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:07/18/2024

  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.

  I applied as a guarantor on a lease with Matchbox Realty on 6/26/2024. I did not receive any other communication (e.g. a lease, an acceptance, etc.) from Matchbox until 7/10/2024, which was an email bill including an alleged "late fee". I'm unaware of how a proposed tenant can pay rent on time without first being aware of a lease, monthly payment, etc. Following the instructions in the email bill, I emailed Matchbox on that same day inquiring about the alleged late fee. I did not get a response until today, 7/18/2024 after calling Matchbox about this issue. At first they tried to deny I ever sent an email until I fowarded the 7/10/24 reply mentioned above. Then they offered a 50% reduction in the late fee. I did promptly pay the remainder of the bill (minus the late fee charge of $63), ~$1250.00, on 7/11/2024. Still they want the late fee, insisting that " All rent payments are due the 1st of each month". Sigh. This is laughable.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/25/2024

  Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. We apologize for any confusion and inconvenience you have experienced. We value all our tenants and guarantors and aim to provide clear communication and fair treatment.Upon reviewing your complaint, we acknowledge the timeline of events you have outlined:1. You applied as a guarantor on 6/26/2024.2. You received an email bill on 7/10/2024, which included a late fee.3. You reached out to us via email on 7/10/2024 regarding the late fee and did not receive a response until 7/18/2024 after following up with a phone call.4. Upon review, you promptly paid the remainder of the bill on 7/11/2024, excluding the late fee.We understand that receiving a bill with a late fee before having clear communication about the lease and payment details is frustrating. This does not align with our standards of timely and effective communication.To address your concerns:1. We acknowledge the delay in our response to your initial email on 7/10/2024. We are investigating the cause of this delay to prevent similar occurrences in the future.- Note, the lease was signed and processed on 7/3/2024, This is certainly a short turnaround time for your and us to communicate and plan for payments and would definitely disrupt our normal communications process around the first of each month in regard to payments that are due and when they are late.  2. The late fee was assessed based on our policy that all rent payments are due on the 1st of each month. Late fees are not accrued unless payment is not made by the 5th of each month. We did send a reminder, via text message, of the balance that was due on 7/6/24 prior to any late fee being assessed on 7/7/24.Given these circumstances, we have decided to waive the late fee entirely as a gesture of goodwill and to rectify the misunderstanding. You will receive a confirmation of this waiver shortly. We appreciate your prompt payment of the remaining balance and your patience as we addressed this matter. If you have any further concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to reach out directly to our office.Thank you for your understanding and for giving us the opportunity to improve our services.Matchbox

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/27/2024

  Type:Sales and Advertising 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.

  An apartment was advertised as available on 1/14/2025. I contacted Matchbox Realty to express my interest. I was told to apply at a rate of $50. After I did as instructed I received an email that said if I didn't hear back from them within 48 hrs to contact them. I called them and they told me the apartment is occupied "and they don't know of the tenants will renew or not". I have a screenshot of the apartment advertised as available and would not have applied otherwise. I have copies of the emails that tell me to apply and then tell me within a week it is not available and the reason being they don't know if the current tenants will renew or not, and to pick a different apartment but that doesn't work within my time frame to move.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/06/2024

  I have reviewed the response offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  I clearly communicated to MatchBox Realty via email on the website prior to my application and at the time of my complaint that i am on a set timeframe to move Jan 1 to Feb 1 2025, since it is an out of state move. I am currently in a lease and it cannot be modified.  In addition, I am not interested in renting a room, as I indicated my interest in a studio or one bedroom apartment. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ********* ******* 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/06/2024

  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.  I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.
  
  Regards,
  
  ********* *******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/19/2023

  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.

  Matchbox is the most unethical company I have ever had the displeasure of dealing with. My daughter moved into an apartment (*** ** *********) in August of 2022. She moved out in May of 2023, and is now being billed $940.50 because "Unit was painted an incorrect color throughout and paint was found on items that paint should not have been on.”MATCHBOX ARE THE ONES WHO PAINTED IT!!
  
  According to Matchbox, it is the fault of my daughter for not notating the paint was "patchy" or "the wrong color." This was their reply “If the paint had been reported to be patchy and the incorrect color on the move in inspection….” Are you kidding me? How is anyone supposed to know it was “the wrong color”, it’s almost laughable. As for being “patchy” it is an old building, and we had no expectations of the paint being perfect. To be blamed for their paint job is extraordinarily absurd. She was also charged for drywall dust. I can assure you she did not do any drywalling while renting this apartment.
  
