Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/29/2024

  Type:Facilities Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We have stayed at Hidden Dunes for years and years. We have always been pleased with the condo and the rooms offered. However, over the years we’ve noticed a steady decline in customer service. Specifically since Realjoy has taken over the management. This trip has ruined any hopes of ever staying with them again. We arrived 5/24/24 to room 402. Since our arrival we’ve spent the duration of time without a washing machine. Our units washer will not spin or clean the clothes we try to wash. Realizing it’s a holiday weekend we expected some delay BUT as we sit here on 5/28 we have YET to get a working washing machine. The increased cost of renting the rooms (which are nice) you’d expect some type of prompt service. To date we have simply received lip service. Everyone of their employees is “super sorry” but lacks the ability to do a thing to resolve the issue. We have 7 people in this room and haven’t been able to do laundry since we arrived. Completely unacceptable!!! Real joy you have ruined a wonderful condo, family trip and customers that have stayed at hidden dunes for the last 10 years. After this trip good riddance. I only hope your business experiences the same downfall as this trip. Follow up- while talking to the front desk person she spoke to her manager. His name is Adam. While speaking to him on speaker phone his assistant text the lady at the front desk. Funny enough I had her phone. Renee Adam’s assistant said the following “he is such a dick”, “isn’t it double red flags today, maybe he should go for a swim”. Just wait for this escalation.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/04/2024

  Hello Mr. ****
  
  Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences with us. While those experiences certainly were not completely pleasant on this trip, we appreciate the opportunities to hear from you and to learn where we can improve.
  
  Four of RealJoy Vacations’ core principles come to mind when I reflect on the past few days: Take Action, Always Do the Right Thing, Clear and Effective Communication, and Respect All People and Their Belongings. As a team, we’ve discussed each of these to better understand how and when they broke down, plus more importantly, how to improve going forward for ourselves, our guests, and our owners.
  
  The responses we provided your family were not simply lip service. It is true that appliance repair vendors were closed on Sunday when you first contacted us, and that they were also closed on Monday in observance of Memorial Day. Then on Tuesday the required part for the washing machine to be repaired simply was not available and had to be ordered.
  
  At that time, I think a better course of action would have been for us to gather the laundry on your behalf and coordinate with a service to have it professionally cleaned, folded and returned. We also could have looked beyond our regular trusted partners to find another vendor who might have perhaps completed the repair on the same day.
  
  I’m glad that we were finally able to make things right by purchasing a *** washing machine and having it installed during your stay.
  
  I see that between you and your family, we have had the pleasure of hosting your beach vacations at least nine times at RealJoy-managed units in the Hidden Dunes resort. We are grateful for your continued patronage and hope that your previous experiences have all been 5-Star across the board. If I could wind the clock back a few days, we’d certainly change course a bit and call you directly instead of only responding to the written communications you submitted. I believe that would have cemented the fact that you were indeed being heard and that we were working behind the scenes for you.
  
  Regarding the unprofessional and unkind statements from my co-worker, I offer my sincerest apologies from myself and everyone at RealJoy Vacations. That language, attitude, and mindset are completely antithetical to everything we represent and stand for here. Our mission, motto, core values, vision, and non-negotiables are not just words on business cards; but instead are the way we all choose to live our lives and run our business. We hold each other accountable daily to these principles then hire, train, and fire based upon them. The individual with whom you interacted has been held to this same standard and was subject to the fullest consequences of not upholding RealJoy’s value system.
  
  We’d love to host your family again. If you decide not to give us that opportunity, I understand. However, should you think we deserve another chance, please call me directly and I’ll do all I can to ensure your visit to the Emerald Coast is full of the happiest of memories.
  
  Thank you again for being our guest at RealJoy Vacations.
  
  
  Very Sincerely,
  
  
  Jonathan *******
  Director Guest Services, Panama City Beach

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/04/2024

  
  Complaint: 21772758
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I personally do not have your contact information. Perhaps my step father does. We have all stayed with you guys a number of times. If you look back just to March you’ll see my wife and I booked a room for 4-5 days with you guys just this year. As well as many years prior. I have family that has stayed at hidden dunes that are no longer even with us. 

