Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  09/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  Please allow this email to serve as an overview of our vacation stay at Palmetto Point, July 30 thru August 4th. The home itself was beautiful, though it was in very bad condition. I estimate that I was on the phone either via text or a call at least 20 times during our stay. We had housekeepers, plumbers, bug people, a handyman, and an upholstery cleaner all coming over during our intended vacation. We were and are very disappointed that AMI Locals would rent a house to us that was in this condition. We have video and photographs of various things in the house that were wrong if you would like to see them, but I think based on the vendors that came over-their feedback may suffice. My husband who is from ***** grew up going to **** ***** Island and really wanted to show our family. We request a refund for our stay in the amount of 60% off the total cost. 5-Star Beach House Luxury home for entertaining with fully stocked gourmet kitchen with plenty of room for several cooks and fully stocked with everything you need to prepare a gourmet meal...wasnt even a frying pan. Checked in Saturday (July 30th) at 4:00 PM Saturday night Floors in the house were filthy (bare feet black) - 2 maids came and vacuumed/mopped the entire house Sofas in the living room were filthy Kitchen sink faucet was not operating - **** came for an hour and tried to repair it but was unable to fix it. Had to use the bathroom sink for cooking/cleaning AC in master bedroom not operating/cooling and we were unable to sleep in the master bedroom The walls in the house were filthy, marks everywhere. Icemaker didnt work.Sunday (July 31st) Termite droppings on the stovetop - apparently coming from the vent area above the stove. Only able to use the front right burner to cook to avoid termite droppings in food. We would clean these off periodically, but they were always dropping onto the stovetop.

• Initial Complaint

  08/11/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We paid AMI Locals, LLC $4,863 for a 1 week stay at Starfish Cottage on **** ***** Island (202 ***********, ******************, **) and checked in on 7/30/22 with children. Issues reported immediately but never repaired include: *Non-working ice maker *3 of 5 indoor TVs didn't work ************ not working *Oven was horrendously loud and would heat for a bit then shut off (unsafe to use) Adding to the frustration: *WE had to clean kitchen counters and cooking area before use. *After sweeping and vacuuming, the floors were still so dirty they still left your feet black. *Numerous personal items left by prior occupants were found including but not limited to: underwear, toiletries and feminine products. *The pool was not serviced during our stay until the day before we were to check out so it was unusable from Wednesday until mid-day on Friday. *One of our children found drugs left in the home. *** was contacted immediately and repeatedly before the police were notified. We first spoke with *****, who said, "Just be glad it isn't needles or a gun as that happens frequently also. I'm going to inform management, contact the police and call you right back." Approx 1 1/2 hours later we called back and had start all over; as, there was no record of our call with *****. Eventually the police and a representative of *** came to the house. The *** representative told us, "We have to retrieve guns all the time". What? UNBELIEVABLE AND UNACCEPTABLE! Homeowners that are paying for property management services and families looking for a clean and safe vacation rental need to be made aware of these "common" occurrences. It's obvious the homes are not cleaned, inspected or maintained. We certainly did NOT get what is advertised and what we paid for. In an effort to negotiate a fair resolution, we have left messages for and emailed ***** (manager's name provided by *******) but she has been unresponsive.

  Customer response

  08/27/2022

  We have heard nothing from the business.

  Business response

  11/11/2022

  This guest stayed 7/30 - 8/6. They attempted to extend for an additional week but were unhappy with the pricing. After they were given their rate for extension, on the last full day of their stay, they informed us there was paraphernalia in one of the drawers in the bedroom. These notifications, for us, never happen, so we took this very seriously and immediately contacted the authorities to head to their rental to ensure it was confiscated to return the property back to the safest standard possible. The police were there within one hour of the guest's report, they were met with our Senior Maintenance Technician. After this situation, the guests informed us of other issues that they noticed during their stay, asking for compensation. The guests did admit that they had not informed us when they first noticed them, which made it impossible for us to assist them, as we were unaware. We informed the guests that we are unable to compensate for issues that we are not made aware of. We responded to the one issue we were made aware of in a very timely manner and were unaware of the others until right before this guest checked out. Therefore, we did not and will not be providing a refund at this time.

