ComplaintsforVan Metre Companies Inc

• Initial Complaint

  01/24/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We bought a condo in Birchwood from VanMetre in October 2019. Within a few months - the roof started to leak and there were several large cracks appeared in many locations in the condo. Van Metre "fixed" these, but every few months these cracks keep coming back. We feel that there are structural issues that VanMetre refuses to address. In addition, the roof keeps leaking. Every year around January, the roof starts to leak - not a slow leak, but a heavy flow. causing damage to the ceiling and carpets etc.This week VanMetre came and repaired the cracks in the bathroom and then refused to fix the cracks in other areas saying that they have completed their 11 month walk through. their workmen remember fixing the other cracks before.

  Business response

  01/29/2022

  January 27, 2022

   

  To Whom It May Concern,
  
  This is in response to the review we received dated January 26th, 2022 regarding ******* *****’s concerns with the drywall cracks and a roof leak in the home. We have been in contact with **. and **** ***** and have been working to resolve these concerns. Our roofer completed their portion of the repair on January 27th and we are in the process of scheduling the interior repairs related to the roof and the remaining drywall cracks. We take all concerns very seriously and we look forward to resolving these concerns for the ***** family.
  
  Once completed, we will notify your office of the completion of work.
  
  Please let us know if you need any further information.
  
  Sincerely,
  Jennifer K*******
  Director of Customer Experience

• Initial Complaint

  01/24/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  After complaints about mold in our unit at located at ******** ******, we purchased an at home mold test. It has come back positive and has continued to grow quickly in the Petri dish. Nothing has been done to address the issue, we moved here temporarily due to insurance work needing to be done at our residence we own. My husband explained our situation including the fact I was in and out of the hospital/ doctors visits due to prior mold exposure when applying for the apartment. No walk through was offered prior to the lease signing, nor was a walk through done prior to giving my husband the keys, As soon as I entered the residence I immediately had to leave due to the overwhelming mildew smell in the master bathroom. We quickly put in the maintenance request, Sharmika reached out, briefly made a comment about the situation, but seemed to be more focused on obtaining a DNA swab for our pet. Maintenance came out but nothing was done. We tried to be switched to another Van Metre property entirely which became a nightmare. After trying every avenue through your company we have found to not only being brushed off, but not being taken seriously. All off us in the residence have been suffering from sicknesses ranging from Respiratory issues including shortness of breath, severe itching, burning, skin rashes and ulcers, as well as edema in our hands and feet. I have made maintenance requests, physically spoke to someone in the front office, and reached out to corporate all with no response or resolution.

  Business response

  03/05/2022

  ---------- Forwarded message ---------
  From: ****************************** <*****************@vanmetreco.com>
  Date: Wed, Mar 2, 2022 at 2:32 PM
  Subject: BBB Complaint Management ID#********
  To: [email protected] <[email protected]>
  Cc: *****************************, ARM <***************************************>, *********************, ARM <******************************>, ************************* <****************************************>, ******************* <**************************************>, ***** ********************* **************** > <*********************************>, *********************** <***********************************>, ****************************** <***************************************>
  

  
  

  ****************,

  Thank you for returning my call and discussing the complaint.  As mentioned, Fairfax County reached out on behalf of the BBB Complaint and was handling the case.  They were provided with back up information and our response to the complaint on February 4^th, 2022.  Please re-open the complaint so that the response can be addressed with the BBB as it appears that information from the County was not passed along related to the complaint in question.  Attached you will find the response letter related to the resident complaint and a summary of the actions taken by ******************* Apartments/ Van Metre Companies, Inc. to resolve the customer complaint.  I have also provided an updated summary below of the actions taken to respond and resolve the complaint.

   

  Letter of Body to Fairfax County:

  Dear ******************,

  In response to your notice dated January 24th, 2022 and received in our possession on January 29th, 2022 we offer this response to the consumer complaint. We continue to work with the lease holder to resolve this issue. At this time, the unit has been inspected by maintenance personnel for signs of any water intrusion or microbial growth. On December 2nd, 2021 the lease holder first entered a work order request regarding the complaint and requested a call from maintenance before entering apartment. On December 3rd, 2021 our maintenance team called the lease holder, per their request and received no response. Maintenance then went to the apartment and no one at the apartment was answering the door or at home. On Monday December 6th, maintenance went to the apartment again and the resident was home and entry was made for an inspection. No signs of water damage, wet substrates or microbial growth was found and moisture levels of the building materials was checked using a moisture meter. Our property office team followed up with the lease holder on January 6th regarding the previous work order. The resident provided no response. On January 21st and 24th the resident entered new work orders related to the same issue. At this time, we contacted a water intrusion and remediation company to visit the unit and perform an inspection. On January 26th, ****** *** performed an inspection of the unit and found no signs of moisture, water intrusion, damages indicating past water intrusion or signs of microbial growth. On January 28th, ************* ********* went to the apartment with a Sr. Director of Facilities from corporate regarding the new work orders submitted by the lease holder and to provide follow-up. The resident/ lease holder requested several times to the Sr. Director of Facilities to not come in to do any air quality testing with the vendor due to the complainant having Covid. Van Metre requested that the lease holder could go to another area of the apartment while testing was conducted and lease holder then stated that he and the others in the apartment had Covid and it was not convenient. We have notified the lease holder via email, phone call with message and notice on their door that we are to have the air quality testing performed by Environmental Solutions on Monday, February 7th.

  Updated information after letter to Fairfax County.

  On Monday, February 7th, Van Metre was provided access to the apartment along with the inspector from ************* ************Inc.  During the inspection of the apartment, a representative from Van Metre, Harry C********, and ************* **********Inc. conducted separate tests while air quality testing was taken in the second bedroom, Living/ Dining Room and Master Bedroom.  Visible inspections were performed and all accessible areas of the apartment were inspected.  Furniture was not moved.  Moisture mapping was completed using an infrared camera in conjunction with a protimeter (moisture meter) by both representatives.  Each company had their own individual equipment and inspected separately from each other.  No significant anomalies in surface temperature or elevated levels of moisture were recorded throughout the apartment inspection.  ************* **********, Inc. completed their test and submitted air quality sampling for analysis.

  On Monday, February 14^th, the resident submitted their notice to vacate their apartment by February 18^th, 2022.  *************** Apartment management agreed to allow resident to move out as stated in their lease break.  Resident turned in keys to management and another inspection was performed by Van Metre after unit was vacated.  No visible signs of mold or moisture were found.  The county of Fairfax acted on complaints filed with the BBB and we have satisfied the County of Fairfaxs investigation in to the matter.  The County has tried to reach out to the complainant multiple times and not heard back from the complainant to date.  An additional complaint has also been filed with the County and that has been answered with the County Code Compliance Inspector and the County has decided to close that additional complaint. 

  In summary, Van Metre Companies has been responsive to the resident work orders and complaints to management throughout the process.  We have worked with the resident to resolve their concerns and rescheduled inspections throughout the time period in question.  Each reschedule was due to the resident refusing entry to the unit.  The resident has moved out of the unit and County of Fairfax is satisfied with the resolution provided related to the matter. 

  Harry *. C***** Jr.
  Vice President of Facilities Management
  Van Metre Companies
  D: *************** M: ************
  ***************************************
  **** *********************** Fairfax, VA *****

*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. ↩