Beware unscrupulous landlords in Paris
Aug 30th, 2005, 01:47 PM
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Beware unscrupulous landlords in Paris
Don't ruin your vacation in lovely Paris by renting from these BAD LANDLORDS.
Deceitful Landlords:
Web site is aparishomes.com. The bad landlady is Elisabeth Ban. She acts very nice but is cutthroat.
She kept my $350 deposit for no reason. She assured me that I would receive my deposit if I left the place clean - I did - they approved. They said they would return my deposit after renting it out during the remainder of the term (I wanted out of there as soon as the taxi dropped me off! BAD Neighborhood). They did rent it and still no deposit returned! I even had a written agreement from them.
Plus to add to all of this:
1) The apartment was in a seedy neighborhood. The flat itself is very nice but I did not feel safe going out at night. There were no nice cafes or shops nearby. You see lots of boarded up or closed businesses. 4 blocks away it is nice (which is what they photographed on their website as the neighborhood).
The other apartment in Republique that they offered was also in a charmless neighborhood. Very seedy side street. Shops are all import/export warehouse type businesses. Republique Flat is nice but neighborhood is not.
2) Flat is next to an elementary school. Very loud in the early morning.
3)They offer no service since they do not live in Paris. My first day in Paris I had to cut my day short to show the apartment. I was 15 minutes late (the metro took longer than I thought) and the landlord blamed me. I am ruining my vacation to help them and they blame me!
4) There was an electrical problem - fuse blew. No fault of mine but there was a problem with the system. I had no lights in living room, tv or phone for 3 days. Again I had to wait for the electrician - No landlord to take care of it. Electrician did not show up for 2 of our appointments. The electrician stated it was nothing I did but Elisabeth again blamed me! I am a landlady myself and I know whats what.
They are very slick and fake. There are so many nice places with nice landlords. Do not trust these - they lie! They do not post negative comments and comments posted are not about this apartment or . If any thing goes wrong these people make you pay. DO NOT LISTEN TO THEIR ASSURANCES - ALL BALONEY!!
Deceitful Landlords:
Web site is aparishomes.com. The bad landlady is Elisabeth Ban. She acts very nice but is cutthroat.
She kept my $350 deposit for no reason. She assured me that I would receive my deposit if I left the place clean - I did - they approved. They said they would return my deposit after renting it out during the remainder of the term (I wanted out of there as soon as the taxi dropped me off! BAD Neighborhood). They did rent it and still no deposit returned! I even had a written agreement from them.
Plus to add to all of this:
1) The apartment was in a seedy neighborhood. The flat itself is very nice but I did not feel safe going out at night. There were no nice cafes or shops nearby. You see lots of boarded up or closed businesses. 4 blocks away it is nice (which is what they photographed on their website as the neighborhood).
The other apartment in Republique that they offered was also in a charmless neighborhood. Very seedy side street. Shops are all import/export warehouse type businesses. Republique Flat is nice but neighborhood is not.
2) Flat is next to an elementary school. Very loud in the early morning.
3)They offer no service since they do not live in Paris. My first day in Paris I had to cut my day short to show the apartment. I was 15 minutes late (the metro took longer than I thought) and the landlord blamed me. I am ruining my vacation to help them and they blame me!
4) There was an electrical problem - fuse blew. No fault of mine but there was a problem with the system. I had no lights in living room, tv or phone for 3 days. Again I had to wait for the electrician - No landlord to take care of it. Electrician did not show up for 2 of our appointments. The electrician stated it was nothing I did but Elisabeth again blamed me! I am a landlady myself and I know whats what.
They are very slick and fake. There are so many nice places with nice landlords. Do not trust these - they lie! They do not post negative comments and comments posted are not about this apartment or . If any thing goes wrong these people make you pay. DO NOT LISTEN TO THEIR ASSURANCES - ALL BALONEY!!
Aug 30th, 2005, 02:04 PM
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I have a question. Since you have never posted here before, I'm curious what made you chose Fodors to post your complaint?
Who did you check this place out with before renting it?
So you didn't stay the whole time, yet they managed to find someone to rent it to the same day you left?
If they aren't in Paris, who was it that "approved" it was clean when you left?
Who did you check this place out with before renting it?
So you didn't stay the whole time, yet they managed to find someone to rent it to the same day you left?
If they aren't in Paris, who was it that "approved" it was clean when you left?
Aug 31st, 2005, 09:32 AM
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Perhaps there is some different usage of the term "troll" by some of you, but I don't think either this post or the pickpocket posts are "trolls". Whether you agree with them or not, this isn't the kind of posts trolls make. Trolls completely fabricate posts or just makes posts about some controversial question or opinion to incite a lot of debate and indignation. For example "I'm trying to decide whether to go to Paris, but all my friends who've been there told me that they never take showers. I am allergic and afraid to go. What do you think?" or "I'm traveling with my cousin who has never been anywhere and has a fear of water, so I need a hotel more than 500 yards from a fire hydrant).
Stuff like that.
