I am writing today to address the complaint captioned above which was received by you from [redacted] on April 16th Please understand that I respect your agency and the work you do If it wasn’t for this fact, I wouldn’t even bother to respond to his empty claims I have attached a copy of Mr [redacted] ’s letter to you There appears to be two distinct complaint narratives Note that I marked (with a star *) where the most recent problem starts However, I will simply start by addressing the first part of his letter – - Prior to the tenant’s initial visit and subsequent mothere were other tenants living in the unit Quite honestly, they “trashed the place” – as verified by the fact that there was over $in repairs The unit needed re-paint, re-carpet, holes in the walls, broken doors, new washer and dryer, and a myriad of other needed repairs When [redacted] looked at the unit in early January, he saw a good amount of work that needed to be done We told him we would make every effort to get all the repairs and updates handled by February 1st, but it may take a bit of extra time for some minor cosmetic issues He and his roommate were under the gun and needed a place by February 1st – so they were “OK” with the fact that we may need access after that date to finish up a few items It is often the case, when a new tenant moves in, there are a some items that may need further attention – generally items that it takes living in the unit to discover I advised they call as those items arise – and they did In every instance, we responded quickly and professionally – so when he states “it took over days to receive a call back,” that is a BLANTANT LIE Another issue which could impart delays is the fact that the tenants wanted to be home when my maintenance people were assigned to the task – and that is not necessary We have keys – and all our vendors are licensed and insured – thus, it is not necessary for the tenant to be at the property at the time of repair So working around their schedule would probably cause other unnecessary delays, wouldn’t it? - Part two of the tenant’s narrative is really where the unruliness begins Yes, we did receive a call (about 1100am on the 16th) that the refrigerator was not working (but the freezer was working) – and we responded as soon as possible and had our man at the site by 300pm Our man found that the freezer section was frozen up and needed to be defrosted – and the tenant was told to pull the plug on the unit to shut it down The tenant claims he did that, but honestly, I’m not sure Generally, after a defrost there is evidence of puddling or other water – but none was detected by our man when he did the final repair If the defrost did not work, I had total confidence in my man that the solution would come Mr [redacted] did call my assistant (***) to discuss getting compensated for his “several hundred dollars of food that spoiled” – and yes, we told him that was not going to happen because YES – “these things happen.” Mr [redacted] ’s response to my assistant was, “Well I think both you and [redacted] are [redacted] ***!!” (Well, that’s real adult, isn’t it??) What I cannot understand is - why doesn’t Mr [redacted] take responsibility of his life? – does he think he lives at the [redacted] ? What if the refrigerator needed to be replaced? Does he think during the busiest week of the year on Hilton Head ( [redacted] ) that a refrigerator could be replaced within a week, much less days? So how about you take charge, Mr [redacted] ? Take twenty bucks over to Walmart, pick up a cooler and a bag of ice, and get home to pack your valuable food items on ice Well golly, that make sense, doesn’t it? I guess he has never been in a pressure situation Or, is he simply another year old from the “entitled generation” that allows him to whine and cry until he gets his way? The bottom line is that we needed to order a part and the repair was completed on Friday afternoon It is important to note that we have a fiscal responsibility to the owner Thus, when we have an issue, we take the most economical approach to get the problem solved – and that includes appliances, air condition systems, or any other non-threatening repair issues (You certainly wouldn’t replace your car if you had a flat tire, would you?) I would think a refrigerator would not be a major catastrophe and be a potentially life ending crisis for a year old in decent shape – even if his beer did get warm This is my response to the tenant’s drivel forwarded to you on the 16th Nevertheless, there are a couple other items worth noting - - - On Thursday the 17th, I received a call from [redacted] (an uncle?) – an adult more my own age, stating that was trying to “help [redacted] through this difficult situation.” He tried to put words in my mouth about what I said was the nature of the problem I told him I was far from an appliance expert and reiterated a number of times that I leave that stuff up to the pros Still, the next day he called and tried to bully me into saying something about the repair which honestly, I have no idea what needed to done – I hire people (pros) to do that (I certainly don’t expect my vendors to give my tenants advice on area rent rates.) Again, [redacted] didn’t get his way – so he needed to call in reinforcements - My maintenance man ordered a part to be overnight shipped to be in Friday Both [redacted] and [redacted] advised they would be calling other appliance repair people to see if they could get faster serviceI explained that most appliance repair parts are ordered from the same suppliers – and I really doubt if anyone can act faster Nevertheless, I told them both to go for it I also explained that if anybody else came up with the same diagnosis, they would be responsible for calling and paying that other vendor I explained that to [redacted] on the phone while my assistant was in my office – and we both heard him say, “I know ***, you already reiterated that to me five times.” So he got the picture, didn’t he? He wanted the other repair company to do the work – and I told him “NO – they are not authorized by us – and we are already on it.” I personally called off the other repair company I also told that repair company that the tenant is responsible for any cost They know us well – and understand Thank you for reading my lengthy epistle I wish I had known I was dealing with a recalcitrant child that needs his hand held constantly, instead of an adult year old – but we have a contract, so here we are We are a professional company in the rental industry for nearly a decade and I am a professional real estate broker licensed for over a quarter century in three different states Check your records – you will find there are no blemishes in our many years of real estate related issues Again, I thank you for your continued professionalism and attention to this issue If you do send this response to Mr [redacted] , I prefer if you do not edit it Sincerely, [redacted] T [redacted] I - BIC COASTAL BROKERAGE SERVICES IMC Rentals & Sales LLC Corpus Christi Place, Suite Hilton Head Island SC Office: ###-###-#### Fax: ###-###-####
