McGrath Real Estate Services, Inc.

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the responseIf no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
Complaint: ***
I am rejecting this response because:As I noted, the web site clearly offered a "rebate" for the cost of the paying by credit card on the date that I paidI would not have paid by credit card if this rebate (and a zero balance had not been offered/visible on the site during the transactionI would have instead called into the office or delayed my payment as they suggested. McGrath and the online company dispute that this was offeredAnd I have no proof; because why would I take a screen shot of a transaction that seemed so simple(Why I would go to so much trouble to get a refund if it wasn't posted/promised, is beyond me.) I won't close this complaint, until the $fee charged is refunded
Regards,
*** ***

Thank you for notifying McGrath Real Estate about the complaint ID ***We appreciate the opportunity to respond and share our experience on the matter and it's resolutionOur Accounting Department refunded Mr*** $2,of his security deposit on July 7, The breakdown is
as follows:CreditsSecurity Deposit $2,ChargesReplacement due to pet odor $
20% Admin fee $60.00 Total Charges $ Amount Refunded $2,Within days of the walk through, it was abundantly clear that the pet odor was presentWe do not know if the carpet cleaning activated the pet odor smell in the carpetThe money that was charged to Mr*** was sent to the owner, who had to pay for the carpet replacementAs a courtesy to Mr***, McGrath Real Estate will send a refund in the amount of $for the administrative feeRespectfully,
Jim M***Principal Broker

Security deposit disbursements are inherently a very difficult part of any rental transactionThe owner of the property ultimately gets the final decision on what gets charged to a tenant’s security deposit after reviewing the recommendations of the McGrath Real Estate inspectorIn regards to the
water bill being paid twice, that was confirmed to be accurate and a refund was submitted to the tenantIn regards to the other items, those were ultimately chosen as charges by the owner of the propertyPer the lease, McGrath Real Estate is allowed to charge a 20% fee for coordination of repairs due to security deposit issuesWe refunded that charge to *** *** as a gesture of good faith that we did not want him to have a negative experience but some aspects of the deposit were out of our hands by what the owner chose to chargeIn regards to the experience at the move out with the inspector, what is described would not be considered acceptable behavior and the inspector that conducted this inspection was terminated back in September I cannot confirm or deny that he conducted himself that way, but after several complaints from other tenants, he was let go from the company

McGrath Real Estate was the authorized property agent for a rental unit I was going to rent We had a lease agreement with an added addendum that numerous things in the unit would be repaired/fix/corrected prior to the move in date On the move in date we did a walk through inspection and I had a VA licensed contractor/inspector with me during this walk through Over half of the Addendum items were NOT fixed/repaired and there were NUMEROUS VA building code violations in the unit that my inspector pointed out WE documented all of this along with the McGrath inspector I informed McGrath I would not be executing the lease due to the addendum items not being fixed and building code violations, I did not take possession of the rental unit and stopped payment on the monies days later they processed an $charge to my bank account and will not give it back They have re-listed the property and are trying to claim that their were damages to the owner of the property because I did not take possession of the unit There is not lease agreement I never even took the keys to the property nor anything with the unit other then the walk throughThey are still refusing to return my money and the bank fees they caused to my account by taking the money when they were unauthorized to do so It's been weeks and McGrath still refuses to return my moneyDO NOT USE THIS REAL ESTATE COMPANY OR DO BUSINESS WITH THEM

During the original lease advertising the listing did state the property would be freshly painted and new carpets installedThis was the plan and the property was professionally painted prior to this Tenant moving inThe carpets however were not replacedThis was because the applicant (now
tenant) had applied for a short term lease with two dogsDuring our negotiation of terms, the owner agreed to accept a short term lease (which he had previously not wished to do) ONLY if the carpets were not replaced, which these tenants agreed to and proceeded with. Current advertising materials did state incorrectly the property would be painted, that was pulled from the previous listing and did not update and we have fixed that oversightThe carpets were also being advertised as being replaced, the owner intends to replace the carpets unless there is a similar situation as to last year but we have removed that as well in response to this complaintThe tenant signed a lease (attached) which specifically states they are responsible to have the carpets professionally cleaned upon vacating the propertyWhat the owner/landlord decides to do with them after does not have any affect on the clause requiring the cleaningThe tenant did ask this to be waived, which we approached the owner about but he confirmed that he wanted us to enforce that clauseI appreciate that is not the outcome the tenant would have liked, but we are contractually obligated to uphold the wishes of the Landlord and enforce the lease as written

