ComplaintsforNorthstar Consulting Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  05/01/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Northstart manage my property *** ***** ** ***** **** ****** ** *** ***. They recently called services without inform me and my approval Nov 17 2023: inv ****: $164.36 (locksmith) Nov 17 2023: INv **** : $56.49 (Keys cut, ..... which already have 2 sets) Nov 29 2023: Inv ****: $1024.86: They emailed me :Hello from snowy Sault Ste. Marie. I wanted to inform you that the tenants of *** ***** called to inform us that there is 5-7 inches of water in the basement. I asked if they can hear the pump turn on and they said no. So it may be a pump issue – but I can not be sure until a plumber goes to the site. I will let you know the result as soon as I can. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out. Thank you " I reply right away saying that insurance cover for this kind of issue. But she didn't reply to me or let me know what was going on then next they they sent me inv over 1K. In the past, I never say no or didn't pay any services they asked for even some services without my approval. I keep telling them to send picts before and after job done but they didnt do for me. They keep ignoring my email, they don't mind to ask or inform me the services needed.... I need to stop them to do that to me so I disputed to pay all 3 invoices as they done all services without inform me and my approval. They didn't deposit full amount of rent of Jan 2024 ). It should be 1500.84 but they only deposited 311.62.

  Business response

  08/01/2024

  Tell us wWe were hired by ** ** **** *** to manage the day to day operations and concerns of the property of *** *****. We perform services related to but not limited to Tenant acquisition, day to day tenant questions and concerns, maintenance and emergencies.
  Although we represent the owner and follow their directions, we also are mandated by law to take care of the all-tenant health and safety concerns quickly. Thus, this expense is the owners responsibility and is outlined in the management agreement. This in turn means that not all expenses need approval from the owner as are mandated by law and any or all emails and communications to the owner regarding such items are a courtesy.
  To respond quickly to emergencies, we most often are required to contact a third party vendor to solve the problem. We are not obligated to dispatch a secondary team to attend at the same time as the third party to take pictures or build a report. This is not effective use of our resources and will cost expediently more money at the expense of the owner.  
  Many of the expenses being disputed in this complaint are direct health and safety concerns that are mandated by law.
  