   

  The problem is it felt as if we were staying at a X establishment at 50 bucks a night. No disrespect to those establishments but I do NOT rent a room there and expect first class service. Well actually I just don’t rent rooms there. However, we both know hidden dunes is imo one of the better condo units on Panama City beach. The rooms are large, mostly all remodeled and updated and a fair compensation is given to rent them. I understand the problems being faced while a holiday weekend is underway. However, just as I had employees working sometimes we must do what we must do. 

   Hindsight is always 20/20 and truthfully while understanding the issue I wasn’t absolutely upset until I read the text messages received while holding one of your employees phones speaking with “Adam”. Renee was completely out of line. I do hope you are serious in your efforts to do better and have held those employees to the standards you stated. Further, upon speaking with one of your representatives I now have a “Do Not Engage” next to my name in your computer system. Somehow the notes from the system were accidentally sent to me when requesting feedback. I do NOT feel I was out of line at all. 

  Yes, eventually on Wednesday the washing machine was replaced. Thanks to Todd ***** (sp) and I appreciate he showed up, took the verbal outlash and did something to make things better. It does NOT however excuse the Friday - Wednesday that we were without one. 
  

  You have my direct contact information. If not, I’ll gladly share it with you. 
  

  email- ********************

  phone- ************

  if you’re sincere in wanting to help and seeing if this relationship can be mended please reach out to me directly. 

   

   

  
  Sincerely,
  
  Heath ***

  Business Response

  Date: 06/06/2024

  Hi Heath,
  
  
  Thank you for taking my call today. I appreciated the chance to talk things out with you.
  
  
  Todd and I are hopeful that we are on track with you and your family towards a re***ed relationship. I love that you called Hidden Dunes your “happy place,” and we want to ensure that you continue to have wonderful vacations there.
  
  
  Please do share the offer we discussed with your traveling party and let me know when you’re coming next to town. I’ll make sure that we follow through on our promises as well as the high standards you’ve enjoyed on past trips.
  
  
  Kindly,
  
  
  Jonathan *******
  Director Guest Services, Panama City Beach
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/01/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I booked unit 2002E located at Dunes of Panama on 3/23/2024. RealJoy called me on 3/29/2024 at 3:09 pm, which is less than an hour before the 4pm check in time, about the balcony being closed. Mind you, I live out of state and was a couple of hours away from arriving. They said they wasn’t made aware of the issue until at that time. I opted for a discount to be provided from what I paid. They said they have to talk to the owner for the discount. On 3/30/2024 after I sent them a follow up email and two follow up text messages, they only offered a $50 refund out of a total of $791.82. when I said I would be filing a complaint, they said they could only add additional $30 refund due to fees and taxes having to go to who they need to go to. This is unacceptable. I paid $791.82 total for this booking. That is not a fair refund, as the ocean front balcony is the number one reason why I booked this unit.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/08/2024

  Hi Melinda,
  
  Thank you for choosing RealJoy to host your beach vacation. We know there are lots of options for you to select from when shopping and we appreciate your staying with us at Dunes of Panama 2002e.
  
  I am so sorry that the balcony was closed during your stay. It certainly wasn’t our intention to offer you a unit there that wasn’t fully accessible. I imagine you saw that it wasn’t just yours, but all the ones adjacent to your area of the complex and building which means we, along with numerous other management companies, were having to share the same bad news with many upcoming guests.
  
  The Dunes of Panama is going through routine maintenance to their buildings this year. We do our best to disclose such work in our listings as well as directly to guests who will be affected. When we received the update from Dunes of Panama that the location of the scheduled work was changing, we began contacting guests such as yourself who would be impacted. We typically present options such as discounts, cancellations, or relocation. Your situation was particularly difficult because the time of notification was essentially the same as the time of arrival, which puts severe limitations on the solutions we can provide. The stay dates were also during Spring Break and the impact of that is that there were no vacancies in other units for us to move you to.
  
  I understand that the balcony is a primary selling point when selecting a beachfront condo. As such, we also give it high value and consider it to be one of the rooms of the unit rather than just an outdoor space. Before taxes and fees were applied, the nightly rent for your reservation totaled $384.00. Since you were indeed losing a room that you paid for, we refunded 20% of that cost back to you so that the amount you paid was in alignment with the actual space you were able to use. I know that you were hoping for more, so here’s what I can do for you: Since you left the condo in excellent condition that was clean and with no damages, I will also refund the $85 damage waiver fee you paid. This results in a total refund of $165. I hope you sense our sincerity and realize that we are truly here to help.
  