On June 1st, 2016, the third party rental payment software that McGrath Real Estate uses, called ***, had issues with their e-check function and reported it to be “down” for several hours on that dayWhen *** *** went to pay her rent, she was unable to use the e-check functionShe
instead used their option to pay with a credit card which states on the site that it charges a “convenience fee” to use a credit cardIt is important to note that McGrath Real Estate Services has no control over this convenience feeOur lease also stipulates that although rent is due on the 1st, there is a grace period through the fifth of the monthThe e-check was fixed by the end of the day on the 1stSeveral other tenants called in regarding the issue and were advised to pay on the 2nd or to send a physical check to avoid convenience fee*** *** did not call in to report her issue at the time. *** *** claimed that when she made the payment, that the site said it offered her a “rebate” in the same amount of the convenience feeWe instructed her to reach out to *** regarding this*** ultimately said they would only deal with McGrath Real Estate regarding questions so we reached out to them on *** ***’s behalf asking about this “rebate” that she said was offeredThey confirmed that there had been no offer of a rebate and that the site had never suggested a refund would be madeShe claimed that they must have changed their website and that McGrath must make this rightAs we told her again, this was never something we could control, the fee for credit cards was displayed (which she did not contest), and that we did not collect the fee so we could not offer her a refundShe informed us that she would report us to the Revdex.com if we did not give her the money backWe again informed her that we cannot refund something that we did not collect

Dear [redacted]:Thank you notifying McGrath Real Estate about the complaint ID [redacted].  We appreciate the opportunity to respond and share our experience on the matter.Our Accounting Department deducted $475.00 from the tenants security deposit in order to cover the cost of replacing the...

necessary carpet within the property.  The invoice for this work fro [redacted] Floors Inc.I is attached.In addition, our Inspections Department confirmed there was no evidence of trash remaining from the tenant listed on the move out report. Our staff would have made arrangements to remove the lock box with notification from the owner.Respectfully,Susan M[redacted]MCGRATH REAL ESTATE

McGrath Real Estate did return a portion of this tenant’s security deposit but did charge them for four items; the cleaning of the carpets which is an explicit requirement of the lease, a full interior cleaning of the rest of the property which was left in dirty condition and trash was left that had...

to be removed, and replacing of the blinds that had been broken by the tenant. The tenant was provided the full move out report and the invoices for these items on August 12th, 2016. This was approximately 45 days after their move out (our lease stipulates we have up to 60 days to provide the security deposit disbursement). I cannot attest to the phone calls being returned or not, I do not have those records, but I do see this information was provided through email.

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]
 Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
We were never notified of the pet odor until 6 weeks later. We had no chance to defend ourselves or verify it. We were also promised a full refund IN WRITING from the person who did the walkthrough. We requested a copy of the invoice for the carpet replacement that we never received. We asked about the age of the carpet because of the poor condition of it on move in and we never received a response. We were never offered a proration on the carpet due to age and condition of it at move in. They gave us zero documentation other than this phantom $300 charge. We don't even have proof the home owner didn't just pocket the money. 
Regards,
[redacted]

Thank you for notifying McGrath Real Estate about the complaint ID [redacted]. We appreciate the opportunity to respond and share our experience on the matter and it's resolution.Our Accounting Department refunded Mr. [redacted] $2,490.00 of his security deposit on July 7, 2015. The breakdown is as...

follows:CreditsSecurity Deposit                             $2,850.00ChargesReplacement due to pet odor        $300.00 20% Admin fee                               $60.00                   Total Charges             $360.00                   Amount Refunded     $2,490.00Within 2 days of the walk through, it was abundantly clear that the pet odor was present. We do not know if the carpet cleaning activated the pet odor smell in the carpet. The money that was charged to Mr. [redacted] was sent to the owner, who had to pay for the carpet replacement. As a courtesy to Mr. [redacted], McGrath Real Estate will send a refund in the amount of $60.00 for the administrative fee.Respectfully,Jim M[redacted]Principal Broker

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]
 Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
We were never notified of the pet odor until 6 weeks later. We had no chance to defend ourselves or verify it. We were also promised a full refund IN WRITING from the person who did the walkthrough. We requested a copy of the invoice for the carpet replacement that we never received. We asked about the age of the carpet because of the poor condition of it on move in and we never received a response. We were never offered a proration on the carpet due to age and condition of it at move in. 
They gave us zero documentation other than this phantom $300 charge. We don't even have proof the home owner didn't just pocket the money. 
Regards,
[redacted]

