| Vacation Rental Complaints [Tag : Fraud] |
| 1. |
CRAIG SIEGEL - Misrepresentation and Fraud
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My wife and I arrived on December 28, 2010 for a three month stay. We immediately determined that the supposedly solar heated pool was stone cold. The owner said it was all due to the very cold weather. We paid him for the rental. On the first warm and sunny day, the pool was still stone cold. I then discovered that the solar panel system was in "bypass". I turned the system to "active" and immediately discovered multiple geysers on the roof. I have since spoken with a neighbor who attested to the fact that the pool heating system was defective long before our arrival. This "upscale" vacation rental is equipped with (1) ripped screens on most windows and on the pool cage, (2) hinges falling out of doors, (3) soiled and badly torn upholstered furniture and (4) a kitchen equipped with dishes and utensils more suitable for a Boy Scout outing. Some of the tears in the pool cage are large enough for our Labradoodle to walk through. None of the doors or windows can be opened because of these defective screens.
Despite the owner's statement in his listing that the rent includes cleaning and pool maintenance, the owner has just informed me that I am responsible for the cleaning and pool maintenance DURING our stay. The owner claims that the beach is just a walk away - make that 2.1 miles away in each direction.
On the positive side, the owner did not insist on a security deposit. Now we understand why. It would be extremely difficult to add to the damage in this house and have it be noticeable. The absence of a pet cleaning surcharge should have been a dead giveaway as to the underlying condition of this property.
BE WARNED: My wife and I have discovered other vacation rentals in the Sarasota, Florida area being offered by this owner. Unfortunately, we have also just discovered highly negative reviews of his properties by previous vacation renters. Please go to vrwd.org. The owner has now changed the spelling of his surname in order to create confusion. Before sending the owner of a vacation rental any money, it has become obvious that checking references extensively is a necessary step.
P.S. I forgot to also mention further significant safety issues with this vacation rental. They are all basic construction code violations. However, because this is a detached single family home, no government agencies in Florida (County of Sarasota and the State of Florida) are interested in helping to resolve the following safety issues. In many other places, the county, city or state would intervene and possibly prevent occupancy until the safety issues were corrected.
The safety issues:
1) No smoke detectors;
2) No Fire Extinguishers;
3) Improper electrical outlets near sinks (not GFI);
4) No telephone in the house for emergencies;
5) Plumbing fixtures reversed.
Date Added: Jan 6, 2011
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| 2. |
Unauthorized Credit Card charge
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Connections Mgmt Group made unauthorized charge of $582 to my credit card for rental apartment at 10 Colebrook Ct., London, Eng. We demand full refund On or about January 4, 2011, Connections Management Group made an unauthorized charge to my credit card in the amount of $582.00. The charge was for a rental apartment located at 10 Colebrook Court, London, England. We have no agreement, written or verbal, with Connections authorizing them to charge us for this apartment. We have contacted Thomas Moore, a representative of Connections, by phone and email asking him to immediately refund our credit card for the full amount of $582.00. We have filed a complaint with the Utah Dept. of Commerce, Division of Consumer Protection against Connections and Thomas Moore seeking resolution to our claim.
TMoore@ConnectionsMG.com
Date Added: Jan 10, 2011
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