  Matchbox is complete trash and will ***** *** **** with the most lame of excuses. Buyer beware.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/19/2023

  As we have explained to Ms. ****** in multiple
  correspondence, if she can show us that there was correspondence from the
  Tenant (her daughter) to someone in our office regarding the condition of the
  paint, we are happy to re-evaluate the charges.  We have information
  regarding Move In Issues that are unrelated to paint.  Our Quality
  Inspector did not note anything that was wrong with the paint and the issues
  were obvious.  The Tenant had five days, per the Lease, to report anything
  that would have been an issue, and nothing was reported.  It would lead
  one to believe that the issues were not present at Move In.Upon move-out, there were major issues with the paint
  that showed paint was over shelf brackets, paint was not cut in around the
  ceiling and corners, flat paint was painted over the semi-gloss trim and
  obvious patching had been performed on the wall in the hallway.  To say
  that drywall dust sat an entire year on the floor and trim seems a bit
  unusual.  We have already sent you all invoices, move out inspections and move in inspections but I did attach a few of those again.  I believe that the pictures in the Move Out inspection will show
  that the condition of the paint on the walls is not something that a sub-contractor
  of this property would be allowed to let slip.  This is why we perform
  Quality Inspections on all Turnovers-- to catch issues such as this. Per the Lease, nothing was turned in to us to show
  damages that you have stated were present when you moved in. Our employees did
  not see these damages, we have no record of the damages but now that the
  damages were present at move out- it is our fault? If you have details of where
  you communicated this, we are wanting this information so we can remove the
  charges from your account.  We have asked for proof but to date,
  nothing.  Just horrible social media reviews and now a BBB complaint. 
  We have uploaded our documents.  Please upload yours so you can help us
  help you. Thank you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/20/2023

  I have reviewed the response offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  The pictures provided by Matchbox show that their people are the ones who painted it. The paint looks to match perfectly, especially on the trim, other than the sheen. Which tells me their contractor picked the wrong sheen for the paint he/she picked up. It is morally unethical to blame a tenant for the contractors shortcomings. How nice and profitable it must be for college students to pay for what needs to be updated on behalf of Matchbox. 
  Regards,
  
  ***** ****** 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/02/2023

  I have reviewed the response offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  I am reopening a BBB complaint because I was not able to add my photographs after Matchbox uploaded there's. Matchbox accused my daughter of painting her apartment the incorrect shade and sheen before moving out. This is Ludacris. I have been arguing with them due to being charged $940.50 for paint that their contractor painted the apartment. Matchbox stated that their contractors use the correct paint and sheen, which may be true but not in my daughters apartment before she moved in. The last contact with Matchbox was this comment. "We have asked for proof but to date, nothing. Just horrible social media reviews and now a BBB complaint. We have uploaded our documents. Please upload yours so you can help us help you. Thank you." I sent them the proof they asked for so I can help them, help me.....nothing but silence. Now that I found evidence that they asked for, they have nothing to say now. It's been over a week. Everyone knows they will do anything to keep deposit money no matter what. Which I would understand in some circumstances. In the last BBB complaint, they posted their pictures and now I will post mine. The first 2 pictures were posted by Matchbox. The next 3 are my pictures. You can see the date was when she moved in and the paint is anything but uniform. The paint was kind of noticed but we didn't think to mention it because this apartment building is so old. We did not expect perfection. Like I have already stated, If I would have had any idea my child was going to be accused of painting her apartment in various spots, I would have said something from the beginning. Being blamed for their work is unacceptable.
  
  Regards,
  
  ***** ******

  Business Response

  Date: 10/02/2023

  Ms. ******,Your daughter was not charged for full paint in the unit.  You are showing a picture of the ceiling in the unit that we also documented.  This is not something that we believe she had any part in. You have also attached a picture of the toe-kick under her sink that was also documented on her Move In Inspection and that was not anything she was charged for.  I have attached more pictures that were included in her Move Out Inspection showing evidence of the paint issues that were found upon our Inspection.  Our decision has not changed.  No Move In Inspection was turned in, the Quality Inspector did not note any damages with the paint except in the hallway closet (not bedroom closet).  This is not the work of a certified, licensed/insured painter.  This would have been noted immediately prior to your daughter's move in. If you have any other information that shows details or communications with your Property Manager, please forward that to us.  Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/19/2023

  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.

  We moved into a Matchbox property in mid-August. Shortly after move-in, the refrigerator stopped working. For over a week and a half, we called, emailed, and texted Matchbox asking them to repair the refrigerator. Each time we communicated with them, they emphasize that the non-functioning refrigerator was “beyond their control” and they would send a repairman as soon as possible. After a week and a half of not having a refrigerator, a repairman finally came and “fixed” the appliance. Twenty-four hours after the refrigerator was supposedly repaired, the inside was still not cool. We contacted Matchbox, who told us the refrigerator had been repaired. We asked them to come inspect the “fixed” appliance or provide a thermometer so we could see if the refrigerator was cooling properly. Matchbox refused both requests. After multiple additional phone calls, emails, and texts, they finally agreed to send the repairman back to our unit. Within about eight hours of the second service call, the refrigerator started to feel cool, and we were able to store food in it without the food spoiling.
  
