Renters, BEWARE!

Renters, BEWARE! 

You don't want to rent apt. 341 at the Marque apartments at Heritage Hunt in Gainesville, VA. property manager: Community Realty Company, Greenbelt, MD. owners: Huntgain Marque, LLC.

Read on.

Footnote

Like most footnotes this is the end of the story. Like most blogs and emails, you must start at the bottom of this blog for the beginning of the story. 

We no longer live at the Marque apartments at Heritage Hunt in Gainesville VA. We don't know if the Marque's property manager, Community Realty Company, Inc., Greenbelt MD, and the Marque's owners, Huntgain Marque, LLC, have dealt or will deal with the noise problems at the Marque. 

The on-site manager for the Marque told us that the neighbor from hell in the apartment directly above us has lived at the Marque for more than six years, which begs the following questions: 

• How many other tenants before us were driven from the Marque because of the neighbor from hell's constant noisemaking? 
• How long have the property manager and the owners known of the problem with the Marque's sound-transmitting floors? 
• Why hasn't the property manager and the owners addressed these problems beforehand? 
• Why don't they address them now? 
• Why don't the property manager and the owners enforce the Marque's published "quiet hours"? 
  
• Why don't the property manager and the owners enforce the clauses in the lease that prohibit "loud or obnoxious" behavior (paragraph 20) and declare the violators in default (paragraph 32)? 
  
  

• Is it fraud to advertise the Marque apartments as "luxury" apartments while knowing about the Marque's noise problems?
• How many others at the Marque are having the same problems?

CRC released us from our lease after we went around their on-site property manager, who did nothing to address the problem, to their headquarter office in Greenbelt MD. CRC's solution to our problem was to release us from our lease; however, they didn't release us from the clause in the lease that requires 60 days notification prior to leaving. 

Through God's grace we found a place to move to shortly after CRC released us from our lease in late January 2016. It was vacant. We notified the Marque: 60 days = end of March 2016.

We had every intention of moving to the new place beginning on March 15, 2016, move remaining items between then and the end of the month, do our final cleanup, and vacate the Marque finally on March 31.

That all changed on Friday February 6. After seven months of nonstop noise from the neighbor from hell, and seven months of being awakened every night by this pathetic loser's noisemaking, I reached "critical mass". I just couldn't take it any more. We changed our move date to the new place to February 15. 

Needless to say, it isn't cheap for us to pay double rent for both our empty apartment at the Marque and for the new place for an extra month. Also, needless to say, we weren't expecting the stress, work and expense of moving twice in one year.

In hindsight our move to the Marque apartments was a BIG mistake. We had high hopes; they were dashed on our very first day at the Marque by the Marque's sound transmitting floors and by the neighbor from hell's constant around-the-clock noisemaking. 

The expense, seven months of non-stop noise, seven months of interrupted sleep nightly, the frustration of the property manager and owners failing to deal with the noise problems, the stress and strain of moving twice in one year, etc.... 

The saddest part of this story to me is if somebody(ies) had warned us about these problems before we decided to move to the Marque in 2015, by writing a review or a blog like this one, then all of our discomfort, interrupted sleep, aggravation, frustration, work and expense of moving to and from the Marque twice in one year, etc. would never have happened.

Feb. 6 letter to Community Realty Company

Ray & Jenny Koenig

13550 Heathcote Blvd. Apt. 341

Gainesville, VA 20155

February 6, 2016

Joshua Aronson

Director of Administration and Business Development

Community Realty Company, Inc.

6305 Ivy Lane Suite 200

Greenbelt, MD 20770

Dear Mr. Aronson,

First, we would like to thank you for releasing us from our lease at the Marque apartments in Gainesville VA. Since July 1, 2015, the day that we moved to the Marque, we have been tormented vehemently and continuously by the woman in the apartment above us.

Second, since the torment continues at an ever-increasing rate, we request that February be our last month at the Marque. The 60-day notification that we provided CRC presently lasts until the end of March.

If we haven’t heard from you Monday morning February 8, then we will call Monday afternoon for your answer.

Sincerely,

Ray & Jenny Koenig

Under attack

An extremely stressful situation created by an extremely vile and hateful person(s).

There is nothing "luxury" about a neighbor from hell. 

From our first day at the Marque "luxury" apartments at Heritage Hunt in Gainesville VA seven months ago, we've been under constant attack from an evil neighbor from hell who makes noise 24-7.

• run-stomping around her apartment day and night
• dropping/dragging heavy items on carpeted and bare floors
• slam-shutting doors and drawers at all hours during the night
• opening and closing the sliding door to her balcony dozens of times an hour at night (even when it's freezing cold outside)

As a result we haven't had an uninterrupted night's sleep in the seven months since we moved here. 