Revdex.com Complaint Closed ID# [redacted]Inboxx Sue M[redacted] <[redacted]@mcgrathrealestate.com>AttachmentsFeb 27 (13 days ago)to me, [redacted],I received a letter today dated Wednesday, February 25, from you regarding this complaint and...

asking for a response.  Per my previous email and information forwarded to me from the complainant below, it looks as though the case was resolved.  Please advise if you require anything further.  Thank you.Respectfully,Sue M[redacted]Please take a moment to review Mcgrath Real Estate Services.  We appreciate your positive feedback!McGrath Real Estate Google ReviewsMcGrath Real Estate Services, Inc.[redacted]Herndon, Va. [redacted]Direct ###-###-####Cell ###-###-####Fax ###-###-####[redacted]@mcgrathrealestate.com From: [redacted] [mailto:[redacted]] Sent: Friday, February 27, 2015 11:16 AMTo: Sue M[redacted]Subject: Revdex.com Complaint Closed Couldn’t locate the email regarding this, but the case is definitely closed.  See below.

See Attachment
Sue M[redacted] <[redacted]>Attachments Apr 9 (7 days ago)to me Good afternoon Ms. [redacted], Thank you for your voice mail this morning.  Attached, please find a response to the above claim.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  Again, I appreciate your patience with this matter. Respectfully, Sue M[redacted]Realtor & Property Management Consultant Please take a moment to review McGrath Real Estate Services.  We appreciate your positive feedback!McGrath Real Estate [redacted] McGrath Real Estate Services, Inc.[redacted]Herndon, Va. 20170Direct ###-###-####Cell ###-###-####Fax ###-###-####[redacted]
 
This letter is in response to the ID [redacted] submitted by [redacted] regarding the Residential Deed of Lease dated the 18th day of September 2013 and the Addendum to Lease dated October 29, 2014 for the Early Lease Termination Agreement, between [redacted] A. [redacted] (“Tenant”), and Ida Anderson (“Landlord”) for the premises located at [redacted] Ashburn, Va. 20147.
This property is a unit in Ashburn Farm and is managed by Ashburn Farm & Sander's Mill Community 21400 Windmill Drive, Ashburn VA 2014.7. ###-###-####; www.ashburnfarmassociation.org;
Pursuant to the Addendum to Lease Mr. [redacted] requested an early release from the Deed of Lease and agreed to remain responsible for all terms and conditions of the Deed of Lease, including the complete upkeep of the property, payment of rent and utilities through April 30th, 2015, or until the date the property is re-rented, whichever occurs first. McGrath Real Estate Services began marketing the Premises on October 28, 2014 and entered the home into the local Multiple Listing Service. The Fall and Winter months are historically the worst months to market a rental property in Northern Virginia.
As Mr. [redacted] moved out of the property in November 2014. McGrath Real Estate Services continued to market the home for rent. Unfortunately in February due to extreme weather conditions, a frozen pipe burst in the Condominium and damages occurred. On February 18, 2015 our Leasing office was forced to place the rental listing from Active Status, to “Temporarily off the market” status due to the extensive repairs in progress. On March 6, 2015 we pulled the listing from MLS due to the inability to show the unit while the repairs are in progress, and once the repairs are completed we will resume the listing in MLS. It is our understanding that the Condominium Association and their Master Insurance Company are directing the repairs to the premises and McGrath Real Estate Services was directed by our Landlord allow the Condominium Association make the repairs. Had Mr. [redacted] resided in the property through his lease term, it is possible that the extent of damages may have been prevented.While McGrath Real Estate Services is sympathetic to Mr. [redacted]'s concerns we have been and continue to act at the direction of the Landlord and the Condominium Association's repair schedule. If Mr. [redacted] has any other questions or concerns he should direct them to the Condominium Association Management office.
Jim M[redacted]Principal BrokerMcGrath Real Estate Services, Inc.

I am disappointed with McGrath Real Estate Services. They did not have our best interest in mind as one that we entrusted to manage our property for 16 months.

Dear [redacted]:
Thank you notifying McGrath Real Estate about the complaint ID [redacted].  We appreciate the opportunity to respond and share our experience on the matter.
Our Accounting Department deducted $475.00 from the tenants security deposit...

in order to cover the cost of replacing the necessary carpet within the property.  The invoice for this work fro [redacted] Floors Inc.I is attached.
In addition, our Inspections Department confirmed there was no evidence of trash remaining from the tenant listed on the move out report. Our staff would have made arrangements to remove the lock box with notification from the owner.
Respectfully,
Susan M[redacted]
MCGRATH REAL ESTATE

See Attachment
Status of response to Clam #[redacted]Inboxx Sue M[redacted] <SM[redacted]@mcgrathrealestate.com>1:40 PM (21 hours ago)to me Good afternoon Ms. [redacted], As a follow up to my voice mail message I wanted to let you know that...

