Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/04/2024

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I left the apartment due to the unsafe living conditions that were never addressed though have been brought to management and maintenance’s attention multiple times.
  
  High presence of mold
  inefficient wall installation
  unable to receive mail
  
  I have been trying to reach out to resolve this issue since September.
  
  PLEASE SEE EMAIL
  WITH FILES OF ALL
  DOCUMENTS

  Business Response

  Date: 03/11/2024

  This resident breached their lease agreement and moved out mid lease shortly after new property management took over the building.   There are many legitimate and amicable ways to properly resolve issues, however, moving out mid lease without a sublease or an agreed upon arrangement in writing is never one of them.   Please contact the debt collection agency directly to work out repayment payment terms.   This issue is a closed matter. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/04/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Business got my car towed for the parking lot that I pay a parking pass for. Random charges with no explanation. Is charging me late fees when rent is paid on time out of retaliation. Maintenance entering my apartment with no prior warning. Does not answer any questions at all from phone call or email. False advertising and my car was broken into 3 times, they advertised a safe lot. Refuses to refund me for unlawfully towing my car. Charged me for maintenance that was broken upon move in. Hazardous trash conditions at apartment complex. No response to any concerns at all.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/20/2024

  Hello ****** - all of these issues have previously been addressed with you and your mom in writing.  Parking is reserved for residents and valid parking passes must be displayed at all times or your vehicle may by subject to towing by a third party company who patrols the lot.  Your Hyundai Sonata was towed on 12/3/23 because you did not display your parking pass in the front windshield.  Please see the attached photos of your vehicle and the lack of a parking pass displayed the evening it was towed. 
  
  Petty crime is an unfortunate reality in dense urban environments such as on The Ohio State University campus where you live.  While this is a complex issue that requires the collaboration of our city leaders and local police to solve; many of these crimes are opportunistic in nature and therefore we strongly suggest never leaving valuables (or the appearance of valuable) inside your vehicle.   Your particular apartment building was recently built, has an extensive parking lot lighting system (as noted in the pictures) and on-site security cameras and no trespassing signs are preset and have been for many years.  
  
  We do not show any open maintenance issues and have not received any requests in the past several months.   If there is a maintenance concern, please submit this to our team through your online portal so we can address accordingly.
  
  Late fees are applied to past due balances in accordance with your lease. As an example, you paid your December rent on December 4th.   Rent is due on the 1st and, as a courtesy, you are provided a grace period of 3 additional days before late fees are charged.   Know that, in this particular instance we generously agreed to waive your December late fee on December 5th  ******.   Please see the attached photo of this activity. 
  
  Please know, if you are unhappy with your living arrangement you are always welcome to sublease your apartment.  Please contact the office for additional information about this process.    Thank you. 
  
  
  To the BBB – there is no additional response or solution that will satisfy ******.   The claims leveled by this individual are inaccurate and mis-characterized.  This is a closed matter. 
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/31/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I would like to file a formal complaint with the Better Business Bureau against Strategem Management. On October 30th, an employee of Strategem Management, accompanied by an unidentified individual, entered my apartment without providing the mandatory 24-hour notice, as stipulated by Ohio law. Additionally, I wish to bring to your attention that I have repeatedly expressed my intention to renew my lease to the management. Such actions by Strategem Management not only violate Ohio tenant rights but also demonstrate a disregard for my lease renewal requests. This situation needs immediate attention and resolution.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/07/2023

  Dear ***** *******,
  
  You were provided multiple
  email notifications for the notice to entry 24-hours in advance. See attached screen shot.
  
  The day after this occurrence,
  on 10/31/23, Stratagem reached out to confirm your phone number and email address.
  An associate sent the renewal lease to you for signing the same day. The
  advertisement was removed and all future showings were cancelled.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Stratagem
  Management

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/16/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  In December of 2022 I moved into an apartment and signed a lease through J&S properties for 1 year. On April 1st of 2023, J&S properties sold the apartments to a company that is now managed by Stratagem Management. Stratagem management first stated that they would honor my 1 year lease that would end in December of 2023. On May 1st, after I had paid my rent, I was then sent a email saying that they were claiming I was on a month to month lease and that I needed to move out by May 31st. They also began to charge me fees that were not stated in my lease, such as my water bill, which I paid through my own account, they charged me for not having renters insurance which was not required of me in my lease, and also for a maintenance call. Now that I am out of the unit, they stated that I threw trash away in their dumpster that was not allowed, and charged me $490.00 out of my deposit for that. I did not dispose of any trash I. Their dumpster, as I had my own trash can that was serviced by Delaware city. As I have now tried to address all these charges and none return of deposit, they will not respond to me.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/30/2023

  Dear ***** *******,
  
  Your lawyer filed a
  lawsuit stating your lease was a full-year lease agreement and not month to
  month. Stratagem Management never entered into a settlement because you never agreed
  to sign. Your lawyer dismissed the lawsuit before we could file a counterclaim.
  Stratagem can therefore maintain damages and charge rent through the end of the
  lease term.
  
