FirstKey Homes

DO NOT RENT FROM THIS COMPANY! Horrible customer service, maintenance requests are never completed even in the heat of the summer when the house is over 85 degrees. Then they will have the audacity to charge you for someone to come out that never even fixed the issue. I was promised it would be credited back to our account & after months it still hasn't been. They rent out old homes, as is, for an insane price, then don't want to fix any issues with the house. I can't even begin to describe all the issues we've had with this house in the 2 years we've lived here. AC not working in the summer, heater not working in the winter, plumbing from sinks leaking into cabinets below, hot water heater needing to be replaced. It's been a nightmare & on top of that it's impossible to get ahold of anyone who works for the company that can help. It's a shame I even just resigned my lease because I can't imagine living here now another miserable year. Take my word & go elsewhere!!

Unethical business practices No basic maintenance Expect to he cheated if you do business with them

(1 star because I cannot leave 0 stars) I’ve lived in a first key homes location for about 13 months. Take my advice, don’t rent with first key homes. Since move in I have fought to get 2 broken windows replaced, went 2 months with no heat during the coldest parts of the month and have spent my entire tenure here trying to get a garage door replaced that was also broken and poorly repaired upon move in. I have had many experiences with the maintenance staff and customer service. Nothing gets done. I open a ticket, they come out and look at it and take pictures and tell me that first key homes won’t replace it. Then they close out the ticket and I am left with no resolution, or they tell me it'll get fixed and never fix it. This past winter I was told the part to fix my heat was on order. Then they closed the ticket and left my wife and I to deal with the freezing temps for weeks. I continued to call back and another month later got the part replaced. When I moved in, I had 2 broken windows that were not secure and letting heat and air and bugs in and out. It took me over a year to get these replaced after empty promises over and over. The garage I mentioned. Yup, was told 2 weeks ago this was on order. Now it’s completely broken leaving my belongings at risk of theft and it has taken me 8 hours to get someone on the phone. Even then, it'll be 2 more days before they can even get anyone out. When I questioned Anthony Poindexter where my garage door was, he told me that would be delivered 2 weeks ago was, he got defensive and said he doesn't lie and never ordered a garage. I've kept good notes and he indeed told me it was on order and would be replaced. Again, the maint. request was closed out and to never be fixed. Now I am furious and had to take a day off work to try and resolves this and when I asked about the garage door he ordered and where it was, he hung up on me. One last thing, when/if you resign (wish I never did) be careful, they charged me month to month rent that was well over my contracted agreement and I had to pay, or they would consider me late. Took over 2 months to resolve this issue. Very poor business management. I've filed BBB claims and I am warning everyone, don’t expect a single thing from these people. They won’t fix anything in a timely manner or at all. Everyone gives me the "I submitted this and that’s all I can do" answer. Well, no one can get anything done here.

As a past homeowner for ~10 years and as a FirstKey renter for the past 9 months (since June 2022 after selling our house) as we wait to begin building a custom house, we have found FirstKey is largely a good rental company to work with (I know this goes against the usual FirstKey Homes review you see on Google, Yelp, etc.). They know when they are wrong / need to help, as when our home’s refrigerator died in the rental, they determined a new unit was needed, and they nicely compensated us for the spoiled food. When you put in a support ticket the right way (i.e., give them appropriate info and follow their ticketing system process), they get it handled appropriately in a reasonable time frame. They also seem to largely know when they are in the wrong (i.e. initially pushing us on HOA infractions and then realizing it is another neighbor or their unit’s set-up is the actual cause of the infraction) and when they realize they are wrong, they listen, and then support us as renters in the extremely strict HOA neighborhood we’ve found ourselves renting. However, I will not recommend FirstKey (and it will never get more than a 1-star review from our family) in its current form in how the organization currently handles renewals. If you start renting with FirstKey, then beyond the first term, you should expect a non-negotiable significant rent increase well above the local average rent increase. See below for specifics: • Average rent increases in the area I live are 4-6% YoY. For our early renewal discount (offered at 120 days prior to renewal that must be accepted 90 days prior to renewal), we have been offered the opportunity to renew at just below a 10% increase YoY for a one-year renewal term. If we miss the early renewal offer, we have the opportunity to renew at just above a 12% increase YoY. In both offers, the monthly pet fee will also unexpectedly increase. o No options were offered to us for reducing our renewal rate for committing to a longer term • I have tried talking to several renewal agents as to why the Firstkey renewal is so high above the average YoY renewal in the area and I have used a few objective (longer term at lower cost..) and rental unit negativity points to try to negotiate. In reply, each agent uses a blanket statement that these are inflationary times and costs are rising to provide rentals and they do not ever negotiate renewals (every renewal agent says this on the phone each and every time). • I have asked a renewal manager to call back to talk further through these renewal practices and they have yet to call back. This is disappointing to experience. At this point, we expect we will be be reluctant 2nd year renters of FirstKey as the 10% early renewal rate barely edges out moving and choosing a new rental at lower rates (with security deposits and other fees), but just barely. Next year, we’re likely gone no matter the situation (whether our house is done or not) if FirstKey approaches us with another sizable rent increase. At some point, we as customers have to stop allowing ourselves to be taken advantage of by vendors such as FirstKey Homes who are continuing to push the inflationary narrative further and further. Stop paying the higher rates, post more negative reviews, and bad practices like this will stop. After my personal experience and reading through the many other negative reviews, I expect FirstKey Homes will make no relevant changes and I will then personally look forward to seeing FirstKey Homes sitting on many open rentals when their current renters move – they will be eating significant costs that could likely have been avoided if they would be more negotiable with their “valued” customers at renewal time. I would gladly change my review / perception of FirstKey Homes to a 4-star review, or even a 5-star review, if I could get just get some real perception on why the rental rates increased so much vs. the local averages and/or offer us a fair negotiation opportunity such as the ability to commit to a longer renewal term at a lower price or a shorter renewal term at the currently offered pricing options.