  Property information: the tenants are paying an above healthy rent of  1650.00 plus utilities in rent to the owner. That is a total cost of approximately with utilities of1950.00 or more for a two bedroom home.
  Tenants moved in Sept 5, 2023 –tenants over paid 220.oo in rent to the owner.  
  Invoice **** Oct 8, 2023, an invoice was issued for services received on Sept 26, 2023 for a lock failure and the tenants not being able to gain entry into their home 21 days after they moved in. Tenants can not be left in the rain outside of their home. We tried alternative methods to gain entry without causing damage with no success. Expense to owner $164 36
  Invoice **** Oct 18, 2023, an invoice was issued for services received from Northstar to make keys for the tenants, to perform the screening services to find qualified tenants, paperwork disbursements and signing of the lease (run through of the lease with the tenants so are well educated and understand their obligations to pay rent, what they must take care of in the home as part of their responsibilities of renters and what the owner is mandated to repair, as well as other obligations – answering and directing tenants as they just move into their home and there are usually a lot of issue to take care of or walk them through. In the complaint the owner questioned the key making  - stating there are two sets of keys in existence. It is mandiatory that one set has to stay at Northstar so we can gain access to the unit for emergencies  and in if the previous tenants do not return the old keys or damage them in any way or if they simply do not work - we must make new keys  - this is not an option – the new tenants need access. 4 people moved into a two bedroom home – each tenant has the right to access. Tenants have the right to ask for locks changed also to ensure a previous tenant does not still have access for security purposes. In this situation, we didn’t change the locks but we make new key copies. A new tenant can not be expected to make their own keys to gain entry. The services we provide are approximately 10-15 hours on average of our time to qualify tenants, fulfill all lease obligations and provide keys and ensure the tenants are adapted to their home. Expense to owner $56.49.
  Owners Management agreement states Section 3.2 c NCI’s sole discretion, purchase all necessary supplies, contract for and coordinate all services and contracts relating to the repair and maintenance of the Subject Property; hire, discharge, supervise and pay all contractors and employees performing work or services.
  Invoice #**** Oct 30, 2023 an issued for services received Sept 18, 2023 for a basement full of sewage. The invoice is for the following services - Customers basement is full of sewage. Used the large hydro scrubber through three inch cleanout in southwest corner of basement above water. Blockage cleared at approx. 30ft from cleanout. Ran the jetter out 100 ft to the city main to make sure there were no further blockages and clean the pipe. Inspect the sewer with camera to check condition of the sewer. existing sewer is clay tile. Found two spots with signs of root intrusions. Believe that roots may have caused the blockage. Flushed toilet several times and ran water through garden hose to check for proper operation. Advise tenant to not flush thick toilet paper, or female hygiene products or cleaning wipes. Sewage is a non disputable service. Law dictates our obligations here. We can not leave the tenants swimming in sewage in their house. Expense to owner $1024.86
  I am sorry that the expected follow-up and photographs were not received. We manage 350-400 unit doors, in this emergency the item was contracted out. If the contractor does not fulfill the request to take the picture or call us with follow up there is nothing we can do. We put in the request. The third party contractor’s priority on site is to handle the emergency for the sake of the building and tenants. If no follow up was provided to us, our hands are tied. We can not relay what we do not have.  
  More importantly the owners management agreement between the owner and NCI states the following  Section 3.12 e states in part – expect where the NCI considers the circumstances surrounding the request for the repairs or services to be an emergency or in breach of either the Ontario Residential Tenancies Act or Commercial Tenancies Act
  Although we make all efforts to provide a quality service to the tenants on behalf of the owners, we also protect the owners from the Public Health Authority, City Compliance Obligations and the Landlord Tenant board, by responding quickly to all emergencies. The company acted in good faith on behalf of the owner. Emails and any form communication are only courtesy, it comes to emergencies. It can not be more clear-  we are mandated by law to ensure that certain conditions are met for the tenants – this includes, any flooding and sewage backing up to the premises and defective locks. We welcome those owners who would like more communication, to reach out to their property manager or our general manager for more information at any time.
   In addition, Owners not paying specific invoices could be considered a negligible response in the desire to care for a tenants well being as outlined by law. Owners not paying bills in a timely manner negatively impacts our ability to maintain our longstanding relationships with vendors  that we have developed to provide services and emergency services at a reasonable rate for the benefit of our owners and is compromising our ability to provide our services. hy here...

  Customer response

  08/01/2024

  
  Complaint: 21104991
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ** ** **** ***

   

  I disputed all 3 invoices as they didn't inform me the services and my approval. They made copy of keys which they already had them as we had previous tenant. They moved out. Why they need to make copy of keys. I told them that I only pay for services with my approval. They sent me with a very long message and email but they dont mind to send me a text to inform services. Also they ignore my email as I inform that my insurance cover that issue but no one reply. Only sent me the invoice. Even they need services in ugent they need to let me know and my approval. I need to stop them. I aske them that to send me pict before and after services but never do for me. They need to responsible for what they did to me. In the past, I kept pay to them bu tthis time as they ignore my email for the last service. They just need 1 min to let me know the services needed but they didn't do it. For example, the tenant locked out. Why they just need to called for service but didnt let me know. Will I rejected for this kind of service? I also confirmed the tenant but no one reply. As I want to know why did happen.   They told me that it is by law... I never reject any services when they inform me. Also I Then they spent time to email and texted me with a very long email and message. I dont accept it

