I had rented an apartment from Northpark (now Breckenridge) for one year. My fiance and myself are very low key people and had never complained or created issue with anything in the development as we mind to ourselves. With an illness in the family, I had to move away from Phoenix 1 month before my lease was done. Per the lease agreement, I paid for the final month rent even though I was not going to be living there any longer (as I was legally obligated to pay. I satisfied all terms of my lease agreement, and asked that "FINAL" inspection be scheduled before my lease is entirely up and that I would surrender keys to the apartment before the final day on the lease so that I could be present to go over any issues and then hand over control of the property.
Final inspection went great with the representative from Breckenridge, I was told there would be no further fees due for the apartment and I gave all keys for the apartment to the person who did inspection. I had noticed after I had left, they did not lock the door to the apartment but did not worry about it as I was no longer responsible for the apartment.
Two months after this time (I was now living in Minnesota), I get a collection letter from Paula and Terry claiming I owed 122$ for cleaning of the apartment, and that if I did not arrange payment with 7 days that my debt would be sent to a debt collection agency. After talking with Paula and Terry in the office, they insisted that my final inspection was not a final inspection, but they could not seem to make up a reason for it was when I questioned them regarding it over the phone. They then continued to inform me that Terry had done a final inspection on the last day of my lease agreement while I was not present (30 days after I had surrendered control of the apartment to Breckenridge and done FINAL INSPECTION), and that the carpets needed cleaning. For all I had known at this point, they had left my apartment door open for the 30 days prior to their "Mock" final inspection, and I am now several states away and unable to inspect the apartment myself.
I have just paid the 122$ for the cleaning to protect my credit and avoid harassment from debt collectors, and Breckenridge walks away with more money. I recommend everyone goes above and beyond practicing on the side of caution, as my preventative steps (as outlined in the lease agreement) were not enough.
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