ComplaintsforLochiel Kiwanis Center

• Initial Complaint

  11/07/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I went on a public site to find a place to book for my wedding reception as my garage flooded. A lady that works at the kiwanis room Sarnia messaged me and continued to push towards us renting, including me compromising on my time. After doing so I received 2 emails. Neither of which had any rental agreement. Shortly before the wedding I received the ******** message attached. No other communication was received.Attached also is the cleaning deposit explanation. My family arrived and nothing was set up even though we asked for a banquet style set up. We had people leave early so we could take everything down and clean everything including the floor. All our garbage was cleaned and the chairs and tables were put away. When asked about my cleaning deposit they sent the attached set of emails. When we arrived there was a 10$ "Slow down" sign in the door that was in perfect shape when we left. No one knows who put it there so we assumed the meeting prior to us put it there. It was taken out and the building was locked when we left. We had people at the door or in the hall monitoring the door all night. They never called and asked me to remove anything from the door. Even though it has nothing at all to do with the cleaning deposit and we were never sent a rental agreement nor will they provide proof of sending it, they are taking our cleaning deposit simply because they were unhappy with an action and decided not to let us know till 2 days later. We would like our cleaning deposit as we went above and beyond to ensure the room was clean and everything was put away.

  Business response

  15/08/2023

  LKCC received your letter today about the complaint for a July 8th rental of our Kiwanis Room. Todays letter is the FIRST time we have seen anything from BBB. Could you please send me a copy of the previous contact information so I can trace where it went astray?
  
  I am attaching a string of emails our admin person received from ******* during conversations about the rental. We asked for a different name to issue a cheque for her refund. Our system could not use her name since she was a customer. I eventually authorized a direct rebate from STRIPE (our online payment method), which I still have to figure out how to deal with from an accounting standpoint. I did this to try and satisfy the customer quickly. I guess that did not work.
  
  Also attached is a copy of the transaction, showing we refunded $112.50 on July 11th, 2023. Has the complainant informed you that she received this refund? LKCC feels justified in making the charge of $37.50, considering the cleaning and safety non-compliance issue. 
  
  The Lochiel Kiwanis **************** reviewed video footage and inspected the room after the event. We determined that cleanup and not seeing someone at the door always were insufficient. I cleaned the room up for the next event in the room myself. I am sorry now that I did not take pictures. I have downloaded the video footage for the door in concern. The renter states that someone else put the object in the door. The video clearly shows someone from her party (they were carrying in food and equipment) setting in place the thing when the two people operating the door left at 17:30. The door was left unattended and open until almost 11 PM when they left. Everyone realizes that this is not the best neighborhood in ******. That is why we have code locks on the door. The doors unattended are a significant security issue for us. Please see the picture below. I have the full video if you want to review it yourself. The deposit paid clearly states that it is for compliance and cleaning.
  
  Regarding Jasmines statements about information not being given, LKCC rents out our Kiwanis Room multiple times per week, with renters receiving emails from our automated system; hence we know that it works and that people get our automated emails. Sometimes they must check their junk mail. LKCC usually will not approve a rental until we have the rental information; however, we messed up on this one and supported the rental without all the data. Once the programmer confirms, I will forward it to you.
  
  Finally, LKCC does not set up the room for any of our renters. We make sure that the equipment is available. The client sets the room up and takes it down, leaving the room as found. 
  
  LKCC is sorry for the misunderstanding; we want people to be happy after dealing with us. 
  
  My direct number is below should you want to discuss this further.
  
  Please confirm receipt of this email.
  
  
  **************** (****) ******
  Executive Director 
  ***************************
  ************ (call or text)
  

  
  

  Customer response

  15/08/2023

   
  Complaint: 20298092
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  We had 3 people NOT including myself clean that room beyond what was required. We cleaned the floors. We put away every single table and chair. And changed the garbages. There was nothing else left to clean up. Every single time a response is made it just claims more things that never happened. This business is trying to cover themselves with things they are making up. I have shown proof of the reason ORIGINALLY given for taking my CLEANING deposit. Feel free to present security cameras showing the room was not cleaned because when we left it was sparkling and all garbage was in the dumpster and dumpster key was returned. 

  Also the excuse for another name has already been sent to the BBB. And the amount refunded. So I'm not sure why adding that a second time is pertinent. 

  You are a business and taking someone's money because something COULD HAVE happened, that never did, that I was never told was not allowed, is theft. 

  Show the BBB the agreement you claimed to have sent where it says you are able to take my money for something you never asked me not to do. Do you often assume your patrons can read your mind? 

  At this point it isn't about the money. It is about the scam you have decided to run as a business model. Contacting people via personal ********* making up rules 3 days later and lying about an agreement you never sent. 

  I am more than happy to bring this forward.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************

  Business response

  23/08/2023

  There is just so much wrong with this rental.
  
  I cleaned up after this wedding before the next rental; hence, I'm afraid I have to disagree that the room was cleaned beyond what was required.
  We would be happy to receive pictures showing that the room was left spotless.
  
  The "CLEANING DEPOSIT" is a catch-all for adherence to rental times and compliance with our rental criteria and proper conduct. Anyone who knows this neighborhood would not leave doors open and expose the party and building to someone simply walking in. Why do we have code locks and supply our renters with the code?
  
  This rental had an LCBO permit for Alcohol. A sign in the room states that Alcohol should not be in the hallways. I have a video of people drinking beer in the hallway. All the licenses we have seen for our Centre have been for the Kiwanis Room ONLY.
  
  LKCC rent out the Kiwanis Room. Every renter uses the room but no other part of the building. The hallways are for ingress and egress and access to the bathrooms. *********************************** party had unsupervised children running and playing in the hallways. Playing in the hallways was more than a one-time incident we have a video showing this unauthorized use. 
  
  The Lochiel Kiwanis Centre is a not-for-profit charitable entity, and as Executive Director, I take the comment about us having a scam as derogatory and inflammatory. I also checked out the statement about contact via FB. ******************** posted on FB about wanting a venue. ***** from LKCC simply made a recommendation to try LKCC and after ******************** told her that she already tried to book t
  
  ******************** is right "It is not about the money." $37.50 is hardly a scam! 
  Should ******************** want to specify a charity to donate the $37.50 in her name? We would be willing to go down that road. She would get a tax receipt as proof of the donation.
  
  **************** (****) ******
  Executive Director 
  ***************************
  

  
  

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