This condo is run down!!!
Review Submitted: August 23, 2011
Date of Stay: August 2011
We stayed a month. The place is falling apart. Chairs were broken upon arrival, windows falling out, screens falling off, shelves breaking , the internet worked only a week out of the month, cable is in and out, the pool is dirty and COLD, its 1km to the nearest store, And Most of all the People were UNFRIENDLY in the complex. I would never stay there again and would not recommend anyone to stay there.
My wife put a small bottle of olive oil on a shelf above the stove. The shelf not being properly installed gave way and the bottle landed on and cracked the glass top. We offer to pay half but Chris wanted to us to pay ALL of it. He kept our security deposit and sent a nasty letter. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE TO A FRIEND!!!
Owner's Response: I've never really appreciated the phrase 'No good deed goes unpunished', until now.
I was contacted by a poor couple from Limon who desperately needed a place to stay in Santa Ana. They couldn’t find anything within their budget, so I agreed to rent to them at a substantial discount (incl. the sec. deposit) as they simply didn't have any $.
They arrived 4 days early. I rushed my maid in to prep the condo, paying her extra. Luckily, my previous guests had just left. After a few days, the couple sent me a message thanking me for the generous discount on the rent and sec. deposit, and the early entrance. The message said (quoting), "Great place, jsut what we were hoping for. We were happy to here that we would be able to stay."
Sadly, only a few days later, problems began. My neighbors were the first to complain about fighting and yelling coming from the condo. My property manager (pm) told me the couple had shattered the ceramic cooktop on the stove and damaged some windows. The next day I received a message from the couple (quoting) "We are really sorry about this. Let us now the best way to handel this." So, my pm began searching for a replacement cooktop. Unfortunately these parts in C.R. are not cheap! It turned out to be $400 (used).
I contacted the couple and explained this to them, and asked them to respond how they would like to handle it. Despite repeated attempts to resolve the issue, they refused to discuss it, avoiding my pm and me. Sadly, their disruptive behavior continued, and my pm was contacted by the HOA, forcing her to ask security to visit the couple.
The morning of their departure, the couple sent me a note. They demanded I refund the sec. deposit, threatening to further damage the condo if I did not. I told them that accepting $200 for $500 in damages was beyond fair, especially given the large discount on the rent and extra cost to clean the unit early. I then instructed my pm to escort them from the property. They did break some dishes and a chair prior to her arrival. You can see what happened next (the review posted here), leading to my statement about good deeds.
I spoke to other owners about how to handle untruthful reviews (see my other reviews - all positive), and they suggested publishing this would help future guests understand the challenges faced by rental owners, and the reasons behind sec. deposits as a deterrent to the type of behavior exhibited by this couple. I hope you agree.
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Helpful votes: 4/7