I am rejecting this response because: Coastal Brokerage has their stand and I have mine Apparently personal attacks and dishonesty are acceptable to some businesses these days I had to call an attorney (who just so happened to be related to me) because I felt there was no sense of urgency in solving the matter Yes, Coastal Brokerage can say that the job was completed in a matter of days There is no denying it However, in speaking with them and realizing their pure lack of respect for their tenants (not to mention the attitude given over the phone) I had a hard time believing the repairs would be completed in a timely mannerSo I did what I had to do to insure the appliances in which the house I am renting were working properly I had family coming into town that same weekend Coastal Brokerage and their management were fully aware of that I feel if I hadn't gotten others involved the situation would have taken much longer Did Coastal Brokerage do anything "wrong"? On a contractual basis and according to state law, probably not Coastal Brokerage is a poorly run business with dishonest and unprofessional representationAs a member of this community, one who is in the property management business, I will never recommend anyone use their services I appreciate the time you all have spent on thisAlthough I indicated that I was not satisfied with the response I do not want to pursue this matter any further Thank you, Regards, [redacted]
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:
I have spent want too much of my time on this incident, so I am going to keep this simple. There are nine paragraphs in the complainer's response, so I will address each paragraph separately
Paragraph - I did not attack his "age" - I attacked his lack of maturity in handling this mini-crisis. He even had to get others involved because his world was coming to an end. Perhaps it was his lack of courtesy and the foul language with my assistant that set me off. I wonder how he would have reacted if the roles were reversed
Paragraph - Already answered in previous memo - we took care of those issues
Paragraph - I do not disagree. The owner had someone he had been working with for the HVAC, but the problem was not solved. I sent my people in and it was handled quickly
Paragraph - The refrigerator problem was resolved on Friday afternoon - so that's about days and four hours after the report to our office. In that time, we sent a man to the property to determine the problem - advised the tenant how to help with the problem (try to defrost the system) - find out the next day that the defrost did not work (if, in fact, the tenant tried that suggestion) - my man subsequently ordered the part that same day - received the part via overnight delivery and installed the same day.
Paragraph - (...and just why did *** need to step in for his cousin? - I guess I have to go back to the maturity thing...) I did tell both *** and Natalie that this was *** week on Hilton Head - the busiest week of the year. Based on that, it could take until Monday to get what we needed to get the job done - and yes, I said "this stuff happens." I NEVER used foul language - especially with a lady
Paragraph - I was "shocked that *** *** could get someone out so quickly"? Gosh, my guy was out four hours after initial contact. When I spoke with the tenant, he said *** was coming out later this afternoon - does that mean 300pm? 400pm? just how long after the tenant's call to them. I would be hard pressed to believe it was less than the four hours it took us to get there.
In my discussion with *** I related that it sounded as if the refrigerator needed a fan in the Freezer unit. A condenser fan? - I don't know. As it turned out, it was the evaporator fan. Again, I DON'T KNOW. What I did tell *** more than five times is that "this is not my job - I am NOT a refrigerator technician." (...in my opinion, it could be that the bladstatter is not correctly connected to the flutney circuit...). I guess he could not accept the fact that my man knows what he is doing. He asked, "if I find someone that can fix it today, will you pay for it?" I told him to "go for it" - but I also told him if it was the same diagnosis, or if they could not get it done sooner, they will pay for ***'s work. He agreed - and when I spoke to the tenant the next day, he also agreed to those terms by stating, "I know, you already reiterated that to me five times."
Later in the day Thursday, *** advised that the *** tech advised that the problem was not a Condenser Fan, but an Evaporator fan. OK, so as I said repeatedly, I have total confidence in my maintenance guy. I checked with him to find out what he ordered - and he assured me it was an evaporator fan - so that's good, isn't it? Apparently not good for Mr*** because he has to pay *** ***
Paragraph - After I verified what part my man ordered, I told the tenant we were near certain the part would be in Friday afternoon. I say near certain because that was Good Friday *** *** *** *** *** *n full swing was but a mile or so away from the property - and with the bad weather of Friday, who knows?
Paragraph - At one point in my discussion with *** he had asked where the parts come from. I told him I did not know, but assumed Savannah, Columbia, Atlanta - I don't know where parts come from, I am not the repair guy. Now my maintenance guy is a Latino, sometimes tough to understand (...actually, his English is far better than my Spanish...). But as far as my guy telling the tenant that he picked up the part from Savannah is ludicrous - that's nearly three hours round trip. In fact, after reading this paragraph, I called my guy. He said he ordered the part form *** *** - a repair and parts company near here in Bluffton that supplies many contractors with parts. So where did it come from? - who cares? - probably the same supplier that *** called when they ordered the part.
Paragraph - Not worth discussing further. So our boy is out $- it costs money to go to college, but you learn something. 'nuff said
This is my last correspondence concerning this issue. Thank you again for your attention
*** *** - Broker-in-Charge
I am rejecting this response because:
First I would like to bring to attention the attitude of Mr*** He may say he is a professional but anyone who reads his response can clearly see he is a very rude and unprofessional person His attacks on me and my "Age" have nothing to do with this complaint and should be removedHe also has no idea where I came from or how I was brought upand again, those remarks should be removed from his response Mr*** has done nothing but attack me and my representation (cousin, not uncle) verbally since this whole ordeal started That aside...
