Overture Kierland — Local services in Phoenix

I lived at Overture Kierland for 1 year. I paid the surprisingly high fees, but Overture Kierland failed to deliver on amenities: the pool was closed for months, the movie room was out of order for an extended period, the coffee machine went down. Having fulfilled the lease terms, I was relieved to move out. I had hoped to never have any interaction with Overture Kierland/Greystar again.

Weeks later, eye-popping move-out fees for "damages" arrived in the mail from Greystar. Patiently, I disputed the charges and alerted Overture Kierland management that I did not cause the damages. The assistant property manager of Overture Kierland deflected my attempts to resolve the impasse by referring me to an out-of-state Greystar Receivables Department, even though the questionable charges originated at Overture Kierland. I repeatedly asked to meet with the Overture Kierland assistant manager. She refused. This led to weeks of email communication; Greystar refused to speak with the previous tenant to confirm my claim that the "damages" were pre-existing. Instead, Greystar has threatened to report me to collections. Now, my sterling credit rating is vulnerable to Greystar's threats, and their behavior is protected by their phalanx of lawyers. Imagine a senior tenant trying to fight a well-resourced team of lawyers! The sense of vulnerability I feel with age is aggravated by Overture Kierland's behavior.

However, Greystar might have to hire more lawyers, because apparently what happened to me is not an anomaly. On 01/16/25, the Federal Trade Commission issued a press release that includes, "The Federal Trade Commission and the State of Colorado are taking action against Greystar, the nation’s largest multi-family rental property manager, for deceiving consumers about monthly rent costs by tacking on numerous mandatory fees on top of advertised prices. According to the complaint filed by the FTC and Colorado, these hidden fees have cost consumers living in Greystar properties hundreds of millions of dollars since at least 2019, and consumers often have not discovered the fees until after they have signed a lease or moved in."

The FTC is not the only agency to take aim at Greystar. On 01/07/25 the U.S. Justice Department issued a press release that reads in part, "The amended complaint alleges the landlords — Greystar Real Estate Partners LLC (Greystar).... ...participated in an unlawful scheme to decrease competition among landlords in apartment pricing, harming millions of American renters."

So, Greystar is being sued by the federal government for alleged rent fixing and for junk fees. I have contacted legal firms that are looking for Greystar tenants who are willing to join class action suits against Greystar. Other tenants can email those firms, as well. I have also contacted the Wall Street Journal, which has printed stories on the FTC and Justice Department lawsuits against Greystar. I am also preparing a consumer complaint to the Arizona Attorney General, who filed suit against Greystar and other defendant landlords that used RealPage. Arizona Attorney General issued a 02/28/24 press release that includes, "The illegal practices of the defendants led to artificially inflated rental prices and caused Phoenix and Tucson-area residents to pay millions of dollars more in rent."

To avoid questionable move-out charges, the second-best advice from a former Kierland Overture resident was to photo-document your entire apartment (on move-in date and move-out date) and insist upon a walk-through inspection, even if -- as has been reported to me -- management resists. The best advice from me is to never sign a contract with Overture Kierland or Greystar.

Of course, every entity should be considered innocent until proven guilty. Nonetheless, I do not trust Overture Kierland/Greystar, because I have dealt with them firsthand. I recommend that consumers read the Overture Kierland Yelp reviews for a broader idea of tenant sentiment. Googling Greystar reviews will offer a sobering look at consumer dissatisfaction....

I regret moving to Overture Kierland. Here’s why: The true cost of living at Overture Kierland was higher than I expected. My base rent was $2,994. However, on a typical monthly statement, various additional taxes and fees brought the actual charges up to $3,191.57. That did not include water/sewer/unit internet/electricity/mandatory renter’s insurance/”service fees”. My impression of Overture Kierland’s pricing was confirmed when I inquired about extending my lease month-to-month: management offered a new monthly rental rate for my apartment of $5,519. Throughout the night, I would be repeatedly awakened by the sound of flowing toilet discharge from apartments above mine. I paid for amenities that were not guaranteed and were not provided. The pool was closed from 01/11/24-05/07/24. The hot tub was also closed for a substantial portion of the winter. Other residents informed me that the pool had been closed the previous year during cold weather, as well. Despite any cost savings to Overture Kierland for not heating the pool, I did not receive a rebate and when I asked, management referred me to the lease terms. Access was compromised: The garage doors were repeatedly out-of-order. The elevators were repeatedly out-of-order, in this 55+ community, where many residents have limited mobility. After move-out, I was charged $914.85 for “damages” to the refrigerator and $50.83 for carpet cleaning. The “damages” were small scratches that were so minor that I had overlooked them (during my 1-year lease); this previously occupied apartment had many slight imperfections, as one would expect. I have not been alone in receiving surprising move-out charges. Other former residents have reported dubious move-out charges, such as a several hundred-dollar charge for, among other things, dirty ceiling fans. After a bit of sleuthing, I notified Kierland of evidence that the refrigerator was scratched long before I was a tenant. I also enumerated the extraordinary care (shoe removal at a bench/rack I bought for my vestibule, dedicated indoor footwear, no pets, regular vacuuming) I had taken during my lease to protect the carpet. I am awaiting a reply about this evidence from Overture Kierland management. My repeated requests for a meeting with management to discuss these charges have been denied by management. I find Overture Kierland’s behavior toward tenants worrisome. I wish that I had scrutinized the lease to determine the bare minimum that would have allowed Overture Kierland to meet their contractual responsibilities, because I could have avoided living there and could have avoided...

I have been living at Overture Kierland in Scottsdale, for over three years and have truly enjoyed everything. Overture Kierland has met all my expectations as a place I can call home. The Office staff lead by Manager Aime has been outstanding. They have responded quickly to all my requests for assistance with all apartment rental matters. They have even provided help and assistance with matters outside my apartment living concerns. To me, that's going the "extra mile" to help residents and a clear demonstration of their committment to help all residents. Aime's willingness to go "over and above" normal everyday questions and issues makes living hear a great experience. The maintenance staff has also responded quickly to maintenance issues is a very professional manner. Overall Overture Kierland is a great...