ATLANTA — An Atlanta-based startup promises affordable and safe housing. But a metro Atlanta man says that the second part – safety -- is in question.
Channel 2 consumer investigator Justin Gray has been hearing complaints about PadSplit for more than 3 years now.
PadSplit residents can rent a furnished room in a rental house through the company’s website at a reasonable weekly rate.
Mark Condit rents a room in a 7-bedroom College Park home through PadSplit.
The Atlanta-based startup says its mission is to help solve the affordable housing crisis by renting rooms for $150 to $250 a week, promising a background check of every resident.
“PadSplit, they offer a service that is affordable. They don’t offer safety though,” Condit told Gray.
That’s when he told Gray about his recent violent experience renting a room.
“The whole house started shaking and I woke up and someone was kicking the front door,” Condit said.
Condit said when he went to see why someone was banging on the door, a fellow resident pointed a gun to his head.
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“Literally a gun to the face,” Condit said. “I kept my calm, and I didn’t get shot, but at the same time I don’t think anybody should have to live in conditions like that.”
Channel 2 Action News was there in 2020 as angry PadSplit neighbors flooded the DeKalb County Courthouse.
That case against PadSplit was for allegedly violating zoning laws and is still pending in Superior Court.
Residents then told us then about unsafe and unsanitary conditions in their rentals.
“I wouldn’t refer my enemy there,” one renter said.
“I felt unsafe,” another said.
In December last year, the city of South Fulton changed zoning laws after complaints about overcrowded PadSplit homes with overflowing trash.
Condit twice had a previous PadSplit room flood, so the company moved him to the College Park home where he said his calls to PadSplit for help after the gun was pulled went unanswered.
“They still haven’t gotten back to me with anything other than an automated email that said your ticket has been received,” Condit said.
Channel 2 Action News reached out to PadSplit for comment on this story, and it sent a statement, saying:
“PadSplit takes the safety of its members very seriously. As in all cases where member safety is at issue, we immediately instructed Mr. Condit to contact the police if he felt threatened and informed him that he had the right to file for a temporary protective order.”
Condit told Gray he called the police that night but was afraid to move forward because he shares a house with the person who pulled the gun.
That lawsuit PadSplit is facing in DeKalb County for code violations it is still ongoing three years later.
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