Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  04/20/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My daughter E*** ***** entered into a contract with four other tenants to rent 1*** *** ******, SLO, CA with Mcnamara Realty as the management company for tenancy for a year starting on 7/1/21. The contract stipulates that appliances will be in good working order. Since before 11/2/21 the dishwasher was not working. At least one ori****l and two follow-up requests for service have been made regarding the issue. The dishwasher remains unusable on 4/20/22. I called to complain about the problem and the service and spoke with **** and Melissa. Both were dismissive, rude and unprofessional. They blamed the third party handyman service and even blamed the tenants for not be more on top of the issue and calling in despite the fact that two tenants were told not to call the agency because they were aware of the open ticket. They minimized the issue, did not give a remedy for the last 6 months but did promise they were "now on it" and that the tenants should have been more of a "problem- because a squeaky wheel gets the oil" all while stating that it wasn't their fault. Melissa stated if this been a habitability issue they would have given priority, but since it was and she felt there wasn't a legal remedy, they did not give it a priority. NONE of the requests for service have been complied with- during a walk- through of the property several items were identified- one was mold and re-caulking necessary in the upstairs master shower. It remains unfixed and one of the tenants has had significant colds and respiratory issues. Melissa stated that my request on the phone, the repeated requests to the handyman and the request at the walk-through were insufficient to get this repaired. I reminded her that it may be causing water damage that the property owner would want to fix and they should be made aware. I have contacted an attorney and without some type of remedy and repair will sue on contract law. This company is acting like a slum lord- others should be warned.

  Business response

  04/28/2022

  Hi, 

   

    We have replaced the dishwasher, We have looked into the shower issue that you have called about. what are you asking for, that we haven't already addressed? I don't see any mention of any solution to this complaint that will satisfy your needs. We disagree with your interpretation of events, however, at this point that is neither here nor there. If you can just help us find a resolution so all parties can move forward.

   

   

  Customer response

  04/29/2022

  
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Replacing the dishwasher did not happen timely- it took almost 6 months. Because the shower issue was not being made a priority- on my own expense- I had a mold expert come out and take samples. My daughter lives in the room where there is mold and has been experiencing symptoms. When a handyman came out to look at the issue- without much investigation or thought- they cleaned in with bleach. My daughter got even more sick. The mold expert stated that it was likely because the person, who is not a trained professional, disrupted the mod and spores went into the air. I have forwarded the reports that I have to the company. The management company lied about the mold expert stated saying that he told them it was not dangerous, it was not airborne and was not causing any medical issues. I spoke with him and he states to me that would contradict his findings and he would never say that to anyone. The mold expert remains resolute that there is a problem and proper remediation must happen immediately. The problem is that the management company is incompetent, either from malice or neglect. Both the tenants and the home owner are being injured based on their incompetance. However, there is no insight from the management comapny. In fact, as evidenced by the dishwasger situation- they stall, deflect, deny and never take any responsibility. Sent to the tenants, this was their response regarding the dishwasher: 

   

  Here is a timeline; 
  11/2 - Dishwasher issue reported by tenants for the first time. 
  - Craig Hail comes to unit and resets breaker which he identified as the source of the issue. Showed tenants how to flip the breaker in case it occurs again. Dishwasher is fully working when he leaves 
  01/21 - Around 2:00 pm on Friday afternoon, tenant reports dishwasher has been working on and off even though they have been flipping the breaker, thinks it need more work done to it. Work Order Attached. 
  - **** contacts People's Choice appliance repair on 01/24/2022 and asks for an appointment for the dishwasher. People's Choice confirms schedule for 02/04 between 9am - 11am. Email Correspondence attached 
  - **** receives email from Peoples Choice on 02/04/2022 stating the dishwasher needs a new control board. We contact owner for approval on either a new dishwasher or to move forward with a repair of the dishwasher. Email Correspondence attached 
  - We receive approval from the owners on 02/09/2022 to move forward with repair. **** lets People's Choice Appliance know we have approval, they set an appointment for 02/22/2022 between 12pm and 2pm. Email Correspondence attached 
  - on 02/24/2022 , we are informed by People's Choice Appliance Repair that when they went to replace the control board, they found the panel was unresponsive. Email Correspondence attached 
  - On 03/14/2022 we receive an additional maintenance request regarding the dishwasher. We call people's choice and ask for an update. At this point, I'm not sure what date they went to the unit exactly but they email us with an update on the situation a while after this was received. Work Order Attached 
  - On 04/04/2022 we receive the email from People's Choice Appliance Repair letting us know that when they went out again to replace the parts on the dishwasher they found that the panel part ordered was not the part received. They rescheduled for 04/11/2022. Email Correspondence attached 
  - On 04/18/2022 we were informed that the installation of the new parts still did not make the dishwasher work. Email Correspondence attached 
  - On 04/18/2022, I sought out a new dishwasher looking for one that was in stock and ordered one on 04/20/2022. 
  - On 04/21/2022 Idlers informed us that the dishwasher we had ordered was ready for pick up. Blair and Greg were able to install the dishwasher in the afternoon however when it was installed, the power was not coming to the unit. Greg takes a look at a shower that the mother of a tenant emailed in and stated was broken and had mold. The shower was not and is not broken, tenants need to clean said shower. Greg cleaned the shower for them. Greg was instructed by management to return to unit to remove caulking and replace with new caulking as it seems the old caulking is stained. Work Order Attached 
  - On 04/22/2022 Blair returns to the property to figure out dishwasher issue, having a hard time so I call Idlers and they send a technician out. Blair resolves the issue on his own and tenants have a fully functional dishwasher. 

