Bettencourt Tax Advisors, LLC

Dispute Resolution Team,Please find attached the response to the Revdex.com Case # [redacted] - B [redacted] Tax Advisors, LLC Do not hesitate to contact me directly should have any questions regarding the attached informationBest Regards, [redacted] Vice PresidentB [redacted] Tax Advisors, LLC [redacted]

Member Name: Bettencourt Tax Advisors, LLC Consumer: [redacted] Complaint Date: July 23, Complaint Case#: # [redacted] Mr [redacted] signed up with Bettencourt Tax Advisors, LLC (BTA) on May 24, He executed a Bettencourt Tax Advisors, LLC Property Tax Services Agreement – Residential and also executed an Appointment of Agent (AOA) form which allows BTA to protest his property and represent him at County Appraisal District hearings Mr [redacted] added three properties in April, and executed a BTA Services Agreement and related AOA for the properties on April 22, BTA contacted Mr [redacted] on April 8, to follon an AOA form that was inactive During that conversation he mentioned he had recently (in February) purchased a property located at [redacted] and would go on-line to the BTA website and add the property There is no evidence that Mr [redacted] went on line and signed up the property August 2014, Ms [redacted] calls BTA to ask for a lower rate for her portfolio BTA agrees to reduce her contingency fee and sends an updated BTA Services Agreement to her on September 2, and it is returned executed on September 11, Written in at the end of the list of properties is “we also have a property at [redacted] ***, [redacted] that was added this spring.” There is no documentation that a BTA Services Agreement or an AOA was executed to include this property The protest filing deadline in Texas is May 31st The documentation referring to the property at [redacted] was received on September 11, BTA is unable to protest or represent a client without an Appointment of Agent form BTA sent Mr [redacted] a BTA Services Agreement and an AOA for the property at [redacted] ***, [redacted] on April 16, 2015, prior to the protest deadline of May 31st Mr [redacted] executed the BTA Services Agreement and the AOA for the property The AOA was filed with [redacted] on May 16, The property at [redacted] was scheduled for an ARB Formal Hearing on July 7, BTA’s agents had prepared and reviewed the file for the hearing They were in attendance on July 7th When the BTA agent appeared at the hearing on July 7th, the [redacted] County Appraisal District informed the agent that the property owner (Mrs [redacted] ) had removed the Appointment of Agent form on July 6th By removing the Appointment of Agent form, it prohibited BTA’s agent from representing the client at the hearing [redacted] County Appraisal District staff informed BTA’s agent that the property owner represented herself at a hearing on July 6th BTA staff has communicated with Mrs [redacted] on numerous occasions via email, telephone conversations, and in person to answer and address her questions and concerns BTA feels we have adequately addressed these questions and concerns BTA terminated the service agreement, per the provisions outline in the BTA Services Agreement, with the [redacted] ’s on June 24, In accordance with the contract provisions, BTA agreed for a period of days, to monitor and attend any formal ARB hearing that was scheduled during this period of time BTA honored that commitment In an effort to minimize any further disagreement, BTA will return the $sifee for [redacted] to Mr [redacted]

MEMBER NAME: [redacted] CONSUMER: [redacted] COMPLAINT NUMBER: [redacted] [redacted] signed a standard Bettencourt Tax Advisors, LLC (BTA) Property Tax Service Agreement-Residential Contract with the company on May 16, The contract states in paragraph three “Fees and Payments” that the client shall pay BTA a one-time administrative fee of $for each property and a contingency fee of the client’s tax savings for the protested year BTA’s professional property tax agent appeared on September 4, at an informal [redacted] at the [redacted] and again on October 2, before the three panel [redacted] for a formal hearing During the [redacted] the panel voted not to change the value of the property even though the agent offered evidence and an opinion of value of $110, The [redacted] panel’s decision is final Upon further review, BTA determined the account was not a candidate for a Judicial Appeal through Binding ***itration The tax roll reflected a final value of $142,128, the amount [redacted] would pay taxes on for BTA did not send an invoice for the hearings as the BTA contract stipulates we will invoice on tax savings Since the value was a no change from the preliminary value, no tax savings was obtained for BTA protested the property account in and attended an informal on May 19, where the agent who personally appeared before the [redacted] was able to achieve a reduction in the preliminary value for of $142,to $139,000, a reduction in value of $3,128.00, resulting in a tax savings of $ BTA generated an invoice for services, based upon the standard BTA agreement and the contingency fee based on tax savings, in the amount of $ We respectfully disagree with Mr Blasingame, as BTA performed the professional services defined by the BTA Property Tax Services Agreement and in addition was successful in obtaining a reduction in value for

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me

Member Name:                               Bettencourt
Tax Advisors,...

