| Vacation Rental Complaints [Tag : Misrepresentation] |
| 2. |
Beware of VRBO 110390 and it's "new" features!
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We rented from Jan 20-26, 2010, and we feel their property description is misleading regarding several features. First, the master bedroom w/king does not have an energy efficient window and needs a bigger heater vent because the room temp remained slightly chilly even with thermostat set at 78! Also, since we had to keep the temperature set higher, the rest of the house would get uncomfortably warm. My father was in the other master bedroom and had to close his vent because it would get too hot in there. There was a broken closet knob, missing handle on one of the dresser drawers, one of the toilet handles broke (which we fixed ourselves rather than having to wait for someone to come out), lots of scrapes & scratches on the walls in the dining area, bedroom, bathroom, as well as doors, railings, and wood floors (which leads me to believe the remodel was done quite some time ago, or one of the previous tenants really banged up the place and the owners have not bothered to fix it yet). Technically it’s 1.5 bathrooms, since one has a shower only, which really needs an adjustable showerhead (otherwise the water goes right over your head unless you’re over 6 feet tall!). The owners should purchase new pots and pans for the kitchen, as the teflon is all scratched up and flaking off. We didn’t want to use them, but didn’t have a choice. Also, note that the rooms with triple bunk beds are VERY small – only big enough to fit the beds, a dresser, and a closet. Lastly, the cabin was not cleaned before our arrival, which meant having to wash sheets/blankets/towels and clean up the kitchen/bathrooms so we could use them during our first night. The owner refunded our $150 cleaning fee, but pointed out that since we received a discounted rate of $250/night (our original agreement, not because the cabin was dirty), he couldn't take off any more than that. In my opinion, that's not an adequate reason because basically he’s saying that since we paid less than the regular rate, it’s all right to get a less than satisfactory property! We felt we should have gotten back a little more money for the inconvenience of having to clean it ourselves plus wait while it was cleaned the following day (thus cutting into our skiing/boarding time), as well as the needed repairs/improvements listed above. After driving through a snowstorm to get to the place, the last thing we wanted to do was clean! The owner did offer a free night on our next stay of 4 or more nights, but why on earth would we want to stay there again after our experience? Especially receiving his response to my complaints: “Thanks for your detailed summary of things we need attention” and “sorry the place wasn't ready when you arrived.” No apology or concern that his place is no longer in the “pristine” condition described in his listing. This place is definitely NOT worth the regular rate of $300/night -- you can find much nicer places in that area for the same price. We ended up renting this place because we thought we were getting such a great deal. Boy, we were wrong!
Date Added: Feb 13, 2010
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| 3. |
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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