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TransporterOffline t1_jaml17b wrote

If it's happening that often and it's not marked on their web sites as an introductory rate, I would send a bait-and-switch complaint to the PA Attorney General. It's entirely possible this is increasingly common, and once they get a mass of complaints about this happening, they may pressure these landlords. In the short term though, walking away is the right move in my opinion.

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Savings-Cry7288 t1_jancfro wrote

Yes 💯💯. We recently realized what the attorney general is for and had to contact them when our home warranty co was messing around. Action was taken literally that week. The attorney general is a great resource that I think is underutilized because a lot of people don’t know the purpose.

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Sunfish-Studio OP t1_jammuyw wrote

Sorry it's happened with different landlords and realtors, not just this one company. I phrased that poorly

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VeilofIgnorance- t1_jap4iaa wrote

FWIW: PA real estate law requires that landlords/realtors note how long an offer is valid. For similar reasons every real estate company in America adds a disclaimer about prices being subject to change.

So, this is really more a dunning-kruegar situation on your part than a scam. And you should probably apologize to “Traci” for that really rude and foolish reply.

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gucci_gucci_gu t1_japg4tk wrote

Stop sticking up for slumlords and the capitalist “laws” that support the exploitation of the working class.

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VeilofIgnorance- t1_japqp9l wrote

Not sure how being a jerk to a working class person is fighting for the working class and supporting blah blah blah.

Also, lol: “gucci_gucci…” the great class warrior!

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gucci_gucci_gu t1_japr4u1 wrote

Landlords are the opposite of the working class. And why yes, you have discovered my the intended satire of my username- that label chasers are babies. Excellent work Ignorant Veil!

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VeilofIgnorance- t1_jau2v3w wrote

Do you understand that a leasing agent works for a landlord?

This whole conversation is ridiculous. Good day.

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hypotenoos t1_jammkep wrote

They are offering that rate though. I’m not sure you have to advertise when rates will change.

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cthulhu_on_my_lawn t1_jamperz wrote

I mean, if you are taking them at their word maybe. If it's happening this often it's probably not that they're actually raising their rates on March 5 but it's just a high pressure sales tactic and next week they'll be advertising the same "introductory" rate and now it's ending March 12.

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Sunfish-Studio OP t1_jamqxfq wrote

This was my thought exactly. I have been looking at multiple units all over the city and hadn't had a chance to get back to this specific landlord in about a day following a question I'd sent to them, so this email felt like a way to try and light a fire under me.

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TransporterOffline t1_jamo1i2 wrote

I don't think it needs to be a bait-and-switch to warrant a complaint, it just needs to feel or seem like one to the ordinary consumer. Basically if we as a community don't act against that practice, it will become standard practice that any advertised rate is only valid for a small number of days.

Look at it this way. If they already have a large queue of willing consumers at their current prices, why would they need to advertise one price and act like they're doing a prospect a good favor by granting that advertised price? They already have a queue of willing consumers, right? Close enough to bait and switch.

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hypotenoos t1_jamofnb wrote

When you look at some of the big rental operations they have a calendar of rates that varies depending on when in the month the term starts, what month it starts, how far away that date is and how long the term is.

They will advertise the rate for the start of the next month though usually because that is what most people are looking for.

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TransporterOffline t1_jamprov wrote

That would make sense (especially for student places at the beginning of a semester), if and only if it's advertised upfront. Being advertised upfront as introductory or sale price or special is the key point, to me. Obviously all I have to go on is a screen capture of an email reply, but I don't get that vibe from this. As OP states, this is a coordinated strategy, not just one landlord.

Either way, nobody will find me being a landlord apologist in this economy. If they submit a complaint and it's unwarranted, no big deal, live continues. If they submit a complaint and it ends up doing consumers a solid service, excellent work my dude.

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hypotenoos t1_jamr99m wrote

Yeah it sounds like a hard sell. Trying to get people off the fence.

The real switch is probably that rates won’t actually go up at all.

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imouttahereta t1_japa32k wrote

In what world does the law care about how something "feels" to you? All you'd be doing by filing frivolous complaints is waste a few dollars worth of taxpayer money to make yourself feel better for five minutes. If you want to ban this practice then get involved politically.

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bp1976 t1_jan55wp wrote

This is just a sales tactic, I don't think this rises to the level of bait-and-switch.

If you reply a week from now and say you are interested at the rate they originally quoted you, they will take it in a heartbeat.

Same shit car salesmen do. It's not fraud, but its close.

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adamglumac t1_janznr7 wrote

I believe this to be accurate as well. If there are vacant units they generate nothing, if there are openings they’ll take the rate, sometimes people have sales quotas and get a little scummy.

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