Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  10/19/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On May 1 2024, my condominium flooded due to my upstairs neglecting actions which caused massive property damage to my unit. Then a week later my unit was flooded again. Emerald told me that the repairs would be fast and quick this time and they would not make us wait for a year to get our unit repaired. However it has been now more than 5 months and my unit is still damaged and no repairs have been conducted by the management company. They keep pushing the repairs with excuses after excuses. Since the flooding in May, we have been experiencing water shut offs without any explanation or notice. All the sudden the water flow in my unit gets so low to the point where I dont have water in my unit. On October 17 in the morning my water started to have flow/pressure issues again. I called and reported to emerald management and they got back to me on October 18 at noon saying they would call me and then at 1pm they called me saying they were sending a plumber. The plumber came to my unit for 30sec said everything looks fine and left. Now we have no water and no way to get anyone from the Emerald to assist us. Not only that we have been waiting for Emerald to fix the fire sprinklers for 4 years now because its broken and out of code and they still havent fix it. In sum, my unit has been damaged for more than 5 months due to this companys failure to take care of us. The building is out of fire code for 4 years. Now, Im without proper water in my unit until Monday or even longer. I dont know anymore what to do or what proper channels to reach out to help me with this horrible management company.

  

  Business response

  10/29/2024

  Dear Better Business Bureau,

  Thank you for forwarding the complaint from our resident in Unit F203. Emerald Management & Consulting takes all resident concerns very seriously and appreciate the opportunity to address the issues raised. We understand the frustration this resident has experienced and are working diligently to resolve the outstanding problems.Below are detailed responses to the specific issues highlighted in the complaint.
  

  Flooding and Repair Delays: We acknowledge that your unit was significantly impacted by leaks originating from another unit. Unfortunately, the repair timeline has been extended due to several factors. Initially, multiple leaks occurred in quick succession, which required us to address each issue methodically to avoid further damage. The mitigation reports and estimates took longer than expected to be received from the vendors, which resulted in delays in the repair approval process by the Board of Directors.  
  

  On September *******, the ***************** of Directors approved the repair estimates for Unit F203. However, the work has been delayed because the approval of one final estimate for a related unit is still pending with the insurance adjuster. Once this approval is received, repairs for all affected units, including Unit F203,can be completed as the insurance company approval is required before repairs can be started.
  

  Water Pressure Issues: We understand that Unit F203 has experienced inconsistent water pressure since October 17, 2024, and our team responded promptly to address the issue. On October 18, 2024, we dispatched Beacon Plumbing through Sno-King *********** & Construction to assess the situation, and while they confirmed water was running, the pressure remained unsatisfactory to you as the owner of the unit. After further review, we engaged the City of **** on October 22, 2024, to inspect the water meter and valve. Despite the city's adjustments, the issue persists.
  

  As of October 23, 2024, we are still investigating the root cause, which may involve a clogged pipe or malfunctioning isolation valve. We have engaged additional plumbers to assist and are committed to finding a permanent solution as quickly as possible.
  

  Sprinkler System: The complaint references fire sprinklers being out of code for four years. This claim is not accurate. A deficiency in the sprinkler system was identified during the October 2023 annual fire sprinkler inspection. Since then, we have been actively coordinating repairs with the Associations fire sprinkler company, ************** & Safety. Unfortunately, there were delays due to the need for specialized parts to be ordered. While Brimstone completed some work on October 14, 2024, there was an installation error that Brimstone is currently addressing. We are working closely with them to ensure this issue is resolved promptly.
  

  We deeply regret the inconvenience our resident has faced and remain committed to resolving all outstanding concerns. Our team is working diligently to expedite the repairs and address the water pressure issue. We will continue to provide regular updates to the resident until the issues are fully resolved.
  

  Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to respond to this matter.
  

  ****** ******, CMCA AMS
  Managing Member
  Emerald Management & Consulting, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  12/04/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On Aug, 29, 2022 there was a small fire in our storage unit, which is detached from our condo. The storage unit is about the size of a large walk-in closet, 14 X 8 feet, with two thirds poured concrete walls and one third drywall. The fire was put out by the *************************. They used no water, and stated in their report that there was minor to moderate smoke damage. There was an issue with electricity in the common area of the building (entrance and hallways) including the storage unit.We contacted the *** board (I was a board member at the time). We also contacted Emerald Management & Consulting (EM&C), the managers of the Kuleana Forest Hills condo complex. They made arrangements for the electrical repair that was needed but nothing more at this time.We contacted our insurance company and then hired Superior Cleaning and Restoration (specialist in fire and smoke mitigation) to begin mitigation on the storage unit shortly after the electricity was repaired. It took Sept. 1 to the 17th to catalog items in the storage unit and determine what was salvageable and what was not. When this was completed, our insurance agent suggested we contact EM&C to see if the associations insurance might cover the damage to the building.We contacted EM&C on Sept. 19th, exactly 3 weeks after the fire, and were told the deductible for the association insurance was $10,000, well above the repairs needed for the storage unit. At this time, EM&C jumped into action, and started doing what should have been done when originally notified of the fire. They contacted their emergency vendor, Sno-King ************* to start an investigation. The unit was open; Sno-King entered and immediately started to make repairs. There were no reports from the investigation, there was no quote for whatever work was to be done and the project was not presented or approved by the *** board of directors. Its even possible that Sno-King started repairs without the knowledge or approval of the management company, EM&C. They removed two small areas of drywall that had been damaged by the **************** Without our knowledge or approval, Sno-King began making repairs. This was on Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022. On Friday I entered the unit and saw that they were washing the walls. I asked them to leave. This is work that we had planned to do ourselves or contract out on our own. EM&C said that ************ was sent to check on the electrical (they had done that 3 weeks earlier, but they seemed to have forgotten). They checked for water damage although water was not used in this fire, and they also cleaned the unit, which was already cleaned out by Superior Cleaning and Restoration. Both EM&C and Sno-King ************ used the excuse to do this work because they were there to mitigate emergency issues. They were too late. The mitigation had already been done by our mitigation company, Superior. We maintain that EM&C totally forgot about the original notification of the fire, and three weeks later, after we asked about insurance coverage, they jumped into action as they should have done originally. Emerald Management & Consulting were adamant that the first they heard of the fire was three weeks after we originally reported the fire. They made an error, a dereliction of duty, when originally contacted. They did nothing but check on the electrical, then stated later that they had not been informed of the fire when it happened. They insisted that they had to start mitigation immediately even though we had been doing mitigation for three weeks.They then presented us with a bill for $1768 for 18 hours of wiping walls of a 14 X 8 storage unit. The $1768 is nearly a third of the value of the unit itself. We paid the bill, fearing that it would accrue late fees if not paid. We have tried to negotiate a settlement, to no avail. The management owner, *************************, refused to accept any responsibility for mishandling the situation and is refusing to negotiate in good faith. We would like all or some of the amount we paid returned to us.