  A few weeks later, we were shocked when Matchbox billed us for the cost to get the refrigerator working. The only fair and ethical solution to this complaint is for Matchbox to pay for the cost to provide functioning appliances in their rental units.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/24/2023

  Ms. ******,I am sorry for the frustration that your son felt during his move in.  From everything I am seeing, we acted swiftly and followed the Lease.  I have copied verbiage from the Lease that shows that if maintenance is called out for reasons that prove to be for waste, that is going to be at the cost of the Tenants.  As for the time without a fridge, I see that a work order was turned in on the 18th.  A mini-fridge was also requested on the 18th, as this date fell on a Friday and the appliance techs do not work on the weekend.  On Monday, the 21st, the appliance technician discovered that the evaporator motor was damaged and needed to replaced.  The part was ordered and was installed on the 23rd.  Unfortunately, based upon timing and the delivery of parts, that was the quickest the repair could happen but they did they were not without the ability to keep a small amount of food cold for the short time period that that the repair was in progress.Again, we apologize for the inconveniences and frustrations but we do have to follow the Lease so we are consistent with everyone. Have a good day.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/26/2023

  I have reviewed the response offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.The business did not address my complaint at all. I stated that Matchbox charged me for a visit to repair a refrigerator that was not functioning in a unit I am renting from them.  The response mentions an "unnecessary" visit. In fact, the visit from the repairman WAS necessary because the refrigerator was broken. For them to state otherwise is not factual. Furthermore, Matchbox refused to visit the unit so we could show them the refrigerator was not functioning, and they refused to provide a thermometer so we could document the ineffective cooling of the refrigerator. The only acceptable and ethical solution to this issue is for Matchbox to pay to maintain the appliances in a functioning state in their units - not try to foist such charges off onto their renters.
  
  Regards,
  
  *** ****** 

  Business Response

  Date: 09/26/2023

  As listed and shown in the documents, Matchbox did respond swiftly when notified that there was an issue with a fridge.  We have explained the timeline, to the day, and let you know that we could not have received a part any earlier than when it was delivered/installed.  We have also shown that a mini-fridge was provided.  For the response that we did not check on the fridge again when complaint came in that it was not cooling?  That is incorrect.  That is why you are being charged for the service call.  The Appliance Technician did visit the property and tested the temperature of the fridge and found it functioning properly.  To date, there have been no other issues with the fridge since the original work order/repair.  Per the Lease, the owner is not responsible for wasted trips when service is not needed.  I am sorry that we are at different sides of the spectrum on this.  Our decision stands about not refunding the fees for the reasons listed above and our previous evidence.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/28/2023

  I have reviewed the response offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  Like the previous response, Matchbox's current response only skirts the issue. The fact is that Matchbox NEVER sent someone from their office to check to see of the refrigerator was properly functioning - it was not. The only people that ever came to the unit were repairmen, the first of which did NOT fix the refrigerator. Now, Matchbox is charging the tenant for the repair. It is unacceptable and unethical.
  
  Regards,
  
  *** ****** 

  Business Response

  Date: 10/19/2023

  We followed the Lease, VRLTA and she is upset that she is being charged for a wasted trip because the fridge was working properly?  Matchbox does not send out employees to check on maintenance issues.  We send out repairman based upon requests of the Tenants.  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/21/2023

  Type:Order 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.

  My daughter, ***** ************, along with 3 other former *** students took over a home last June 2022 that was managed by Matchbox Realty in ************, **. From the beginning to the end we experienced nothing but problems with this company. It started with the execution of the rental agreement. The girls attempted several times throughout the month of June 2022 to get in contact with the management to request that their lease begin in August 2022 as that's what was put on their initial application. Matchbox jerked them around for the whole month and then send them a contract on 07/04/22 starting the lease on 06/29/22. They sent an email to them posing obvious concerns, but was met with a bogus excuse about due to what items the previous tenants left in the property they had to start the lease on that date. Their agreement and previous tenants should have nothing to do with one another. In the end the girls were forced to move forward with the lease as everything else was taken and they had no other options; which Matchbox knew since they manage over 75% of the properties in that area. The most egregious act was between the month of January 2023 and May 2023, there was a gas leak in the property and it took several email, calls over several months before they finally had someone come out and fix it. All the girls encounter various forms of illness as a result during this time, but was unaware of the gas leak. During the remediation process the girls were left in the home with no hot water for several days. Lastly, upon move out in June 2023, they attempted to hold their security deposit for bogus reasons including charging my daughter the most $25 for a key that she returned to them in person and signed a return slip. After being reported by another parent, they have attempted to provide a partial refund, but this is not sufficient. My daughter was offered the least.We want our money back and for them to never do this to any other young college student again.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/26/2023

