First Step Rentals
Complaint 248039 Details

This place is commiting fraud!
We called on an add we saw both in the pennysaver and on Craigslist. 2 bed 2 bath for rent in La Habra. 500 deposit water and trash paid. We pay roughly that now so it didn't scream too good to be true. WE called the number listed and Robert answered and explained they actually had 4 properties in La Habra and that if we came into the office and filled out the paperwork we could see the houses today. He then mentioned that if we saw one we liked it was a 200 dollar hold that would go towards the deposit. Ok still not screaming scam. So we head down to Santa Ana and head into the office that looked pretty legit. They had listings stapled to the wall, 4 desks lined each wall kinda looked like the same set up as our tax preparers office. We sat down with Robert and he explained he also had a few homes in nearby Whittier that were 1100 a month. He was till calling them homes so we were assuming they were apartments. We said sure and wE asked to clarrify we were definetly seeing them that day right.. and he said yes. As soon as we get your id and finish up the preliminary paperwork. Then he announces we have to pay the 200 up front. several people come in and they waste so much gas taking them out to the homes and the people find something they don't like and walk away... At this point I'm wary.. I ask again ... you are going out there with us right? and he says yep. So my hubby hands over his debit card. They process the payment and robert walks away for a few minutes. He comes back with a new piece of paperwork that says we have to use due diligence to find a home from the list he gives us and if we follow a bunch of rules with it we can get our money back in 90 days if we dont find a home. Say what? It also says that the 200 hold fee he just explained went towards the deposit does not go towards the deposit and that they don't garantee any of the listings are correct. We start to argue..and he says hey this doesnt really apply to you because your choosing a home this weekend not waiting a few months. And I ask again are you coming with us to look at these homes today. and he says well no. You have to drive by them first call me back with the ones you want to see and then I will process the paperwork and head right out. These houses are fixer uppers and alot of people have no imagination and change their mind. We said fine sit by that phone because we are heading to the first house on that list and calling you to come out there. We head to the car and thinking crap we just got scammed but ok fine we will play along and seeif it works. We head to the first address...hmmm street dead ends at a cemetary one number shy of the address.. convenient. So we head to the next address. We call him and he says ok ill process this and see you in an hour. We start to wander around the property since its vacant. and notice its got an acre backyard, a bbq worth more than a months rent, a shed, a huge garden, a childrens playground and a stable. um ok there is no way this backyard rents for 1100 hundred a month let alone the house. We wait an hour and call back. Robert and the rest of the staff have gone home. They wont be back till monday. We now know we have been scammed. We researched every listing they gave us. half were non existant, another good portion were not for rent, and the ones that were wanted 2000+ a month for rent plus deposits equal to rent and none pay any utilities. We checked with the dept of real estate. These guys are not lisenced to provide listings and they have no real estate liscence either. We sent off the complaint to thier enforcement office. And we will be filing a complaint at the Santa ana pd too!