Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  04/23/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  Failure to refund balance of security deposit in amount of $320.

  Business response

  05/02/2024

  The guest stained the sofa. This was verified by the inspector and cleaner. We didn't want hold the deposit to clean but we have to protect the owner's investment as well. I spoke to this guest several times and they were most unpleasant. 

  Thanks,

  Customer response

  05/06/2024

   
  Complaint: 21614558
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  the stain on the couch cushion was in existence when we took occupancy of the subject home on November 1, 2023.  I am not disputing the fact that the stain was in existence when we departed on December 23, 2023.  What is being disputed is when the stain occurred.  What is also being disputd is the cost of cleaning.  With a stain on 1 couch cushion,  this should not require the entire couch to be cleaned.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  Business response

  05/17/2024

  In response to your rejection of our last response:
  

  The stain was not present upon your arrival.  This was confirmed by not only an independent cleaning company, but also by our home inspector.  Just to clarify, you are claiming that you were aware of a large brown stain on the couch when you arrived.  Rather than report this to our office, or ask for it to be cleaned, you chose to simply sit on it.  In our 30 years of managing rentals, few customer would follow that course of action. Considering all of these factors, we are going to stand on our decision. As a property management company, we have to make prudent decisions that protect all of our customers, both guests and homeowners.  Sometime our decision, which is based on facts, is not well-received by one party or another. 
  

  Furthermore,we will not continue to respond to you via the Better Business Bureau.  We find this matter to be closed.  Consequently, I am sure we will receive an F rating from the BBB.  We do not concern ourselves with the opinions of a private organization that operate on a premise of extortion.  The BBB is an organization that extorts and coerces businesses into one of two options:  Either pay the customer (whether they are right or wrong) or pay the BBB.  If you join the BBB and pay them money, your rating will miraculously improve. 
  

  I am curious how many small business have been harmed by untruthful customers and an extortionist ******************** organization in a similar fashion.  Could the small businesses organize and seek damages against such an organization? 
  

  I digress.  We feel in good conscience that we have made the correct decision in this matter.  I expect this reply to be posted to the BBB in its entirety.  I will seek professional assistance if my reply is edited for any reason, as that would be unethical and illegal.
  

  With regards,

  Hometown Property Management

  
  

  Customer response

  05/21/2024

   
  Complaint: 21614558
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  In response to HPM' s rejection of my last response:
  
  As previously expressed, the stain was present on our arrival.  Your independent cleaning company and your home inspector were incorrect.  I did not report the stain because its existence was not of great import to my use of the house.  What was important was that a screen door did not latch properly and the door was blowing back and forth when the wind kicked up.  The wind could have pulled the door off of its hinges. This was repaired. What was also reported was that the televisions in the house were not working properly, one tv was receiving only streaming channels and the other tv was only receiving cable channels. Despite being worked on by your house caretaker, the problem was not fully solved and I was stuck with defective tv reception for nearly 2 months. 
  
  You have failed to come up with a good reason why the entire couch had to be cleaned for a stain on one pillow.  The one pillow could have been cleaned at a much lower cost.  You also failed to give me any notice that there was a problem regarding the stain other than to only credit back part of my security deposit. This was not done until nearly 1 month after I vacated the property.  This is not the type of notice that your contract says that you will give.  If the inspections had been done timely and notice given to me I could have made my own arrangements to have the pillow cleaned.
  
  I am glad to see your acknowledgment that you protect all of our customers, both guests and homeowners.  However, you seem to be doing your best to protect only yourself and the homeowner.
  
  Your calling me unpleasant in your prior response to my claim is not the way to conduct business.  This also applies to your criticism of the Better Business Bureau as an organization that operate on a premise of extortion.  Your company must have been doing many things improperly that resulted in bad results for your company in its dealings with the Better Business Bureau which generated your opinion about the Better Business Bureau.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

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