  Business response

  15/01/2024

  At Northstar we are fluid organization always in the flux of change, trying to meet the modern demands of the tenants and the needs of the owner all while satisfying the requirements of the law. It saddens us to hear that an owner is upset with something we have done. We are a full-service management company that places tenants, manage repairs and renovation services as well as representing the owners to the tenant and to the Landlord Tenant Board, in excess of 400 units and nearly over 1000 tenants. We rarely get complaints from owners, and we never get complaints to handling emergencies. Communication or not, the law is clear, and we must follow it above all of us we must remedy the emergency on behalf of the owner.
  To be able to operate our services on behalf of the owner we need to follow law first and foremost and unfortunately that does come at an expense to the owner. Our hands are tied at that point. The law dictates that we can not leave tenants without access, with standing water or sewage. We need to be able to do our jobs while upholding the law.
  Having said that. It deeply saddens us that we have done something that upsets our client. That is not something that we want. We want to make very clear; all of our clients are important to us. It is also important to note – our staff works very hard to meet the growing demands of law, tenant and owner, but they are human, and they do make mistakes. Although we can not change the past, we must move forward.
  The owner has expressed an interest to claim the water and sewar bills through insurance. ** ** **** *** can still put a claim through insurance. That is her choice. However, we do expect the owner to pay all the invoices for their property including the invoices for the failed lock, the back up of sewage and the standing water. As a company we promise to improve.  The staff member who is responsible for moving forward without following the requests of the owner will be reprimanded. We pledge that we will adapt a policy across the board to increase all communications not only with ** ** **** *** but with all our owners. We also will ensure that owners also know who to contact if they have not received follow up. Currently we have no methods to have our in-house tradesmen to provide photographs through to staff to communicate with owners. But we can investigate adapting new methods to easily take pictures to keep on file or possibly increase our ability to share pictures with owners. However, we still will not have control over outside contractors. We are willing though to offer that service to our owners at an additional fee for deploying a team member to take pictures (this service will only be offered during business hours) and only at the owner’s request as it will be subjected to additional service charges.

  Customer response

  17/01/2024

  
  Complaint: 21104991
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ** ** **** ***

   

  They didn't get my points. I don't pay any invoices without inform me the services needed and my approval. It is time for me to stop them to do this to me and know I am the owner of the house, they need my approvals for all services beside the law. I told them that the insurance cover the issue but they didnt reply to me. They just sent invoice after that right away. Also they should let me know the quote before to do the services for big job. They can discuss with me with any explanation that they sent to me and summited to you. They can not just done whatever and ask me to pay. Instead of sending very long email/messages they just need  a min to let me know the services needed and my approval. Also I need to know what I paid for. They never send picts before and after of jb done even big job.

  Those 3 invoices are without inform me and without my approval, they need to pay back to me. Other than that, I still want to have business with them.

  Thanks

  Business response

  26/01/2024

  We hear what you are saying but you are not accepting the facts. We had emergencies we had no choice to respond to. Emergency services brings unexpected costs to the owner, no one likes it but there is no changing that. Those costs unfortunately are the responsibility of the owner of the building. The law dictates, we have a responsibility to take care of the tenants, without question. Unfortunately, it also caused a situation that we could not grant the owners wishes. Emergencies often dictate the way in which services are executed, and we have no control of that. We understand that you wanted pictures, but we were not onsite to get them, and the third-party contractor did not take any. Contractors are there to simply fix the problem as quickly as they can. We can not change this fact, nor turn back time. Owners who are reluctant to pay their bills and argue an invoices necessity becomes a risk to our business and can cause problems to our business quickly. We have worked very hard to establish our relationships with vendors to ensure we get quick response times and cost-effective services. This not only allows us to run a quality full-service property management company, voted #1 in our community for the past two years, it also means pass off that quality of service and savings to the owner. An owner not paying the invoices in a timely fashion or at all, can destroy our ability to offer our services and inhibit us to run our business.
  
  In this instance, we feel like we are being accused of arbitrarily spending owners’ money for no reason. We have tried to explain ourselves multiple times and are accused from the owner of sending lengthy emails that mean nothing. Please hear us when we say, we do not need to make up emergencies to invoice owners arbitrarily. Our role is to take care of the tenant and the owner’s investment, so the owner doesn’t have bother with those responsibilities. Having said that, we are exploring ways to ways to improve our services to our owners. It bothers us deeply to hear that an owner is not happy with the services we are providing on their behalf. We are committed to finding new ways to increase our communications with our owners and improve our services we offer to them. In the meantime, because you are important to us, we want to do what we can to make amends. We have reached out to the tenants to obtain some pictures; it is a slow process but we will provide them as we receive them/if we receive them. In addition, provided we can resolve this issue, we would like to offer you a 250.00 credit towards your next repair bill.

  Customer response

  26/01/2024

  
  Complaint: 21104991
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I keep mind points no approvals from me and no confirm services from NorthStar, no payment. NorthStar needs to refund the whole amount to me. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ** ** **** ***

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