Very specific posts with complaints about an apt. being next to an elementary school, etc., are not trolls. Now many you don't believe all these complaints or think they are exaggerated, but I would think the odds 1000000 to 1 that someone just fabricated that entire post out of nothing.
There are lessons to be learned, as from another recent post on apartment renters -- don't think the owner is obligated to only rent vacation apts. in wonderful, scenic, upperclass areas of Paris. It's your responsibility to find out what an area and neighborhood is like. Second, you are accepting risks when you rent vacation apts from total strangers like this. I don't do it because I don't want that risk, but others think nothing of it. that isn't an agency, but another of these websites where owners just advertise their own rentals. Finally, don't complain that the owner isn't there to remedy all your problems when you knowingly rent from someone who doesn't live nearby or even in the same country. For the other things, I think this post is just as legitimate a warning against certain apts as many others, and thats one reason people like to find past reviews and comments.
However, I am also really interested in knowing exactly how people come to find Fodors for the first time to post a negative apartment review.
Stuff like that.
Very specific posts with complaints about an apt. being next to an elementary school, etc., are not trolls. Now many you don't believe all these complaints or think they are exaggerated, but I would think the odds 1000000 to 1 that someone just fabricated that entire post out of nothing.
There are lessons to be learned, as from another recent post on apartment renters -- don't think the owner is obligated to only rent vacation apts. in wonderful, scenic, upperclass areas of Paris. It's your responsibility to find out what an area and neighborhood is like. Second, you are accepting risks when you rent vacation apts from total strangers like this. I don't do it because I don't want that risk, but others think nothing of it. that isn't an agency, but another of these websites where owners just advertise their own rentals. Finally, don't complain that the owner isn't there to remedy all your problems when you knowingly rent from someone who doesn't live nearby or even in the same country. For the other things, I think this post is just as legitimate a warning against certain apts as many others, and thats one reason people like to find past reviews and comments.
However, I am also really interested in knowing exactly how people come to find Fodors for the first time to post a negative apartment review.
Aug 31st, 2005, 09:39 AM
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he's hitting all the good spots -BonjourParis, Tripadvisor....
the language 'accent' makes me think it is a poster on Tripadvisor that I advised not to take an apartment in the 18th by Simplon metro and G.duNord train tracks - this apartment is the same one being complained about now... could be a coincidence...
the language 'accent' makes me think it is a poster on Tripadvisor that I advised not to take an apartment in the 18th by Simplon metro and G.duNord train tracks - this apartment is the same one being complained about now... could be a coincidence...
Sep 10th, 2005, 10:05 PM
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I chose Fodors because it is a great way to get the work out on an unfortunate experience. I have had great luck before renting in Paris thru the internet. I did my homework but aparishomes gave incorrect information and incorrect photos of the neighborhood I stayed in. I asked lots of questions of Elisabeth, the landlord, too. But she recommended her mother's flat eventhough (I later found out) others were more suitable for my needs.
I have a feeling Patrick is one of the owners Elisabeth represents.
And to answer the other comment. The landlords say they are in Paris but they are not. A friend of the landlords checked me out of the apartment.
Yes, this flat was near Simplon metro. Wish I had seen the warning before. Which is why I am trying to get the word out to the rest of you who love Paris!
I have a feeling Patrick is one of the owners Elisabeth represents.
And to answer the other comment. The landlords say they are in Paris but they are not. A friend of the landlords checked me out of the apartment.
Yes, this flat was near Simplon metro. Wish I had seen the warning before. Which is why I am trying to get the word out to the rest of you who love Paris!
Sep 10th, 2005, 10:28 PM
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OMG...many days later paristips writes "I have a feeling that Patrick is one of the owners that Elizabeth represents".
This is getting better and better LOL!
Patrick, for shame, you have been hiding this information from us. Do we here on Fodors get a discount if we rent one of your apartments? :
This is getting better and better LOL!
Patrick, for shame, you have been hiding this information from us. Do we here on Fodors get a discount if we rent one of your apartments? :
Sep 10th, 2005, 11:19 PM
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LoveItaly - LOL, If it's true I hope Partick will let me rent also, I bet his apartment will be in the nicest area and will have tasteful decor
paristips - Patrick is a long (long long) time poster here on Fodors. I doubt very much if he has any rental apartment in Paris (Patrick don't you wish?) you are not advancing your cause by libeling him.
paristips - Patrick is a long (long long) time poster here on Fodors. I doubt very much if he has any rental apartment in Paris (Patrick don't you wish?) you are not advancing your cause by libeling him.
Sep 10th, 2005, 11:26 PM
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I hate it when people post to correct a spelling mistake, but I really didn't mean to call Patrick - Partick.
Now, that takes me back to my childhood and my Grandad doing the 'Pools'. We had to be quiet during the 'results'.
Partick Thistle 0, Hibernian 1
Now, that takes me back to my childhood and my Grandad doing the 'Pools'. We had to be quiet during the 'results'.
Partick Thistle 0, Hibernian 1
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