Circle Property Management - Oak Park, Illinois

Codi M.

For an older building the in it is in very good condition, Joni was very helpful and thoughtful about explaining the leasing process….approval and application processing was quick on the turn around time. Paid my hold fee and had 7 days to pay my rent which worked out perfectly for me. Patrick is very kind and the other staff/ residents I encountered have been decently friendly…gem of oak park for sure.

Michael R. W.

The woman or man named Frankie I believe that I spoke to was very rude and uninterested in helping me when I submitted my application. All he or she said was we already rented the unit out even though the listing was still on the website. I asked if I could be considered for another upcoming unit and all he or she simply said was No. no no no and no. I hope a lot of people read this review. So glad I decided NOT to rent here.

T. J.

Frankie waited until after running our credit, and approving us for an apartment to tell us that we needed to pay a $500 non refundable moving fee to remove the listing from market the same day, no security deposit required.

I asked her to send an email explaining the fee breakdown, which I believe is required by Cook County, she told me she got busy. We are potential tenants, we are part of your day to day business, and you got busy? I also asked if we could come in person to pay and sign the lease the same day, she said no, we would have to pay the fee first, then she'll write up the lease.
I have never rented an apartment with these terms before, so I said if you were to change your mind we would be out of $500. She told me they would refund the money if due to any fault on their part. But I don't have anything in writing and it's non refundable, remember?

We more than met the requirements listed on your website. There is nothing stated about a move- in fee. Why wait till after running a hard inquiry which, stays on your credit report for 2 years and reduces your score, to make up new requirements? The only thing that makes sense is you didnt want anything in writing to make it easy to scam us out of $500. Add to that, they increased the rent price the next day.

Justin F.

2023 Renter experience here. Only positive is they took action when issues/repairs were needed.

Minus four stars for fraud with security deposits. (I think this is how they make profit) I asked before moving out if the house needed to be professionally cleaned, to which they said no, and also this wasn't in the lease, just wanted to double check on the record with them so I didn't get screwed.

Girlfriend and I proceeded to clean/scrub the entire house as best we could, and took pictures to verify. We are not trashy people. We cleaned the house and got it ready for the next rentor, respectfully leaving it in the condition we received it.

Upon move-out inspection, they zoomed in on tiniest of dust particles, a leftover hair, etc. and charged $330 for an internal cleaning. (They said the house didn't need to be professionally cleaned, but held us to a professionally clean standard).

Outside, they took pictures of the patio that had literally a stray leaf or two on it (cited as "dirty patio") and the lawn that was barely over-grown (very nit-picky as we had moved out 3 days earlier and inspection was done after lawn had grown a bit) and then the trash that was on the curb - a day before trash day!, and cited $550 for external cleaning/landscaping. (this is a very small property, 817 S Ivy St, Arlington, VA. it takes 1 minute to mow the front and 2 minutes to mow the back. And we left the landscaping in the same, or better condition than when we moved in. We were really confused how they got to over $500 deductions for landscaping there.)

Throughout all this, there was no communication, explanation, or remediation. They did not acknowledge our pictures, explanations, or questions about providing an itemized deductions list as per the lease contract. They only provided pictures with descriptions - they did not itemize how much $ would be deducted because of a leaf on a patio, or a hair on a window sill. So there was no explanation of how they got to $330 internally and $550 externally...

Complete fraud and I'm sure I'm not the only rentor taken advantage of. Beware!

All in all, I think they offer "turnover support" to the landlords, then deduct from the security deposits to cover their costs of providing that turnover, at the mercy of the renter.

Redline E.

VERY COLD IN THE WINTER AND SUPER HOT IN THE SUMMER!!! This is a property management company that loves to enforce systematic racism. DO NOT be fooled by minorities that work for them, gotta have diverse employment right! Especially if the mentality coincides. They also DO NOT LIKE MEN unless you’re old. Any typical working class male would need to hide behind a woman just to get housed. The walls are super thin and there are no fire extinguishers ANYWHERE on the property. The women that work in the office are very miserable and very difficult to work with. YOU MUST be a brown noser to get desired results. Patrick will smile in your face while stacking a case up against you so he won’t renew your lease. THEIR BACKGROUND CHECK IS WORSE THAN APPLYING FOR A GOVERNMENT JOB!!! Having money isn’t enough with this company, you must comply with their cult way of living. RENTERS BEWARE!!!!

