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Residents at Tempe apartment complex still waiting for promised money

Posted at 8:52 PM, Oct 19, 2017
and last updated 2017-10-19 23:51:59-04

Residents at the Sol Apartment Complex in Tempe, which is located near University and McClintock drives, say they aren't getting what they were promised by leasing agents.

Arizona State University student Sophia Jellum said she signed a lease in back in May. She was told if she signed within 24 hours, she would receive a $500 gift card on move-in day. 

Move-in day came and went, and Jellum says she never got the gift card.

Her roommate, Aleja Armenta, said she was also promised a similar deal and never got a gift card either.  

"Personally, just some of my friends living there and my roommates, none of us have gotten them," said Jellum.

Jellum said she called the leasing office two weeks after she moved in, in August and continued to do so every two weeks, and all she received were excuses.

"They said they had a box of gift cards and that they ran out.. that's what they said," Jellum said.

Her roommate Armenta also called the office.

"They said that they were super sorry and that they should be getting the rest of them within two weeks," said Armenta.

Nearly two months after those calls and the two women are still waiting.

Jellum says the story is all too common. 

She said she's spoken to several other residents at the complex who have not received their gift cards either. She also says there's a private Facebook page where people have been expressing their grievances about these missing gift cards.

A Yelp reviewer named Tyler W. from Mesa left the following review:

...I was promised a pro-rated month and a $500 gift card the day I moved in, for signing a lease and moving in the middle of the month.  I paid a full months rent to move in on the "14th" of Aug, and Sept 1st, another $735 was due.  Nothing was prorated and when I called the office, they said the leasing agent should have told me that.  Well also, several weeks later, I still have not received the $500 Visa gift card! I budgeted all of my expenses around having a prorated month and also getting that gift card to help out...

The review was left for Regents on University Apartment Complex but Regents on University was converted to Sol Apartment complex within the last year and got new management.   

Several calls to the leasing office by ABC15 turned up very little information. 

One manager told ABC15 that everyone who was promised a gift card would be getting one, but would not elaborate as to when they would.  She also said there were about 25 people left who had not gotten their gift cards. 

ABC15 also reached out to the management company over the phone and emailed for clarification over this gift card incentives, but did not get a reply.  

While some are still waiting, some have seen their gift cards arrive within the last three months. 

Braden LaForest is one of those lucky few.

"I stressed them about it. I made sure I got mine on the 14th," LaForest said.

A few other residents ABC15 spoke to said they had signed their leases in late July and early August, and all had received a gift card within the last week.

Jellum and Armenta continue to wait for theirs.