  Good morning.  I feel like you will be receiving duplicate information through this response since all four sets of parents have already been communicating via email after this complaint was sent.  There are several issues brought up here that need to responded to: To confirm to anyone reading this complaint, refunds were given PRIOR TO ANYONE ASKING FOR A REFUND as part of our security deposit audit.  This had nothing to do with any complaint or request but an issue on our end that caused charges to be made erroneously and they were caught immediately. So this comment is incorrect.For the comment about the gas leak, the property was bought several years prior and all leases were written based upon the tenants living there at the time.  The leases did not have gas listed on their leases as something they needed to connect and our leases were written the same. It was an error but not a malicious error by any means. The issue was remedied and we are grateful that there was no harm.For the questions surrounding the Move In Date- that was an issue created by the request of the your daughter and her roommates because they wanted to move-in with all of the passed down belongings of the previous girls.  Our preference was to give them a move-in ready home that had been cleaned, painted, and had turnover procedures performed.  Due to the fact this house was traditionally passed down with these belongings, these girls wanted it for sentimental value. That is not our fault as we advised against it. The owner will not be responsible for lost revenue so the lease start date had to be moved UP to be concurrent with the outgoing lease.  There was confusion on this but only because it was brought on as a last minute change from the girls request. Email trail is attached from one tenant.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/13/2023

  Type:Service or Repair 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.

  They are extorting college students for charges and billing after renting that they are not responsible for.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/15/2023

  My daughter rented an apartment with 3 other girls last year. Day 1 of moving in, the place was disgusting. The company allowed the last tenants to "hand down" the apartment (and has done this for the past 10 plus years) So they didn't inspect the apartment. Didn't check any damages that were made by last tenants to FIX for the new ones. The last tenants left it dirty not to mention with tons of things that our girls had to clean out and throw away. Blinds were broken- they were told they were responsible for that. My daughter was given a check list to go by and write down what was damaged before they moved in so they would not be responsible. In the end, she (and the others) were charged for the things damaged, including the blinds that they took down because they were BROKEN. In November, they had no hot water. Out of nowhere, MatchBox told them they had gas heat and had to have it filled. This was not in the lease. So, another added bill. Then in Janurary, my daughter noticed a "rotten egg" smell AND their gas bill was highter than normal. Notified ******, he did a walk through. Said he didn't smell anything and their bill was higher in Jan cause it was so cold. This went on for 5 months. My daughter had terrible symptons from this. dissiness, lightheaded, chest pain and increased fatigue. They told Matchbox this and still nothing. In May our girls finally called the gas company. They said they indeed DID have a leak and to get out of the house. Our girls could have DIED in those 5 months and MatchBox did nothing. Now they are taking their security deposits and charging for them things they are not responsible for on top of that!!

  Business Response

  Date: 08/15/2023

  Hello Ms. ********l,We would hope to respond to your allegations but without more details on the Tenant's name and address, we don't have a way to respond.  Please advise and we can assist you better.  Thank you!Matchbox

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/12/2023

  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.

  My daughter last name ******* currently resides in one of the apartments managed by matchbox at ***** ******** in ************, **. She was 20 days late paying her March rent because she thought she was on autopay and missed the message saying rent was late. That's her fault. Matchbox sent the account to collections after 5 days. Once we learned she failed to pay rent we tried to pay it online - she was locked out of the online portal. We were told once it is sent to collections they cannot accept payment - we had to pay the law firm plus late fee and law firm costs directly. We paid all past due amount the next day - March 21. At that point we were current with all rent payments. On March 31 the day before April rent was due we attempted to pay the April rent and were locked out of the portal still. We received no responses to our request to unlock even when we provided a receipt for the March 21 payment and a copy of the cancelled check. We contacted the law firm and they said since matchbox was non-responsive, rather than risk being overdue again, to pay the firm directly. We did so on March 31, got a receipt and notified Matchbox. That check cleared our bank more than 2 week ago. Matchbox did not log our March 21 payment until April 30 - a 6 week delay. Today is May 12th. Matchbox has failed to post our March 31 payment. Again 6 weeks since we paid. We also made a May rent payment on April 17th through the portal - fearing we would be locked out once again. We have been current on all rent since April 17th. Despite this, they charged us another late fee for May. Matchbox still shows us owing May rent plus invalid fees to the total of $******. Twice now it has taken over 6 weeks for them to credit payments made. We've been current since April 17th and actually paid AHEAD of time. Matchbox has failed to credit payments made in a timely manner due to a faulty process and massive unexplained delays. Additional Documentation and email exchanges can also be provided.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/12/2023

  We pay the rent and have since february 2023 so we are the aggrieved party. All feb, march, april and may payments were made by me from my bank account. 