  

  Business response

  12/13/2023

  December 13, 2023
  
  Dear Better Business Bureau,
  Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this complaint and provide the facts we have for this claim. We have attached several documents that support our below statements.
  On August 30, 2022, Emerald received an email (attached)notifying us that the ***** needed an electrician out due to an electrical fire. Emerald responded that same day with a date for an electrician to come out to investigate the damage to the electrical panel. The ***** of ********* of Kuleanas Forest Hills only requested an electrician to be sent at this time. Emerald Management and Consulting was not notified by the Owner of the storage unit, but he was added in the emails by the ***** of *********. No further action was requested of Emerald.
  On September 19, 2022, (email attached) the owner expressed concern to Emerald because their personal insurance would not cover the damage done to their storage unit or cover their personal belongings. This was the first time that we notified that there was damage to anything other than the electrical panel that was completed when the ***** asked us to send out an electrician. We immediately asked the Associations emergency vendor Sno-**************** & Restoration to go out and inspect and mitigation any damages and the owner was notified that this would happen. The owner replied that the door would be unlocked for them to gain access to the storage unit. 
  On September 22, 2022, Sno King came out to start the cleanup and the investigation. We have the attached email from the owner from September 22, 2022, stating that Sno- King had approval to clean the unit and to repair the drywall. When there is emergency work there is not a way to provide estimates prior as the mitigation company doesnt know how much damage will need to potentially be mitigated until they start the mitigation and remove any areas that are damaged. Any damage that happens in the Association is to be overseen by the ***** of ********* per the governing documents of the Association as well as **************** statue. We were still unaware at this point that the owner had Superior Cleaning and Restoration come out and do any work regarding the damages as the owner had not indicated in any of the correspondence that this had happened and there were still areas that had not been mitigated.
  On September 26, 2022, Emerald emailed and mailed the owner a responsibility letter citing the sections of the governing documents regarding responsibility for the costs up to the ********************** deductible and the *****s duty to oversee the mitigation and repairs for the damages (email attached).
  On October 1, 2022, the owner emailed Emerald that they would be completing the repairs themselves, therefore, we stopped all further work.
  The owner requested to dispute the charges with the Association ***** of *********. On March 8,2023, the ***** of ********* held a due process hearing to listen to the owners request and the ***** voted to proceed per the governing documents as they are required to do and not release the liability of the cost of the mitigation and repairs for the damages from the homeowners account.
  On March 9, 2023, the owner sent an email with the fire department report including the cause of the fire from a halogen light being left on.
  The owner has sent several emails since the *****s decision not to cover or remove any of the costs demanding that the invoices be waived and paid for by the Association for various reasons, and every attempt, the reason was different. All responses have remained the same, that the ***** proceeded per the governing documents and Emerald per the *****s direction and that the cost would not be removed.
  On April 13, 2023, Emerald responded to the owner who was now requesting that the invoice be paid by Emerald. Emerald declined to pay the invoice for the owner. We were following the processes we are legally bound to follow and the fire incident and the information that was relayed to Emerald was not fully given to us by the owner. The owner replied that because their request kept being denied for reimbursement, they would contact the BBB and file a complaint.
  Emerald did not provide the contracted service that was completed on the owners unit; we followed the governing documents and the *****s direction, and the ***** has denied removing the charges from the owners account as they are legally responsible for the costs up to the ********************** deductible.
  Living in a *********************** comes with the responsibility of understanding the governing documents and abiding by the policies and procedures that are outlined in those documents that the owners agree to when they purchase a unit at the community.The ***** of ********* and management company cannot make decisions outside of the governing documents.
  Please let us know if you have any questions.
  
