Colonial Properties Trust
Via email-http://colonialprop.com/companyinfo/contactus.php


January 25, 2010
It is in complete regret that I am writing to Colonial Properties Headquarters again in less than 3 weeks of my last complaint.
My last complaint was the issue in which my friend’s car was towed; I have placed a copy of my original complaint at the bottom for your reference.
The property manager, Vanessa did contact me to discuss my last complaint, in which there was no resolution to the fact that I paid $195.00 in order to get my friend’s car back from the towing company. Though I did not agree with the fact there was nothing that could be done to get my money back, I sucked it up as I am a good tenant who does the best to respect and care for the home I live in and respect my neighbors around me.
Saturday January 23, 2010 my friend came over for a visit around 8 pm and decided to stay over. We got up Sunday morning to go to church and believe it or not the car was gone, AGAIN. What in the world is going on? His car was parked on the back row (not at the building but on the back row where the visitors parking is). He was unable to park in one of the 6 visitors spaces we have for our entire building (which are on the back row) as one of my neighbor’s was entertaining friends (as they have the right to do), so he parked in the only space available (as someone had vacated the spot a few minutes earlier). This space was right beside a visitor space, which was occupied at the time he came to see me. Based on Bobby’s Friendly Towing Service, they came to the parking lot around 2:30 and because he had no sticker on his car and was not parked in a spot which had the word VISITOR on it they towed his car. So, we go to bed, what were we suppose to do, get up in the middle of the night to see if the party was over and move his car, park at another apartment complex? Seriously, I can assure you we are no so foolish that we intentionally park where we shouldn’t as I have nothing better to do with $225.00, (which was what I had to pay out in cash this time). I work for a real-estate attorney’s office; I can assure you that I have better sense. However, when all the visitors spaces are taken across and around my building where exactly should I have my visitors to park? I have NEVER rented/owned any home in which I fear to have my friends visit. This is a complete disrespect of my rights. I rent a 3 bedroom apartment, I have one car and because I have one car and am the only person on my lease I only get 1 parking space. I ask the last time this happened if I could get another space/parking pass and the answer was no, not unless my friend was on the lease. That is complete non-sense and yet again violates my rights.
I do my very best to be a good tenant, pay on time, keep the carpets cleaned, walls touched up, my home clean, clean around my complex, etc so I guess I don’t understand why I am not allowed to have more than one parking pass/space and that my visitors can’t feel comfortable spending the night at my home, especially if there are no visitor spaces available on a Saturday night.
On top of the fact Autumn Park Apartments caused me a hardship, as I am now out of pocket $420.00, which is almost half of my rent payment; it is personal property that they have allowed someone to take from my home. My friend/friends are not unauthorized individuals, they are my visitors, which I have a right to have since I pay $890.00 a month to live here. When people have their personal belongings taken from them it causes complete distress, which you cannot put a price tag on. In addition, it puts a strain on my friendships.

Word of mouth is the best seller in this business and at this point I am regretful that I choose this complex to occupy. If Autumn Park wants to do something for their tenants to insure their safety, re-hire a night time security officer instead of a TOWING COMPANY! There are so many more apartment complexes in this area begging for good renters, as I see this complex is doing as well. At a minimum, Colonial Properties will need to accept my rent check for February, which will be in the amount of $445.00 ($420.00 less towing) and be grateful that I am not pursuing payment for my rights being violated and the distress caused in my life and the financial hardship of coming up with $195.00 and $225.00 in cash immediately.

I understand that my property manager has limited authorization; however the “Colonial Properties” can authorize this.
I am hopeful that Colonial Properties will do the right thing in this situation, I would like to continue my stay here, however I can move.

I would appreciate a response in writing by Tuesday January 27, 2010 as I will be paying my rent on February 1 in the amount of $445.00 and should not be harassed for the due to the reduction, my check should not be returned and eviction procedures should not be threatened against me.


Copy of email sent on 1/10/10

Wendi Davis Brannigan Colonial at Autumn Park
7063 West Friendly Ave
Apt. K
Greensboro, NV 27410
[email protected]


Colonial Properties Trust
Via email-http://colonialprop.com/companyinfo/contactus.php


January 10, 2010

I live in Colonial Autumn Park Apts in Greensboro NC. Last night a pre-planned trip from Bobby's Friendly Towing came through our apt complex and towed any car that was parked in front of the apt building that did not have a parking sticker. Yes I do understand that signs are posted and that visitors have spots; however I have lived here since May 09 and have NEVER had an issue with parking in my building. I do have a friend who comes often and stays and yes if the spaces are available he parks at the front. Of course this morning when he went to go to work at 4 am his car was not there. Thought someone stole...like most people in the complex that woke up and their car was missing this morning. Intellectually I get it; yes there are VERY SMALL signs one at the entrance and one maybe somewhere else that say. Violators will be towed. But come on, do you think maybe out of a courtesy reminder to YOUR residences who pay GOOD money each month that your leasing office could have at least sent out a 24 hour notice or a reminder. I pay my rent each month on time and am very respectful of this property and my apartment, I would have just thought the same respect and courtesy could have been extended to your residences, especially when there has NEVER been an issue or a reminder issued about parking since I have taken residence here (05/09). I get that we are all adults and should follow the rules, however this parking issue was not a blatant disrespect of the property or a CRIME! My friend had to pay (or we had to pay) $195.00 in CASH to get his car out! What in the world, three weeks after Christmas...Not everyone has $200.00 CASH lying around that is absolutely crazy. This property has really gone down hill since I have moved in, property managers and leasing agent turn over’s, people not happy, renting to people who have warrants out for their arrest and bail bondsmen knocking on doors of INNOCENT people looking for them. I pay way too much for that kind of stuff and then to have my friend’s car towed because he stayed with me and my son one night. Another thing which is bizarre, I came back home from getting my friend's car out and my neighbor (a single mom) was standing on the sidewalk with a blank look on her face (she has only lived her a month or so) and I ask her if she was looking for her car and she said yes. It was 8 am, she was going to take her daughter to school and go to work but her car was missing. Of course she thought it was stolen and had I not just pulled in and saw her she would have contacted the Greensboro Police department as most people had no idea what happened to their cars. We just happened to get up early enough to see Bobby’s Friendly towing taking other cars from the other side of the parking lot; thankfully we did not call the police to come out at 4am. Since the office is not open at 8 am who do you have to call, but the police. My neighbor who lives her was just not given a parking pass, never told about it, NOTHING. Even at that, do we all, as your residences, not deserve a reminder. My neighbor happens to also work for Crowne Garden Apartments and was appalled and angered as I am of this entire situation. I receive notices that effective February 2010 if we do not pay our rent by the 3rd of each month we will have to give certified funds or a money order as no checks will be accepted after the 3rd. What in the world is that about...Since that was sent out a few weeks ago, could they not have added the friendly reminder about visitor parking??? I am just very upset, this has caused a hardship...I don't about the part of the US that the home office is located in but most of the US is going through extreme hard financial times as it is...much less have to fork out $195.00 for parking. Truthfully you loose residence and referrals this way. I believe that the right thing for Colonial properties to do is to reduce my February rent by the $195.00 or at a minimum reduce it by at least half. I would respectfully appreciate acknowledgment of this email and a response (not a canned response either). Thank you Wendi Davis Brannigan