Education

State College Slumlord Forced To Pay Restitution For Shady Dealings

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Eric Lieberman Managing Editor
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A landlord in State College, Penn., agreed to a settlement with state law enforcement after he had been accused of falsely charging tenants exorbitant and illegitimate fees.

Rodney Hendricks, of Hendricks Investments, owned property throughout the college town adjacent to Pennsylvania State University. Investigators found shady accounting and dubious business practices in relation to when and how much he exacted from renters.

The commonwealth’s Bureau of Consumer Protection found that Hendricks would, “not only retain the entire amount of the security deposit,” but would, “also routinely charge hundreds if not thousands of dollars above and beyond the amount of the security deposit upon termination of the lease.”

The Bureau believed that Hendricks, “violated the Commonwealth’s Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law, as well as the Landlord Tenant Act.”

Hendricks and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office resolved the issue out of court. Hendricks has agreed to stop any unfair practices and to pay the appropriate restitution to all victims, both current and past.

Any tenant who was not part of the original compensation procedure, must “file complaints by Oct. 21 with the Bureau of Consumer Protection in order to be eligible for possible restitution,” according to Pennsylvania Attorney General Bruce Beemer’s press release. Petitions may be submitted by calling 1-800-441-2555 or by visiting the attorney general’s website.

Hendricks is also forced to pay $20,000 to the Commonwealth for the costs of the investigation and $5,000 for civil penalties.

Hendricks was arrested in 2000 for being part of a large cocaine drug ring, according to the Daily Collegian.

(The author of this post was a former tenant of Hendricks Investments)

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