• Initial Complaint

  07/20/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We rented a house with a private pool on Anna Maria Island. Upon check in we noted the pool to be cloudy and appeared to have some algae. Notified the company within 40 minutes of checking in. It took 3 days to get someone out to look at it. They shocked the pool, which means it would be at least another 24 hours before it can be used. The communication was horrible, I often had to call and or text multiple times per day. After requesting to speak with someone from management, I was told at least eight times I would be contacted. It has been almost two weeks since we checked out and I've still yet to be contacted. So I essentially paid for a house with a pool for a week that my family was able to use about 2.5 days. If I had rented a house without a pool I would have paid at least $1000 less than what I did. I am attempting to get a refund for the difference but again can't get anyone from management to speak with me or return my calls.

  Business response

  08/16/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/08/01) */ This guest was contacted by our Guest Services Team Lead to rectify their concern with a refund.

• Initial Complaint

  07/10/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  May 17, 2022, paid in full $4532.39 for July 2-9, 2022, at the Islands West Resort, ******** ******** in Holmes Beach. July 3, I reached out to AMI Locals and let them know the unit was not satisfactory. Requested placement in another AMI Locals property that was cleaner and less run-down. No response was given to that request. Sent pictures of cockroach, dirt (on ceilings, walls, etc.), sticky and hairy gunk on floors and walls. On July 4, I was asked if there was anything that could be done in the unit to rectify the situation. The attempt to resolve the issue by sending cleaners in was not adequate or appropriate for the situation. I said no because it would need a complete cleaning, spraying for cockroaches, painting, upholstery cleaning and an overall refresh--all of which could not be done in a time frame that would be appropriate for a week-long vacation. On July 5, my family found another place to stay. We left the AMI Locals property at 3:00 pm on July 5. I notified AMI Locals on the same day. AMI Locals states it is their goal to provide guests with a clean and fully functional rental property. The website (********************************************************************) includes a description of the property and communicates what the company commits to provide. Some clearly false descriptions follow: "Brand-new Luxury Villas. Make yourself at home at this brand new construction 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom poolside villa! This top-notch home is beautifully decorated and has all the modern conveniences you could want." They did not provide truth in advertising. The images on the website were obviously very outdated. The couch on the website was fresh and clean, the reality was dark and dirty. It was so b I wouldn't even sit on it. The drapes had brown/red stains on the inside and were dark and heavy. The shrubs outside of the unit looked like at least a couple of years of growth. The front door was moldy. Asked for refund. Denied.

  Business response

  08/17/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 11, 2022/08/01) */ Upon check-in, the guest reported issues that would have been easily resolved by our team members. We are always happy to respond efficiently and timely to any issues our guests face. This guest did not allow us to come in for any maintenance and/or cleaning assistance. Per our Terms and Conditions that this guest signed prior to departure: refunds are not guaranteed for early departures. Any early departure from the property and a refund to follow would depend on the rebooking of the property, this guest's property did not rebook for her missed days. We are unable to refund if we are not given the opportunity to resolve issues as they are brought to our attention. Consumer Response /* (3000, 13, 2022/08/02) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) Could not have been easily resolved. New couch, new paint, deep cleaning, exterminating, etc. was not going to happen within the time frame of our stay. This is a case of false advertising. Pictures of listing were outdated and dishonest. Description included blatant lies. They did not provide what we paid for. AMI Locals has an obligation to provide what is advertised and what is advertised should be up-to-date and accurate. Pictures show what was advertised and the actual condition of the couch and outdoor area with height of shrubs and condition of lounge chairs as evidence of dishonest and outdated advertising. The description on the website at https://www.amilocals.com/anna-maria-island-rentals/villa-1-sailfish includes the following descriptions: "Brand-new Luxury Villas Welcome to Villa Sailfish at The Islands West Resort! Make yourself at home at this brand new construction 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom poolside villa! This top-notch home is beautifully decorated and has all the modern conveniences you could want. Inside you will find a cozy main living space that consists of a kitchen with full-size appliances, an eating area that seats four and a living room with a comfy sofa."