  *************************
  Emerald Management & Consulting  

  Customer response

  01/31/2024

  We are in disagreement with the information provided by *************************, owner of Emerald 
  Management & Consulting (***), on Dec. 13, 2023.
  My wife and I informed via a phone call on Aug. 29, 2022 that there was a fire in our storage unit
  which was extinguished by the *************************; the fire was minor, no water was 
  used and there was minor to moderate smoke damage. Also, the electrical was out for the 
  entire common area of the building. Emerald scheduled an electrician to investigate two weeks 
  later, which was unacceptable to the board, of which I was a member. We complained and 
  another electrician was schedule for the 31st of Aug. There was a blown fuse causing the 
  electrical problem and it was eventually fixed. At this point, *** had nothing more to do with 
  the fire or the mitigation. They did not ask their emergency contractor to investigate or to 
  mitigate. To *** this case was closed. 
  We, through our insurance agent, hired Superior Restoration, who specialized in smoke and 
  water damage to mitigate the damages and determine what was salvageable and what was not.
  They completed their reclamation part of the project and suggested we contact EM&C to see if 
  there was any money available from the *** insurance policy before we started repairs.
  At this time, three weeks after the fire, *** jumped into action thinking this was the first they 
  heard of the fire. They sent out Sno-King, their emergency contractor to start an investigation, 
  check for water damage and electrical issues and do a report. This was sent by ****** of *** 
  to the owner of Sno-King. *** seems to have forgotten they had already sent an electrician to 
  fix the electrical issue three weeks earlier. This all should have been done this the first week of 
  the fire back in August. There was no leaking water, no electrical issues and the unit had been 
  cleared of our belonging and had been cleaned.
  Sno-King never did a report of their investigation; they just started working, most likely without 
  the knowledge of *** and rang up a bill of $1768 (nearly one third the value of the unit) by 
  spending 18 hours wiping the walls of a small storage unit. Wiping a wall is not mitigating an 
  emergency. This is repairing and a bid was needed. 
  **************** contended for a long period of time that the first her company heard of the fire was 
  Sept. 19. 2022, three weeks after the fire. She claimed this 8 months plus after the fire. She 
  said EM&C acted responsibly by sending out the emergency crew, but again it was three week 
  later (see attached quote). Once she realized that the call was made the day of the fire, she 
  believed that we reported there was only an electrical issue. Please note the attached email 
  dated Aug. 29, 2022 by *************************** sent to the electrician, the board ********** *** and our 
  *** project manager, ************************* indicating that a call was made and a fire was reported on 
  that day. ************** was misinformed and continued to promote misinformation that the fire 
  was not reported the day of the fire.
  **************** talks of the rules in the Declarations they like to follow. She often quotes Section 
  15. If this is the case, none of the section was used in this convoluted project. 15.01.1 states 
  that there needs to be a study or report of the Extent of Damages. Neither we nor the *** 
  board ever saw a report, and 15.01.2, Estimates for the cost of repairs based on two or more 
  bids. Neither we nor the board ever saw an estimate, much less two or more estimates. 
  Neither we nor the board authorized any work to be done by Sno-King. Did *** know and 
  approve the repair being done by Sno-King? I wonder?
  This issue is between my wife and I and ************************* at ***. This has nothing to do with 
  the board or the ***, neither were involved when this took place, except for the electrical 
  issue. We have tried to negotiate a fair settlement with ***, but they feel they are correct in 
  the billing and will not budge one bit to settle this.
  We feel *** mismanaged this entire fire incident where they lost control of the process and 
  ultimately were incompetent in managing the event. One hand did not know what the other 
  hand had done. As a result we were unfairly charged a large sum of money for a minor repair

  

  Business response

  02/10/2024

  February 10, 2024
  
  Dear Better Business Bureau,
  
  Thank you for giving us the opportunity to respond to this most recent allegation. We feel it is important for Emerald to address them and provide factual information. We take any accusations against Emerald seriously and are committed to addressing them. It is crucial to distinguish between valid claims supported by evidence and unfounded accusations.
  
  We reiterate that our original response in December 2023 remains unchanged, and we have attached the response for review. The claimant reiterated the same information from that prior complaint that has already been closed. The documentation and evidence provided in that response comprehensively addressed the accusations brought forth by the claimant. We stand by the accuracy and validity of our previous statements and continue to assert that the claims made against Emerald are unsubstantiated.
  
  These claims were filed by *****************************, who states that she was on the ***** of ********** This is a false statement; she has not been on the ***** of ********* since Emerald has been managing Kuleanas ************************* Based on the wording in these claims, it appears they were written by another party. There are several statements that outline my wife and I, and we assume *************************, ******** partner, wrote the complaint, as he previously served on the *****. While we are acknowledging that this detail may seem minor, we emphasize its importance in establishing the credibility and validity of the claims and accusations against Emerald.
  
  Contrary to the claimant's assertion, our original response did not state that we were not notified of the need for an electrician. Rather, we provided evidence indicating that the owner had contacted us via email on September 19, 2022, expressing concern about their personal items and inquiring whether the *** policy would cover them. Their concern indicated to us there was damage caused by the fire other than the electrical panel as we were initially told by the claimant.
  
  We want to clarify that the claimant's characterization of the situation is inaccurate and does not align with the facts of the situation. The claimant's attempt to misrepresent the communication and events surrounding the need for an electrician and the email with the report of damages undermines the credibility of their claim.
  
  The claimant states that Emerald did not send an electrician until two weeks after the fire was reported;this is another false statement. I have attached an email that was provided in the December 2023 response from us proving that on August 31, 2022, an electrician was scheduled to be on the property that same day to make the necessary repairs.  
  
  The governing documents outline the owners responsibility for the cost to repair damages within their residential unit or their individual use unit (storage unit) up to the ********************** deductible. The ***** is the authoritative governing body of the association who followed the governing documents and denied paying the invoice for services on behalf of the homeowner when the owner requested reimbursement for the invoice. An email was attached to the prior response in December 2023 providing proof of the owners approval September 22, 2022, for Sno-**************** & Construction to clean the unit and repair the dry wall. Services were rendered and approved by the claimant.
  
  It is important to clarify that Emerald does not receive any benefits for work performed by third-party contractors, such as Sno-**************** and Construction, and Emerald is not responsible for paying invoices out of company funds for work performed in owners' units. It is surprising to us that the claimant is seeking reimbursement for services they both approved and received. We want to reiterate that any services rendered by Sno-King were at the owner's request and approval, and therefore, any associated costs are the owner's responsibility, as outlined in the governing documents.
  
  Furthermore, the attached images clearly depict that mitigation had not been completed, despite the claimant's assertion of "minor fire damages." These images highlight the importance of distinguishing between the claimant's characterization of the damages and the actual extent of the damage observed on-site.
  
  It's important to note that no fire department report or notification of the owner hiring a mitigation company was provided to the Emerald staff prior to us sending out a contractor to mitigate the damages per the Associations Governing Documents. We sent out the Associations selected emergency contractor. This lack of communication further underscores the need for clarity and transparency in addressing the situation.
  
  We maintain that the claims made against Emerald lack merit and should be considered resolved based on the evidence provided as they were with the original complaint in December 2023.
  
  Thank you for your attention to this matter. We remain committed to resolving any further concerns or allegations with transparency and integrity.