  Again, we are sorry that this happened to you and your traveling party. My wish is that you give us a chance another time to host you and show you a perfect beach getaway. Situations such as this are really few and far between. Our goal is to provide 5-star service to each guest, and I’d love to help create that experience for you next time.
  
  I’m happy to speak with you directly if you’d like to talk further.
  
  Sincerely,
  Jonathan
  RealJoy Vacations
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/08/2024

  
  Complaint: 21509028
  
  I am rejecting this response because: 

  From what I saw our balcony was the only balcony boarded up and you all had ample time to be aware of such closure since at least February as shown in the notice posted in the elevator alerting owners of balcony construction.  No one wants to vacation in a condo where construction is taking place. This should have been disclosed in the rental listing for me and all future guests.  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Melinda *****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/06/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I booked a ****** with RealJoy for the week of October 22-28, 2023. I had to contact them numerous times to get my check in info the day of check in. Upon arrival the house was dirty! Every wall in the house was dirty, cobwebs and dead bugs everywhere. I immediately notified them and requested other accommodations in which I didn't get a response for days. (the other option was a big downgrade and simply wouldn't accommodate our family). The hot tub didn't work our entire stay and at one point was a safety issue as the pressure was so intense that it would have cut you. Took two days to get the Wifi password. Maintenance men and service techs would randomly show up without being notified and at one point a man took pictures of my underage children! I have asked multiple times about getting this picture destroyed but they will not respond! At one point a "manager" arrived and was standing outside waving at my kids through the window. I have asked multiple times for a partial refund, and they have given a different amount each time. My entire vacation was ruined and a major inconvenience to deal with. Pictures are available.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/09/2023

  On behalf of RealJoy Vacations I want to extend our sincerest apologies for the experience you had with us. We understand that we've let you down, and for that, we are very sorry. I've reviewed your reservation notes and can see that you contacted us a handful of times prior to check in at 4:00 pm, as stated in marketing check in time is not until 4:00 pm and we unfortunately were not able to provide access to the property until this time. However, I understand this was a unique situation as this property was just recently on boarded and we were indeed still working out the details for all of the owners codes -- this was a genuine error with on boarding and we are truly sorry for the hassle. As for the additional concerns we had a property manager at this unit with in 24 hours to further inspect and address your concerns, each were address as quickly as possible. We understand your stay did not go without concern though and for this reason we refunded a little over 20 % of rent, for a total refund of $300.00. Again, we're sorry for any disappointment caused during your stay. We hope you can give us another chance to provide you with a better experience in the future.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/09/2023

  
  Complaint: 20831391
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I'm aware that check in wasnt until 4pm, however all information is provided to every customer of yours by 8am the day of check in.  I never requested early entry,  simply the info for proper check in.  As your stay stated it was an issue on your end,  not mine.  The refund amount is less than what i was told i would receive. Therefore I have requested the remaining $400.00 to be refunded immediately.  Also still waiting on regards to your staff taking pictures of my underage children!
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Danyell ******

  Business Response

  Date: 11/13/2023

  I have taken the time to thoroughly review all notes related to this reservation and was not able to locate anything regarding further compensation or a higher amount then what was already offered. In regard to the pictures mentioned of your children, The person taking photos at the property is an employee of the vendor we use for pool cleaning and maintenance. The photos taken were specifically of issues related to the hot tub. All photos forwarded to us by the vendor were of the pool and hot tub. We have no reason to suspect pictures were taken of the family or children. I am truly sorry for the inconveniences experienced throughout your stay. We feel the compensation provided is a fair amount and we will not be offering any further discount, I'm sorry for the disappointment. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/14/2023

