(See what I did there?)

Yeah, it could be that when they tell the computer to close out a lease on a particular apartment, it automatically generates certain paperwork and the office drone just stamps and mails it.

Though I still think if you'd had a murder victim in your complex, you'd flag that account. Or at least put a sticky note on the computer monitor.

They knew she was dead because Mr. Ortiz notified them of her death and moved her belongings out on Jan. 13 (hence 12 days of rent for Jan. 1-12). It was all very legal, but of course also cold and heartless.

"Manager checking in here. Um.. the woman in 4b got killed. Just thought you might want to know...."

You can be sure that her other debtors (car, mortgage, etc) will participate in probate to get paid

I'm not trying to defend there actions (could be cold-hearted, could be crossed wires, who knows), but I think they had a legal write to bill the estate. But in the end, they did the right thing.

@Xerloq: Good point. I guess it's a little from column A and a little from column B.

It could also be that the ex was listed as an "emergency contact" on the lease. What kind of emergency would require the landlord to contact somebody? Failure to pay rent. It might be an automated response. (everyone knows that the emergency contact, references, etc. are the first people they'll contact if you don't pay rent.)

Still scummy.

@Jim Topoleski: The owner employes managers so he doesn't have to do the work of dealing face to face with the people- the intake, exit inspections, late rents, maintenance issues, etc. He usually has things to do that are better investments of his time. The ownership of the complex I live in was sold but you can be sure I know who owns it and what his/her/their addresses are along with some of the management companies addresses. Just in case of the need for a specific email or written letter...

That said, I will send gift cards and small inexpensive gifts to the managers/maintenance people at Christmas time. I find that this makes a big difference...

1) They were going after her estate.... which they have the legal right to.

2) "Your finances are severed the minute you get a divorce." Unless the lease was signed prior to the divorce, which I don't think was the case.

3) From the article, it sounds like the surviving children have gone to live with the father. The children's processions were still housed at the apartment which would prohibit the landlord from renting to someone else. Now that the father is the primary guardian for the children, it is his responsibility to clear the children's possessions from the apartment. Call me a cold harded bastard, but you can't expect the universe to come to a halt due to tragic circumstances in your life.

Um... Yesterday didnt the story say they sent a demand to THE ESTATE of the murder victim? Um.... // just saying

@startertan: This happened in Madison last spring. A woman was killed (still unknown by whom) and the company was trying to get her fiancee to stay there. When it went to the news and there was public outcry and threat of people not renting from them they did back down and let the poor guy out.

It all comes down to money, after all.

@Jim Topoleski:
I take issue with the whole "I pay his salary so he must cater to my desires" mentality. He obtained the financing and capital that allows you to have a place to live, so one could argue that you owe him even more than just the rent you pay.

It's possible. Management companies don't just run one building, they are in charge of many buildings, some with hundreds of apartments at each property.

As for recognizing the names on the news, mostly it was the name of the killer on the news, the victims names were not mentioned as prominently. They were referred to mostly as "nine family members" and had different last names.

Some people are also mistakenly thinking the murders happened at the apartment in question. The murders happened in a private home in a different area.

At first, this story seemed horrible. The two surviving teen girls in the apartment said management gave them notice to leave quickly. They made it seem as if the management was aware of the murders. But now, knowing the management did not know it was one of their hundreds of tenants who was in that horrible tragedy on the news, it's not as sinister a story.

However, if they rectified it, no matter their motivation, then I take back everything I said. Problem fixed and, in my opinion, then some (forgiving the rent remaining in the lease).

This might be just me being crazy, but in our the-guys-with-all-the-money-making-all-the-rules society, the only dog the average citizen has in the fight is public outrage.

Even if he was paying alimony, that responsibility is severed after death.

The only way he could have been on the hook is if his name was still on the lease, which it was not from what I read elsewhere.

@ViperBorg - Facebook is the new AOL.: They were "unaware" of the tons of hate mail their decision would generate.

Or it proves my theory, humans are just evil.

On what planet were they living? How could they NOT have known? It was national news!

Just backing down because everyone is ragging on them.

You can't legislate morality, but it goes to show that people can be human.

I have this same issue with my landlord. I know our repair guys and the building manager real well, I have NEVER met my landlord even though I know he visits the complex every week.

Im not expecting dinner here, but at least SOME sense of hey nice to meet you would be nice especially when these people are paying your salary.

And its not really a small town thing, I live in a large city and know the people I do buisness with pretty well, even the checkout women at Target even if I dont know them by name, I at least know them enough for us to share greetings.

There really is the awful disconnect in the country.

Likely story.