  Thank you,

   

  *************************

  Emerald Management & Consulting

  Customer response

  03/06/2024

  
  Feb. 29, 2024
  Dear BBB:
  This letter is in response to the Feb. 10, 2024 letter Emerald Management & Consulting (EM&C).  We do not find their second response to be any more accurate than their first attempt.  There seems to be continual changes in their response, which began when ************** insinuated that her firm did not hear about the fire until Sept. 19, 2023, three weeks after the fire was reported to them.  
  
  So lets cut through the minutia and net this thing out.  We reported a fire via a phone call on Aug. 29, 2023 to EM&Cs ***************************** telling her we had a fire in our storage unit, the ************************* put out the fire without using water and that the electrical was out for the common area of Bldg. ******** She hired an electrician for two weeks out, which angered our board.  She then found an electrician and he was out a couple of days later.  After that, there was no follow up by EM&C, no questions asked, no emergency contractor called to investigate and mitigate.  To EM&C, it seemed the case was closed and no further involvement was required on their part.
  
  Through our *********** Insurance agent, we called Superior Restoration to mitigate damages and restore the storage unit and its content.  They spent nearly three weeks going through all our property, sorting damaged and unsalvageable property.  They emptied and cleaned out the unit leaving it ready for repair of the drywall and painting to remove the odors.  Our *********** agent suggested we call EM&C to see if there were any funds available from the *** property insurance for repairs.
  
  We called on Sept. 19, 2023 and this is when EM&C jumped into action as if it was the first they had heard of the fire, as ************** had previously believed and strongly stated.  *********************** of EM&C sent out Sno-King to do a report on water damage, check out our property, which had been removed and also check the electrical, which EM&C had taken care of three weeks earlier. Did ****** and ****** communicate with each other on this fire response?  We do not believe they did.  Was **************** aware?  Obviously not, for she believed this was the first EM&C heard about the fire!  EM&C reacted as this was the first they heard of the fire and responded as they should have three weeks earlier.
  
  We never saw the report, but quickly realized Sno-King was mitigating an already mitigated property.  There was no emergency, no danger to anyone.  Did they have the approval of EM&C to start repairs?  They did not have our approval or the boards.  When we did see they had removed damaged drywall, we approved the completion of the drywall repair.  They did not do the drywall repair, they decided to spend 18 hours wiping down the walls.  This was not mitigation and this is when we asked them to leave.
  
  **************** likes to quote the Declarations as her defense, but our reading of the declarations in ***** suggest she did not follow the Declarations as she strongly claims.
  
  *****  ************* Determination of Significant Damage  
  a. The nature and extent of the damage (No report was given to us or the board although was sent to do a report which was not completed or shared.)
  b. A reasonably reliable estimate of the cost to repair (No estimate given to us or the board.)
              c. The expected insurance proceeds
  d. The amount to be paid by the owner.
  
  None of these things happened.  Neither the board or the owners were notified of any of the above.
  
  We wonder if EM&C knew what Sno-King was actually doing in the unit or if they approved it?  Was EM&C on site?  We strongly believe that EM&Cs vendor went into the situation to maximize their profit because there was no oversite!   
  
  We also strongly feel that EM&C dropped the ball on the original reporting of the fire.  All of the events of Sept. with the emergency contractor should have happened in the first week after the fire when it was originally reported.  EM&C totally forgot about the original fire and incorrectly responded and mitigated a situation that was not needed or warranted.  Mitigation was complete during the previous three weeks.  One hand did not know what the other hand had done, or not done.  There was a lack of communication within the company and we ended up paying 1/3 of the value of a concrete storage unit ($1768)  for two guys who spent 19 hours wiping the walls of a small space and never finishing the drywall part of the project.
  
  So we will not accept this complaint to be resolved and closed until EM&C and *********************** can accept some responsibility and share the expense with us.  We have tried to negotiate but **************** believes her company is always faultless.  We feel this will be a reasonable way to amicably resolve this issue. If not, it will not be resolved to the customers satisfaction.  
  
  ******************************* & ***************************; 
  

• Initial Complaint

  05/23/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I bought and moved into a condo in October '22. Since then, there has been renovation work done to the buildings. During this renovation the following has occurred.1: Contractors removed and disposed of private property, fitted outdoor carpeting doormat, without knowledge or consent. I have contacted Emerald MC LLC about this, their response was that I should have removed the doormat before work commenced. I was also told by ************************* that all doormats would be returned. Mine has not.2: Contractors attempted to fit a wrong sized patio door. During which, they removed sections of the interior structure of the wall and cut sections of my carpeting out and removed the tack rail. When "finished" the door opened from the wrong side, with the door handle behind opened vertical blinds. I complained and this was replaced with a door that actually fit the original opening, but no attempt was made to redress the carpeting issue. It is now only a matter of time before that section of carpet starts to pull up and fray.3: Contractors damaged interior window ***** during the replacement of the windows. No attempt was made to communicate this to me despite being present for 100% of the time.4: Damaged bottom step, with exposed rebar, was reported in winter '22. Nothing has been done to repair/replace the step.5: Compliance complaint filed against me for installing a doorbell camera, citing the *** declaration **** Common Drives and Walks, that all common areas should be free of obstruction. Said camera is about half the size of a glasses case. In THE SAME BUILDING, another resident has two doorbells (attached in the same way as mine,) and a decorative wreath. These have been there longer than mine, but only mine is an issue.

  

  Business response

  06/01/2023

  Hello Better Business Bureau,
  
  We have researched this complaint from the owner ***************. The owners passed a special assessment to complete the exterior construction and the work started in December 2022.
  
  Emerald Management & Consulting sent out notices to the owners and the contractor posted these notices on all the doors that the work would be starting and that all personal items needed to be removed from the exterior of the building including all items on the decks. We put in the notices about the construction work that any items that were not removed would be disposed of.
  