  
  Complaint: 20831391
  
  I am rejecting this response because: my entire vacation was nothing short of a headache and hassle dealing with the constant back and forth issues at hand.  My children were in the pool when the pictures were taken.  It is crazy that you think those actions are ok,  the worker should have asked permission first and my kids would have been asked to get out. I would NEVER allow strange grown men to take photos of my kids.  Nor as a person in management would i show up and stand outside a window and wave at children.  Not sure what sort of business is being ran here,  but it's obviously not family oriented nor customer service oriented.  An ENTIRE WEEK WAS RUINED! I didn't wait until the end of my trip,  i reported the issues immediately,  you guys fell short on your end of what was promised to me as a consumer. This property was not what i was promised nor what i paid for. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Danyell ******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/16/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Dates of this trip were 10/11/23 - 10/15/23 in Panama City Beach, FL at the Palazzo Condominimus. I booked a beach front condo through VRBO managed by RealJoy Vacations. Upon checking into the condo, we discovered that we had no access to our wrap around balcony, facilities were closed (pool and hot tub), and all balcony furniture was inside the condo taking up the majority of the living room. This is all due to the building being repainted which was NOT DISCLOSED IN THE LISTING. The company took full responsibility for their error and said they would make it right (I have this all documented in pictures and text messages). They offered 20% off and a gift basket which I told them was unacceptable. They told me they would work with management to get a better resolution once I checked out. I have contacted VRBO to make them aware and I have also filed a complaint with the Florida Attorney General’s office. They have since offered me a 50% refund (ONLY REFUNDING RENT), which really comes out to a 28% refund when factoring tax and fees in. Let’s not forget that the tv in the guest room didn’t work and the washing machine would blow the breaker each time it ran. What a crappy place. And you know what, the listing is STILL not updated to show what is going on at the resort. I never EVER would’ve booked a beach front condo that had no facilities and no access to the balcony. Might as well have stayed across the street.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/23/2023

  On behalf of RealJoy Vacations I want to extend our sincerest apologies for the experience you had with us. We understand that we've let you down, and for that, we are very sorry. We immediately offered to relocate your stay to another unit, but this option was declined, and compensation was requested. Upon conferring with the owner and our management team we concluded on 50 % of rent, for a total of $458.06. We cannot refund the taxes or required fees such as the booking fee, which is the cost of the credit card processing and our housekeeping fee - these are non-refundable fees we simply cannot adjust. Rest assured the listing has since been updated to reflect a notice regarding the ongoing balcony, pool, and hot tub closure.  Again, we're sorry for any disappointment caused during your stay. We hope you can give us another chance to provide you with a better experience in the future.
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/26/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I stayed at Summerhaven A rental. We arrived 9/20. The home was nothing like the pictures. The parking was horrible.. they say you get two spaces, however the spaces are so small you cannot get in or out of your vehicle without hitting the car next to you. I had to park against a fence and crawl over my seat to be able to park both of our vehicles. I sent a text (as I was directed to in the email they send me) to let them know about several issues that were unacceptable and they never replied. I also used their link they sent me to submit a review, but they clearly weed out any reviews that are not 5 stars and only post the 5 star reviews. They haven’t contacted me after I sent my review either! This is the text I sent them: We arrived and I was instantly upset about the cleanliness of the home!!! We were also disappointed that only 2 bedrooms have tvs. Since this was a very special trip for us we decided to suck it up and try to enjoy ourselves. Then we realized that the refrigerator is broken and you have to force the door shut, the dishwasher had standing water it in so we have had to wash all our dishes. The extra freezer and fridge are absolutely disgusting. The ac vent in the back top bedroom does not work. The outlet beside the bed does not work not the lamp that's plugged into the dead outlet. There are repairs to many items using TAPE! I had to scrub the coffee pot to be able to use it. Worst of all... WE FOUND A DEAD ROACH!!! Then realized today that there are more that ARE NOT DEAD!! Obviously, this has me furious. Roaches get in your bags and clothes.. so after returning home I will not be able to take my belongings in my home... and I will have to treat my vehicle for roaches as well. These are all the major things that we upset about.. there are so many more complaints, but I'm not even worried about those. I am so embarrassed! As I am the one that booked this place based on the pictures that are obviously very deceiving! I was able