LLC
Consumer:                          [redacted]
Complaint Date:               July
23, 2015      
Complaint Case#:             #[redacted]
Mr. [redacted] signed up with Bettencourt Tax Advisors, LLC
(BTA) on May 24, 2009.  He executed a
Bettencourt Tax Advisors, LLC Property Tax Services Agreement – Residential and
also executed an Appointment of Agent (AOA) form which allows BTA to protest
his property and represent him at County Appraisal District hearings.  Mr. [redacted] added three properties in April,
2012 and executed a BTA Services Agreement and related AOA for the properties
on April 22, 2012.  BTA contacted Mr.
[redacted] on April 8, 2013 to follow-up on an AOA form that was inactive.  During that conversation he mentioned he had
recently (in February) purchased a property located at [redacted]
and would go on-line to the BTA website and add the property.  There is no evidence that Mr. [redacted] went on
line and signed up the property.   August
2014, Ms. [redacted] calls BTA to ask for a lower rate for her portfolio.  BTA agrees to reduce her contingency fee and
sends an updated BTA Services Agreement to her on September 2, 2014 and it is
returned executed on September 11, 2014. 
Written in at the end of the list of properties is “we also have a
property at [redacted] that was added this
spring.”  There is no documentation that
a BTA Services Agreement or an AOA was executed to include this property.  The protest filing deadline in Texas is May 31st.
 The documentation referring to the
property at [redacted] was received on September 11, 2014. BTA is
unable to protest or represent a client without an Appointment of Agent form.  BTA sent Mr. [redacted] a BTA Services Agreement
and an AOA for the property at [redacted] on April 16,
2015, prior to the protest deadline of May 31st.  Mr. [redacted] executed the BTA Services
Agreement and the AOA for the property. 
The AOA was filed with [redacted] on May 16, 2015.  The property at [redacted] was
scheduled for an ARB Formal Hearing on July 7, 2015.  BTA’s agents had prepared and reviewed the
file for the hearing.  They were in
attendance on July 7th.  When the
BTA agent appeared at the hearing on July 7th, the [redacted] County
Appraisal District informed the agent that the property owner (Mrs. [redacted])  had removed the
Appointment of Agent form on July 6th.  By removing the Appointment of Agent form, it
prohibited BTA’s agent from representing the client at the hearing.  [redacted] County Appraisal District staff
informed BTA’s agent that the property owner represented herself at a hearing
on July 6th.
BTA staff has communicated with Mrs. [redacted] on numerous occasions
via email, telephone conversations, and in person to answer and address her
questions and concerns.  BTA feels we have
adequately addressed these questions and concerns.
BTA terminated the service agreement, per the provisions
outline in the BTA Services Agreement, with the [redacted]’s on June 24, 2015.  In accordance with the contract provisions,
BTA agreed for a period of 30 days, to monitor and attend any formal ARB
hearing that was scheduled during this period of time.  BTA honored that commitment.
In an effort to minimize any further disagreement, BTA will return
the $75 sign-up fee for [redacted] to Mr. [redacted].

Dispute Resolution Team,Please find attached the response to the Revdex.com Case # [redacted] - B[redacted] Tax Advisors, LLC.  Do not hesitate to contact me directly should have any questions regarding the attached information. Best Regards,[redacted]Vice PresidentB[redacted] Tax Advisors,...

LLC[redacted]

MEMBER NAME: 
[redacted]
CONSUMER:      [redacted]
COMPLAINT NUMBER: 
[redacted]
 
[redacted] signed a standard Bettencourt Tax
Advisors, LLC (BTA) Property Tax Service Agreement-Residential Contract...

with
the company on May 16, 2014.  The
contract states in paragraph three “Fees and Payments” that the client shall
pay BTA a one-time administrative fee of $75 for each property and a
contingency fee of the client’s tax savings for the protested year. 
BTA’s professional property tax agent appeared on September
4, 2014 at an informal [redacted] at the [redacted] and
again on October 2, 2014 before the three panel [redacted] for a formal hearing.  During the [redacted] the panel voted not to
change the value of the property even though the agent offered evidence and  an opinion of
value of $110,000.  The [redacted] panel’s
decision is final.  Upon further review,
BTA determined the account was not a candidate for a Judicial Appeal through Binding
[redacted]itration.  The 2014 tax roll reflected
a final value of $142,128, the amount [redacted] would pay taxes on for 2014.  BTA did not send an invoice for the 2014
hearings as the BTA contract stipulates we will invoice on tax savings.  Since the 2014 value was a no change from the
preliminary value, no tax savings was obtained for 2014. 
BTA protested the property account in 2015 and attended an
informal on May 19, 2015 where the agent who personally appeared before the
[redacted] was able to achieve a reduction in the preliminary
value for 2015 of $142,128 to $139,000, a reduction in value of $3,128.00,
resulting in a tax savings of $92.36.
BTA generated an invoice for services,  based upon the standard BTA agreement and the
contingency fee based on tax savings, in the amount of $36.94.   We respectfully disagree with Mr.
Blasingame, as BTA performed the professional services defined by the BTA
Property Tax Services Agreement and in addition was successful in obtaining a
reduction in value for 2015.