  Business Response

  Date: 05/15/2023

  Hello and thank you for allowing us to explain the lengthy Collections process.  While we agree that there is a delay in the process, we do argue that:1. If the Tenant had not be late in making their payments, per the Lease, this situation would never have happened.2. We use a third-party Collections Attorney and they are not centered in our office.  They work with our Tenant(s) to recoup the funds that are due, take out what is owed to them and send us a reconciliation statement one time per month with payments that have collected the month prior. Until we have a reconciliation statement showing payments, we cannot adjust balances until the Attorney has confirmed what has/has not been paid.3. The Tenant Portal is updated with a status that gives concise directions on how to make payments if their account has been frozen.  It will be updated if their account has been unlocked but is still "in limbo" awaiting payment from the Attorney.  It specifically states that they still need to make their monthly payments, as stated in their Lease, and if any late fees arise from a balance on their account, they will be removed. 4. This is the statement that shows up when the account is locked - "Your account has been locked and
  turned over to Collections. The balance shown here may be incorrect. Please
  reach out to ************ *** to settle your account balance or for inquiries: *********************** -
  ###-###-#### option 1”5. This is the statement that shows up when the account is unlocked but still awaiting a check from the Attorney- "Your account has
  been unlocked pending remittance from Collections but will continue to show a
  balance and late charges until remittance is received. Incorrect fees will be
  removed after account reconciliation if payments are received on time.”We have a detailed account synopsis and have also attached a spreadsheet that shows three different scenarios.  Prior to Reconciliation, What the Ledger SHOULD Be (if a check arrives from the Attorney) and What the Tenant Ledger Shows Currently Based Upon The Reconciliation Today.Today, it shows the Tenant still owes money because we have not received any money from the Attorney for a check that was written in the amount of $***.  Once it is received, there will be a credit on the account.  We just can't assume anything until money is in our hands.  2/19/23 – last date that
  there was a $* balance.3/7/23 – No payment in
  March, so late charge was applied.3/8/23 – 5 Day Material
  Non-compliance notice sent for outstanding charges including rent, RLL,
  water.3/14/23 - Account Locked
  to send to Collections Attorney on 3/15. Message placed on Tenant Portal.3/15/23 – Account sent
  to Collections Attorney for Unlawful Detainer. 3/31/23 – Collections
  Attorney reports account is Paid In Full, including April rent. 4/5/23 - April Rent Paid
  to Collections Attorney with no commission taken by Collections Attorney -
  they are forwarding the rent to us. No Late Charge should be posted for
  April, so remove it during reconciliation. The account was unlocked and pertinent message placed on the Tenant Portal.4/7/23 – Late Charge was
  applied to account based on automated system.4/17/23 – online payment
  received for $******4/25/23 – online payment
  received for $*****4/30/23 – Collections
  Attorney Remittance Received for $******4/30/23 – online payment
  received for $*****5/7/23 – Late Charge was
  applied to account based on automated system.5/15/23 – Account
  reconciliation performed.Account Reconciliation notes:*Collections Attorney
  reports that the balance they collected on was $ ******, which was the
  account balance as of 3/7/23*Collections Attorney
  reports that $****** of fees/costs were added to the balance the tenant
  paid, so the tenant paid $******, which Collections Attorney reported Paid
  In Full  on 3/31/23*It is worth noting that
  the tenants were not paid in full because they had not paid
  march water charges.*Collections Attorney
  Remitted only $****** to us on 4/30.*Collections Attorney
  reports that the tenants gave them a check for $*** on 4/5/23, which they
  forwarded to us through the mail. As of today 5/15/23, no check for this
  amount has been received by our office.*Taking it on faith that
  Collections Attorney did receive this check, I am removing the April/May
  late charges. That said, I am not crediting them for the $*** because we
  never actually received this check.*There is an 11%
  loss to collections for every case that we send, due to attorney’s fees,
  we only received $****** for the outstanding debt of $******, so there was
  a bad debt write-off of $******.*We never backdate anything the transaction
  ledger will have all changes due to account reconciliation on 5/15. This
  includes the bad debt write-off as well as the Collections Attorneys credits. We hope this helps.  Unfortunately, Collections is not fruitful for anyone and we don't enjoy the process.  We do, though, send out reminders to avoid sending anyone to Collections, as we hope to avoid the process all together. Please let me know if you have any further questions.**** *********President of Residential Servicesp: ###-###-####************************* ** ******* **** ***** **************** ** ***** Licensed Real Estate
  Salesperson in the Commonwealth of Virginia

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/15/2023

  I have reviewed the response offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  The company has admitted in their own summary that the law firm CONFIRMS receipt of the payment on 4/31. I sent 3 different emails detailing this fact and providing a receipt. There is no “assumption” this is true. I have a receipt! The law firm has confirmed receipt of the check more than 6 weeks ago. I also will note that i never once received a response to any of my three communications stating these facts. If there was a concern with the check not being in hand after it was confirmed delivered on 4/31 why was this Not stated prior to now? What has been done to determine where the check was lost? Bottom line - this is not our problem. Matchbox has failed to conduct due diligence as to the missing funds. Either the law firm lost the check, matchbox lost the check or it has been lost in the mail. Our obligation ended on 4/31 when we handed the check over and got a receipt from the firm. Without this BBB complaint what was matchbox going to do? Just continue to ignore my requests via written email and not do anything to determine what happened? Our request remains. Matchbox DO YOUR JOB. We have paid the amount past due over 6 weeks ago. Conduct an investigation as to what happened to it. Next time RESPOND when we ask why the amount has been not been credited and provide a receipt. Ask the law firm where the check is they provided a receipt for. Opening the portal is not a solution. BBB i hope you note the unsatisfactory response from matchbox - we have literally bent over backward to get a response and it took this claim to hear from them. Suddenly they admit we submitted a payment as I stated we did over a month ago. Now its time to finish the job. Its not our problem they lost our check - its either them or their attorneys.Remove all late payment fees and submit a plan for investigating the missing check. Anything else is unacceptable.
  Regards,
  
