Lava Rock Realty

After renting a single family home in Waikoloa Village from Lava Rock Realty in Kamuela on the Big Island of Hawaii for 6 years, we were told that we would no longer be able to sign another 6 month lease agreement, and given 6 weeks to move out. When asked the reason why we couldn't continue with our long term lease, the property manager said " it's none of your business". When I demanded an answer because we had been on time paying our rent, she said the landlord wants to make some improvements on this property.
We needed to find another place to rent, and searched diligently for over two weeks with no success. The availability of single family 2-3 bedrooms that allow pets wasn't to be found. We were forced to commit to leaving the island and go back to the mainland.
After dealing with all the moving expenses and shipping two vehicles, we secured a shipping container and began packing. We devoted all our time to getting our belongings and vehicles secured and shipped. We took the last week and devoted day and nights cleaning the property using the supplied cleaning guide supplied by the property manager. All required areas were addressed thoroughly. This includes replacement of all smoke alarm batteries which I had to use my 8 foot ladder to reach most of them. Removing the refrigerator, stove, washer and dryer to clean and mop under them and behind them. The list is very extensive, even filling in any holes with spackle where pictures were placed. On the last two days and nights, we vacuumed the whole house, bought grout and tile cleaner and processed all the tile and grout.. Then moped all floors, and polished the wood laminate floors in the bedrooms.
We had informed the property manager days ahead of time about our date and time of departure from the house on the 31st. at 6:00 PM, at which time we had to leave for the airport to fly to the mainland. She never showed up to inspect the property. We left the keys and garage door openers on the kitchen counter as instructed.
Since we were caught off guard about not being able to continue our long term lease any longer, I had to quickly remove all my 401K funds to the tune of $12,500 to make the mainland move. It took all of it to make it happen. We were counting on getting our $1,600 security deposit returned to us, and never had any doubt that the home wouldn't pass an inspection.
But two weeks later, we get a check for $612, along with an invoice showing a $988 charge from a mom and pop home cleaning business for "Cleaning the Whole House". Everything listed was already done. The only thing listed that wasn't addressed by us was cleaning some geko poop off the garage walls. Geko poop stains the white painted walls, and nothing can remove the stains but a fresh coat of white paint.
My wife and I are 70 years old, have owned may homes, and know how to clean a home properly. We put in extra effort to make sure that the likely hood of getting most if not all our security deposit returned to us. But since we had to leave without an inspection done, we became victims, and taken advantage of.
The day after we left, we got a call from one of our good neighbors that a women showed up looking over the property. When questioned about why she was wondering around the property, she said that she knew she was renting the house three months ago, and they were going to paint the house and do some improvements before she moves in. Also, we were paying $1,927.09 rent per month, and she told our neighbor she was going to pay $3,000 per month!
After living in Hawaii for 6 years in Waikoloa, we had been told that Lava Rock Realty goes out of their way to keep as much deposit money as possible, and it appears they aren't just rumors. We were scammed out of most of our security deposit with nothing but our word that the property was cleaned properly. Being a tenant in Hawaii, where there isn't a cap limit on rent increases makes everyone a victim. Add unscrupulous management companies to the list, and your screwed. Renters be ware.