  We also included in the notices about the window and sliding glass door replacement and that any interior damage to the unit which would occur to remove the windows and sliding glass doors would be repaired. All the windows and sliding glass doors were installed per the Associations architect specifications that were approved by the ************ for the permits for the repairs to the building.
  
  The owner brought to our attention the step that is some missing concrete but is not a structural issue and the ***** will be addressing this as funds allow.
  
  Per the Associations Governing Documents, no items can be placed on the exterior of the building and owners though out the community have received violations if items were installed on the exterior. The ***** is proceeding per the Governing Documents as they are required to do with all owners that have items like Ring cameras that are installed in the siding. We have let the owners know that they can purchase something that allows the Ring cameras to be installed on their front doors without penetrating the exterior and that would be allowed per the Governing Documents.   
  
  We can provide copies of the notices provided to *************** if needed about the construction and provide the Governing Documents as well if you would like to review those documents.
  
  Emerald Management & Consulting works at the direction of the ***** of ********* and the ***** of ********* are required to uphold the Governing Documents of the Association which all owners agree to abide by when they purchase their condominium.
  
  Please let us know if you have any questions or if you would like ** to provide you with copies of the notices for the construction project or a copy of the Governing Documents.
  
  Thank you,
  
  Emerald Management & Consulting

• Initial Complaint

  04/21/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Very bad at their jobs. Six months into living here and they haven't bothered to program my name/number into the gate. Worse, when you email them, you have to CC everyone in the company because most of the people are super lazy and don't respond to a normal email or phone call.What they are at now is in order to get any response, I have to email them, wait a few days, email them again, and then file a complaint here in order to get any movement from them. They need to be shut down and their business license revoked because they are obviously not competent enough to return calls.

  

  Business response

  05/01/2023

  Hello Better Business Bureau,
  
  We have researched this complaint from the owner *************************************** sent an email on April 19, 2023, at 12:25pm that he would like an additional number to be added to the entry system at his condominium. An employee reached out to ******* and let him know that the employee that handles this with the vendor was out on Friday and would be working on this.
  
  She also reminded ******* that while we appreciate and understand the importance of each person's inquiries with us, we have set up a communications policy of a 72-hour response time during the weekdays for all items that are not an emergency to make sure that all customers get a response within the 72-hours.
  
  ******* is demanding a 24-hour response time even after reminding him of our policies.  It had been less than 72-hours before he filed this report, even after we had already let him know his request was being worked on thus meeting our 72-hour timeframe for response to all requests.  
  
  We adhere to our company's communications policy and strive to achieve fast communications whenever possible. We must also prioritize our inboxes and operational achievements and certain matters take precedence.Without diminishing his needs, entering an additional phone number into an entry system within 72 hours doesn't take priority over water leaks or emergencies or other larger matters. ***********************, the manager for ***************************,explain this policy as well as *************************, one of the owners of Emerald Management & Consulting. He didn't accept this reply, demanded we still reply within 24-hours to him or stated he would file a BBB complaint each time he didnt get a response within 24-hours. The ***** of ********* for *************************** are fully in agreement with our 72-hour communication policy on response timeframes and agreed to this when they enlisted our management services under contract. This individual owner simply doesn't get to circumvent this just because he demands that he needs an immediate response to all questions or inquiries.
  
  In regard to *******'s concerns regarding the entry system, we absolutely sympathize with his frustrations on the entry system. We also are battling an almost yearlong issue with the entry system that is experiencing issues beyond our control. We've partnered with vendors and the ***** of ********* on this matter. At this time, all available action has been taken. His access into the building is NOT interrupted by this as we have a universal code distributed to all owners and delivery vendors that is in effect until the vendor that installed the entry system can fix the issues with the system. His name and the additional name and phone number in the entry system would achieve the same entry access as this code does, thus creating a resolution to the active complaint.
  
  As such, we would like to appeal and have this complaint removed as it is inflammatory in nature based on unrealistic expectations he is setting for our company, and in summary retaliation for minor onsite issues. This is the second complaint filed at the BBB from this owner with false information in the complaint.

  Thank you,

   

  *************************, CMCA AMS

  Emerald Management & Consulting

  Customer response

  05/01/2023

   
  Complaint: 19968551
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  No one contacted me to let me know anyone was out of the office. Nowhere in our previous interactions was anything regarding a 72-hour response time indicated, and it isn't in any documentation they provide. I was only informed of the 72 hour policy in communication approximately 120 hours after my initial contact.

  As of right now, the call box is still not working and they seem to be unwilling to help with my requests. Any reasonable business that has a longer than 24 hour response time sets up an auto-responder to let people know of the service level agreement of 72 hours. Without that kind of communication, they just seem like they are ignoring us.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************

• Initial Complaint

  01/10/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Just bought a condo with the *******. I have owned it for almost a month and I have placed 7 calls to this company, to *********************** and her assistants and have not gotten a return call. I need my name programmed in the system and I need to ask several questions and they're completely inaccessible. I have left multiple messages and emails and none of them are answered. If this doesn't get solved I will start filing small claims against them.

  

  Business response

  01/19/2023

  Hello BBB,

  
  We have researched this complaint and the owner ******************************* called and left one message for *********************** on December 23rd at 1pm. Our voicemails are emailed to us, and we have included a copy of the emailed voicemail and a copy of the actual voicemail. Our office was closed for the holiday and ************************* the assistant returned his call on December 28th at 11:30am and left the owner a voicemail. Screenshot of the call attached.

  
  ***** talked to the owner on 01/10/23 when he called us and said that he had left 7 voicemails and that he had not gotten a return call. We reviewed the above with him and he admitted that he had only left one voicemail and denied getting a returned call and voicemail. We have included the screenshot of the returned call. The owner also told us on the call that he didnt have our email address so that he could send us an email. We reviewed with him that our email addresses were included in the resale certificate that he got when he purchased the unit and sent him an email with this information so he could save it.

  
  We gave him another copy of the form to fill out to be added to the entry system that was also included in the resale certificate.