During the day her constant noisemaking makes 

• watching TV 
• listening to music
• having a normal conversation
• eating a peaceful meal
• etc. 

impossible.

Adding to the problem, because of the Marque's wood floor construction, the sound of someone turning over in the noisy bed in the apartment above us is enough to wake us up in our bedroom directly below. We've tried earplugs, running the furnace fan, "white noise" machine, and even the "ostrich pillow"--nothing works.

The upstairs neighbor from hell uses anything that she can, including the Marque's wood floor construction and her noisy furniture, to make noise. Why? Because she can, and that's what adult narcissist bullies do. The property manager, Community Realty Company, Inc., Greenbelt, MD, does nothing. As a result, we haven't had a night of interrupted sleep in the more than seven months since we moved here. 

It isn't about us. She didn't know us and we didn't know her on July 1, 2015, the day that we moved to the Marque and realized that there is nonstop noise coming from the apartment above us. It could have been any unsuspecting renters like us. 

Justice will prevail. "For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze," says the LORD of hosts, "so that it will leave them neither root nor branch." 
Malachi 4:1 (3:19 in the New American Bible) 

Typically, the upstairs neighbor's noisemaking begins in the afternoon--run-stomping all around her apartment, dropping/dragging heavy items on the floor, slam-shutting doors and drawers, opening and closing the balcony door dozens of times an hour, etc. Then, around dinner time, when normal people have their evening meal, she cranks it up even more. She continues to make noise in earnest after dinner--when normal people are winding down (watching TV, listening to music, reading a book, etc.). She goes into overdrive, making it impossible to enjoy normal after-dinner activities. She continues into the night--sometimes all night--when we're sleeping--or trying to sleep.

She's a pathetic loser who has no life other than to run-stomp around her apartment all day and night making noise so that it's impossible for us to sleep at night. Her behavior--24-7, every day, at all hours of the day and night, since the first day that we moved to the Marque "luxury" apartments seven months ago--is both obnoxious and outrageous. 

At the end of our first three weeks at the Marque I told the evil neighbor from hell that her noisemaking makes it impossible for us to sleep at night. She said "we didn't realize that we were making noise. We will try to do better". I knew that was a lie when that night, and every night since, her noisemaking got louder and longer.

Next we told the on-site property manager for the Marque--representing Community Realty Company, Inc.--about the situation. Despite "quiet hours" 

and clauses in the lease that prohibit "obnoxious behavior", the on-site property manager did nothing.

We even called the Prince William County police.

After seven months of constantly being attacked--with no relief, we suffer from sleep deprivation, increased risk for a stroke and battle fatigue. If a lawyer will take our case on a contingent fee basis, then we'd like to hear from you. Please contact us using the comment protocol for this blog. 

Justice will ultimately prevail. "For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze," says the LORD of hosts, "so that it will leave them neither root nor branch." 

Malachi 4:1 (3:19 in the New American Bible) 

Thank you, Chief Smolsky

January 25, 2016

Prince William County Fire Department

Assistant Chief Smolsky,

There are several fire exits in the building that are blocked.

Management doesn't care about the residents; but, failing to clear fire exits so that tenants are unable to get out in the event of a fire is a bit much.

Also, how is the replacement of expired (10+ years old) smoke detectors coming? 

Please RSVP.

Thank you.

Marque apartments at Heritage Hunt in Gainesville VA

Imagine living for 7 months with a neighbor from hell who makes noise 24-7--all days of the week, at all hours of the day and night, from the first day that you moved in, to the present. 

• run-stomping all around her apartment 
• dragging/dropping heavy items on the bare floors 
• slam-shutting doors and drawers 
• opening and closing the sliding door to the balcony dozens of times an hour 

at all hours of the day and night. 


Imagine 

• not a single night of uninterrupted sleep 
• not being able to have a normal conversation 
• not being able to watch TV 
• not being able to listen to music 
• constant noise during meals 
• no peace 
• no quiet

every day for 7 months because of this neighbor from hell's constant noisemaking.

Imagine that there's no relief--that you haven't had one night's uninterrupted sleep in 7 months. 

• that you went to the neighbor from hell first and told her that her noisemaking was making it impossible to sleep at night--no relief.
• then you went to the property manager's--Community Realty Company, Inc., Greenbelt, MD--onsite representative. Despite having "quiet hours" 
                                                 and clauses in the lease that prohibit "obnoxious behavior", 
  
                                   you get no relief.
• then you went to the Prince William County police--no relief.

You've just imagined what it's been like for us since we moved here 7 months ago. 