When my roommate and I looked at the place prior to moving in yes, we were aware that work was being done in the unit When we looked there were no holes in the wall, the doors were new, the hard wood flooring was new (or so we were told by ***, I believe her to be Mr***'s wife The floors had several scratches on them but that has been noted and pictures were taken prior to move in), The paint was new and already on the walls, and the guest shower was in the process of being re-done Over all, the place looked great The only noticeable things were that it need to be CLEANED and there were several blinds missing As noted in my complaint the unit WAS NOT CLEAN when we moved in and the blinds HAD NOT been replaced Yes, there were other issues and they were brought to Mr***'s attention (or possibly his assistant via email)
The major issue was that the Heat DID NOT WORK when we moved in and YES, it did take SEVERAL days and 2 separate companies to fix the problem
Now, to the issue of the refrigerator not working I stand by everything that I wrote It took several days to get fixed and there was no effort by the Management company to help As a manager, especially one that thinks so highly of himself, you would think that Mr*** would have tried to offer a solution to the problem right away He pointed out getting coolersIt's not his job to provide these but it would have been nice and helpful, a show of good faith, a professional act of kindness, one that any other respectable management company would have offeredMaybe since I am 27, which Mr*** feels the need to constantly point out for some reason, he thought he could walk all over us and not provide any real solution until after the weekend After all, as he stated, it was *** weekend
When Mr*** spoke to *** he did state that it may be Monday before the part would arrive and the refrigerator would be fixed. Mr*** also spoke to my roommate and told her it would be Monday as well, when she told him this was unacceptable he told her well "st happens"I also felt this to be unacceptable and wanted to look around for myself. As Mr*** stated in his response he was ok with this idea.
When I told Mr*** on Thursday that I had *** *** coming out to look at the fridge that same afternoon he seemed shocked that I was able to get someone out so quick This seemed to jump start Mr***, not minutes after I got of the phone with him he called back to tell me that the CONDENSER fAN was now set to arrive, from Columbia, Friday around and his guy would install it that same day He also advised that I call off the service call that I placed with *** I told him I did not trust his/his guys diagnosis and I was still going to have *** come look at the fridge Mr*** told myself and *** that if the diagnosis from *** was that the CONDENSER FAN needed to be replaced that he would not pay for any service call or repairs, he was very adamant about this and I agreed to those terms.
*** *** determined that the EVAPORATOR FAN needed to be replaced not the CONDENSER FAN I had *** call Mr*** to let him know that his guy ordered the wrong part and that I was going to move forward with the repairs that *** suggested After all I didn't want the wrong part to be installed and have to wait until Monday for the correct one Mr*** was very rude to *** when the spoke and told him that "we were putting words in his mouth" and that "he had never used the word condenser in his life" He also said he would not pay for the service call, even though in prior conversations he agreed that he would if his guy was wrong
Miraculously his guy did show up on Friday with the correct part In speaking with him he advised that he did not get this part from Columbia but Savannah He told me that he went to Savannah on Thursday, under Mr***'s direction to pick up the EVAPORATOR FANNot COLUMBIA...Savannah It seems funny to me that after I advised Mr*** of *** ***s diagnosis that he sent his guy to Savannah to pick up an EVAPORATOR FAN Why would he have done this if he already ordered the CONDENSER FAN from Columbia and it was set to arrive Friday at 4? Could it be that he ordered the wrong part and didn't want to admit it, to avoid reimbursing me for the service call.....? Furthermore, if he did have his guy pick it up on Thursday why didn't he call me and have it installed that day? I will admit I don't like his guys in my house without myself or my roommate being presentI would also like to mention we have a dog and the service guy will not enter our apartment unless she is locked up in a room That being said, I work min (with traffic) away from my home If Mr*** follows proper procedure and advises me in advance that someone is coming over I can always leave work, avoiding any SCHEDULING CONFLICTS.
In the end the refrigerator is fixed and I am only out $for a service callI feel Mr*** should honor his word and reimburse us for that cost I guess not everyone was brought up with the same valuesA mans word doesn't mean much to some people these dayseven if they are in their 60's and have and extensive management background.
Thank you for your time in the matter As Mr*** requested in his response, please do not edit mine
Regards,
*** ***
To expedite this issue we have issued a refund to her for 100 and 320 to the attorney. I have received a thank you email from her as well.
[redacted]...
I am rejecting this response because:
Coastal Brokerage has their stand and I have mine. Apparently personal attacks and dishonesty are acceptable to some businesses these days.
I had to call an attorney (who just so happened to be related to me) because I felt there was no sense of urgency in solving the matter. Yes, Coastal Brokerage can say that the job was completed in a matter of days. There is no denying it. However, in speaking with them and realizing their pure lack of respect for their tenants (not to mention the attitude given over the phone) I had a hard time believing the repairs would be completed in a timely manner. So I did what I had to do to insure the appliances in which the house I am renting were working properly. I had family coming into town that same weekend. Coastal Brokerage and their management were fully aware of that. I feel if I hadn't gotten others involved the situation would have taken much longer.
Did Coastal Brokerage do anything "wrong"? On a contractual basis and according to state law, probably not.
Coastal Brokerage is a poorly run business with dishonest and unprofessional representation. As a member of this community, one who is in the property management business, I will never recommend anyone use their services.
I appreciate the time you all have spent on this. Although I indicated that I was not satisfied with the response I do not want to pursue this matter any further.
