Conquest leasing prices skyrocket
Conquest Student Housing remains secretive about its increasing contract prices.
Alexander Comisar
Issue date: 3/4/08 Section: News
After waiting in line through Friday night to sign leases with Conquest Student Housing, many students said they feel mistreated by the housing company, citing instances of dishonest behavior and misleading prices.
Jack Friedman, a sophomore majoring in business administration, waited in line outside the front entrance of Conquest's Tuscany complex, along with his roommate and roughly 60 other potential Conquest leasers.
When Friedman reached the front of the line, he was told that all of the leases for one-bedroom apartments at The Bungalows, a Conquest-owned complex on the corner of Shrine Place and 32nd Street, had been signed.
"We wanted The Bungalows based on the prices we'd seen online, but Conquest said they were all filled, so we were going to leave."
At that point, Friedman said, the Conquest employee assisting him offered the full selection of two-bedroom apartments, which do not officially become available until Saturday.
"The guy told us not to tell anybody what he was doing because the two-bedroom apartments were not supposed to be available yet," Friedman said. "But my roommate and I really just wanted a one-bedroom, so we got out of our chairs and walked toward the front door."
But as Friedman tried to leave, "they tried to force us to go out the back door so we couldn't tell anyone in line they had offered us a two-bedroom," he said. "So, of course, the first thing we did was walk out the front and tell everyone in line."
Conquest management declined to comment.
Friedman said he would have happily signed the lease for a different one-bedroom Conquest apartment, but the prices were dramatically different than the ones he'd seen published on Conquest's website days before.
"For all the buildings, give or take, they were offering about $100 more per person per month than what they had advertised online," Friedman said. "At Tuscany, that number was higher."
Other students also said they either signed leases reluctantly or didn't sign at all because the rent for Conquest's complexes had increased dramatically and Conquest had refused to disclose prices for some complexes until signing.
Jack Friedman, a sophomore majoring in business administration, waited in line outside the front entrance of Conquest's Tuscany complex, along with his roommate and roughly 60 other potential Conquest leasers.
When Friedman reached the front of the line, he was told that all of the leases for one-bedroom apartments at The Bungalows, a Conquest-owned complex on the corner of Shrine Place and 32nd Street, had been signed.
"We wanted The Bungalows based on the prices we'd seen online, but Conquest said they were all filled, so we were going to leave."
At that point, Friedman said, the Conquest employee assisting him offered the full selection of two-bedroom apartments, which do not officially become available until Saturday.
"The guy told us not to tell anybody what he was doing because the two-bedroom apartments were not supposed to be available yet," Friedman said. "But my roommate and I really just wanted a one-bedroom, so we got out of our chairs and walked toward the front door."
But as Friedman tried to leave, "they tried to force us to go out the back door so we couldn't tell anyone in line they had offered us a two-bedroom," he said. "So, of course, the first thing we did was walk out the front and tell everyone in line."
Conquest management declined to comment.
Friedman said he would have happily signed the lease for a different one-bedroom Conquest apartment, but the prices were dramatically different than the ones he'd seen published on Conquest's website days before.
"For all the buildings, give or take, they were offering about $100 more per person per month than what they had advertised online," Friedman said. "At Tuscany, that number was higher."
Other students also said they either signed leases reluctantly or didn't sign at all because the rent for Conquest's complexes had increased dramatically and Conquest had refused to disclose prices for some complexes until signing.
Viewing Comments 1 - 6 of 8
Down with Conquest
posted 3/04/08 @ 1:16 AM PST
conquest will only be allowed to continue their shady business practices for so long. once university gateway is completed in 2010 and the master plan to develop the UV by 2030 succeeds, there won't be anywhere near as much need for their crappy overpriced housing. (Continued…)
Jessica
posted 3/04/08 @ 9:37 AM PST
What percent of USC students head to downtown LA for housing. There's plenty of cheaper housing there and still relatively close to campus.
Trojan Mom 2010
posted 3/04/08 @ 10:43 AM PST
As the parent of a USC student, I have found the housing situation extremely frustrating. As a Realtor, I wish I had the capital to invest in a multi-unit building that I could then rent to students at a FAIR price and offer above-average accommodations and service. (Continued…)
USC Landlord
posted 3/04/08 @ 3:55 PM PST
Bait and switch, huh? I thought I was gonna read about how you didn't see the bikini-clad coeds at the pool...
Seriously, there are plenty of better options than Conquest. (Continued…)
Mark Strauss
posted 3/26/08 @ 7:16 PM PST
I'm a little bit baffled by the content of this article. I've been looking around the USC area for apartments, and one of the companies i considered for housing next year is Conquest. (Continued…)
Jonathan Willbanks
posted 3/28/08 @ 11:21 AM PST
It blows my mind that people keep giving this obviously crooked company business. Tuscany needs to learn some basic good business practices. Or at least pick up some morals and ethics. (Continued…)
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