KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The last time FOX4 Problem Solvers spoke with Sandy Stiner, she was fighting to get her $167,000 deposit back from Kingswood, a senior living center on Wornall Road. 

“You shouldn’t be able take it from someone and keep it,” said Stiner, who had changed her mind about living at Kingswood before ever moving in. 

Despite that, more than a year later, she was still waiting for her deposit to be refunded.

Kingswood said under the terms of the contract Stiner signed, it wasn’t required to return her deposit until it rented her apartment to someone else. But there was no guarantee when that would happen.

Here’s the good news, since our story aired, Kingswood filed for bankruptcy and Stiner was awarded $150,000 in the process. The money is now back in her account.

However, the battle continues for another senior also fighting for a refund. 

“I think it’s unethical for them to keep that,” said 89-year-old Carolyn Kuhlman who had moved out of her apartment at Aberdeen Village in Olathe in August 2020 and has been waiting for her $107,000 refund ever since.

Just like with Stiner, Kuhlman’s contract stipulated that Aberdeen doesn’t have to return her deposit until it rents her apartment. But Kuhlman is concerned the complex and her daughter are concerned that the contract gives Aberdeen no incentive to find another renter.

Aberdeen Director Tim Allin told Problem Solvers months ago that he thought Kuhlman had waited long enough for a refund, and he would try to get her one. Unfortunately, that never happened.

Aberdeen’s corporate marketing director told Problem Solvers that refunds were taking longer than usual because far fewer seniors have moved into the complex during the COVID-19 pandemic. She assured us that Aberdeen was working hard to find a new renter. 

Kuhlman wasn’t satisfied with that answer and has hired an attorney.