North Carolina, August 14, 2025 (Freedom Person)
The story from Kenton Place Apartments (Cornelius, NC) may at first glance look like a routine dispute between a tenant and a property management company. But the details raise a serious question: is this an isolated mistake, or a well-worn practice?
The central figure
At the center is Keith Varney, Property Manager at Morgan Properties. He oversaw the move-out of a family who had lived in Kenton Place for more than two years — from March 2023 to June 19, 2025. During that time, the tenants paid the company over $50,000.
Upon move-out, more than $2,000 was deducted from their security deposit — including $589.33 for eight extra days of rent, even though the tenants had vacated the apartment the day before the lease ended.
Keith Varney, ARM®️, is based in Charlotte, North Carolina. On his public LinkedIn profile, he emphasizes his ability to “maximize community profits” and “cultivate a positive and lasting experience” for residents.
Why it matters
The tenant is a political refugee from Russia, living in the U.S. with his wife and four children, with limited English proficiency. This disputed charge puts the family in a vulnerable position and raises the question: how effectively do U.S. tenant protection laws actually prevent unjustified deductions?
How it happened
- June 18, 2025, 7:06 AM — The tenant left the keys in the apartment and moved out.
- 10:45 AM the same day — Keith Varney confirmed in writing that he had received the keys (“Thank you!”).
- The lease officially ended on June 19, 2025 — meaning the tenant even left early.
That should have been the end of the story. But later, the tenant received a Final Calculation of Charges that included “Rent responsible for 8 more days” — $589.33.
The obvious question: why charge eight more days of rent? Did Varney forget his own written confirmation? Or was he counting on the former tenant not to challenge the bill? Or perhaps Keith Varney is someone who can, on the same day, thank you for returning the keys and also approve a charge for “eight more days” of rent. If that’s not a double standard, what is?
Legal context
The timeline makes the extra eight days clearly unjustified. The lease ended June 19, 2025; the tenant moved out on the morning of June 18 and returned the keys — confirmed by the manager. The move-out inspection (Move In/Out #973761) was conducted by inspector Todd Underwood only on June 23. The official letter from Morgan Properties is dated June 27.
It is possible — though unconfirmed — that the eight days were charged to cover the period between lease end and the date the final letter was prepared. Whether this was a manager’s error, an inspector’s action, or an automated system issue remains unclear. But even if the fault lies with the manager or other staff, the tenant should not be billed for days when they did not occupy the property.
Attorney’s comment:
“From a rental law perspective, this is highly unusual. The manager personally confirmed the return of the keys and move-out, yet attempted to charge for eight more days. Legally, that’s baseless, and it puts the tenant at a disadvantage simply because they trusted the manager. Whether it’s a company policy or an individual initiative, these charges go beyond standard practice.”
What happened in practice
A closer look at the Final Calculation shows that the manager apparently noticed the error and tried to correct it manually. But instead of fully removing the charge, the adjustment was made incorrectly, and the deduction for those eight days remained. Otherwise, the refund would have been $2,353.63 ($3,970 deposit − $1,616.37 other deductions = $2,353.63), not $1,827.21.
Morgan Properties’ response
On July 7, 2025, the tenant emailed
On July 17, 2025, Freedom Person sent a separate inquiry (request 425875) to the same address. This time, Keith Varney himself replied as the company’s representative:
“We would like to take a moment to acknowledging receipt of the correspondence dated July 17, 2025. Any and all issues related to the tenancy are discussed directly with the resident as resident information is held in confidentiality and not shared with third parties without the specific written consent of the individual.”
In other words, the company made it clear that all communications go through Keith Varney — but still did not address the actual questions from either the tenant or Freedom Person.
Reflections on possible liability
Could these extra rent charges have been a deliberate act by the property manager? And is Morgan Properties’ silence a sign of complicity?
The documents are clear: the lease ended June 19, the tenant moved out June 18, keys returned and confirmed, inspection done days later. On these facts, the extra eight days have no objective justification.
Still, the company’s silence could be seen as bureaucratic procedure, waiting for a formal complaint — or as a lack of accountability, effectively backing the manager’s actions. Whether it was a mistake, intentional, or both, remains unanswered.
Bigger picture
This case raises the question: is it a one-off error, or part of Morgan Properties’ corporate culture? The company effectively backed the manager by refusing to explain. Keith Varney, ARM®️, in his public LinkedIn profile, presents himself as a seasoned professional skilled in “maximizing community profits” and “cultivating a positive and lasting experience for residents.”
Next in the series: how Kenton Place management replaced a kitchen stove with an old used one, then billed the tenant $185 for restoring its glass surface; how nearly $1,000 was charged for cleaning and sanding a countertop; and how natural wear-and-tear on blinds became yet another revenue source.
For those who have experienced similar issues with security deposit deductions or unclear move-out charges from Morgan Properties, Freedom Person, in partnership with ProfitDwelling.com, is collecting reports from affected tenants. Sharing your experience can help bring transparency and accountability. More information can be found here: Freedom Person – Reporting Unjustified Charges by Morgan Properties.
By Victor Green for Freedom Person
