Equity Residential Fixes They Accounting Errors Finally

I previously wrote about Equity Residential billing fraud and I promised to follow up. After further communication with the Equity Residential management I convinced them that the wrongdoing was on their part. The staff in charge of accounting at Whispering Oaks after pointing out the flawed calculations in my records was finally convinced that a first grader would see that she and her accounting procedures were wrong. I suggested that she stay overnight or however long it would take her to make simple math and left. I said I didn’t have enough time to sit there waiting for her to do first grade math. When I went to Whispering Oaks office the next time to drop off my rent check, the accounting error was fixed.

Additionally I wanted to give an update of the utilities policy. Apparently other residents had complained to Equity Residential headquarters, so Equity Residential issued and distributed new utilities policies and payment explanation. According to Equity Residential letter that was passed around to all the residents now Equity Residential charges boiler and sewer fees in addition to our regular water and garbage bill. Out water and garbage bill used to be somewhere around $20-$30/mo. Now it is near $100, more like $100 for one person, and more for two and more people per apartment. Living at Equity Residential at this rate, especially with the increasing rent has become unjust. My one bedroom apartment has gone up over $300 in two years. While it was reasonable two years ago considering the favorable downtown location of Whispering Oaks, now the property does not justify the high price.

I have seen in forums that a lot of people complain about Whispering Oaks, saying the rent is too high for what you are getting. Creekside Dr. is a high crime area with multiple car burglaries happening on this street consistently. This part of town is the ghetto of Walnut Creek which is considered a pretty upscale area. I don’t understand the significant increase in rent over the past two years. Other than the fiasco of the financial and mortgage markets, and people losing their homes due to increased variable rates and the high number of foreclosures, and increasing home mortgage rates, many homeowners are forced into foreclosure and moving into apartments. Naturally, the rental real estate is booming allowing it’s owners to profit on renters who have been forced out of their homes.