  ***** ******* 

  Business Response

  Date: 05/31/2023

  Our lease outlines what will happen if rent is late.  Our messages that are sent to our tenants as reminders are not required but a courtesy. To be in Collections is legitimate and not the fault of our company.  There is a third party vendor that is involved and it takes time for your checks to clear through the Collections Attorney and for them to report back to us.  It is not a speedy process but our messages left on your accounts indicate what is happening.  The missing check was not paid to Matchbox but to our Collections Attorney and they could not deposit the funds.  They mailed the check back to us and we have no record of receiving it, to-date.  They have suggested that you show proof of the check clearing your bank so we can investigate where it may be.  If it has not cleared the bank, it has most likely been lost through the USPS mail system and will need to have another check written to Matchbox to take care of the balance due.  You are claiming that you are upset because of time-delays, but please remember that the Collections process was prompted by an action on the part of the Tenant(s); not Matchbox.  The lease is clear about the expectations on rent payments and what happens once a Tenant(s) defaults. We followed that process.  We cannot credit your account money that has not been received by us.  If you show us that it cleared the bank and we handled the check, we are happy to settle the account asap.  At this point, we have no record of this. Please don't point blame at us.  We are happy to help when we can.  We are happy to investigate but being upset with us because payments were made to the incorrect institution and there were delays because of it does not seem fair to us. As soon as you can reasonably do so, please send us details on the check you wrote to the Collections Agency that we do not have record of receiving.  Thank you!

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/04/2023

  I have reviewed the response offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  The check has not been lost in the mail. Either you or the law firm lost it. It is extremely rare for US postal service to not deliver mail to the proper address. Provided proof that payment was made you’ve essentially gone to the “dog ate my homework” excuse. That’s sad. Even if it was lost in the mail, this highlights matchbox and the law firm terrible business practices. The law firm only accepts personal checks. No wire transfers or other electronic payments - safer, faster, no us mail issues to deal with.  And the law firm handling collections is not even in the same town as the property. So somebody who has missed their payment has to either MAIL that payment or drive an hour to where the law firm is to personally deliver the check. Again what a great reason to accept wire transfers. And if that’s the law firm’s policy then hire a better firm! Had for instance a wire transfer been permitted none of this issue would have occurred. I don’t think there is a good understanding of how thoroughly Matchbox has completely failed to communicate throughout this process. We BEGGED to have the portal opened to make the April rent payment for several consecutive days. The law firm even contacted matchbox to BEG them to open the portal. No response from matchbox. This also would have prevented the issue. We would have simply paid online like we wanted to all along. After failing to open the portal and forcing us to pay the law firm again 10 days AFTER we had made the previous overdue rent payment and all penalties and fees, I then proceeded to send a series of emails detailing the actions I took and the efforts we made to get the information in the portal accurate. Sending receipts, copies of cancelled checks. No replies to any of these messages. Matchbox went out of their way to completely ignore our questions.Guess what FINALLY got your attention after I sent 6 emails requesting a response? This BBB claim. Without this you’d still be ignoring us. As proof I have attached each email I sent and the content of those messages. I asked for a response every time. Every time we received NONE. We are literally BEGGING you time and time again to look into the situation. Not a single email back. Here’s the timeline that highlights Matchbox’s complete failure to respond:March 31 - this is the email showing the cancelled check for the late March rent plus all penalties and fees. Note how we are literally begging matchbox to open the portal so we can make the April payment. NO RESPONSE. April 9 - After continued inaction on the part of matchbox to reconcile accounts on the portal I send a detailed email about the current status. NO RESPONSE. April 11 - Again after no action I send another summary of current status. NO RESPONSE. April 12 - the law firm responds to my April 11 email. At this point I am asking why the March 31 payment has not been posted. This is the first alert that something may be wrong with this payment because it has been almost 2 weeks since it was given to the firm but the check has not been cashed. What does matchbox do with this info? Nothing. NO RESPONSE.May 3 - it's now been 5 weeks since the March 31 payment was made. Surely this will cause matchbox to review things - maybe contact the law firm to see what might have happened? Anything? Hello? NO RESPONSE.May 8 - After having received no response for over a month I let matchbox know I’ll be filing a BBB complaint. Guess what happens? NO RESPONSE.Complete travesty. Complete failure to address the issues at hand or even provide a response. This is ******* level bad. This is NOT a good business. They should be graded accordingly.    Since matchbox has LOST the check I’ll make the payment we have a receipt for from March 31 (OVER 2 MONTHS AGO) in the online portal. Of course that’s if the portal has not once again been shut down for not making the May payment (the one we made 2 weeks ago…). What a joke.  
  Regards,
  
  ***** ******* 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/09/2022

  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.