Thank you,
I am writing today to address the complaint captioned above which was received by you from [redacted] on April 16th. Please understand that I respect...
your agency and the work you do. If it wasn’t for this fact, I wouldn’t even bother to respond to his empty claims. I have attached a copy of Mr. [redacted]’s letter to you. There appears to be two distinct complaint narratives. Note that I marked (with a star *) where the most recent problem starts. However, I will simply start by addressing the first part of his letter –
- Prior to the tenant’s initial visit and subsequent move-in there were other tenants living in the unit. Quite honestly, they “trashed the place” – as verified by the fact that there was over $8000 in repairs. The unit needed re-paint, re-carpet, holes in the walls, broken doors, new washer and dryer, and a myriad of other needed repairs. When [redacted] looked at the unit in early January, he saw a good amount of work that needed to be done. We told him we would make every effort to get all the repairs and updates handled by February 1st, but it may take a bit of extra time for some minor cosmetic issues. He and his roommate were under the gun and needed a place by February 1st – so they were “OK” with the fact that we may need access after that date to finish up a few items. It is often the case, when a new tenant moves in, there are a some items that may need further attention – generally items that it takes living in the unit to discover. I advised they call as those items arise – and they did. In every instance, we responded quickly and professionally – so when he states “it took over 3 days to receive a call back,” that is a BLANTANT LIE. Another issue which could impart delays is the fact that the tenants wanted to be home when my maintenance people were assigned to the task – and that is not necessary. We have keys – and all our vendors are licensed and insured – thus, it is not necessary for the tenant to be at the property at the time of repair. So working around their schedule would probably cause other unnecessary delays, wouldn’t it?
- Part two of the tenant’s narrative is really where the unruliness begins. Yes, we did receive a call (about 1100am on the 16th) that the refrigerator was not working (but the freezer was working) – and we responded as soon as possible and had our man at the site by 300pm. Our man found that the freezer section was frozen up and needed to be defrosted – and the tenant was told to pull the plug on the unit to shut it down. The tenant claims he did that, but honestly, I’m not sure. Generally, after a defrost there is evidence of puddling or other water – but none was detected by our man when he did the final repair. If the defrost did not work, I had total confidence in my man that the solution would come.
Mr. [redacted] did call my assistant ([redacted]) to discuss getting compensated for his “several hundred dollars of food that spoiled” – and yes, we told him that was not going to happen because YES – “these things happen.” Mr. [redacted]’s response to my assistant was, “Well I think both you and [redacted] are [redacted]!!” (Well, that’s real adult, isn’t it??) What I cannot understand is - why doesn’t Mr. [redacted] take responsibility of his life? – does he think he lives at the [redacted]? What if the refrigerator needed to be replaced? Does he think during the busiest week of the year on Hilton Head ([redacted]) that a refrigerator could be replaced within a week, much less days? So how about you take charge, Mr. [redacted]? Take twenty bucks over to Walmart, pick up a cooler and a bag of ice, and get home to pack your valuable food items on ice. Well golly, that make sense, doesn’t it? I guess he has never been in a pressure situation. Or, is he simply another 27 year old from the “entitled generation” that allows him to whine and cry until he gets his way?
The bottom line is that we needed to order a part and the repair was completed on Friday afternoon. It is important to note that we have a fiscal responsibility to the owner. Thus, when we have an issue, we take the most economical approach to get the problem solved – and that includes appliances, air condition systems, or any other non-threatening repair issues. (You certainly wouldn’t replace your car if you had a flat tire, would you?) I would think a refrigerator would not be a major catastrophe and be a potentially life ending crisis for a 27 year old in decent shape – even if his beer did get warm.
This is my response to the tenant’s drivel forwarded to you on the 16th. Nevertheless, there are a couple other items worth noting - -
- On Thursday the 17th, I received a call from [redacted] (an uncle?) – an adult more my own age, stating that was trying to “help [redacted] through this difficult situation.” He tried to put words in my mouth about what I said was the nature of the problem. I told him I was far from an appliance expert and reiterated a number of times that I leave that stuff up to the pros. Still, the next day he called and tried to bully me into saying something about the repair which honestly, I have no idea what needed to done – I hire people (pros) to do that. (I certainly don’t expect my vendors to give my tenants advice on area rent rates.) Again, [redacted] didn’t get his way – so he needed to call in reinforcements.
- My maintenance man ordered a part to be overnight shipped to be in Friday. Both [redacted] and [redacted] advised they would be calling other appliance repair people to see if they could get faster service. I explained that most appliance repair parts are ordered from the same suppliers – and I really doubt if anyone can act faster. Nevertheless, I told them both to go for it. I also explained that if anybody else came up with the same diagnosis, they would be responsible for calling and paying that other vendor. I explained that to [redacted] on the phone while my assistant was in my office – and we both heard him say, “I know [redacted], you already reiterated that to me five times.” So he got the picture, didn’t he? He wanted the other repair company to do the work – and I told him “NO – they are not authorized by us – and we are already on it.” I personally called off the other repair company. I also told that repair company that the tenant is responsible for any cost. They know us well – and understand.
Thank you for reading my lengthy epistle. I wish I had known I was dealing with a recalcitrant child that needs his hand held constantly, instead of an adult 27 year old – but we have a contract, so here we are. We are a professional company in the rental industry for nearly a decade and I am a professional real estate broker licensed for over a quarter century in three different states. Check your records – you will find there are no blemishes in our many years of real estate related issues. Again, I thank you for your continued professionalism and attention to this issue. If you do send this response to Mr. [redacted], I prefer if you do not edit it.