• Initial Complaint

  05/10/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Don't use AMI Locals to manage your rentals or rent from them.We were celebrating our 15 year anniversary in a beach front condo unit that has a slider door and patio giving us direct access to the beach and to enjoy the patio. This was the main reason we wanted to rent this unit and spent the extra amount of money...so we could easily access the beach and use the patio. The day of our vacation, 5/7, we received a phone call from Rachel at AMI stating that the units slider glass door was broken and would not be useable. I was told that they could move us to a different unit or compensate us in some way since someone wouldn't be able to come and replace the door until 5/10, which was more than half of our trip. She sent us two different units, one was a house inland and another was a small condo unit on the bayside. We declined because both were not comparable to what we spent to be directly on the beach. She then suggested, as a resolution, that we stay in the unit and that they would pay for a dinner at Waterfront, which would be about $60. We spent $2,000 for the total trip and didn't feel like that was fair so we declined and asked her to speak with a manager. She then said she would call management and get back to us later that day. We arrived at our unit that day and never received a call back from her. At 9am the next day, on 5/8, I called AMI Locals and spoke with someone who told me that Rachel wasn't going to be calling back until 5/9. I was trying to be patient, but I was frustrated. 5/9 rolled around and still nothing. I called on 5/10 again at 9am and a male answered the phone. Told me the same story and said Rachel would call me asap. We had no idea when the company was coming to fix the door or anything. I then asked to speak with a manager. Again, I was told a manager would call me. It's 5:48pm and still no call. Also the company came and didn't fix the door like Rachel said. She lied to me and it is impossible to get in touch with anyone who cares.

  Business response

  05/26/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/05/11) */ Guest was called on the morning of arrival date to notify him the slider doors were not to be used until scheduled repair could be done. A repair was scheduled for slider repair for 5/10 with no ETA provided. Vendor was unable to complete repair securely enough for guest to use. We offered to move guest before arrival; however, he declined as he wanted to be Gulf front and we had no other options. We have communicated with guest on compensation for his inconvenience, purchased a gift card for a nice eatery of his choice, delivered it and arranged for a reservation at his request. Guest confirmed he feels we have accommodated his request for the inconvenience.

• Initial Complaint

  05/10/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Rented a property 5/7-5/21, agent is ami. Property is ************************ on ************. Listing on ami site says property has deeded beach access 4 minute walk to gulf beach. Called ami twice before renting to confirm deeded beach access 4 minute walk and was told yes. Checked in and could not find the beach access at the end of the road. Contacted ami sent screen shot of map with public access beach over a mile from property saying beach access. Called spoke with rep after 30 minutes told me beach access is about a mile away, public beach access. We can't go to beach without driving, find parking and walking more than 4 minutes. We paid a premium for this property for the short walk to the beach. The property listing is misleading as the first thing it list is the beach access, then staff confirmed twice only to arrive and find out that is not true. Enclosed screen shot of ami listing and text we received locating the public beach access we can use.

  Business response

  05/12/2022

  Consumer Response /* (3000, 5, 2022/05/12) */ Ami has resolved the issue.

• Initial Complaint

  05/09/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  "spoke with our Operations Manager and she feels the items that you listed as complaints, although in need of repairs, should not have hindered your vacation. Several weeks ago, my family of 5 decided to go ahead and book a trip to Florida. Booking this rental was at no small cost to us. For perspective, 1 week was equal to several months of my house payment We found the AMI website and based on limited availability we booked the Garden Party for a period of 2/26-3/5 at a cost of approx. 3,500. It appeared in good overall shape and it seemed to meet our needs. As a side note, in addition to the overall fees, the taxes with the rental surprised me as well. We arrived late (approx 9 pm) on the scheduled date after dark. The instruction were vague and the home was not marked with address numbers. After getting into the home and unpacking, we started finding a multitude of items that needed attention. The one I found most frustrating was the fact that each bedroom had exterior door to the porch that we were unaware of. This was never disclosed. For a family with young kids, unknown exterior doors are an unwelcome surprise, especially when a pool is on the property. This information should have been clearly outlined in the description of the property. Following a frustrating night, we did find the house missing address number. It was written with a sharpie pen on a sturdy brown bag that hanging onto a post outside. It was attached by metal fish line. The list of differed maint was long. We called AMI, requested another home, they had no other options. They offered to do repairs, we declined as the list was so long it would have taken a crew of 2 an entire week to finish all repairs. Items in need of attention included a rotted door, long term wter damage to two levels, garbage around the property, broken furniture, etc. We tried to find an agreeable solution, they ignored us when we asked to speak with upper management. Some photos attached