I am a current First Key home resident in the Clayton, NC area. Let me just say, the company is horrible when it comes to maintenance. My home has had heating/AC issues 3 times in the last year, current issue being now. I have no heat or air. Submitted a request on February 28, didn’t get a technician to come look at it until March 1. Technician could not fix the issue so they assigned a vendor on that day. The vendor declined the order on March 2 because they said they were “too busy” to come fix it. Another vendor came March 3 but stated it was an electrical issue, not an HVAC issue. They notified First Key immediately, as did I via the useless call center that can resolve absolutely NOTHING! The call center stated they cannot assign a vendor only the local manager/office can and they ultimately can’t assist me any further. I even spoke with a call center supervisor, POINTLESS! I’ve requested a call from my local office since Wednesday, I’ve heard from no one. Even reached out to the property manager located in the Charlotte area (which controls the area I reside in), I’ve heard nothing from her. I’ve tried emailing and calling, no response. I’ve literally been texting the initial Maintenance technician that responded initially to ask him to get in contact with his manager. The manager still has not approved an electrician to come service my home. Day 5, still no heat or AC and not a call, text or email from the local manager to assist with resolving. WORST COMPANY EVER! I will be considering breaking my lease due to the failure to repair my heat/AC within a reasonable time. As an attorney, they truly screwed over the wrong tenant!

We own a rental that butts up to a first key rental. For over one year i have tried to get someone to answer my complaints. the two story siding is completely rotten and is allowing water (on heavy rains) to leak into my unit. The grounds are trashed and uncut, there is standing water causing many kinds of critters, and there is no renter. The last renter left owing them money and they sued her and said nothing could be done without the lawsuit being over. The lawsuit is now over but then first key said a budget had to be done. The budget has now been done and i was told the work would be completed by September 1. Today is September 13th and NO ONE has every come to look at the damage. This company and nancy nelson are very difficult to get in contact with. I do not know how to proceed??? Any help or comments would be appreciated.

Do not rent from this terrible company! They will screw you and your family. Almost impossible to get in contact with anyone in the agency, they deny work orders, or do garbage repairs. They roll all your bills into one so you have no idea how much you are actually spending on utilities, let alone you can’t even have access to see how much you are. They put you in a home with broken appliances and tons of damage which if you do not record, you will pay for once you leave. Don’t do this to yourself or your family. This place is a complete crooked scam!

I just finished speaking with SafeRent in regards to my rental report and learned that my rental history is clean as a whistle, as I thought. Turns out I was denied to rent a home with you all because of my credit history, which is separate from my ability to pay rent. As my rent history shows, I never had an issue paying. Are you guys a bank or loaning company, or an home rental agency? Your decision reflects the former, and I just lost $150 applying because of it. You guys should change your name to First Key Bank, then maybe people would know not to apply with you all to rent an home.

SCAM !!!! Do not use !!!!!! SCAM !!!!!!!

Maintenance Department is horrible. I have been emailing and calling since January 10,2022 and have NOT received a callback. This has been the WORST customer service (or should I say lack of customer service) I have ever experienced! No one will address my concern!!!