Sincerely, [redacted] T
[redacted]i - BIC
COASTAL BROKERAGE SERVICES
IMC Rentals & Sales LLC
2 Corpus Christi Place, Suite 300
Hilton Head Island SC 29928
Office: ###-###-####
Fax: ###-###-####
I am writing today to address the complaint captioned above which was received by you from [redacted] on April 16th Please understand that I respect your agency and the work you do If it wasn’t for this fact, I wouldn’t even bother to respond to his empty claims I have attached a copy of Mr [redacted] ’s letter to you There appears to be two distinct complaint narratives Note that I marked (with a star *) where the most recent problem starts However, I will simply start by addressing the first part of his letter – - Prior to the tenant’s initial visit and subsequent mothere were other tenants living in the unit Quite honestly, they “trashed the place” – as verified by the fact that there was over $in repairs The unit needed re-paint, re-carpet, holes in the walls, broken doors, new washer and dryer, and a myriad of other needed repairs When [redacted] looked at the unit in early January, he saw a good amount of work that needed to be done We told him we would make every effort to get all the repairs and updates handled by February 1st, but it may take a bit of extra time for some minor cosmetic issues He and his roommate were under the gun and needed a place by February 1st – so they were “OK” with the fact that we may need access after that date to finish up a few items It is often the case, when a new tenant moves in, there are a some items that may need further attention – generally items that it takes living in the unit to discover I advised they call as those items arise – and they did In every instance, we responded quickly and professionally – so when he states “it took over days to receive a call back,” that is a BLANTANT LIE Another issue which could impart delays is the fact that the tenants wanted to be home when my maintenance people were assigned to the task – and that is not necessary We have keys – and all our vendors are licensed and insured – thus, it is not necessary for the tenant to be at the property at the time of repair So working around their schedule would probably cause other unnecessary delays, wouldn’t it? - Part two of the tenant’s narrative is really where the unruliness begins Yes, we did receive a call (about 1100am on the 16th) that the refrigerator was not working (but the freezer was working) – and we responded as soon as possible and had our man at the site by 300pm Our man found that the freezer section was frozen up and needed to be defrosted – and the tenant was told to pull the plug on the unit to shut it down The tenant claims he did that, but honestly, I’m not sure Generally, after a defrost there is evidence of puddling or other water – but none was detected by our man when he did the final repair If the defrost did not work, I had total confidence in my man that the solution would come Mr [redacted] did call my assistant (***) to discuss getting compensated for his “several hundred dollars of food that spoiled” – and yes, we told him that was not going to happen because YES – “these things happen.” Mr [redacted] ’s response to my assistant was, “Well I think both you and [redacted] are [redacted] ***!!” (Well, that’s real adult, isn’t it??) What I cannot understand is - why doesn’t Mr [redacted] take responsibility of his life? – does he think he lives at the [redacted] ? What if the refrigerator needed to be replaced? Does he think during the busiest week of the year on Hilton Head ( [redacted] ) that a refrigerator could be replaced within a week, much less days? So how about you take charge, Mr [redacted] ? Take twenty bucks over to Walmart, pick up a cooler and a bag of ice, and get home to pack your valuable food items on ice Well golly, that make sense, doesn’t it? I guess he has never been in a pressure situation Or, is he simply another year old from the “entitled generation” that allows him to whine and cry until he gets his way? The bottom line is that we needed to order a part and the repair was completed on Friday afternoon It is important to note that we have a fiscal responsibility to the owner Thus, when we have an issue, we take the most economical approach to get the problem solved – and that includes appliances, air condition systems, or any other non-threatening repair issues (You certainly wouldn’t replace your car if you had a flat tire, would you?) I would think a refrigerator would not be a major catastrophe and be a potentially life ending crisis for a year old in decent shape – even if his beer did get warm This is my response to the tenant’s drivel forwarded to you on the 16th Nevertheless, there are a couple other items worth noting - - - On Thursday the 17th, I received a call from [redacted] (an uncle?) – an adult more my own age, stating that was trying to “help [redacted] through this difficult situation.” He tried to put words in my mouth about what I said was the nature of the problem I told him I was far from an appliance expert and reiterated a number of times that I leave that stuff up to the pros Still, the next day he called and tried to bully me into saying something about the repair which honestly, I have no idea what needed to done – I hire people (pros) to do that (I certainly don’t expect my vendors to give my tenants advice on area rent rates.) Again, [redacted] didn’t get his way – so he needed to call in reinforcements - My maintenance man ordered a part to be overnight shipped to be in Friday Both [redacted] and [redacted] advised they would be calling other appliance repair people to see if they could get faster serviceI explained that most appliance repair parts are ordered from the same suppliers – and I really doubt if anyone can act faster Nevertheless, I told them both to go for it I also explained that if anybody else came up with the same diagnosis, they would be responsible for calling and paying that other vendor I explained that to [redacted] on the phone while my assistant was in my office – and we both heard him say, “I know ***, you already reiterated that to me five times.” So he got the picture, didn’t he? He wanted the other repair company to do the work – and I told him “NO – they are not authorized by us – and we are already on it.” I personally called off the other repair company I also told that repair company that the tenant is responsible for any cost They know us well – and understand Thank you for reading my lengthy epistle I wish I had known I was dealing with a recalcitrant child that needs his hand held constantly, instead of an adult year old – but we have a contract, so here we are We are a professional company in the rental industry for nearly a decade and I am a professional real estate broker licensed for over a quarter century in three different states Check your records – you will find there are no blemishes in our many years of real estate related issues Again, I thank you for your continued professionalism and attention to this issue If you do send this response to Mr [redacted] , I prefer if you do not edit it Sincerely, [redacted] T [redacted] I - BIC COASTAL BROKERAGE SERVICES IMC Rentals & Sales LLC Corpus Christi Place, Suite Hilton Head Island SC Office: ###-###-#### Fax: ###-###-####