  
  The owner has been added to the entry system once the form was received.
  

  Based on this information we believe this review should be removed from our BBB record as the information is not an accurate representation of what actually happened.
  

  Please let me know if you have any questions.
  

  Thank you,
  

  *************************, CMCA AMS
  Emerald Management & Consulting, LLC

  Customer response

  01/23/2023

   
  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.However, they are severely lacking in resources for new owners in the community they manage. They have a lot of room to grow in the proactive department.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************

• Initial Complaint

  06/23/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I have the exact same complaint as the one filed in April 2022. My event occurred on March 25 in a different building on the same property. I had a contractor lined up to complete the repairs but the management company said that my licensed, insured and bonded contractor would have to carry additional insurance and complete repairs in both units involved simultaneously. They advised that since the *** is liable, they would have to oversee the project from beginning to completion, and yes, the estimated time would be 3-4 months. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. I have had no sink in my restroom for 3 months now; no floor save the concrete slab, 1/2 of a ceiling, parts of various walls missing. There is no insulation on the external wall or in the ceiling above so it has been cold and drafty and noisier than usual. I thought there were laws that stated repairs must be done in a timely manner. How is this considered timely?

  

  Business response

  06/30/2022

  Dear Better Business Bureau,
  
  Re: Complaint #********
  
  Thank you for allowing us to respond to this complaint. The leak for this unit occurred on March 25, 2022. The cause of the leak was an angle stop valve, which made the association fully responsible for the repairs per the Declaration. The Associations emergency mitigation vendor was immediately sent out.
  
  On March 25, 2022, an Emerald team member contacted the unit owner and sent the leak process as listed below. 
  
  We have been notified that there is a possible sewer leak in your unit, we have given your contact information to our vendor, Sno-King *********** & Construction.They will be contacting you shortly to gain access to your unit and start an investigation.
  
  It is possible that you will be responsible for the investigation, mitigation,and repairs, but we wont know until the investigation is complete.
  Please let us know if you have any questions.
  
   Please note the process is as follows:
  1. Stop & repair leak immediately once we are notified. Sno-King has been dispatched.
  2. Start mitigation (dry out) of effected unit(s) generally takes 5-7 days.
  3. Get proposal(s) for repairs this can take 2-4 weeks.
  4. ***** reviews proposal(s) can take a week, but we try for just a couple days
  5. Contractor selected, and repairs can be schedule with resident(s). Contractors are 3-4 weeks out for scheduling.
  
  Please also note that this process can take a couple months (most common busy season range is about 3-4 months).
  
  Once the source of the leak is confirmed and the governing documents reviewed, we will reach out to you officially regarding your responsibilities.
  
  The unit owner described the leak as coming from the roof, but the final cause was due to an angle stop. The mitigation was completed,and the owner was informed that the responsibility for the cost of the mitigation and repairs was determined to be fully the Associations responsibility based on the Declarations. The unit owner was on the ***** of ********** and she had been kept informed along with all the other ***** members, of the progress and determination of the cause of the leak.
  
  On April 4th, once the mitigation was completed, the unit owner responded she wanted to have her vendor come in and complete the repairs to the unit. A managing partner of Emerald Management responded to the unit owner on April 4th with the leak process for a second time and explained to her what the process would be based on the Associations Declarations and the *****s direction. The unit owner responded that she was beginning the bidding process and had already contacted vendors.
  
  On April 5th, an employee of Emerald Management contacted the unit owner explaining the Declaration requirements and process. Per sections 14.2.2, 14.4.1, and 14.5.1 of the Declaration, the Association is responsible for starting/completing mitigation, bidding out repairs, and hiring the contractor to complete the repairs.  However, we did let her know that she was welcome to have her vendor submit a proposal for the repairs and provided the information to the owner on what documents the Association would need from the vendor to confirm that they had ********************** a **************** business license and a W9 so that if they were chosen to do the repairs by the ***** of ********* they could be set up as a vendor for the Association.
  
  On April 11th an update was provided to the unit owner of where we were in the bidding process.
  
  On April 21st we received bids from one of the contractors. 
  
  On April 26th an update was provided to the unit owner.
  
  On April 27th the unit owner responded that the 2nd contractor was out to the unit and would be providing a bid to us soon.
  
  On May 2nd the unit owner reached out to determine if we had received the 2nd bid and at that point we had not.
  
  We had been sending email updates to the owner with no responses. On May 10th the unit owner responded that our company emails were going to her spam folder, and she had corrected the issue and gotten all the past updates.
  
  On May 14th (on a weekend, outside of normal operating hours) an Emerald employee responded to the owner of the unit informing her that we had received the second bid and that the bids were sent to the ***** for their review and for them to select one of the bidders to do the repairs. tor and an insurance claim now that we had numbers for the board of directors to make an educated decision with.
  
  On May 19th the ***** selected a vendor and directed Emerald Management to file a claim on the ********************** for the damages over and above the ********************** deductible. As the unit was a ***** member and owner affected, she was excused from voting whether the association filed an insurance claim and selecting the vendor to complete repairs. An Emerald employee notified the ********************** broker to open a claim for the water damages.
  
  On May 21st the ********************** company informed us that they had accepted the filing of the insurance claim and would be assigning an adjuster. The insurance adjuster was assigned to the claim and reached out to an Emerald employee on May 26th. The adjuster scheduled the onsite inspection of both units so that they could verify the damages and write up a scope of repair to be approved by the ********************** carrier. Once this was completed and approved by the carrier on June 14th the adjuster reached out to the contractor to get an agreed scope of work and cost for the repairs based on the insurance carriers estimate for the repairs. An Emerald employee reached out multiple times from May 26th to June 14th to get updates on the progress from the adjuster and kept the owners updated on the progress of the insurance claim and scope of repairs.
  
