ZillowVERIFIEDMy husband, four-month-old, and I traveled to Pennsylvania in May 2024, hoping to settle in the Pittsburgh area. After being stationed at a German Army base for three years, we returned to the States. For a month, we searched for a house to rent, embarking on a six-hour drive from our temporary lodgings to find our next home. During one of our trips to the Pittsburgh area, we discovered a house listed by a rental company in Cranberry. That weekend, my husband and I completed the online application process, each paying $50. We soon received word from the rental company that we had been approved and were given the necessary steps to secure the property. We were thrilled about this new chapter in our lives and delighted to have found a house close to work, nestled in a tranquil neighborhood with friendly neighbors. After making the necessary payments and finalizing the rental agreement, we did not hear from the rental company for several weeks leading up to our move. We embarked on a six-hour journey with our five-month-old baby, dog, and trailer, opting to spend the night at a nearby hotel. We emailed the rental company to reiterate the move-in date and time, and they promptly confirmed. However, ten minutes before we were scheduled to receive the keys/code, we received a call from the rental agency informing us that the house had failed inspection and was deemed unsate due to code violations. They offered to cover our hotel expenses while the issues were being resolved. Despite repeated attempts to contact the rental agency, we received no communication until our final day at the hotel, when we were informed that our stay had been extended for another week, and subsequently, for another week after that. During our daily visits to the house, we noticed a lack of progress and communicated with the next-door neighbor, who revealed that the owner had been aware of the safety hazards for over a year but had failed to address them. We contacted the inspector and learned that the rental agency had also been aware of the issues for a month but neglected to inform us until moments before our move-in date. Frustrated by the lack of progress and communication, we decided to terminate the lease and pursue a refund. It took over two weeks and consultations with our lawyer to receive half of our money back, with the rental agency claiming they had used the remainder to cover our hotel expenses and their own troubles. Despite their initial offer to cover our hotel costs, they showed no remorse for the hardships they had caused us. In conclusion, our experience with this rental agency has prompted us to caution future clients about their practices. We have filed a report with the Better Business Bureau and hope that our story will shed light on the need for greater accountability in the industry. While we chose to take a financial loss and move on, we hope that our experience can serve as a warning to others and encourage more responsible behavior from rental agencies in the future.
View All Listings