  Business Response

  Date: 10/03/2023

  On behalf of RealJoy Vacations I want to extend our sincerest apologies for the experience you had with us. We understand that we've let you down, and for that, we are very sorry. Your feedback is an important part of our continuous effort to improve our service. We appreciate the photos provided as they help us communicate with the cleaners and address related issues. We appreciate even more proof of the text message sent in September as according to our software, we have not been contacted by either the email address or the phone number on file, until just this past week. As explained via email today, we have escalated this matter to our system administrators for further review. It's imperative that guests' messages reach us as soon as possible. I wish we could have improved your experience while you were in the unit. We are truly sorry we missed that opportunity! With that being said, I have validated the details of your case and the inconveniences faced throughout your stay and I feel the best resolution is to provide compensation. I've applied a 10 % discount to rent and refunded half of the cleaning fee - this equals a total refund of $346.96, which I've processed to the card on file. Please allow 7/10 business days for the funds to appear in your account. We will work with the property owner to address your concerns and ensure that future guests have a more enjoyable stay. Again, we're sorry for any disappointment and we hope you will give us another chance to provide you with a better experience in the future! 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/04/2023

  
  Complaint: 20655175
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  My complaint extends so much further than the cleanliness of the unit! I did contact you while I was there (I sent you the screenshot of the text). We discussed via email in addition to the dirtiness of the unit the lack of response and the delay of response to my communication even after returning home was unacceptable. In my emails I voiced so many other complaints and didn't even include them all (and I explained this)! The unit had a roach problem! I had to thoroughly clean my vehicle several times after returning home and leave my belongs outside to be sure we were rid of the bugs! I explained to you in my emails that I had to throw away hundreds of dollars of food after finding a roach IN THE REFRIGERATOR! I was completely embarrassed as  picked out this place based on pictures and I had other guests come with me! I am extremely insulted my your offer to resolve this. The amount you want to refund me does not even cover the cost of food that I had to throw away! After our conversation I expected a MUCH more significant discount! it was my understanding that you were empathetic and truly sorry about our special trip being ruined! We paid well over $2000 (I think closer to $2500) just for the unit and did our best to avoid staying there as much as possible. I truly thought after our emails that you were going to make this right!  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Ryan ******

  Business Response

  Date: 10/06/2023

  Our goal is to make sure that you get the best resolution without compromising the policies we have in place. We typically wouldn't be able to offer compensation without verifying an issue firsthand. However, we've made an exception based on the acknowledge there was some sort of glitch in receiving your message while in house. If you had attempted to call and or email us in addition to the one text message, I am certain we could have conducted an in-house inspection to further assist and correct the issues at hand. We've hosted five other families during the month of September and October and fortunately none of them shared the same experience as your family. Furthermore, our Property Manager conducted an inspection based on your review and they were only able to validate that the home was indeed due for a deep clean and two of the outlets needed to be fixed. I do not mean to dismiss the experience your family had; however, we simply cannot offer more of a refund without being in the unit to physically address the issues you were experiencing. I understand that it's a bit disheartening at this point, however, I hope you can appreciate an effort on our end was made even though we were not made aware of the issues until after checking out. 
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/10/2023

  
  Complaint: 20655175
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  YOU JUST BLATANTLY LIED! I provided pictures and screenshot as proof. If you had the unit inspected you would have clearly seen the bugs, damaged/sharp chairs on the balcony, the  broken refrigerator that had to be shoved closed, the broken outlets, the a/c not working upstairs, and all the other complaints. Also, I just got a chance to speak to my sister who was there with me. She informed me that as she was leaving she befriended the neighbors who informed her that they had a bug issue as well (along with TONS of other issues) and that you had someone come out and spray, which would explain the many bugs that we encountered as they were escaping from the unit next to us. THIS LETS ME KNOW THAT YOU WERE COMPLETELY AWARE OF THE BUG ISSUE. The ONLY thing that you may have not seen in the inspection was the standing water in the dishwasher and that would be because WE FIXED IT by cleaning out parts that should be regularly cleaned and running it with nothing in it several times after. THERE WAS PLENTY OF PROOF and you saw it and know it. In addition to that IN YOUR RESPONSE, you just said that you have not had any other complaints. Please see the complaints below that i just researched and found. These are from April on.. In addition I see on your website that you only post your 5 star reviews and you have not had any since May. I know this to be true since I submitted a review and it was not published. I am a relatively easy to please person, but you have disregarded me and lied in your response. 

