Barrett Powell

Review of Barker Realty Inc.

We had sold our house and moved back to Cary and w...

We had sold our house and moved back to Cary and were looking for a house to rent while we decided where we wanted to live. We found a house that was in very poor condition and needed a lot of updating. Upon speaking with the property manager at Barker, we were told that if we signed a lease agreement the owner was going to remodel the kitchen and replace the the old appliances. We signed the rental agreement based on this information. We documented all this as well.

Upon move in, it was evident that not only did they NOT remodel the kitchen, NONE of the appliances had been replaced and the dishwasher had old nasty smelly water sitting in it. Added to we had requested that some landscaping be done and the yard be mowed and trimmed up and the house cleaned prior to our move in. None of this was done either. The house was nasty and a wreck.

It took us almost 6 months to get Barker and the owner to finally replace the dishwasher. We were forced to wash the dishes by hand until then. The stove/oven were never replaced or cleaned and the non-functioning stove vent was covered in nasty grease and would not close meaning it was opened to outside. Barker's maintenance guy "fix" was to use a sheet-metal screw to permanently close the vent, rendering it further useless.

We noticed when it rained, water would gush out of the front yard. So much so, the property owner next door called the Town of Cary thinking there might be a ruptured pipe. The Town of Cary Utilities department came out and found that the entire underneath of the house was flooded and the water was actually being pumped out by a sump pump. They said the house had a drainage issue and they would not be surprised if there was mold growing under the house as well. We brought this to the attention of Barker. The result was some work on the pump but the contractor said he did see signs of mold. Again we brought this to the attention of Barker.

We had also warned Barker of the dead tree limbs in the large pine tree in the backyard and the danger they posed. In January a storm brought the large limbs down punching multiple holes in the roof and causing leaks on both ends of the house. One leak ruined some very expensive electronics we had stored in the utility closet. We took photos of the damage and of water running in the house. The leak in the kitchen was so bad we had to remove all our dishes from the cabinets as they would fill up with water. Again, we notified Barker in January of these leaks. The owner did not authorize the roof to be repaired until the following October. Damage to the house was well documented with photos and videos.

Our lease ran from June to June of the following year. There was a 60 day notice to be given by either party at the end of the lease. We had notified Barker of our intent to renew for one more year in April. On May the 8th, beyond the 60 day notice, Barker informed us the owner's were planning to move back in the house in August. We agreed, wanting to try and work with the owner. However one week later on May 15th we were notified by Barker they had made a mistake and the owners wished to move back the first of July. Again we agreed and went to added expense in order to work with the owner and move out in June.

We moved out on June 15th. I sent a note to Barker inquiring when my $1,200 security deposit would be returned. I did not receive a response. In July, I instead received an invoice from Barker where the owner was not only keeping my security deposit, but they were also attempting to charge me for damage and yard work they claim they had to do to move in. The damage and condition of the home were pre-existing and are documented in photos, videos, and emails we have. The yard was well kept as our neighbors have all documented in emails I requested.

I sent numerous letters, including a certified letter to Barker demanding the return of my security deposit. It is despicable for a company like Barker to attempt such outrageous behavior. I WILL get my deposit back.