  On June 23rd the adjuster and the contractor were still working out an agreed scope of work and cost for the repairs. Due to the length of time this was taking to get an agreed scope, an Emerald employee worked with the Associations ***** of ********** the contractor, and the insurance company to come to schedule the repairs to commence within three to four weeks so the contractor and the adjuster could come to an agreement on the scope of repairs. The unit owner was informed of the plan and agreed to the timeline for the repairs.
  
  It is important to note that all actions taken in the above narrative are based on the Associations Declaration and at the *****s direction. Emerald Management & Consulting does not make decisions for the Association; we follow the Declarations and the *****s direction. This owner was a ***** member until she resigned on June 23rd. All owners agreed to abide by the Declaration when they purchased their units. All emails mentioned above are available if you need to review them; we can send them, but do not want to post them to the review as they contain the ***** members email addresses. Please let me know if you have any additional questions or need any additional documents.
  
  Thank you,
  
  *************************, CMCA
  Emerald Management & Consulting

  Customer response

  07/18/2022

  Thank you for allowing me to respond again. I would like to take issue with parts of Emerald's letter:
  
  The unit owner described the leak as coming from the roof, but the final cause was due to an angle stop. The mitigation was completed, and the owner was informed that the responsibility for the cost of the mitigation and repairs was determined to be fully the Associations responsibility based on the Declarations. The unit owner was on the ***** of ********** and she had been kept informed along with all the other ***** members, of the progress and determination of the cause of the leak. 
  
  I never reported the leak as coming from the roof. I continually asked if the leak was coming from the roof and never received a direct answer about the status of the roof.
  
  
  On April 5th, an employee of Emerald Management contacted the unit owner explaining the Declaration requirements and process. Per sections 14.2.2, 14.4.1, and 14.5.1 of the Declaration, the Association is responsible for starting/completing mitigation, bidding out repairs, and hiring the contractor to complete the repairs.  However, we did let her know that she was welcome to have her vendor submit a proposal for the repairs and provided the information to the owner on what documents the Association would need from the vendor to confirm that they had ********************** a **************** business license and a W9 so that if they were chosen to do the repairs by the ***** of ********* they could be set up as a vendor for the Association.
  
  As I stated before, Emerald stated that the contractor selected would have to bid and complete both jobs for the upper unit as well as my own and would be required to carry additional insurance. The contractor that I was working with looked at Emerald's requirements and decided that he was not interested in the job.
  
  We had been sending email updates to the owner with no responses. On May 10th the unit owner responded that our company emails were going to her spam folder, and she had corrected the issue and gotten all the past updates.
  
  This is an outright lie. While it is true that I noted that my emails had been going to the spam folder, enough time had not passed for them to be automatically deleted. Emails that I had not responded to with in a 48 hour period were board related and not related to this leak. It is Emerald's representative that often times did not respond even with in a week.
  
  
  On May 19th the ***** selected a vendor and directed Emerald Management to file a claim on the ********************** for the damages over and above the ********************** deductible. As the unit was a ***** member and owner affected, she was excused from voting whether the association filed an insurance claim and selecting the vendor to complete repairs. An Emerald employee notified the ********************** broker to open a claim for the water damages.
  
  Please notice the date when the insurance was finally contacted was nearly 2 months after the incident.
  
  I resigned from the board on June 21 as I began to solicit advice from an attorney. I decided not to proceed because of the $3000 retainer fee and because Emerald's representative advised me that all communication going forward would have to go through attorneys. I felt that the implication was that this would prolong the issue. I began to communicate directly with the contractor, against Emerald's wishes.
  
  On June 23rd the adjuster and the contractor were still working out an agreed scope of work and cost for the repairs. Due to the length of time this was taking to get an agreed scope, an Emerald employee worked with the Associations ***** of ********** the contractor, and the insurance company to come to schedule the repairs to commence within three to four weeks so the contractor and the adjuster could come to an agreement on the scope of repairs. The unit owner was informed of the plan and agreed to the timeline for the repairs.
  
  I would not say that I agreed with the timeline at any point in time. I felt that I had no choice in the matter.
  
  I recieved this email on July 11: "Im doing my best to keep this moving forward, but I do have to remind you that the repairs cannot start if the insurance company and the contractor hasnt worked out their costs yet. Im pushing to make this happen but we cant allow the contractor to start if this isnt done by the scheduled start date.
  
  Today is July 18. The contractor has informed me that they will complete the work tomorrow. My last communication with Emerald on July 13 where I requested more information has gone unanswered. 
  
  Having been on the board, I would like to say that a pattern of inaction is common with this company. The *** president has to continually call, email and remind them before action takes place. When the *** was unhappy with the landscapers, it was the president who went out and secured a solution. When our pedestrian gate was damaged so that our security gate had to remain open for months, a different board member took on the task of hiring someone to repair it. They are very good at making promises. They are not so good at keeping them
  
  Thank you,
  
  *****************************
  

  
  

  

  Business response

  08/11/2022

  On July 13, 2022, at 11:25 am ******* reached out and asked that ********************* forward her the final estimates. **** responded to her on July 13, 2022, at 11:27 AM and let her know that we could not forward something we didnt have. **** informed her that the adjuster had not sent over their estimates yet because they are not final estimates and had not been approved by the insurance company. **** let her know that she would follow-up again with the adjuster and would send them over as soon as they were received by the insurance adjuster.We are following up with them weekly to get this information and have also gone to the ********************** broker to have him put pressure on the insurance company to get us this information.
  
  On July 13, 2022, at 12:56 PM ******* responded that she had COVID brain and that she had forgotten that I had told her that the lack of response by the adjuster was an ongoing issue.
  
  At this point I had already put in motion the repairs for Melissas unit, with the Boards approval even though we didnt have approval from the insurance company so that the repairs could be completed. The vendor ********* met with the owner on June 30th to go over material choices so that they could order the supplies. Originally the repairs were scheduled to start on July 26, 2022, but they received the materials sooner than anticipated and completed all of the repairs for her unit on July 19, 2022.
  
  Her unit is fully restored, and we are continuing to work with the ********************** company to get their approval of the repair scope and the cost of the repairs.
  
