I am filing a formal complaint against Berens Estate Management (BEM Coliving) for severe breach of contract, unilateral cancellation of a signed agreement, administrative fraud, and continuous harassment.
I have been living at Rua Guilhermina Suggia 9 for exactly one month. Ever since my arrival, I have been trapped in an unlivable, unsanitary basement apartment suffering from a severe, structural cockroach infestation and major humidity issues, including visible mold on several pieces of furniture. For the past four weeks, I have actively tried to find an amicable solution. BEM repeatedly made false promises. The severity of the conditions is proven by the fact that within this single month, three of my roommates (Paula, Monica, and Nieve) have already fled the property and were relocated by the agency, and the two newly arrived roommates are already actively seeking to leave as well due to the unlivable state of the flat.
After weeks of complaints, BEM finally agreed to relocate me and officially issued a legally binding relocation contract for Rua Pascoal de Melo 11, effective October 15, 2026. This contract was generated and formally signed by BEM. However, yesterday, less than 24 hours before my move, BEM unilaterally cancelled my relocation via email, falsely claiming the room was "no longer available" and that my current room was suddenly "in good condition." ( on the website the room is now available).
To cover up their breach, BEM intentionally deleted the signed contract from my online student portal today to destroy evidence. Fortunately, I had already downloaded the signed PDF, which is attached. Furthermore, the agency actively attempted to intimidate us by making groundless threats to sue us, terminate my residency without a refund, and absurdly claiming the photographs were "not mine", despite the fact that I lived completely alone in this property for two weeks and took every picture myself.
To completely expose their fraudulent claims, two more cockroaches were found and photographed inside the apartment today, October 15th, at 1:45 PM (in the kitchen and under the living room sofa), proving the infestation is active and ongoing. Additionally, the property has a major security breach: the bedroom keys are identical and open every single room in the house, violating basic tenant safety laws.
BEM is currently withholding a total of €3,350 of our money (including a €1,380 deposit, administrative fees, last month rent, and monthly rents) while forcing me to live in a hazardous environment. I request the immediate assistance of DECO’s legal department to enforce my consumer rights, challenge this abusive company, and compel BEM to issue a full refund of the €3,350 paid so I can immediately vacate this property.