  3/10 booking.com review  April 2023 The property was old fashion the furniture was old. They had a rug nail down to the floor ( fall risk). dishwasher doesn’t work. Location was great that’s the best thing I can say.

  1/5 Terrible Barbara C. Sep 6, 2023 Disappointed VRBO

  2/5 Poor Ronnie W. Aug 20, 2023 Nightmare Parking/Not Clean
  The location is PERFECT. With other close neighbors or was pretty quiet, didn’t hear a lot of noise. Beach and water the most beautiful we’ve ever saw. The place was not clean. My grandson finding cigarettes, fruit loops, water bottles, etc under beds and couches. One of the beds downstairs was broken and wasn’t even made when we arrived, didn’t have sheets or comforter on it. The plug in on the kitchen looks like a fire hazard. The air in the main bedroom upstairs didn’t keep the room cool, we burnt up every night. The outlet beside the right side of the bed doesn’t work. The balcony out the back had trash everywhere from the previous renters and water toys, shoes, umbrellas just everywhere. Had to walk over all the things people had left behind. Parking was awful. Parking on an incline, have to use emergency brake every time you park, you can’t see the road to back out into due to neighbors cars. It was a nightmare. VRBO 

  This is not okay! With witnesses, photo proof, other reviews, the issues the neighbor beside us had, and you lying in your response, I feel that I should be doing a chargeback on the card. However, I would like to resolve this among ourselves and not prolong this! Please provide a refund to my account as soon as possible.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  Ryan ******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/06/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I had a terrible experience with this company. I was charged twice for a rental property and i only stayed at one property. While traveling i received an email saying that my card was declined and i need to update my card information. I submitted my card information not knowing i was booked for a 2nd property. Once i got home i discovered i was charged twice for a property i never stepped foot on. Once i got back home i called Home to go and RealJoy. I was told that they cannot refund my money due to them paying property owners. Sam and Tina are very rude they never tried to find a solution or tried to get my money back for rental property i never stayed in. I need to speak with someone over the billing department asap. This is bad business honest mistakes happen all of the time. BEWARE OF THIS COMPANY. They steal your money and when you call back for your money they say that they already paid the owners and there is nothing they can do. Sam Lidgard, Tina, Lisa are very rude they have horrible customer service and they hang up in your face. WARNING DO NOT RENT HERE DO NOT TRUST THESE PEOPLE. I am requesting an escalation in regard to this matter ASAP. This is not good business unbeknownst to me while traveling on the road i received an email from Real Joy stating that my card was declined. I'm thinking this was due to my payment not going through for my booking at VRBO Heidi-way property # 2801727 booking # 70397135. I have been going back and forth with VRBO, Real Joy and Homes to go in regard to my refund. I was never informed when i called on on 08/29/23 that there was a second booking. On my bank statement i was under the impression that i was charged twice and one would eventually fall off. I never stepped foot on property Tahitian Paradise booking # 70397110 Property # H8A53LH. I need someone to reach out to me asap in regard to this. This is not good business. Real Joy have been very unprofessional they have been hanging up on me and refusing to give my money back because property owners were already paid. That is not my problem this have been an honest mistake a nightmare. I am ready to reach out to an attorney, bbb google reviews and whoever else i need to speak with. Please have someone reach out to me asap. I am owed a refund and i want it. I will pay for the $1,00.25 home i stayed at through VRBO (Heidi-Way) i should not be charged for a 2nd property ($931.13 i never stayed at. Honest mistakes happen all of the time.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/07/2023

  We are truly sorry for any confusion the duplicate reservations have caused. Unfortunately, each of these reservations were placed directly by the guest and each of them had a signed rental agreement - both signed at separate times. We have multiple guests placing reservations for more than one unit as families tend to travel together and book multiple units near each other to stay close. We were not contacted by this guest until nine days post check out and at this time, as mentioned via phone, both owners had already been paid for the individual reservations. Both reservations received rental agreements, and both were sent check-in details, along with checkout details - we had no reason to believe that both of these units were not used. Furthermore, we still do not have proof the second unit wasn't used. Unfortunately, we cannot process a refund for services which we cannot prove were not rendered, as everything on our end shows both reservations were willingly placed. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/07/2023