  My son is a college student at *** and rents one of the units owned by MatchBox (Charleston Townes). In September, he told me he was without a refrigerator for over 30 days as well as issues with the washer and dryer for part of that month. He submitted a work order with the apartment complex and the issue with the refrigerator took over a month to be resolved. I did not pay September rent due to the fact that my son didn't have a refrigerator.. I continued to pay for October and November. I emailed in October (property manager **** *******) to discuss and received no response back. I spoke to someone in collections, explained the situation, and she emailed the property manager **** *******. Again, I received no response. I finally heard back via email on 11/3 from **** ******* explaining that the service issues were resolved and the delay in replacing the refrigerator was due to supply chain issues. Meanwhile, my son lost approximately $200 worth of food due to not having a working refrigerator. I requested multiple times to discuss this with ****, and did not get a response. I logged into the website to pay for December rent and got a message saying the account was locked and I couldn't access it to pay the December rent. I emailed again and was told that the account was referred to an attorney for collections. So now have to pay an extra $443.00 in attorney fees. My complaint is for the lack of communication and blatant disregard for my sons situation. Matchbox takes advantage of college kids and if this were a 50 year old living there, it never would've gone that long. Do not rent from these folks...there are plenty of other reputable groups in Harrisonburg. Stay away from Matchbox. At the very least, they should've waived the late fees as I continued to pay for rent after the refrigerator was broken.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/16/2022

  While we can agree with some of the comments Mr. ******** has made, many of the comments have been grossly exaggerated.  From our computer and phone records, this is the information that we have on file in regards to the incident that he has filed a complaint on:8/9/22
  – Replacement Fridge ordered9/14
  – Mr. ******** called our main line and did not leave a message9/15
  – Replacement Fridge installed9/16
  – Mr. ******** called and left voicemail for **** – (message was not
  returned)"Hi ****, my name
  is ***** ******** and I'm calling my for son. **** ******** lives **** ****** *** **** *** and I am following up he, he let me know that I guess they
  were without a refrigerator for almost a month. I think from mid-august
  until the last couple days and I need to pay the rent and I need to
  discuss, i know there is a late payment on there. I would like to get
  that taken off and discuss a reduction in the monthly rent for this
  month. Do." (exact message translated from our VOIP system)10/6 – Sent 5-Day notice of non-compliance10/6 – Mr. ******** contacted ****** in collections
  about late fees and she directed him to **** via email to discuss the
  maintenance issue. 11/3 – Mr ******** sent message via tenant portal. ****
  responded within the hour. Email conversation continued in which time ****
  sent the last reply that afternoon ending the conversation with no items
  left unresolved as he directed him to section 27 of the leasing documents
  that states the landlord is not responsible for failure of appliances. 11/17 – updated 5-day notice on non-compliance sent. No
  response from Tenant or Guarantor, Mr. ********Due to no response, account was turned over to
  attorney’s office for collections12/5 – Mr ******** reached out to us via email asking
  why he was unable to make a payment on his sons account, at which time he
  was directed to the attorney’s office to discuss balance due.  (Once the account has been turned over to collections, it is out of our hands, as we have a third party vendor that has been retained to collect balances due)12/7 – Balance responded and directed him to the
  attorney’s office to discuss payment options.12/9 – Mr. ******** emailed to request us to remove late fees
  on account. Directed to attorneys’ office as we could no longer discuss
  the account since it was turned over to the attorney. Mr. ******** was late on his August rent, did not pay his September rent and was late again on his October rent. Per the Lease, he is responsible for a 10% late fee if not paid by the 5th at 5 p.m.  Per Virginia Code
  55.1-1244, if he was dissatisfied with the way maintenance was being handled, he should have put his rent into escrow with the courts.  He cannot withhold rent and that is what he chose to do.  Deciding how, why and when you are going to pay rent is not how a lease is written. As for as his accusations and slanderous comments about us treating people differently-- that is 100% false.  We enjoy all of our tenants and treat them as if they were family.  Supply chain issues happen to everyone- vendors, customers, employees, owners, etc.  Just because this situation didn't turn out as he would have preferred, he did not have the right to make his own rules and have blatant disregard to the warnings being sent.  Please let me know if you have any further questions. **** ********* President of Residential Services Licensed Salesperson in the Commonwealth of Virginia Matchbox Realty*** ** ******* *** ***** ***
  
  ************* ** *****
  
  ************ ****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/26/2022

  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.