  Business response

  05/23/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 9, 2022/05/23) */ I met guest at the property to do a walk through and he insisted that was not necessary. He mentioned the floors were dirty and we addressed that on Sunday immediately after my meeting with him by sending over housekeeping to address this. There was some minimal items at the property that needed addressing and he wanted to remind me of all of them on a daily basis; however, insisted he wanted no one there as it would interfere with his vacation. A few pieces of Poolside furniture were in need of replacement or repair. I got him access to the game room area below as he had young children and was disappointed there were no board games. Once inside, he proceeded to alert me on some water damage at the ceiling area, but again, insisted that it was not interfering, and his children were enjoying the game room area. He then left a day early, not sure why his exact reason was. He did inform us, he is an Insurance Claims Inspector by profession and these items were not acceptable; however, again, did not want them addressed during his stay as it would interfere with his privacy. Any items he would allow us access to the property were addressed by our Maintenance staff. Consumer Response /* (3000, 15, 2022/06/08) */ It is correct that we refrained from them doing repairs. The list I included to repair would have taken a 2 man crew an entire week. I'm not sure that would have been fair for us the customer. In addition, they have never made a meaningful concession for charging us the full rate for a property that should not have been in the rental program. To date, the operations manager that we requested call us has still not called us. The upper doors to

• Initial Complaint

  04/13/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  My family rented a home via VRBO for a Spring Break trip with our sons High School friends. The house advertised a pool/hot tub as one of it's best features (the first picture on the house description is of the pool/hot tub). The management company, AMI Locals, advertises that all of their property's have heated pools to a temperature of 82 degrees. This guarantee for AMI was the sole reason we chose this rental. We wanted the assurance that the pool/hot tub would we warm enough to use. Upon arrival, we encountered the previous tenants who informed us that the pool/hot tub were too cold to use and we would have to call the pool company, We immediately called AMI Locals and were assured that it would be fixed immediately. It wasn't fixed on Saturday (First day of vacaction) It wasn't fixed on Sunday (Second day of vacation) It wasn't fixed on Monday (Third day of vacation) It wasn't fixed on Tuesday (Fourth day of vacation) It wasn't fixed on Wednesday (Fifth day of vacation) Finally fixed on Thursday, so we could use it two days. AMI Locals was called every day and we were assured each time that the situation was being addressed. They told us that they "could not control their vendors" and they were at the mercy of the vendors response. I understand this, but this obviously is not our problem as renters. We've asked AMI Locals for a refund and they offered only a $500 inconvenience refund. I have asked to speak with management to discuss their reasoning behind offering such a small refund, and they don't respond. Please investigate these practices as it's obvious to all that they hope people will just go away.

  Business response

  11/11/2022

  We strive to provide a 5-star experience for our guests and are very sorry that this was not the experience these guests had. As per our Terms and Conditions, we are not always able to refund for issues that are out of our control, including, but not limited to, equipmental issues that are handled by our third-party vendors. This being said, we do understand the frustrations and often refund as we are human and want nothing more than a great stay for our guests. In this case, we did refund all that we were able. After this complaint, the guests did file a chargeback and won. We wish this guest the very best and hope to see them again in the future to provide them with our 5-star service. 

  Customer response

  11/11/2022

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

• Initial Complaint

  04/12/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Regarding "On The Rocks": Property # XXXXXXX, Reservation ID: XXXXXXXX. *******, I am very disappointed in AMI VRBO and the response our group has been getting. We had a large group on spring break and chose this very expensive property based on pictures and reviews. We were grossly misled by the false advertisement of a pool and hot tub for this property. These were important details that helped our group decide to stay at the property called "on the Rocks". We were saddened to find out the pool and hot tub were unusable due to a broken heater. They were freezing cold. I was the first at the property on March 26th, 2020. The people leaving the property already reported the broken pool and hot tub so your company already knew there was an issue and did nothing to repair them. The company knowingly rented our families the property without mentioning this issue. I called 2-5times a day and took a significant amount of my vacation time trying to correct this issue for our families. When we finally got someone out to the property, he did not know anything about pools and could not repair it. I was promised a fixed hot tub and pool on several calls but they were not fixed during my entire stay. I was then promised adequate compensation for our time and lack of advertised amenities. Someone from the office suggested a paltry $500 for all families to divide when we paid over 30,000. This is unacceptable. We deserve fair and reasonable compensation for ruining our vacation. a 10-20% refund would seem far more realistic.

  Customer response

  04/26/2022

  I have still not heard from the company. Our group has called many times and have still not received any compensation nor have they discussed the complaint with us.

  Business response

  11/11/2022

  We strive to provide a 5-star experience for our guests and are very sorry that this was not the experience these guests had. As per our Terms and Conditions, we are not always able to refund for issues that are out of our control, including, but not limited to, equipmental issues that are handled by our third-party vendors. This being said, we do understand the frustrations and often refund as we are human and want nothing more than a great stay for our guests. In this case, we did refund all that we were able. After this complaint, the guests did file a chargeback and won. We wish this guest the very best and hope to see them again in the future to provide them with our 5-star service. 

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