  I finally called and would not take NO for an answer. They got angry but actually got something done. This should not have happened and blaming everyone else is not right. DO the job- mainatain the property in good working order for the sake of the tenants and the homeowners.

   

  If it takes 5 months to get a dishwasher and they fought doing that- I knew that they were not doing their job. With the mold in the house, I am terrified they are not taking it seriously and the tenants health and the owners property with take the brunt of their denial and incompetence. 

  
  I am asking for is the tenants to be moved out immediately to a liked residence at the management company's expense with a full remediation.  I am asking that the BBB warn other consumers about this problem. This management company specializes in renting homes to young students who are vulnerable to being taken advantage of because of their youth and inexperience. They have grossly done so here without any remedy or regard. 

  
  
  Regards,
  
  M***** ***********
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  

  Business response

  04/29/2022

  Your claim that we lagged in getting your daughter her dishwasher are also false, you had nothing to do with that dishwasher being purchased, arrogant of you to believe so. We have already stated that we will be taking action. We've attached the email correspondence from when you reported the issue for proof. 

  I've also included part of the mold findings where it clearly states that there is no mold spores in the air which indicates that there is not an eminent danger to the tenants directly at this time. At no point have we declined to take the actions necessary to address these concerns. 

  We've already contacted our own environmental specialist to assess the report and advise. 

  Customer response

  05/02/2022

  
  
  I am rejecting this response because: The dishwasher didn't work at ALL for almost 6 months after the tenants made the management company aware of the problem. The tenants did everything they were supposed to do. If the argument is that the management company did everything in their power, then it wasn't enough. They chose the handyman- They chose the protocol for fixing a problem- They chose to not follow up with the fix. When you do not come up to normal reasonable business standards, you apologize, take responsibility and fix the problem making accommodations or remedies for the tenants. We should all be able to agree the work was not done properly and it was not the tenants fault. So say sorry- apologize- do better. My impression of the BBB is that they are the right agency to see this situation and inform the company that they should make this right with these tenants- who have never been late on rent and been good tenants. The tenants should not be bullied. They should not be told that it isn't a big deal and be dismissed. 

  
  
  Regards,
  
  M***** ***********
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  The company's response is not professional- calling me arrogant and being rude. All I know is that after I made this an issue- it got fixed. I certainly think that getting a dishwasher fixed should not take almost 6 months. The loss of the dishwasher is a huge inconvenience. It is also a sign of how business is done, or not. It makes me extremely nervous that they don't take the maintenance of the homes serious enough to make it a priority for their homeowners and the tenants. 

  There has not been an apology, a remedy or any professional responses. The responses have been so immature. As for the mold issue, the expert I spoke with stated the mold was at an unacceptable level. Everyone would agree that it must be remediated. I don't know anyone that would think it is healthy to remediate with a person living in the room. There is no door between the master bedroom and the bathroom. I await their plan but based on their current attitude, I don't expect that they will act responsibly. I would ask BBB to do what they can to warn others and acknowledge that they are aware of McNamara's business practices which are incompetent. 

   

   

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  

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