OM G.

The Advertisement for 421 S. Oak Park Ave, Oak Park, IL Posted on Craigslist by Circle Property Management I found on Nov. 2, 2023, states that if an applicant has less than an optimal credit score, a potential applicant may pay "a Deposit of 1 month's rent, plus Ist month's rent & last month's rent in total, as move-in costs. Period.

That was the beginning of an untoward and unprofessional application process, where landlords request applicants come to them in-person, where they may assess information they cannot assess on the phone. (It seems to be a more regular practice which allows landlords to see race, age, disability, etc. and be able to claim they do not discriminate). In addition to this cautionary review, I will research the authority that handles these types of issues.

I am disabled, I requested a federal American with Disabilities Act (ADA) reasonable accommodation' that in lieu of corning to their office to "sit [there] and fill out the application, that due to my disability I was unable to come to the office, but i stated that I would be happy to do the application remotely since I lived 2 hours away.

Francesca said she had to ask her boss, FRANK, and came back on the phone after a brief hold, asking for a valid ID with proof of the distance.?

I found it highly irregular to be asked for this type of information, particularly when an applicant states they are requesting their CITIZENS RIGHT for ADA reasonable accommodation. I acquiesced and sent an email copy of my Driver's License from my former address to prove I was 2 hours away. Thankfully, I have found better housing elsewhere!

I paid to apply, giving my debit card number to Francesca on the phone. I received a PHONE CALL on Nov. 3, 2023, Instead written notification so I may request a FREE credit report based on their WRITTEN decision, as is customary in business.

In anycase, on 11-3-23, about 1lam I spoke to the aforementioned staff who indicated their boss "FRANK denled the rental application due to lackluster 'credit score.

When I referred to the company's Advertisement on Craigslist indicating that total move-in costs are essentially $875 x 3 and that was in lieu of perfect credit, she laughed and exclaimed, 'that's like for students!" Ageist?

Furthermore, I paid for credit check access of the 3 credit bureaus and I found no "credit check from Circle Property Management. I was charged $25 for nothing. Dubious business practices

Based on Circle Property Management's less than transparent behavior, as is my legal right, I requested anything with my name related to me/my application. written hardcopy and electronic, be completely destroyed, Including electronic or physical trash bins (ie, emails, communications records, application and all supporting documents).

Francesca responded "We keep your application on file" if you reapply in the future, should the credit score improve. I assured her that I had NO INTENTIONS on reapplying with this business or apartment.
Ironically, afterwards she put me on speaker phone and made paper shredding noises (as if I believed she was actually shredding MY documents which I could only verify on a video call, it was extremely insulting to my intelligence)!

On or about a week or so later, my bank account was fraudulently charged $406. Whilst I may not be able to show direct causation, there certainly is a suspicious correlation.

Advising FRANK by email (thanking him for considering my application) that their practice is False Advertising, and perhaps should consider amending the Ad. BEWARE when giving out personal information. Note everyone is forthright in their intentions and/or actions!!!

Lastly, I advised Frank that I will contact the Better Business Bureau and file a complaint. Alas, they have no such presence just this online website of reviews.

BEWARE!!

Mickey M.

Save your money don't rent an apartment from this management company, they are "SLUMLORDS!!!" Their so busy renting out their crappy apartments and fixing up the outside of the building instead of the insides...Cracked up walls and ceilings, mold on the baseboards there are mice, and ants.... I recently just moved out of one of their apartment buildings on Austin and Superior. In the winter months you will freeze!!! They fail to send up heat when needed... I had to burn my oven to keep warm. No storms on the window seals and there are seniors that live in the building you think they care!! Just as long as you pay them their rent. Everything in their apartment building needs to be remodeled. They need new stoves, and fridges everything needs to be updated in the inside, as well as the outside! I would rate them a Zero, they have very bad attitudes when you call them up on the phone when you need something repaired in your apartment. Good Luck To Whoever Rents From Them, You Are Going To Need It!

LaWanda F.

They don't up date anything but want all this money for rent. They still have old fashion kitchen, and bathrooms with pink or yellow tubs and/or tile the same as well. Their pictures for the apartment online are not even updated. Only good thing about this place is the conviencey they have to pay rent.