Residents at Southfield apartment community shocked by utility bills after ownership change

A big bill battle is creating concerns for many living at the Knob in the Woods apartment community in Southfield.

When management changed hands, tenants claim their utility bills soared, and some fear they will be evicted if they can’t come up with the cash quickly.

Concerned tenants called Help Me Hank to get some answers.

To say these people are stressed is understatement -- they’re worried they soon will be forced to move.

Heres what happened: This complex changed ownership and Village Green took over management in December. Since then, those living here haven’t received utility bills until recently, and then they were shocked.

The bills, they say, doubled and in some cases, tripled. When I went to the office on site, the receptionist knew exactly why I was there. We didn’t get any answers there, so we went to the corporate office. They offered this statement on the situation:

“Like our residents, we have a shared concern about the increase in the utility fees and want to ensure its accuracy. We are currently working with the utility companies to determine any potential discrepancies on behalf of our residents.” –Diane Batayeh, CEO of Village Green

The good news -- no evictions, and payment plans are now in place -- and now we’re learning what may have caused the price jump.


Have a news tip? To reach Help Me Hank, call 313-634-WDIV (313-634-9348) or email at helpmehank@wdiv.com.



About the Author

Hank Winchester is Local 4’s Consumer Investigative Reporter and the head of WDIV’s “Help Me Hank” Consumer Unit. Hank works to solve consumer complaints, reveal important recalls and track down thieves who have ripped off people in our community.

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