™
.png)
.png){kind=small}
Case study 33:
"Ibis Reserve by Olen is a nightmare"
Ibis Reserve Apartments
by Olen Living
West Palm Beach, FL
In this disturbing case, the Victimized Tenant™ ("VT") signed a 12-month lease for a 3BR in Ibis Reserve Apartments by Olen Living. The VT prepaid $24,124 over the first 6 month period.
-
This was a massive "overpayment." Rent was $2,840, so even if the VT had lived in the unit for 6 months, it would have been only $17,040.
-
In fact, in that 6 month period (Oct-March), the VT only spent ~40 nights in the apartment due to the feces surrounding the unit, "disgusting" trash and other sanitation failings, raccoon-bug-rodent infestation, "delapidated sate of the unit/property", troubling management behavior, and "appalling customer service." See below images.
-
The Olen managers (Gabriella Bitondo, Morna McGann, Amber Nardone, and Adam Avalos) finally agreed to release the Victimized Tenant from the Lease due to the substandard property and their admitted failures, but they refused to refund any money (despite the overpayment and the fact that the VT "didn't get the benefit of our bargain, legally speaking.")
-
Making matters worse, Olen seemingly violated Florida code by fabricating and/or adding fees and charges after the VT had vacated at the beginning of the year.
-
- 10222 Ibis Reserve / The Facts -
This case features more documented problems than we can include. So we're just providing highlights...
At move-in, in October 2023, the apartment and property had major problems. The Victimized Tenant ("VT") notified Olen Living managers Gabriella Bitondo, Morna McGann, and Amber Nardone of the problems, in writing. The Olen managers did nothing. The VT followed up in writing many times (including with regional Olen manager Adam Avalos), and Olen simply ignored the problems for months. Click here to see the concerning timeline of Olen non-responsiveness. There are many other issues, detailed below (including Morna McGann making misleading statements about crime).
At move-in:
-
Dog feces constantly littered the front yard, right outside the front door. It piled up daily. Management did nothing to enforce the rule that dog owners must clean up after pets. "Our entryway to the apartment always smelled like rotting dog feces, for the first few months. Gabriella said they'd clean it up and post a sign, but for months they did nothing. We have a toddler. It was disgusting."
-
The dishwasher unit was loose and not secured in the cabinet. It shook and leaked when used. See video below.
-
The apartment was dirty, run down, and dilapidated. Bubbling and peeling paint on doors. Broken doors. Scuffs everywhere (walls, doors, etc.). Dirt and loose nails on the floor (tenant had a toddler).
-
Raccoons were feasting on the mountain of trash that builds up constantly near the front of the Ibis Reserve community. Those raccoons then roam the neighborhood. Tenant told Olen managers, who said they were addressing it, but the mountains of trash and raccoons remained.
-
NOTE: Olen management seems to have a diversity and/or racism problem. Tenants have noticed that Ibis Reserve managerial staff has no African-American representation.
FALSE ADVERTISING
by Ibis Reserve (Olen)?
-
The Lease and the Ibis Reserve website promised a 24-hour fitness facility. But at move-in, Olen Living staffer Morna McGann informed the Victimized Tenant that the fobs were not working and therefore gym access was only during office hours, if a staff member was present.
-
Note: Olen managerial staff was often AWOL, in the middle of the afternoon, with the office left empty. The VT repeatedly visited the Olen office to discuss the unaddressed problems only to find that no Olen staff members were present.
-
-
The run-down tennis court was not as advertised.
-
the photos that Olen Living uses to advertise on Trulia and other real estate sites (below) are extremely misleading.
How 10222 actually looked at move-in.
Olen falsely advertised a working front gate.
It was not working prior to move-in. Morna McGann lied to the tenant about the front gate,claiming it would be repaired in the coming week and fully operational prio to move-in. But the gate wasn't fixed until May 13 2024... 9 MONTHS LATER.
-
Google reviewers confirm the false advertising regarding the poor quality of the apartments and the gym access (and the non-working gate).
Ibis Reserve
(Mis)management
Non-repair of move-in problems
(ongoing and unaddressed for 3+ months)
Olen managers pledged to fix the many issues discovered by tenant at move-in, but for months, Olen managers did nothing. The tenant took matters into their own hands and went direct to the Maintenance Team to address the problems, and that team addressed some of them (partially)... two months after move-in. (The Maintenance Team agreed that the problems were pressing and unsafe... like an unmoored dishwasher... and stated their surprise that the problems had never been shared with them by Olen-Ibis Reserve managers.)
Manager Gabriella Bitondo initially offered the excuse that she had been sick, and the tenant was gracious. But after that, she just simply dropped the ball, with no further explanation.
When the tenant shared their concerns with Olen management and repeatedly explained that the poor quality of the property was unacceptable (given that they were paying $3,000 per month), Morna McGann from Olen told the tenant "you get what you pay for," insinuating that $3,000 is a "lower class" rental level.
Ibis Reserve
(Mis)management
The Dog Feces issue
(ongoing and unaddressed for 3+ months)
Our Story
We've been consumer advocates for decades. It started with a hobby: we enjoyed posting thoughtful Yelp and Google reviews. Then one day Google made us Local Guides. Wherever we saw great services and products, we'd say so, and in some cases, people we'd praise would send us notes saying our review had helped them get a raise (!). Or we'd hear that our review exposing an unfairness had helped resolve some injustice (!). We started to realize we can all effect change and make the world a better place with smart online advocacy. Then friends with problematic leases asked us to help them out with an issue or two. Next thing you know... we're getting results for them, too (which is way more satisfying than getting results for yourself). And that's our passion. Helping The Little Guy (or Gal).
That's what Renters Advocate is all about.