  
  Complaint: 20560118
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I have email correspondence between myself and VRBO in regards to a refund. I was under the impression I was charged twice by RealJoy in error and that one would eventually fall off I have call records, and emails between myself and VRBO it was not discovered until September the 5th that there was a booking through a different site homes to go. I never accessed the second property Tahitian Paradise never drove by it. There are cameras on RealJoy property and this footage should be looked at that I never went to that home. I have proof we stayed at the Heidi-Way and nowhere else. There is a camera at the front door and the back door and I have footage. You are the same person who was very rude and unprofessional Samuel I highly recommend this be looked at by someone higher up in this company. This is unethical and a definite scam. I’m looking forward to hearing from your supervisor so that we can get this resolved. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Jay ********

  Business Response

  Date: 09/08/2023

  We understand that this guest has correspondence with multiple parties requesting a refund for the accidental booking that was made. While we understand that the 2nd reservation booked may have been accidental, we did not charge Ms. ******** in error. We received 2 reservations by the same guest for 2 separate properties, and as a result, we received 2 separate payments.
  
  Regardless of whether or not entry to Tahitian Paradise occurred, the fact is that Ms. ******** held it off the market for her use during the dates she selected, confirmed, and then paid for on HomeToGo's website. In addition to the two signed rental agreements for the two separate properties she rented, she has provided dated proof that she received an email from HomeToGo confirming the accidental booking.
  
  Thus far, Ms. ******** has accused us of theft, unethical practices, and of scamming her, but none of this is true. As a vacation rental company with our listings on multiple 3rd party sites, we trust that the reservations our guests make are on purpose. Still, RealJoy Vacations makes every effort to overcommunicate to our guests when they book our rental properties. We send text messages, emails, and esign documents that show the names of our properties and reservation ID numbers. Our team made every effort to extend grace, kindness, and understanding over the phone and in writing to Ms. ********, but unfortunately, given that she didn't reach out to us for a refund until 9 days after her scheduled departure date, we could not give her the answer she wanted. Ms. ******** then resorted to using abusive language, calling our agents inappropriate names, and threatening litigation. In response, we informed Ms. ******** that communication with our company would have to proceed in writing only. After being informed of this, she began calling our team repeatedly from multiple phone numbers and continuing her pattern of abusive language. This is the only reason our team members had to disconnect our calls with her.
  
  Had Ms. ******** informed us of this when she saw two separate charge amounts on her bank statement or duplicate emails & texts from our system with different property names in the subject lines and bodies of the emails, we would have been more than happy to provide a full refund for the accidental booking.
  
  We have attached both rental agreements containing time stamps of when they were opened & signed. Also attached are records from our automated emailing system showing that Ms. ******** opened emails related to Tahitian Paradise before her stay.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/11/2023

  
  Complaint: 20560118
  
  I am rejecting this response because: This was an honest mistake i could accept some money being taken out but not the entire $931.13. I had 2 witnesses on the phone who also stayed at the Heidi-Way property on the phone with i reached out to Real Joy. They witnessed the rudeness from Samuel Lidgard stating that he will not refund my money due to paying property owners. One of the witnesses mentioned to Samuel that he is not conducting good business he knows that we never stayed at the Tahitian Paradise property and that he would not want anyone to do him and his family like that had he made an error. Samuel goes on to say that he will see what he can work out he will try to help me. When i start inquiring about when can i get an update. His answer changed to he will only want to communicate via email when i requested to speak with his manager or when can i expect an update. This is not good practices and very unethical. I am also going to seek legal council because this is not right to agree to make wrongs right when consumers are wanting to know direct answers. Lisa & Tina where very unprofessional i have witnesses who were also on the phone who witness how they conduct business. The reason it took 9 days to reach out to Real Joy is because i had been going back and forth with VRBO. They eventually informed me to reach out to Homes to go. When i reached out to homes to go i was informed there was another booking. While traveling once you get home your focus is on getting back settled in i was under the impression i was charged twice in error and that one charge from Real Joy would eventually fall off. I am requesting a refund.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Jay ********

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/20/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On 6/15 I checked out of a room and then I get a email saying they are charging me 500 dollars for smoking because they found a very small amout of what looked like weed on the floor. I never smoked in this condo and shouldn't be charged for a extra cleaning fee. The contract says you have to smoke something to get charged that. I did not smoke anything. What was on the floor in so small it's hard to tell what it is

