A year ago I would have given Milano a 5 star recommendation as well...but here is our story.
I had accepted a job out of state and we needed to move and unfortunately had to break our lease. We knew there was going to be a lease break fee, but we didn't know it was going to be such an issue. So we gave a 60 day notice like the lease stated we had to and the front office informed us we had to pay in full what is considered a ""market value"" rent fee (this means how much they can turn around and really rent your place out for) and this amount was $1617.00 We were paying $1386.00 rent for a 2B/2B. I personally spoke to Irene Zuniga, a leasing consultant staff member about the lease break fee. I explained that my husband had been unemployed, that we had a 9 month old baby and I was the only source of income and could not afford to pay the $1617 all up front like they said we had to. I asked if I could pay half then and half in 2 weeks when I would be payed next. She was very nice and understanding. So we wrote this down as our agreement and it was signed by her and myself she kept the original and I took a copy of it for my records and I gave them a check for $808.50 (half the amount). Six days later we received a notice on our apartment door stating that our account/lease break fee was past due and a prompt payment was due for the rest of the amount owed. I was furious and called the leasing office. I had to leave several messages with someone by the name of Eileen, she did not have a clue what I was talking about and stated everyone was gone for the day (this was early afternoon hours). She took down a message and stated someone would call me back. No one every returned my message so I finally got angry on the phone with this Eileen person again. She said she'd have someone call me yet again. Finally, I did receive a phone call back form Debbie Nicosia, she is a property manager that didn't, at the time, even work at Milano property. She left me a message stating that the termination fee is owed in full at the time of the 60 day notice and again a prompt payment was due. I called her back and told her that NO I had signed and made an agreement with the office staff member, Irene, and that I had a copy of this agreement stating it would be given in 2 installments. She said I needed to fax her this because she was not aware of this and that staff members are not allowed to make this kind of agreement with any residents. I asked her if she even worked at Milano and she said no that she worked at another property. So, I had to fax her this agreement and then she backed down realizing that her office staff did make this agreement with us. It gets better...
Irene Zuniga had also informed us that our apartment would be rented out as soon as possible and that this would help avoid the last 60 days worth of rent that we still owed. I thought this was great and our place might possibly get rented out and save us our last 60 days worth of rent. However, we did have to pay for Nov. 1st. I called them today to check the status of our old apartment to determine if we will still have to owe for Dec. rent and Debbie Nicosia stated that unfortunately they are NOT able to rent it out to anyone supposedly until Dec. 7th which would be the end of the 60 day notice we gave, which means we still owe for the Dec. rent as well. Even though we have moved out she states this. Now, I find this VERY VERY hard to believe when in todays economy this is money for them and don't try to tell me that the apartment is just sitting there vacant and waiting until Dec. 7th to fill up. They are down right milking us for all we are worth. So make sure you talk to the RIGHT person or someone who really knows what the hell they are talking about because Irene gave us information that was totally wrong and Debbie I guess is in charge there. Take notes, names, document everything!
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