March 2021 by Damein Wash
Absentee landlords. This company took over 515 N 11th in Oxford, where I lived for two years. I renewed a lease for a third year with the previous owner just before they purchased it. They began snooping around under false pretenses before the purchase, out right lying to me and other tenants there. Once they took control, the true nature of their shadier business dealings was made clear. It’s important to know that their disregard for the tenants there happened while we were undergoing Covid-19 shelter-in-place. We were told that we’d be contacted and given detail about the future of the property and where we stood as tenants. That never happened. Instead, we were constantly given the runaround. They never answered phone calls, returned phone calls, or gave us any information. Obviously we were concerned as working adults, and given this was our home and we assumed they wanted to renovate and raise rent. Which all would’ve been understandable had it been made clear to us. Which was paramount, given that during the shutdown, both my partner and I were working from home. After a month of not being presented with any information as promised I felt it was important to call, especially after paying my first months rent to MR Construction. During this time the garbage had piled up in so much that city officials were stopping by and putting notices on our doors, see picture. The authorities themselves were unable to reach MR. It took two weeks, yes two, of calling and leaving messages, before I got their property manager on the phone, who claimed she was too busy to check voicemails. So I speak with her and she says that in an attempt to “get on the same page” she would send information by email. She does, that same day. I’ve shared the email below, which is very forthcoming — which no doubt is why she opted for that means.Damein,Thank you for taking the time to speak with me. Our current lease agreement gives us the option to give you 30 day notice and terminate your lease. We know that you have been at your current residence for a long time and would like to offer you the option of moving to 523 B N 11th for the remainder of the lease. If this does not work for you, we will be terminating your lease agreement.Please let me know if you have any questions,Meagan McDonaldMR ConstructionA bombshell dropped during an already extremely difficult time. Those places are old and difficult to make for comfortable living. So I replied to her email and stated that we had no intention of moving within the property and given the nature of the way they do business it’s best we sever ties. I didn’t receive a reply to that email. Which makes clear what they wanted from the start. They have since with other tenants demanded they move without warning, yes during a pandemic. Some were offered to take a look at their other properties. An offer not extended to me and my partner, part of the prejudice I felt since they first came snooping. If you are thinking of renting a property from them, consider this review first.