  A 3-day notice to
  vacate was filed due to non-payment of rent.
  
  While moving out,
  you illegally filled a private contractor dumpster with your personal
  belongings including bulk furniture. The contractor was required to pay to have
  a new dumpster delivered. On the guidance of your lawyer the cost of the
  dumpster was billed to you and is your responsibility. Records, including photos,
  evidence of this are attached.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Stratagem
  Management

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/10/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I was a resident at a property managed by Strategem Management for 9 years from 2014 through April 25th, 2023. I was notified by email on March 6th that my lease would not be renewed. I replied to the email asking why but I didn't receive an immediate response. I also tried to communicate, with property management, the major inconvenience this situation places me in and if I moved before April 1st would I still be expected to pay April's rent. By March 31st, 2023, I still hadn't received clear communications regarding April's rent, so I signed a new lease at a different complex and moved into my new apartment. On April 2nd I paid the rent at the Strategem managed apartment, and I informed them the rent was paid. Strategem replied to my email on April 5th acknowledging my payment and provided a response to my original question as to why I wasn't given the option to renew my lease. The below message from them indicates the intent was to renovate the unit.
  
  Info4
  To:
  ******* ********
  
  Wed, Apr 5 at 10:34 AM
  
  Hello William,
  
  
  
  Thank you for informing us I do see April rent has been paid.
  
  
  
  Unfortunately, these decisions are made by ownership and units selected are at random. I do know that most of the time the reasoning behind this is because there are stipulations and timelines for bank loans that ownership has for keeping properties up to date and renovated.
  
  
  
  Thanks,
  
  Stratagem Team on May 24, 2023, unreasonably billed for items that would help the finance their obligation to remodel the unit. The unit was clean and free from any need to remove trash. Stratagem management did not provide pictures to justify the $275 heavy cleaning and trash removal fee that would only have been needed to clean up and remove trash after the unit is remolded. They also invoiced me $320 for drywall and painting. I was in the unit for 9 years and it had normal use during that period. Stratagem Management billed me a total of $941.20..

  Business Response

  Date: 06/16/2023

  Dear ******* ********,
  
  The charges you incurred are due to neglect of the unit you
  resided in under the management of Stratagem Management. We understand you were
  a long-time tenant, but the damage exceeded what we deem to be normal wear and
  tear. These charges are listed below along with supporting documentation.
  
  $250 for heavy cleaning including smoke damage. Pictures are attached.
  $135 for 3 damaged blinds. Pictures are attached.
  $10 for 2 burnt out light bulbs. Pictures are attached.
  $320 for drywall repairs and paint. Pictures are attached.
  
  You were also charged utility and key fees that are outlined
  in your lease agreement.
  $75 for not returning the mailbox key. This fee is outlined in your lease agreement. Picture of the lease is attached.
  $33.90 Gas bill and $50 administrative fee for not keeping a utility account active under your name. The fee is outlined in your lease agreement. Picture of the lease is attached.
  $42.30 Final water bill.
  
  Listed below are items you were not charged for upon move
  out as it was deemed to be normal wear and tear.
  
  Damaged carpet. Pictures are attached.
  Missing shower bar. Pictures are attached.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Stratagem Management

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/16/2023

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I accept the business's response to resolve this complaint.
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  ******* ********

