UPDATE: 25 days without deposit returned, and I got a check for the FULL amount of my deposit on Monday. The folks at BPM were nice while we were at their corporate office. I had to go to the office itself to collect the check. The story is kind of interesting as how that came to be. I contacted both the BBB, and the state DATCP (consumer protection, filed a complaint). I informed everybody who might be helpful in the matter at BPM via an email. I informed BPM of my complaint reports, and that I had an appointment Tuesday afternoon with the Small Claims clerk at the county clerk's office. I mentioned that perhaps BPM should consider that perhaps the check had been lost in mailing; if so, it needed a stop pay, & either I should pick up the new check or they should messenger it to my new address. Emily contacted me via email & phone. What a coincidence! Despite having supplied BPM with my new address 3 times via email & once on paper, Emily told me that there was an address discrepancy! I could pick up my check today. They would indeed stop payment on the old check. The new check was made out to me, as my (adult) daughter & I requested, as I paid the (rather hefty compared to other apartment complexes) deposit. It had the address we used at Prairie. I wonder when I shall see that old check, so that I might destroy it... ************************************ It has been 21 days since I vacated Prairie Apartments, a Bear Property, & by law, I should have my deposit returned by now. As you can see, I left the unit in good shape. I was told on April 17th, 2023, "Thanks so much for your email. I had a chance to touch base with the team today and was informed that your security deposit refund was processed last week Friday and will be sent out in the mail this week." How is this OK? I left because Bear allowed one of their best employees, Kathy, to leave, after 10 years of keeping Prairie very clean, full of nice people, & just very well run. There were gatherings, promotions, charitable drives. But in December, the director of property management managed to cause at least 6 complex managers to leave. And when those complex managers left, the independent cleaning crews left. The halls soon became disgusting pits. Our sub-building had feces in the hallways for 2 weeks, until somebody hired a once-a-week cleaner that only vacuums. Prairie is still without a regular complex manager or cleaners or maintenance staff. I would have stayed, despite the water that smelled & tasted of garlic from November to late March. I would have stayed, despite the trick of labeling the first floor "ground" & the third floor with 200 numbers, with no elevator (rented during pandemic). After Kathy left, when it snowed, the landscapers barely scraped. Kathy wasn't there to insist on a good job. Without any manager, especially without Kathy, there was no point. They have a guy who sometimes sits in the Prairie office, Tony. He's really the manager of HOA properties. He's doing it as a courtesy. There is truly nobody there most of the time. I lived in the apartment above the office, & constantly answered the bell since Kathy left, with people thinking that *I* was the property manager. I referred them to the main number and Bear website. There was no person designated to whom to send my notice when I left. I had to send it to the info email for apartment applications. I received an email reply from Julie, the same person who caused the upheaval in staff. Despite my record of paying rent before due, Julie decided that I was a deadbeat who didn't know how to clean; at least, that's what was inferred in the notice. She was more concerned about MY withholding my deposit as a rent payment in March than about customer relations (see photos). No "Sorry to see you leave" or inquiry as to why. I did not have the carpet cleaned because Julie's notice and the maintenance guy said it wasn't necessary, and the Wisconsin tenant site clearly stated that, by state law, I only had to vacuum well. Per the lease, I never hung any pictures on the walls, so there were no nail holes. As permanent fixtures in the unit had barely been touched (new sink & vinyl floor in bathroom but 37 year old toilet and bath/ shower; new floor in kitchen, but ancient cabinets made of cheap pressed particle board, onto which new counters were laid- which I protected with large trivets the entire time), it seemed a bit of a waste of labor. I knew there was a tenant to take my place, scheduled for April 10th. If I cleaned the place & vacated March 31st, why did it take until April 14th to process the return of my deposit? So here I sit, without my money. I am a retiree and widowed. I could use my deposit for other things. But that makes no difference to Bear! Tenants can't watch the process used to evaluate the vacated apartment, & are dependent on the management team for the return of their deposits. read more