I am still  busy working on a response to this claim. After having a conversation with our owner at McGrath Real Estate, we need to consult with our attorney before I can submit response to you.  I appreciate your patience with this matter and will get you a formal response ASAP.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  Respectfully, Sue M[redacted]Realtor & Property Management Consultant Please take a moment to review Mcgrath Real Estate Services.  We appreciate your positive feedback!McGrath Real Estate Google Reviews McGrath Real Estate Services, Inc.[redacted]Herndon, Va. 20170Direct ###-###-####Cell ###-###-####Fax ###-###-####[redacted]

Thank you for notifying McGrath Real Estate about the complaint submitted on 12/17/2014, ID [redacted]. We appreciate the opportunity to respond and share our experience on the matter and it's resolution.Tommy Chambers, Property Management Consultant for McGrath Real Estate had a follow-up...

discussion with [redacted] on all of his complaints. Together they agreed on a reimbursement to Mr. [redacted] via check in the amount of $198.40. This amount reflects the final charged pro-rata property management fees ($63.40) and also a $135.00 invoice that Mr. [redacted] disputed despite services provided by the contractor.The final outstanding charge with [redacted] Heating and Cooling ($129) presented the follo[redacted] situation. The tenant reported what they thought was an issue with the HVAC unit; it sounded as if there was potential for leaking to the unit(s) below and McGrath Real Estate reacted as a property management firm should by sending out a vendor to assess the issue. We acted to protect the property from potential damage based upon the tenants description of the problem. Apparently, this issue was addressed by the condo association building manager, and the tenant never cancelled the appointment with the HVAC company that we had called. McGrath Real Estate merely tried to respond to a potential issue identified by the tenant that no longer was an issue. Separately, we do normally charge the tenant for unnecessary service calls. In this case we tried to charge the tenant and the tenant indicated they reported a possible maintenance issue to McGrath Real Estate, and then McGrath Real Estate made the decision to suggest a service call. One of the reasons to hire a property manager is to respond to repair/maintenance related issues. Mr. [redacted] agreed to be responsible for half of the invoice if the tenant wouldn't pay it, and we took care of the other half of the HVAC invoice.
We, at McGrath Real Estate, believe the following: 1) The tenant should feel comfortable immediately reporting maintenance issues that might lead to larger, more expensive issues as requested in the Lease.2) The property manager should respond to issues relayed by tenants in a timely fashion, in order to protect the property and safety of the tenant.3) A professional contractor should review the issue identified in a cost effective and efficient manner.Regarding the Tenant dispute over the condo-association move-in fee: 1) As discussed with Mr. [redacted], the Lease Agreement requires the tenant to pay any move-in/move-out fees and requires them to follow all regulations and bylaws of the condo association (including Scheduling move-in/reserving the elevator, etc). The condo association (not related to McGrath Real Estate) is just now asserting that this fee wasn't paid. Normally the tenant can't schedule and/or reserve the elevator without paying the deposit to the association and it would be caught long before tenant use.2) The listing: We reviewed the previous listing, and the listing did clearly note that outside of the rent amount and a security deposit, the tenant was responsible for a $200 move-in fee and a $100 elevator reservation fee ($300) payable to the condo association (not to McGrath Real Estate).3) Further than the listing disclosing the condo move-in fee and the Lease stating they are responsible for such fees, we have an email from a McGrath Real Estate representative coordinating tenant-move-in clearly emphasizing the tenant's responsibility to schedule their move-in with the condo association and pay any fees accompanying the condo association requirements.We do regret that we may have failed to serve Mr. [redacted] in the past. Minor errors, even when corrected, are not excusable at McGrath Real Estate. We recognize how negative they may have seemed to Mr. [redacted] in this case. However, we believe we responded appropriately to Mr. [redacted]'s inquiries and agreed to reimburse him accordingly. This was based on good will that we would offer any client who brings forth legitimate concerns and communicates with us towards resolving them.Respectfully,Jim M[redacted] Principal Broker

I am disappointed with McGrath Real Estate Services. They did not have our best interest in mind as one that we entrusted to manage our property for 16 months.