If you like to sleep at night, then don't rent at the Marque "luxury" apartments at Heritage Hunt in Gainesville VA. 

Evil neighbor from hell

It goes on every night. 

1-13-16, 12:47 AM. The evil neighbor from hell deliberately drops something(s) heavy twice within 10 minutes on the floor above our bed waking us up. (The layout of the evil neighbor from hell's apartment is the same as ours.) She can't claim that it was an accident because it occurred twice within short succession right over our heads. Further, the fact that it has happened every night for more than six months proves that it's deliberate. Both she and her "husband" are liars saying "We didn't know that we were making noise; we'll try to do better". 

Ever since the first day that we moved into the Marque apartments at Heritage Hunt in Gainesville VA six months ago, the woman in the apartment above us makes noise constantly. She runs and stomps around her apartment going from room to room (and the balcony--even at night in the freezing cold), back and forth, run-stomping. Day and night, in addition to her infernal run-stomping, she drags and drops stuff on the bare floors, slam-shuts drawers and doors, opens and closes the sliding door to the balcony every few minutes, etc. We can't sleep or watch TV or listen to music or have an uninterrupted conversation because of the Marque's paper-thin (from a noise perspective), wood (framed) floors and this heinous woman's infernal noisemaking.

Three weeks after we moved in I spoke with her. I told her that her noisemaking in the middle of the night makes it impossible for us to sleep. She said "we thought that we were being as quiet as possible, but we will try to be better." That was a lie; it only got worse. 

It was bad enough for her to be run-stomping and making other noise 24-7 for the first three weeks after we arrived; but, for her to continue to do it deliberately, and even increase it, for months after I told her that she was keeping us awake at night, is inexcusable and evil. She belongs in a rubber room, far away from normal people, where she can run-stomp and make noise at all hours of the day and night. 

You'd think that the property manager, Community Realty Company, Inc. in Greenbelt MD, would be some help, especially considering the Marque's "Quiet Hours":  

No such luck--the clueless property manager is no help at all. Neither are the owners, Huntgain Marque, LLC. They don't care. 

Paragraphs 20 and 32 of the lease state: 

For more than six months our sleep has been interrupted nightly by the run-stomping and other noise made by the neighbor from hell above us. Yet the property manager and the owners do nothing. The property manager and the owners need to enforce the lease.

Through no fault of our own, signing a lease at the Marque apartments at Heritage Hunt was a BIG mistake. The few on-line reviews were good. How were we to know that the advertising, "luxury apartments" and "quiet hours", are false? We weren't able to occupy the apartment until after we signed the lease and moved in. How were we to know about the Marque's sound transmitting wood floors? How were we to know that we would be living below an evil neighbor from hell who run-stomps and makes other noise 24-7? 

The Marque apartments are like a box of cracker jacks. Besides the nuts, there's a surprise inside. 

 

Some of the surprises are very bad.

The good news is that when the year lease runs out, we're out of here. For those who are looking to rent in Gainesville VA: Beware of the Marque "luxury" apartments! You could find yourself with a BIG surprise--living under an evil neighbor from hell. 

Extreme narcissism (a.k.a. "top floor superiority complex") is loving oneself to the point that no one else exists. The malevolent upstairs neighbor from hell is such an extreme narcissist. She could care less that her neighbors are being kept awake by her infernal run-stomping and other noise-making. It gives her no pause to lie to them--or anyone else, for that matter. She sweeps her deck onto those below without giving it a second thought. She throws liquids, ice, plant clippings, etc. from her balcony. She run-stomps and makes other noise at all hours of the night. It doesn't matter to her because she thinks that only she is worthy to exist.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall…30 Traits of a Narcissist. | elephant journal

Extreme narcissists are their own gods; in their world--hell--no one else exists except them. There's a difference between insanity and evil. This is evil. Evildoers will ultimately face the consequences for their own evil actions. "For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze," says the LORD of hosts, "so that it will leave them neither root nor branch." 

Malachi 4:1 (Chapter 3 verse 19 in the New American Bible) 

the zombie that doesn't sleep at night 

The Marque needs an exorcist 

What Does the Bible Say About Casting Out Demons?

more on neighbors from hell: 

'Neighbor from Hell' Sentenced to Five Years' Probation - ABC News

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=neighbor%20from%20hell

narcissist 

Marque apartments at Heritage Hunt 

Gainesville, VA 

property manager: Community Realty Company, Inc., Greenbelt, MD 

owners: Huntgain Marque, LLC 

Behold, the day is coming

www.webmd.boots.com/sleep-disorders/news/20160115/poor-sleep-linked-to-higher-stroke-risk-in-elderly

"Narcissistic Adult Bully: This type of adult bully is self-centered and does not share empathy with others. Additionally, there is little anxiety about consequences. He or she seems to feel good about him or herself, but in reality has a brittle narcissism that requires putting others down."   http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/adult-bullying.html        

What is the fate of one who lacks empathy? who puts others down? who lies? 