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/12/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I lived in 1817 S 6th st since May of 2020 at that time my house was overseen by Chatham and partner who I originally signed my lease in August of 2022 Strategem Management took over in just 1 month they went through 3 people who I originally had contact with, I get paid every week so under Chatham I split my payments up and paid any late fees by the middle of the month, after they left these people tried to penalize my with outrageous fees that weren’t even in my lease I never signed another lease with them so I’m Dec I have emails back and fourth between someone from their office that I was all paid up and didn’t owe anything, and in this time I kept sending emails and maint issues to them and never got any of them taken care of besides the smoke detectors they finally came and put in only because I threaten to call the city on them! (I have all emails of all of this) in the 2nd week of December they told me they weren’t renewing my month to month and I had til the end of January 2023 to get out! On Jan 15th I sent them an email saying I had vacated the premises and I took video and pictures(no holes no damage besides the basic wear and tear from almost 4 years of living their not even a single broken blind) I got no response email no one came out to walk the place with me nothing! So now April 4th almost 3 months after I move out they send me this fraudulent paper of all these charges and now saying I owe money from Sept-Dec saying they filed eviction on me which is a lie! Add rent that isn’t even the amount my rent was and water bill I never paid cuz I had a flat fee that was included in my rent! THE MOST CROOKED FRAUDULENT “realtor” company and I hope they get shut down! 4 years and 7 complaints..something don’t sound right! They go through employees worse than fast food and I wonder why! Crooked crooked crooked! Can I forward my email and pictures to an email? That’s going to be the best way to show my proof

  Business Response

  Date: 04/20/2023

  19928339 Response
  
  **** ******* <*********************************>
  Attachments
  10:10 AM (51 minutes ago)
  to [email protected]
  
   
  In August 2022, our company was hired by the owner of 1817 S 6th St to manage the building.  ****** was under a contractual lease agreement that was negotiated and signed PRIOR to our involvement and, as a fiduciary to the owner, we are legally required to uphold the terms of that lease agreement (this applies to both the tenant and landlord).   Per that signed lease agreement (see attached), rent is due on the 1st of the month.   See section 2.1 of the attached document. NOTE - no other written agreements or addendums are in file or could be produced by ****** that alters the terms of the lease signed by ******.  Additionally, per that same lease agreement section 2.3, late fees are applied beginning on day 4 if the rent was past due and accrued each day thereafter.  Again, this is the lease that was negotiated and signed by ****** prior to our company’s involvement.  We did not write or negotiate this lease; however we are required to uphold these terms without judgement.   
  
  Please refer to the attached payment ledger.  Beginning in August 2022, ****** paid 10 and 24 days late (8.10 & 8.24).   Late fees were applied however an eviction was not filed as a courtesy.  In September 2022, ****** failed to make any payments for the entire month and an eviction was filed September 23rd.  On 10.3 a payment was made and, as a courtesy, $160 in late fees were waived AND the eviction was dismissed.  A balance of $280 remained.  In November, ****** failed to pay rent on time but made a partial payment on 11.11 (a balance of $316 remained).   In December we waived the original $350 eviction filing fee as a courtesy.  The pattern of paying late continues thereafter and beginning January 2023, ****** failed to make any additional payments which resulted in an eviction (the second such eviction filing for nonpayment in several months).  In any Landlord / Tenant contract, it’s imperative Tenant makes timely rent payments or they will be subject to eviction proceedings.  This is a universally accepted proposition.  
  
  When ****** finally vacated the apartment, damages of approximately $150 were charged back to her.  These charges are relatively mild, however, were valid. In the attached lease, there is also a “Premises Inspection Move-In” condition form that did not notate any existing damages. Upon our walkthrough of this unit, we noticed light bulbs missing, some light paint & patch work, and some excess cleaning that needed to be completed beyond normal wear and tear.  This was clearly not the status of the unit upon move in, and we have included our post move out pictures to validate these charges.
  
  An open balance of $1,474.23 remains and we encourage ****** to reach out and make payment arrangements to avoid possible negative remarks to her credit file.   We believe the facts surrounding this complaint are clear and the claims from ****** are without merit, rather, a result of a disgruntled tenant that failed to abide by the straightforward terms of a lease agreement she signed in good faith.  It our ask that the BBB review the lease and attached ledger and immediately close this complaint and vacate it from our file.  
  
   
  
  2
   Attachments
    •  Scanned by Gmail
  

  
  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/20/2023

  19928339 Response
  
  **** ******* <*********************************>
  Attachments
  10:10 AM (51 minutes ago)
  to [email protected]
  
   In August 2022, our company was hired by the owner of 1817 S 6th St to manage the building.  ****** was under a contractual lease agreement that was negotiated and signed PRIOR to our involvement and, as a fiduciary to the owner, we are legally required to uphold the terms of that lease agreement (this applies to both the tenant and landlord).   Per that signed lease agreement (see attached), rent is due on the 1st of the month.   See section 2.1 of the attached document. NOTE - no other written agreements or addendums are in file or could be produced by ****** that alters the terms of the lease signed by ******.  Additionally, per that same lease agreement section 2.3, late fees are applied beginning on day 4 if the rent was past due and accrued each day thereafter.  Again, this is the lease that was negotiated and signed by ****** prior to our company’s involvement.  We did not write or negotiate this lease; however we are required to uphold these terms without judgement.   
  