I am rejecting this response because: Coastal Brokerage has their stand and I have mine Apparently personal attacks and dishonesty are acceptable to some businesses these days I had to call an attorney (who just so happened to be related to me) because I felt there was no sense of urgency in solving the matter Yes, Coastal Brokerage can say that the job was completed in a matter of days There is no denying it However, in speaking with them and realizing their pure lack of respect for their tenants (not to mention the attitude given over the phone) I had a hard time believing the repairs would be completed in a timely mannerSo I did what I had to do to insure the appliances in which the house I am renting were working properly I had family coming into town that same weekend Coastal Brokerage and their management were fully aware of that I feel if I hadn't gotten others involved the situation would have taken much longer Did Coastal Brokerage do anything "wrong"? On a contractual basis and according to state law, probably not Coastal Brokerage is a poorly run business with dishonest and unprofessional representationAs a member of this community, one who is in the property management business, I will never recommend anyone use their services I appreciate the time you all have spent on thisAlthough I indicated that I was not satisfied with the response I do not want to pursue this matter any further Thank you, Regards, [redacted]
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:
I have spent want too much of my time on this incident, so I am going to keep this simple. There are nine paragraphs in the complainer's response, so I will address each paragraph separately
Paragraph - I did not attack his "age" - I attacked his lack of maturity in handling this mini-crisis. He even had to get others involved because his world was coming to an end. Perhaps it was his lack of courtesy and the foul language with my assistant that set me off. I wonder how he would have reacted if the roles were reversed
Paragraph - Already answered in previous memo - we took care of those issues
Paragraph - I do not disagree. The owner had someone he had been working with for the HVAC, but the problem was not solved. I sent my people in and it was handled quickly
Paragraph - The refrigerator problem was resolved on Friday afternoon - so that's about days and four hours after the report to our office. In that time, we sent a man to the property to determine the problem - advised the tenant how to help with the problem (try to defrost the system) - find out the next day that the defrost did not work (if, in fact, the tenant tried that suggestion) - my man subsequently ordered the part that same day - received the part via overnight delivery and installed the same day.
Paragraph - (...and just why did *** need to step in for his cousin? - I guess I have to go back to the maturity thing...) I did tell both *** and Natalie that this was *** week on Hilton Head - the busiest week of the year. Based on that, it could take until Monday to get what we needed to get the job done - and yes, I said "this stuff happens." I NEVER used foul language - especially with a lady
Paragraph - I was "shocked that *** *** could get someone out so quickly"? Gosh, my guy was out four hours after initial contact. When I spoke with the tenant, he said *** was coming out later this afternoon - does that mean 300pm? 400pm? just how long after the tenant's call to them. I would be hard pressed to believe it was less than the four hours it took us to get there.
In my discussion with *** I related that it sounded as if the refrigerator needed a fan in the Freezer unit. A condenser fan? - I don't know. As it turned out, it was the evaporator fan. Again, I DON'T KNOW. What I did tell *** more than five times is that "this is not my job - I am NOT a refrigerator technician." (...in my opinion, it could be that the bladstatter is not correctly connected to the flutney circuit...). I guess he could not accept the fact that my man knows what he is doing. He asked, "if I find someone that can fix it today, will you pay for it?" I told him to "go for it" - but I also told him if it was the same diagnosis, or if they could not get it done sooner, they will pay for ***'s work. He agreed - and when I spoke to the tenant the next day, he also agreed to those terms by stating, "I know, you already reiterated that to me five times."
Later in the day Thursday, *** advised that the *** tech advised that the problem was not a Condenser Fan, but an Evaporator fan. OK, so as I said repeatedly, I have total confidence in my maintenance guy. I checked with him to find out what he ordered - and he assured me it was an evaporator fan - so that's good, isn't it? Apparently not good for Mr*** because he has to pay *** ***
Paragraph - After I verified what part my man ordered, I told the tenant we were near certain the part would be in Friday afternoon. I say near certain because that was Good Friday *** *** *** *** *** *n full swing was but a mile or so away from the property - and with the bad weather of Friday, who knows?
Paragraph - At one point in my discussion with *** he had asked where the parts come from. I told him I did not know, but assumed Savannah, Columbia, Atlanta - I don't know where parts come from, I am not the repair guy. Now my maintenance guy is a Latino, sometimes tough to understand (...actually, his English is far better than my Spanish...). But as far as my guy telling the tenant that he picked up the part from Savannah is ludicrous - that's nearly three hours round trip. In fact, after reading this paragraph, I called my guy. He said he ordered the part form *** *** - a repair and parts company near here in Bluffton that supplies many contractors with parts. So where did it come from? - who cares? - probably the same supplier that *** called when they ordered the part.
Paragraph - Not worth discussing further. So our boy is out $- it costs money to go to college, but you learn something. 'nuff said
This is my last correspondence concerning this issue. Thank you again for your attention
*** *** - Broker-in-Charge
I am rejecting this response because:
t happens"I also felt this to be unacceptable and wanted to look around for myself. As Mr*** stated in his response he was ok with this idea.
First I would like to bring to attention the attitude of Mr*** He may say he is a professional but anyone who reads his response can clearly see he is a very rude and unprofessional person His attacks on me and my "Age" have nothing to do with this complaint and should be removedHe also has no idea where I came from or how I was brought upand again, those remarks should be removed from his response Mr*** has done nothing but attack me and my representation (cousin, not uncle) verbally since this whole ordeal started That aside...
