Rainier Management accused of failing to honor contract terms at Travis County properties

AUSTIN – Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott today resolved the state’s enforcement action against a residential property management company accused of misrepresenting lease terms at several rental properties in Travis County.

According to court documents, Rainier Management, Ltd., stopped paying its tenants’ natural gas utilities, trash pick-up and cable services in January 2008 despite verbal or written contract terms indicating the management company would cover those expenses. Under today’s agreement, Rainier cannot charge its residents for utilities until their current lease expires. The company also must provide full refunds to tenants who paid those utility services after Jan. 1, 2008.

The Office of the Attorney General took legal action under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act after Rainier informed its rental customers in December 2007 that, effective Jan. 1, 2008, it would no longer pay for trash pick-up, natural gas or cable services. Rainier further advised residents that their January rent payments would not be accepted unless they included payments for trash pick-up and natural gas, along with a signed lease addendum acknowledging the new contract terms. Residents complained that the addendum failed to indicate how Rainier planned to allocate the costs for natural gas or compensate them for the additional cost of utility services.

For more information about tenants’ rights, contact the Office of the Attorney General at (800) 252-8011 or visit the agency’s Web site at www.texasattorneygeneral.gov.