  Please refer to the attached payment ledger.  Beginning in August 2022, ****** paid 10 and 24 days late (8.10 & 8.24).   Late fees were applied however an eviction was not filed as a courtesy.  In September 2022, ****** failed to make any payments for the entire month and an eviction was filed September 23rd.  On 10.3 a payment was made and, as a courtesy, $160 in late fees were waived AND the eviction was dismissed.  A balance of $280 remained.  In November, ****** failed to pay rent on time but made a partial payment on 11.11 (a balance of $316 remained).   In December we waived the original $350 eviction filing fee as a courtesy.  The pattern of paying late continues thereafter and beginning January 2023, ****** failed to make any additional payments which resulted in an eviction (the second such eviction filing for nonpayment in several months).  In any Landlord / Tenant contract, it’s imperative Tenant makes timely rent payments or they will be subject to eviction proceedings.  This is a universally accepted proposition.  
  
  When ****** finally vacated the apartment, damages of approximately $150 were charged back to her.  These charges are relatively mild, however, were valid. In the attached lease, there is also a “Premises Inspection Move-In” condition form that did not notate any existing damages. Upon our walkthrough of this unit, we noticed light bulbs missing, some light paint & patch work, and some excess cleaning that needed to be completed beyond normal wear and tear.  This was clearly not the status of the unit upon move in, and we have included our post move out pictures to validate these charges.
  
  An open balance of $1,474.23 remains and we encourage ****** to reach out and make payment arrangements to avoid possible negative remarks to her credit file.   We believe the facts surrounding this complaint are clear and the claims from ****** are without merit, rather, a result of a disgruntled tenant that failed to abide by the straightforward terms of a lease agreement she signed in good faith.  It our ask that the BBB review the lease and attached ledger and immediately close this complaint and vacate it from our file.  
  
   
  2
   Attachments
    •  Scanned by Gmail
  

  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/20/2023

  [If you do not say why you are rejecting the company's response, BBB must close your complaint.] 
  
  
  
  Complaint: 19928339
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because: ok so how is it I have emails saying that as of December I owed nothing? And I paid all of December’s rent and moved out Jan 15 which I only owe half of January's rent!  I paid $850 deposit to move in, my rent is $795 included in my rent is a $40 water bill so each month my total amount due is $835, your charging me $5 each for 3 light bulbs that are from the bathroom that I put in when I moved in! Yea I took them when I moved out they belonged to ME!!I’m not a disgruntled ex-tenant you guys just don’t run a good business, clearly why I’m not the first person to complain and everyone’s complaints sound about the same! I want to see court records of you filling and following through with the Eviction Notice you filed in court! Your adding extra money becuase I asked you guys to take care of things before i was going to pay my rent! Read all the emails the proofs in the emails! You guys stopped all contact with me before I even moved out and refused to respond and even return phone calls! I asked for someone to walk the house with me and nobody returned my calls! Further more you waited almost 3 months after I moved out to say stuff about damages when I don’t know who was in and out of that house the last 3 months while you took your time someone should of been in there immediately to evaluate the situation and someone clearly got my leaving notice email that’s how you were even able to send me this bill so you guys were purposely ignoring me! I owe $417.50 for half of January $20 for the initial late fee and $5 starting the 5th which is a total of $55 for  rent a total of $492.50 and the hundred and some dollars your saying I owe for cleaning! $667.5 take that away from $850 I paid for my deposit you guys owe me a couple hundred dollars! I don’t even care about that but I’m not paying for money your adding on and if you read your break down your saying I pay $925-$950 for rent and I don’t your numbers are incorrect and your breakdown is wrong so unless your going to show proof that you filed an eviction that cost you $350 no where in my lease does it even say that much when they do file eviction! Go back and read all the emails between me and your correspondence you guys failed to fix the things in a timely manager (more than 30 days) and go back and read the lease I signed! I also have paper work I gave you guy $1800 because you told me if I didn’t pay next months rent while it was still the 7th of that same month you were filing evictions on me! I just want someone from the BBB to read all these emails please and you’ll see in Dec I owed them no money it wasn’t until I told them I want all these issues fixed did they not want to maintain my month-month and then started adding on all this extra money! Please someone reach out to me these people are lying and I have the proof I even have pictures that show in the rental portal I owed no money then every week they just kept adding more and more even after I moved out!!!!

  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  ****** ****