When my roommate and I looked at the place prior to moving in yes, we were aware that work was being done in the unit When we looked there were no holes in the wall, the doors were new, the hard wood flooring was new (or so we were told by ***, I believe her to be Mr***'s wife The floors had several scratches on them but that has been noted and pictures were taken prior to move in), The paint was new and already on the walls, and the guest shower was in the process of being re-done Over all, the place looked great The only noticeable things were that it need to be CLEANED and there were several blinds missing As noted in my complaint the unit WAS NOT CLEAN when we moved in and the blinds HAD NOT been replaced Yes, there were other issues and they were brought to Mr***'s attention (or possibly his assistant via email)
The major issue was that the Heat DID NOT WORK when we moved in and YES, it did take SEVERAL days and 2 separate companies to fix the problem
Now, to the issue of the refrigerator not working I stand by everything that I wrote It took several days to get fixed and there was no effort by the Management company to help As a manager, especially one that thinks so highly of himself, you would think that Mr*** would have tried to offer a solution to the problem right away He pointed out getting coolersIt's not his job to provide these but it would have been nice and helpful, a show of good faith, a professional act of kindness, one that any other respectable management company would have offeredMaybe since I am 27, which Mr*** feels the need to constantly point out for some reason, he thought he could walk all over us and not provide any real solution until after the weekend After all, as he stated, it was *** weekend
When Mr*** spoke to *** he did state that it may be Monday before the part would arrive and the refrigerator would be fixed. Mr*** also spoke to my roommate and told her it would be Monday as well, when she told him this was unacceptable he told her well "s
When I told Mr*** on Thursday that I had *** *** coming out to look at the fridge that same afternoon he seemed shocked that I was able to get someone out so quick This seemed to jump start Mr***, not minutes after I got of the phone with him he called back to tell me that the CONDENSER fAN was now set to arrive, from Columbia, Friday around and his guy would install it that same day He also advised that I call off the service call that I placed with *** I told him I did not trust his/his guys diagnosis and I was still going to have *** come look at the fridge Mr*** told myself and *** that if the diagnosis from *** was that the CONDENSER FAN needed to be replaced that he would not pay for any service call or repairs, he was very adamant about this and I agreed to those terms.
*** *** determined that the EVAPORATOR FAN needed to be replaced not the CONDENSER FAN I had *** call Mr*** to let him know that his guy ordered the wrong part and that I was going to move forward with the repairs that *** suggested After all I didn't want the wrong part to be installed and have to wait until Monday for the correct one Mr*** was very rude to *** when the spoke and told him that "we were putting words in his mouth" and that "he had never used the word condenser in his life" He also said he would not pay for the service call, even though in prior conversations he agreed that he would if his guy was wrong
Miraculously his guy did show up on Friday with the correct part In speaking with him he advised that he did not get this part from Columbia but Savannah He told me that he went to Savannah on Thursday, under Mr***'s direction to pick up the EVAPORATOR FANNot COLUMBIA...Savannah It seems funny to me that after I advised Mr*** of *** ***s diagnosis that he sent his guy to Savannah to pick up an EVAPORATOR FAN Why would he have done this if he already ordered the CONDENSER FAN from Columbia and it was set to arrive Friday at 4? Could it be that he ordered the wrong part and didn't want to admit it, to avoid reimbursing me for the service call.....? Furthermore, if he did have his guy pick it up on Thursday why didn't he call me and have it installed that day? I will admit I don't like his guys in my house without myself or my roommate being presentI would also like to mention we have a dog and the service guy will not enter our apartment unless she is locked up in a room That being said, I work min (with traffic) away from my home If Mr*** follows proper procedure and advises me in advance that someone is coming over I can always leave work, avoiding any SCHEDULING CONFLICTS.
In the end the refrigerator is fixed and I am only out $for a service callI feel Mr*** should honor his word and reimburse us for that cost I guess not everyone was brought up with the same valuesA mans word doesn't mean much to some people these dayseven if they are in their 60's and have and extensive management background.
Thank you for your time in the matter As Mr*** requested in his response, please do not edit mine
Regards,
*** ***
To expedite this issue we have issued a refund to her for 100 and 320 to the attorney. I have received a thank you email from her as well.
[redacted]...
[redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
Coastal Brokerage has their stand and I have mine. Apparently personal attacks and dishonesty are acceptable to some businesses these days.
I had to call an attorney (who just so happened to be related to me) because I felt there was no sense of urgency in solving the matter. Yes, Coastal Brokerage can say that the job was completed in a matter of days. There is no denying it. However, in speaking with them and realizing their pure lack of respect for their tenants (not to mention the attitude given over the phone) I had a hard time believing the repairs would be completed in a timely manner. So I did what I had to do to insure the appliances in which the house I am renting were working properly. I had family coming into town that same weekend. Coastal Brokerage and their management were fully aware of that. I feel if I hadn't gotten others involved the situation would have taken much longer.
Did Coastal Brokerage do anything "wrong"? On a contractual basis and according to state law, probably not.
Coastal Brokerage is a poorly run business with dishonest and unprofessional representation. As a member of this community, one who is in the property management business, I will never recommend anyone use their services.
I appreciate the time you all have spent on this. Although I indicated that I was not satisfied with the response I do not want to pursue this matter any further.
