The Meadows at Bentley Drive was trying to collect more than $1,200 from Alena Haberman. After KENS 5 got involved, she owes less than $100.
SAN ANTONIO — Alena Haberman has lived at The Meadows at Bentley in east San Antonio for several years. She said she had always paid her rent.
Then in August, she suddenly got a “notice to vacate” which claimed she owed the apartment complex more than $1,800.
Haberman later told KENS 5 the office management had lost track of payment records and they were asking her to prove she had paid for several months in 2024.
“They were asking for money orders they couldn’t find,” Haberman said.
Fortunately, the 65-year-old had kept many of her payment receipts for the last two years so she went to the office to try and get it straightened out.
“I had the receipts for them that I gave to her. I thought everything was taken care of,” Haberman said.
But then, in November, management suddenly gave her another “notice to vacate” which said she owed more than $1,200. It said she would need to leave her apartment by Dec. 13.
The tenant was furious.
“Why am I having to pay twice for stuff that I have already paid for!” Haberman said.
The tenant said she tried to work it out with management yet again, but it wasn’t clear why she owed what she owed.
In fact, the “notice to vacate” didn’t even specify what months of rent, or what other fees, management was trying to collect. Finally, she called KENS 5.
“I don’t want to be evicted!” Haberman said.
KENS 5 met with the tenant and had her call the apartment manager to ask what the $1,200 debt was for. The manager told her over the phone that they needed proof of rent for November 2024.
Haberman did have some proof of payment for that month, but she was still unable to get things sorted out at the office.
Finally, almost two weeks later, KENS 5 walked into the office with Haberman to ask what was going on.
The manager at the location told KENS 5, “I’m working on her documents right now.” The manager went back into the office for a few minutes and then came back out. She told KENS 5 they were still investigating “the matter of those money orders,” but she couldn’t tell Haberman which money orders the office was specifically looking for.
KENS 5 told management there would be a TV story on the issue. KENS 5 also contacted RPM Living, which owned the property and informed them of the story.
Haberman said office managers met with her the very next day and made copies of all the payment receipts and other proof of payment that the tenant currently had.
Less than a week later, a manager at Meadows at Bentley Drive cancelled the notice to vacate.
“She (the manager) said everything was taken care of and that they found it all,” Haberman said.
Haberman told KENS 5 that management had now determined that she only owed $90 for underpaying on certain months. Management had now worked out a plan for her to pay that money over the next five months.
More importantly, Haberman would not have to leave the apartment complex after all.
KENS 5 asked RPM Living to explain what happened here. A spokesperson for the property sent us an email that simply said, “The matter you have been inquiring about has been resolved.”
Haberman said she wishes the management would have looked over all her proof of payment before they gave her a notice to vacate. Still, she’s glad they sorted it out in the end and she’s glad she called KENS 5.
“If it wasn’t for KENS 5, I don’t know where I’d be. I really appreciate it,” Haberman said.
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