"For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze," says the LORD of hosts, "so that it will leave them neither root nor branch."
Malachi 4:1 (Chapter 3 verse 19 in the New American Bible)

Rating the Marque apartments at Heritage Hunt in Gainesville, VA

Our first six months at the Marque have been a mixed bag. On the positive side:

• We love our apartment 
• We love watching the northern river otter, heron, geese, ducks, etc. in the pond from our apartment window 
• We love walking the trails next door in Conway Robinson State Forest 
• We love walking the trails at Manassas National Battlefield Park  
• We love nearby shopping, hospital, medical services, churches, restaurants, cultural and historic sites, other attractions, etc. 

There's a lot to like.

On the negative side: 

• noise coming from the apartment above us is unbearable (partly because of the Marque's wood-framed floors). We haven't had an uninterrupted night's sleep in the six months since we've been here. At all hours of the night between 10 PM and 7 AM
  
  the woman in the apartment above us run-stomps around the apartment, dropping and dragging heavy items on the uncarpeted floors, slam-shuts doors and drawers, opens and closes the sliding door to the balcony several times an hour, etc.--all while we're trying to sleep.                                                                                                   "Narcissistic Adult Bully: This type of adult bully is self-centered and does not share empathy with others. Additionally, there is little anxiety about consequences. He or she seems to feel good about him or herself, but in reality has a brittle narcissism that requires putting others down."   http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/adult-bullying.html                                                                                                       This definition fits the woman in the apartment above us to a "T". 
• barbells and other items (TV remotes, folding chairs, and other loose exercise paraphernalia) left on the floor of the Fitness Room are tripping hazards for residents with vision and/or mobility problems 
  
• Dogs left to bark from just inside doors to apartments clearly violate the Prince William County noise ordinance 

• Some dogowners don't bag and dispose of their dog's waste when it defecates 
• Dumpsters and their enclosures at the Marque are often overflowing and stink 
• public hallways are hot and stink 

Bringing these items to the attention of the Marque's onsite representative for property manager Community Realty Company, Inc., Greenbelt, MD is like talking to a brick wall. Nothing gets done. There is no mechanism for logging and tracking these items (similar to maintenance requests). CRC's website says: "Have a problem or concern? If you are a resident of one of our residential communities, please contact our on-site property management team." It's the classic do-loop: 

Marque "do-loop"

Who's in charge at the Marque? Nobody is in charge at the Marque. The inmates (nocturnal neighbor from hell who run-stomps and makes other noise all night long, person(s) who leaves dumbbells and other loose items on the Fitness Room floor for elderly residents to trip over and be injured, irresponsible pet owners, etc.) are running the asylum. The onsite property manager doesn't enforce "quiet hours" or the Marque's lease, or effectively address other "living environment" problems. 

paragraphs from the Marque's standard lease

Despite paragraph 20, which prohibits "behaving in a loud or obnoxious manner, disturbing or threatening the rights, comfort, health (Poor sleep linked to higher stroke risk in elderly), safety, or convenience of others", and paragraph 32 that says that tenants engaged in prohibited conduct are in default of their lease, Community Realty Company does nothing. The "prohibited conduct" has occurred every night for more than six months; and, we first reported it to CRC's on-site representative in Sept. 2015.   

CRC Greenbelt helped us with our individual problem by releasing us from our lease. Thank God that the end is in sight and that soon we'll finally be able to sleep at night. But, our good fortune in getting released from the lease doesn't help other residents at the Marque. CRC and the owners of the Marque have failed to address a multitude of problems:

• noise during "quiet hours"
• neighbor(s) from hell
• person(s) who deliberately leaves barbells and other loose items in the middle of the Fitness Room floor for elderly residents with sight and/or mobility problems to trip over
•  irresponsible pet owners (noise, waste disposal)
• other "living environment" problems, e.g. hot, stinky public hallways, overflowing dumpsters and dumpster enclosures, etc.
• lack of a written process for logging and tracking "living environment" problems (similar to the method for logging and tracking individual apartment maintenance items on the Marque's website)
• other problems

We sympathize with those residents who are caught in the Marque do-loop.

Bottom line

Negatives for the Marque apartments at Heritage Hunt in Gainesville, VA (in particular the upstairs neighbor from hell) outweigh the positives. If you like to sleep at night, then don't rent at the Marque.