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  
[No, BTA DID NOT address the issues described. Every time I tried to discuss the issues with BTA representative, I would get runarounds, blanket statements that we have already discussed the issue, and vague answers about their general business, but NOT our property and the specific issues concerning our case. The recording of our conversations where BTA reps totally avoid discussing the issues are available. Our questions have not been answered by BTA reps general statements. BTA reprs refused to discuss the issues, that has also been documented. Concerning year 2015 for this property, as of today, BTA did not refund the $75 BTA rep fraudulently took from us several months ago, against BTA agreement and BTA did not address the question on why they held our money for several months interest free when numerous requests to refund has been sent to them in writing over a month ago. Attached, please see the agreement we have signed with NO $75 fee mentioned.Concerning year 2014 for this property, BTA previous response quote: "August
2014, Ms. [redacted] calls BTA to ask for a lower rate for her portfolio.  BTA agrees to reduce her contingency fee and
sends an updated BTA Services Agreement to her on September 2, 2014 and it is
returned executed on September 11, 2014."
BTA lies and tries to give us runarounds again, like they have been doing for over a year now and the more lies they tell, the more lies get exposed. BTA needs to stop lying and address the issues. BTA in their response to my complaint tried to make it seem like the negotiated agreement to lower the rate and add another property to the portfolio was not reached until Aug 2014, insinuating that was the valid reason of not protesting the appraisal value for this property in 2014 and breaching our agreement. What they are missing is that phone conversations were recorded and records of written communications are well kept. In my complaint I stated that in spring of 2014 we called Bettencourt Tax Advisors and negotiated a
rate reduction for their services from 40% down to 35% off the client's
tax savings by adding another property at [redacted] to the
list of our properties already registered with BTA. The agreement was
reached in favor of 35% and it was documented. [redacted], the
person who I spoke with, told me she would also send me the written
confirmation of it within a week. She failed to do so and it took me
several weeks to get back with her as she was not available every time
I'd call. Only after numerous unanswered calls, voice mails, and
messages I left with BTA associates for her, did she finally get back
with me. I reminded her about her promise to send me the written
agreement. She told me she was busy, but said again she would send it
out that week. Finally, after several other documented reminders, the
written agreement was sent to us, signed and returned to BTA. On that
very agreement we reminded BTA again that the property at [redacted] was included in the list of properties BTA would service, so
they would not forget about it. Please refer to the attachment listen to a phone conversation with [redacted] dated August 21, 2014 where after numerous attempts to reach her, being transferred to her voice mail, several voice mails left and messages left with BTA employees, I finally get her on the line and confront her about still not receiving the written agreement she promised to send us for signature over 3 months prior (that was when the agreement to reduce the rate by adding this property to the portfolio was reached, still before the deadline to file the property appraisal protest). On the recording [redacted] acknowledges the existence of the changed agreement and sounds surprised that we still did not receive it in writing, telling me that BTA employees should have sent it and that she would follow up on that for me. That's after 3 months she told us she would send the updated agreement to us! She also asks for my number as if she never checked her voicemail or never received my messages I left with BTA employees as reminders to send that agreement to us in writing. So why would BTA claim that I called to ask for a lower rate for our portfolio only in August of 2014, if it is clear that on August 21, 2014 BTA rep acknowledged that the agreement with us to lower the rates and add another property was reached over 3 months before that? The oral agreement did exist in spring of 2014 and oral agreements are valid even though BTA somehow decided to prolong putting it in writing, so my question remains the same. Why did BTA breach the agreement with us to protest that property value in 2014? That question still has NOT been answered by BTA. I have requested a meeting with Mark or Paul Bettencourt so I could bring all the recordings of BTA employee dealings and was denied, that is very interesting the leadership of this firm does not want to know how clients are treated by BTA employees.Please do not be fooled by [redacted]'s exuberance on this recording. She lied to me on numerous occasions and the transcripts of our conversations will be provided when we get to those issues. On this particular recording she sounds surprised we did not receive the updated written agreement from her after numerous reminders, but during the several months of me trying to reach her, NEVER did she call me back, not even after this conversation. That's my experience working with BTA, they ask you to leave a message and you are forgotten as a client. ]
Regards,

Revdex.com:
This letter is to inform you that Bettencourt Tax Advisors, LLC has carried out to my satisfaction the resolution it proposed for my complaint, filed on 5/18/2015 5:44:14 PM and assigned ID [redacted].Contact has been made by the company. There has been investigation of my...

complaint with satisfactory follow up.
Regards,
[redacted]