[23-Dec-2020] We rented the apartment at 1526 W. Ritner St., Philadelphia, PA 19145 from April 2017 to January 2019 at $1,000 a month from Sam Cacia who along with his family owns numerous rental properties in South Philadelphia. This apartment was located above Cacia's Bakery. It was not properly converted into a proper living space. Major problems included:
1.The landlord failed to obtain a rental license for this apartment or the apartment below it. That means it was illegal for him to rent it or collect any amount of rent from us. It also had no Certificate of Rental Suitability, meaning it was not inspected by the city. He only obtained a license after I reported him to the city. Look this up on the ECLIPSE website.
2. The means of egress was illegal according to PA building codes and very dangerous. There is only one entry and exit and that is via a metal spiral staircase. It was not the required design or size, nor was it lit or protected from rain and snow. Many times we slipped on the steps during inclement weather. Using them became very painful to our knees because they were not designed for daily use outdoors. Spiral stairs are illegal in Pennsylvania as entry/exit stairways. The front door swung out so it made entering the unit very unsafe, especially when carrying items while trying to enter the unit. The front door was not properly attached to the hinges so it was crooked and unstable. There is an illegal door in the unit that connects to the apartment below which is always locked, so noise from downstairs was a major problem. The spiral staircase steps are very steep and soon became a source of physical pain in our knees. They were also very slippery during rainy/snowy weather. We reported this to the city building inspector and nothing has ever been done to address this clear violation.
3. There is a heavy mouse infestation in the apartment and mouse feces and dead mice were regularly found.
4. There is moisture buildup in the wall to your left when you step into the apartment. The wall is palpably soft and moist from the moisture.
5. Water pressure in the bathroom sink was barely a trickle. We brought this to Mr. Cacia's attention but with a straight face, he said nothing could be done about it. We had to brush our teeth and wash our hands in the kitchen as a result. About a year later, a plumber came to repair a drainage problem in the bathtub because the pipes were falling apart, causing a flood in both units. He quickly unclogged the faucet of whatever was obstructing the water flow. When we moved out, Sam Cacia refused to return any of the security deposit without a reasonable explanation or providing documentation of expenses. He also kept the last month's rent. So he had $2,000. We even left him with three air conditioners, a new vacuum cleaner, and more. He instead sent me nasty and sarcastic texts with lame and unfounded excuses. He even had the audacity to claim that we owed him more money! We made repeated attempts to collect our money, including filing a complaint with the state AG, with no success. We moved too far away to sue him in small claims court.
Upon moving in, there were numerous problems and the place was not ready to move into. The ceiling light fixture in the bedroom did not work. The unit became unbearably hot in the summer and we had to buy three air conditioners. Even with all at full blast, the unit was unbearably hot. The door handle to the fridge was broken off and the landlord refused to repair it, claiming it was too expensive! This man is very wealthy and not hurting for money. Plus, the bakery is open 363 days a year so the noise of the mixers at night and the heat from the ovens is a constant annoyance. If we had not been so pressed for time and if we had more income, we would have not chosen this apartment. It was the cheapest one in the area and he seems like a laid back, conscientious person, which is likely how he snares people into renting from him.
By the way, the agency, PA Realtyworks, which listed the apartment was no better. The agent who showed it and handled the lease totally ignored my emails informing her of the landlord's actions. Her boss contacted me, however, only to run defense for him. She actually told me we were still on a lease with him since it "rolled over" to another year. That is a shady practice that needs to stop. The agent never went over that little detail with us, and beyond that, the lease was invalid since there was no rental license. I gave the agency a low rating on google and filed a complaint with the AG, and then I got an angry email from the agent's boss. She had the nerve to threaten that "we may be taking action against you" for my "false complaint" and "false review." She took no responsibility for her company's role in enabling the renting of this dump. I guess birds of a feather flock together. UPDATE: I contacted the PA AG with the following message because NO ACTION was taken and if you have been similarly victimized by your landlord I urge you to do the same! This is an urgent plea to investigate and overhaul the City of Philadelphia's Licensing and Inspections rental properties division. In 2019 I reported a property I rented in Philadelphia that had major building code violations. The owner also did not obtain a rental license of certificate of rental suitability for my unit or the one below it. I reported the violations to L and I and the only action they took was force the owner to obtain the license. I contacted L and I repeatedly about the code violations and I even provided them with the excerpt from the Pennsylvania building codes showing how the apartment was in violation, yet no action was taken. So then I filed a complaint with the Inspector General's office. So far nothing has been done. I also filed a complaint against the real estate agency which listed the rental. I was threatened via email by the real estate agency in response to my complaint. I reported the threat to the PA Real Estate Commission. They took no action. The apartment was listed again by the same agent and rented with the same code violations. The landlord and owners are named Sam and Joseph Cacia and they own numerous rental properties in Philadelphia. I spoke with two real estate attorneys based in Philadelphia as well as representatives of two tenants' rights organizations in Philadelphia and I was informed by all that my experience was not unique. In fact, I was told that this is a widespread epidemic in Philadelphia that has been going on for years due to the lack of response from Licenses and Inspections employees. One neighbor who knows Sam Cacia said he probably "paid off" the inspectors to avoid spending the money to make his property legal. That apartment was dangerous and unsafe to live in and I had to move out within 5 months. The staircase to the front door alone was illegal and very dangerous. I showed pictures to L and I of this. Mr. Cacia also kept my entire security deposit of $1,000 without providing proof of expenses for cleaning or repairs. The Cacias have an extensive record of being sued by tenants and the City of Philadelphia for their illegal rentals and for refusing to return deposit money. One fine of $600 by the city looks like it was never paid. The real estate agent who threatened me is a member of Greater Philadelphia Realtors Association and her behavior was inexcusable.
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