More than 700 tenants at two Dover apartment complexes are to receive about $75,000 in restitution after the complexes advertised an amenity that wasn't available, said Delaware Attorney General Matt Denn on June 9.
The restitution is part of an agreement Dover Investors and Trinity Property Group reached with the Attorney General's Division of Fraud and Consumer Protection earlier this year, Denn said.
According to the complaint, the companies, which own and operate the Alder Park and Pine Grove Apartments, advertised there was a swimming pool at the apartments. However, the pool hadn't been functional for an extended period of time, Denn said.
“Businesses need to carefully ensure their advertisements reflect the actual goods and services they provide,” Denn said. “We will continue to work to make sure Delawareans are protected against false advertising.”
The money given to tenants can be paid in either cash or credit towards their account balance if owed. The tenants must have signed a rental agreement after Aug. 24, 2011, and before Feb. 16, 2014, in order to be eligible for restitution, according to Denn.
In addition to the restitution, the companies also will pay $25,000 in civil penalties and $8,000 in attorney fees and investigative costs, Denn said. The companies were also ordered to stop advertising the amenities unless they were available for tenants to use.