Thank you,
Regards,
[redacted]
I am writing today to address the complaint captioned above which was received by you from [redacted] on April 16th. Please understand that I respect...
your agency and the work you do. If it wasn’t for this fact, I wouldn’t even bother to respond to his empty claims. I have attached a copy of Mr. [redacted]’s letter to you. There appears to be two distinct complaint narratives. Note that I marked (with a star *) where the most recent problem starts. However, I will simply start by addressing the first part of his letter –
- Prior to the tenant’s initial visit and subsequent move-in there were other tenants living in the unit. Quite honestly, they “trashed the place” – as verified by the fact that there was over $8000 in repairs. The unit needed re-paint, re-carpet, holes in the walls, broken doors, new washer and dryer, and a myriad of other needed repairs. When [redacted] looked at the unit in early January, he saw a good amount of work that needed to be done. We told him we would make every effort to get all the repairs and updates handled by February 1st, but it may take a bit of extra time for some minor cosmetic issues. He and his roommate were under the gun and needed a place by February 1st – so they were “OK” with the fact that we may need access after that date to finish up a few items. It is often the case, when a new tenant moves in, there are a some items that may need further attention – generally items that it takes living in the unit to discover. I advised they call as those items arise – and they did. In every instance, we responded quickly and professionally – so when he states “it took over 3 days to receive a call back,” that is a BLANTANT LIE. Another issue which could impart delays is the fact that the tenants wanted to be home when my maintenance people were assigned to the task – and that is not necessary. We have keys – and all our vendors are licensed and insured – thus, it is not necessary for the tenant to be at the property at the time of repair. So working around their schedule would probably cause other unnecessary delays, wouldn’t it?
- Part two of the tenant’s narrative is really where the unruliness begins. Yes, we did receive a call (about 1100am on the 16th) that the refrigerator was not working (but the freezer was working) – and we responded as soon as possible and had our man at the site by 300pm. Our man found that the freezer section was frozen up and needed to be defrosted – and the tenant was told to pull the plug on the unit to shut it down. The tenant claims he did that, but honestly, I’m not sure. Generally, after a defrost there is evidence of puddling or other water – but none was detected by our man when he did the final repair. If the defrost did not work, I had total confidence in my man that the solution would come.
Mr. [redacted] did call my assistant ([redacted]) to discuss getting compensated for his “several hundred dollars of food that spoiled” – and yes, we told him that was not going to happen because YES – “these things happen.” Mr. [redacted]’s response to my assistant was, “Well I think both you and [redacted] are [redacted]!!” (Well, that’s real adult, isn’t it??) What I cannot understand is - why doesn’t Mr. [redacted] take responsibility of his life? – does he think he lives at the [redacted]? What if the refrigerator needed to be replaced? Does he think during the busiest week of the year on Hilton Head ([redacted]) that a refrigerator could be replaced within a week, much less days? So how about you take charge, Mr. [redacted]? Take twenty bucks over to Walmart, pick up a cooler and a bag of ice, and get home to pack your valuable food items on ice. Well golly, that make sense, doesn’t it? I guess he has never been in a pressure situation. Or, is he simply another 27 year old from the “entitled generation” that allows him to whine and cry until he gets his way?
The bottom line is that we needed to order a part and the repair was completed on Friday afternoon. It is important to note that we have a fiscal responsibility to the owner. Thus, when we have an issue, we take the most economical approach to get the problem solved – and that includes appliances, air condition systems, or any other non-threatening repair issues. (You certainly wouldn’t replace your car if you had a flat tire, would you?) I would think a refrigerator would not be a major catastrophe and be a potentially life ending crisis for a 27 year old in decent shape – even if his beer did get warm.
This is my response to the tenant’s drivel forwarded to you on the 16th. Nevertheless, there are a couple other items worth noting - -
- On Thursday the 17th, I received a call from [redacted] (an uncle?) – an adult more my own age, stating that was trying to “help [redacted] through this difficult situation.” He tried to put words in my mouth about what I said was the nature of the problem. I told him I was far from an appliance expert and reiterated a number of times that I leave that stuff up to the pros. Still, the next day he called and tried to bully me into saying something about the repair which honestly, I have no idea what needed to done – I hire people (pros) to do that. (I certainly don’t expect my vendors to give my tenants advice on area rent rates.) Again, [redacted] didn’t get his way – so he needed to call in reinforcements.
- My maintenance man ordered a part to be overnight shipped to be in Friday. Both [redacted] and [redacted] advised they would be calling other appliance repair people to see if they could get faster service. I explained that most appliance repair parts are ordered from the same suppliers – and I really doubt if anyone can act faster. Nevertheless, I told them both to go for it. I also explained that if anybody else came up with the same diagnosis, they would be responsible for calling and paying that other vendor. I explained that to [redacted] on the phone while my assistant was in my office – and we both heard him say, “I know [redacted], you already reiterated that to me five times.” So he got the picture, didn’t he? He wanted the other repair company to do the work – and I told him “NO – they are not authorized by us – and we are already on it.” I personally called off the other repair company. I also told that repair company that the tenant is responsible for any cost. They know us well – and understand.
Thank you for reading my lengthy epistle. I wish I had known I was dealing with a recalcitrant child that needs his hand held constantly, instead of an adult 27 year old – but we have a contract, so here we are. We are a professional company in the rental industry for nearly a decade and I am a professional real estate broker licensed for over a quarter century in three different states. Check your records – you will find there are no blemishes in our many years of real estate related issues. Again, I thank you for your continued professionalism and attention to this issue. If you do send this response to Mr. [redacted], I prefer if you do not edit it.
Sincerely, [redacted] T
[redacted]i - BIC
COASTAL BROKERAGE SERVICES
IMC Rentals & Sales LLC
2 Corpus Christi Place, Suite 300
Hilton Head Island SC 29928
Office: ###-###-####
Fax: ###-###-####