  Email back up available upon request.
  
  Thank you,
  
  *************************
  Emerald Management & Consulting

  Customer response

  08/17/2022

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this has been resolved. I no longer own this unit.

   

  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

• Initial Complaint

  05/17/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have complained about violations of our HOA agreement to property management several times Over the last almost two months. My initial email was on March 29th. I have claimed violation of (1) quiet hours (2) annoying me, which is a direct violation in the agreement (3) installing hardwood floors without permission (4) not testing the wood floors. After several complaints, management has fined the tenants, but with only marginal improve the in compliance. By marginal, I mean that Ive been woken up by my neighbors after midnight 3 of the last 5 nights. I have provided multiple emails and recordings of noise and nuisances, with again, modest results. I have also asked management about the flooring with no responses after a week and a half. They have said they will research it, but one phone call to the owner would answer plenty of question. I recently downloaded an app that allows for the measurement of sound and have that for viewing, if management would like to see it. The app doesnt forward the graphs, but I will meet to show you what is happening.

  

  Business response

  05/26/2022

  The management/*** is restricted legally and can only send violations to owners every 14 days to allow the owner in violation to be notified and the violation to be corrected. Letters were sent on: 3/30/2022, 4/6/2022, 4/11/2022, & 4/18/2022 and no response from the owner or the leasing agent on the violations sent, but the fines assessed to the unit have been paid.
  
  We cannot disclose what action has been taken to the complaining party, and we are following the process as out lined by the *** rules for reported violations.Section ***** of the rules says fines are the appropriate action that is to be taken and this has been followed.
  
  Municipal Code 8.26.060 Public Nuisance and Disturbance Noise: It is unlawful for any person to cause, or for any person in possession of property to allow to originate from said property, sound that is a public nuisance. Washing machines are not listed in this code as a disturbance.  Further enforcement of the noise levels needs to be directed to the local authorities that govern the noise level. The Management Company, on behalf of the *** is following the guidelines that are outlined in the *** rules and regulations.

  
  We further recommend that the owner of the complaining unit talk to the offending unit to let them personally know that the noise of their washing machines is disruptive to the lower unit or seek mediation for conflict with Volunteers of America.  
  
  We do not have the legal authority to go into the unit and shut off the machines of the offending unit,  and we do not have information in our files that the offending unit installed hard surface flooring.
  
  The complaining unit will need to seek further action outside of the *** control for resolution unless the owner is satisfied with our limited ability to continue to just send fines to the offending unit.

• Initial Complaint

  05/02/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Emerald Management manages the condominium community I live in. Two full months ago on March 1, there was a major leak from my upstairs neighbors into my unit. It had probably been building up for over a month and the insulation couldn't hold the water any more. I called Emerald's after-hours emergency number, and a contracted crew came out immediately to cut out a giant holes in the ceiling and in the wall (including the insulation), and to pull up a significant amount of my flooring and use fans and dehumidifiers to dry out the water. Since March 2 (in the morning when the company was open), I have been reaching out via call and email to communicate about the process of repairs, as this damage is of no fault of my own and the *** has insurance that should cover all of my home's damages. I was told that the process would be about 2-3 weeks for the repair bids and approval by the board, and that the repairs would be scheduled after that. I've continued to reach out to check in. It has now been over 2 months and nothing has been scheduled yet. The excuse I got (about a month ago) from **** who handles special projects was that "repair companies are busy and booked about 3-4 weeks out." However, that doesn't explain why no repairs have been scheduled now 2 months after the incident. It has been over a week now since I've emailed **** and several of the management employees stating that I need this resolved in a much more timely manner. I also called and left a voicemail last week because nobody (other than the receptionist) at Emerald answers calls during their work hours. This is aside from an issue where a company needed to cut a large square hole in my wall to look at the sprinklers, and I was promised that the *** and Emerald would send out someone to fix the hole within days. That happened almost 15 months ago and I still am getting pointless excuses about why it needs to take more time for them to fix that. There's no good excuse for this. Fix my home!

  

  Business response

  05/09/2022

  Dear Better Business Bureau,
  
  Re: Complaint #********
  
  Thank you for allowing us to respond to this complaint. The leak for unit F203 happened on March 2, 2022. The mitigation contractor was immediately sent out to start the dryout and to find the cause of the leak. The leak steps were sent to the owner on March 8, 2022 (email attached). The process per the Associations Declarations (file too large to attach to the response) usually takes about three to four months for the entire process from start to finish. This was detailed to the owner in a phone call as well as the email. Mitigation was completed on March 10, 2022. At this time the damages had exceeded the ********************** deductible. We gathered bids for the repairs and sent those to the ***** of ********* for the Condominium to get their approval on a vendor as well as filing a claim on the **********************. This was also explained to the owner. As the management company we cannot make decisions for the ***** and need the *****s approval to file a claim and they must pick the vendor for the repairs.
  
  The ***** approved a vendor and opening an insurance claim on April 12, 2022. A claim was filed, and an adjuster assigned.The adjuster has walked the units that were damaged and is working with the ********************** carrier on an agreed scope of repairs. We should have that in the next week and as soon as we have the approval the repairs can be scheduled. We are still within the original timeline that was sent to the owners for how long this process would take. As the management company per our contract, we must have the *****s approval as well as the ********************** company approval before repairs are completed as they are paying for the cost of the mitigation and the repairs. We are not allowed to make decisions for the Associations expect for emergency response which we did immediately and got a vendor out to do the dry out and determine the cause of the damages.
  
  We have communicated this to the owner in writing as well as via email.
  
  Regarding the other building damages,the ***** picked a vendor for the repairs that has been to busy to get this scheduled,so the ***** has approved for the repairs to be completed by a different vendor.
  
  Please let me know if you have any additional questions or need any additional documents. I can email over the Declarations as the file was too large to attach to to the response.
  
  Thank you,
  
  *************************, CMCA
  Emerald Management & Consulting

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