipes did.

They didn't fix it up like they should have and acted like I was in the wrong. I finally put it on an apartment ratings site. When I came home from work the next day, everything was fixed.

Any other problem after that, fixed correctly first time.

Yes, I took the rating down.

[2kids10horses]

From your description, they're missing two wall cabinets, and one refriderator cabinet. And, most likely the crown molding tying them all together. It looks like they ran out of cabinets when they were buiding your unit,

Those look like standard cabinets, they should be in stock "somewhere". The cabinet above the microwave is holding the microwave in place.

Do they have any other units available?

If they can get the cabinets, it should only take an hour to install them. The crown molding would take the longest amount of time, assuming they hand cope the corners.

[Deleted]

Put up some shelves in place of the cabinets. Open concept kitchen

[Deleted]

Sept 12, 2012 20:30:53 GMT -5 ArchietheDragon said:

You've got a lotta drama in your life.

Tell me about it

My new mantra for the move to MA was the song by Mary J. Blige: No more drama in my life.

I move to MA and I have to deal with this shit

[Tennesseer]

What part of MA? I grew up in western MA.

[chiver78]

aw.....it's just the landlord. MA isn't that bad overall!

you do have my sympathies, I'd be one of those that would be totally raising hell about your missing cabinets. that's crap, whatever hte BS reason they are feeding you.

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Sept 12, 2012 22:01:05 GMT -5 TheHaitian said:

Sept 12, 2012 20:30:53 GMT -5 ArchietheDragon said:

You've got a lotta drama in your life.

Tell me about it

My new mantra for the move to MA was the song by Mary J. Blige: No more drama in my life.

I move to MA and I have to deal with this shit

Wait a minute, there, buddy. No one ever said MA is drama free. In fact, quite the contrary. Taxes, hurricanes, blizzards, corrupt politicians, very high cost of living...come on, you expected cake AND icing???!!!!

Heck, that Mary J. Blige song is on my iPod (an old iPod shuffle that only holds 200 songs) and is a frequent soundtrack to my life.

Besides, things could be worse. The apartment could be infested with roaches or rats or bats or snakes. It could have large holes in the wall instead of cabinets. The bathroom could be missing the toilet. You could have squatters living in it. THAT would be drama, LOL.

P.S. Welcome to Massachusetts. Please discard any conservative opinions you may have at the New York border, buy some Red Sox gear even if they suck cuz Yankee gear will get you hurt, and have a nice day. ;D

[Tennesseer]

"Please discard any conservative opinions you may have at the New York border"

Years after you leave MA you still keep your (mostly) liberal opinions. And damn proud of them.

[mmhmm]

I'd probably explain to the dear lady that there will either be the promised cabinets magically appearing in my kitchen within the next two weeks, or we'll simply nail her to the wall between the microwave and the refrigerator and she can hold the dishes and hand them to us as we need them.

Then again, I tend to get a bit testy when I feel I've been used ...

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Sept 12, 2012 22:12:33 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

"Please discard any conservative opinions you may have at the New York border"

Years after you leave MA you still keep your (mostly) liberal opinions. And damn proud of them.

Yup. They (the liberal opinions) leech into your bones and muscles and major organs and no amount of conservative or Tea Party detox elixirs can dislodge them. They're chronic. ;D

[Deleted]

Sept 12, 2012 22:04:07 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

What part of MA? I grew up in western MA.

I moved to Clinton, MA and my job is in Worcester, MA

[Tennesseer]

Sept 12, 2012 22:31:02 GMT -5 TheHaitian said:

Sept 12, 2012 22:04:07 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

What part of MA? I grew up in western MA.

I moved to Clinton, MA and my job is in Worcester, MA

I grew up in Springfield.

You will like MA. If you are not from New England, you will enjoy it. So much to see and do. And if your family is into antiquing, don't miss the Brimfield (MA) outdoor fairs held three times a year. Thousands of dealers.

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Sept 12, 2012 22:40:14 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Sept 12, 2012 22:31:02 GMT -5 TheHaitian said:

I moved to Clinton, MA and my job is in Worcester, MA

I grew up in Springfield.

You will like MA. If you are not from New England, you will enjoy it. So much to see and do. And if your family is into antiquing, don't miss the Brimfield (MA) outdoor fairs held three times a year. Thousands of dealers.

Sssshhhhhh, Tennesseer. Don't be enticing him to spend money. Cawaiu is on a tight budget for now until his wife finds a new job. He's trying really hard to maintain his savings rate on one income for now. He's got enough temptation from the Natick Collection.

[Deleted]

Man, that's frustrating.

The only thing I can advise is that if you don't get traction with the Leasing Associate you've been talking to, head up the food chain and tag a boss (if you haven't done so already).

It sucks, but sometimes that's the only way to get things taken care of. Higher levels tend to be really concerned about customer satisfaction, and will often hammer through unusual procedures if need be, or put you in touch with their best reps.

We've been going through odd stuff at the bank, and after getting the polite run around with various people, we finally went higher and got it all fixed. It was the only way to stop a credit card problem every time we traveled to visit my parents too.

At a certain point, when it just doesn't make sense, I stay polite, but no way am I backing down from talking to someone who has sway.

[telephus44]

Honestly, I'd be persistent and make sure that you got the cabinets, but wouldn't throw a fit about the time table. If they have to order them in, they have to order them in. Unless they somehow have the cabinets already there, it's not like they can snap their fingers and install them next day. Maybe wait 3-4 days and ask if the cabinets have come in yet, and if they have a date yet scheduled for installation, not calling up and pitch a fit.


If you are going to be renting for a while, the leasing office is one of the last people you want to piss off. And you don't want them to remember you as "the guy who bitched about the cabinets every day for 3 weeks."

[thyme4change]

OMG, my kitchen looked identical when we lived in MA....so weird.....

Not really - that is the most generic kitchen ever. It says "2005 - 2015" and will be totally dated very soon. People really lack imaginations when putting together a house - so 50% of the kitchens in any given decade are identical to whatever the trend of the day is.

[Deleted]

Imagination is typically not a good trait to have when putting together cookie cutter rental properties.

[thyme4change]

Imagination is typically not a good trait to have when putting together cookie cutter rental properties.

Or cookie cutter houses. Or renovating your own home, apparently.