  There have been numerous parking issues during the afternoon and evening at the ********* ********* creating cramped sometimes dangerous conditions in the parking lot. This is at townhomes with two parking spots but with one house in particular parking anywhere from four to ten vehicles, most in areas with no parking and creating situations where it is challenging if not impossible to get in and out of not to mention all the extra blindspot created in areas where little children play. I have called the tow truck company that the POA told me to call multiple times still with no resolution. In talking with the tow truck company they have told me they have not been able to tow any vehicles due to people from the house in question being outside near the vehicles when they show up. The house causing the issue has a straight sight line to the entrance to the parking lot from there kitchen window which makes it next to impossible for the tow company to effectively correct this issue. The POA has been informed of this issue many times and has made no real effort to address this issue and only keeps saying to call the tow truck despite that not being able to resolve this issue. All the POA says is that it is after their business hours and just call the tow truck  company or when it is during their business hours they day we should not bother contacting them and just contact the tow truck company directly.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/02/2022

  Dear Sir, I am very sorry that Mr. ***** is continuing to have trouble
  with his neighbors, but the information in this complaint is not being
  portrayed accurately. The first item we would like to clarify is that Matchbox
  Association Management is mistaken as being “the POA,” when we are the managing
  agent that works at the direction and pleasure of the Board of Directors for
  the **** ***** ********* ******** ******* ***********. We are under contract to
  conduct the daily business operations of the Association, but we do not make
  independent decisions on behalf of the Association. Mr. ***** has called into our office and emailed several
  times regarding a neighbor who is parking in the area adjacent to their home,
  about 32 feet behind Mr. ******* parking spot. Mr. ***** parks his car across
  his two parking spots at a roughly 30 degree angle, to prevent any neighbors
  from using one, and in a manner that requires him to use a greater turning
  radius to back out and face his car towards the exit of the community.
  Unfortunately, the calls and emails submitted by Mr. ***** to our office are
  typically after our normal business hours, and so we do not receive them until
  the next business day. He is welcome to call our answering service at ###-###-#### with parking issues, as all our residents are, and we will call the tow
  company. We did encourage Mr. ***** to call the towing company directly for
  more efficient and timely service for the parking issues, and our contract does
  not dictate for us to respond to a parking complaint in person after hours, as
  this would incur additional charges to the Association. Additionally, we have tagged cars for towing several times
  during our contracted site visits, conducted additional site visits outside of
  our contract and without charge to the Association, and we have sent violation
  notices to owners regarding improper parking when it has been seen during site
  visits and when it is reported. We also have an open order with the towing
  company when they patrol the property to tow vehicles if they are not parked in
  marked spaces, and have increased the tow company patrols to several times a
  week at different hours through the night. There are numerous guidelines and
  laws that Matchbox Association Management and the tow company have to abide by
  in regards to how rule violations and improper parking incidents are handled. Mr. ******* last emailed complaint is from Sunday, September
  11 at 9:35 AM, in which he threatened legal action against our company and the
  Association. We responded on Monday, September 12 with the following
  information: “I completely understand your frustration. We have been doing
  everything in our power to discourage the parking there. I am out there weekly
  with additional trips just to catch cars there. I have personally tagged them
  for towing every time I have seen a car parked there. I have sent numerous
  violation notices, penalties included. We have notified our tow truck driver to
  pull as-needed as well. Unfortunately, anything more is out of our power and
  beyond the scope of our contract. At this point, our office will continue sending notices and
  tagging for tow. The towing company does need to be notified by homeowners with
  any issues, especially after hours as towing does not constitute as an
  emergency that requires our staff on-site. If you do decide to go legal, this
  conversation will continue with the Association’s attorney and not the
  employees in our office. We are happy to continue to work with you to solve this
  issue. Please continue to let us know when cars are present so we can address
  it in a timely manner.”Matchbox Association Management would like to reiterate to
  Mr. ***** that we have done everything within the scope of our contract and the
  laws we are bound to regarding these complaints, and we will continue to do so. Best, ****** ** ********, CMCA, AMSVice
  President of Association Managementp: ###-###-####*** ** ******* **** ***** ***
  ************* ** *****

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/02/2022

  I have reviewed the response offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below. This answer does nothing to address the issue. As stated in my previous message due to the layout of the houses using towing becomes highly ineffective as they have the limits placed on towing when people are near the vehicle and this house having an good view of the entrance of the parking lot from their house. As this method has been completely ineffective maybe it would be time for your company to work with the POA board about creating rules that are better suited for handling this kind of situation rather than just trying the same thing in an endless cycle of getting nowhere. As for my parking, it is in order to be able to have my second parking spot available for when I have guests and has become necessary due to ineffectual handling of the parking area. Also this way of parking has been the only reason I have been able to get out of my parking space due to this current issue multiple time.  
  Regards,
  
  ******** *****