  Business Response

  Date: 06/22/2023

  Allow me to sincerely apologize for the inconvenience you experienced due to the additional charge. Our property manager reported one of the bathrooms smelling like marijuana, in addition to what appeared to be a dusting of dried marijuana bud on the ground. Once we received your response about not smoking in the unit it we escalated your case to management who immediately granted a refund of the smoking fee. As a result of the circumstances surrounding your reservation, our Guest Services Team is having discussions on when it is, and is not, appropriate to apply fees to a reservation post departure as we'd all prefer to avoid unnecessary accusations and insinuations. The refund was processed on 6/18/20223, the funds should be appearing in your bank account very soon, if they have not already. We apologize for the inconvenience. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/23/2023

  
  Complaint: 20201863
  
  I am rejecting this response because: There was zero evidence of smoking in that condo. Charging my credit card 500 dollars with zero evidence is against the rental agreement. You broke the agreement I want a full refund. I will also except a free stay next year same time. I'll let you make it up to me. The money is still not back into my credit card. Credit card fraud is what you committed. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Thomas ********

  Business Response

  Date: 06/28/2023

  A refund was processed on 6/18/2023, if it hasn't appeared in your account yet it should certain appear by the end of the week as the funds were indeed released from our account. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/29/2023

  
  Complaint: 20201863
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I only received the 500 dollar refund. I was expecting a full refund for your company for breaking the rental agreement. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Thomas ********

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/09/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We rented Real Joy Sea Dunes Condo *** in Okaloosa Island, Fl April 28th - May 6th, 2023 through VRBO. I called Real Joy prior to renting to confirm the unit was as clean & new as the pictures suggested & was told it was a pristine unit. When we arrived after a 12-1/2 hour drive we found the units floors, carpets & area rugs stunk badly, are full of stains, appear very dirty & the furnishings are in the same condition. Luckily we located some extra sheets that we threw over the couch & chair we were using. My husband called to discuss the issues: Unit was not as described, the internet was not working, the refrigerator ice maker bin was missing & maker broken, the shower floor was nasty, moldy & there is no egress from the master b/r as the door does not open (there is a sign stating it’s broken). That does not make the safety/fire hazard any better. The next day instead of bringing us a bag of ice we were brought 2 ice trays. I had the gentleman look around & discussed the units issues. He said he would inform management & someone would get back to us. When we did not hear from anyone I sent a message on Wed w/our concerns. I was asked to text some photo proof of the issues. Someone finally called & said they could send someone over to clean. I advised barring ripping out all the carpet & disposing of the area rugs a simple cleaning would not help. We left a day early as the smell was to overwhelming. I finally got a call after we got home & was told the owner does not want to be bothered with issues such as these, that’s why they are hired. He said he would take off $100 from the cleaning fee & discount on another trip. I advised that was unacceptable. He said he would speak to someone and call me back . . . . . That call has not happened. Very disappointed. Pictures must have been from years past. We feel we did not get our moneys worth. Real Joy was not helpful and I’m not sure how it went from good reviews to filthy, but it did.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/15/2023

  On behalf of RealJoy Vacations I want to extend our sincerest apologies for the experience you had with us. We understand that we've let you down, and for that, we are very sorry. I have validated the details of your case and I have taken the charge to assist you with the best possible resolution. Based on the notes in your reservation we addressed each concern as it was brought to our attention, we did everything we could within our means to rectify the issues with the exception of conductive an additional clean as you declined this option. I've processed a refund of the cleaning fee, which is $250.00. Please allow 7/10 business days, at most, for the funds to appear in your account. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/20/2023

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 20036227, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Daniel *****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/03/2023

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We booked a stay at a beach view condo on 04/11/2023 and paid the rental fee up front. On 4/20/2023, two days before we were to arrive, we were notified via Air B n B that the host (RealJoy Vacations) had advised them to tell us that the pull-out sleeper sofa in the condo was broken and were offered an air mattress instead. My wife and I are seniors and have mobility issues and we told Air B n B that this was unacceptable and asked for compensation from RealJoy for the loss of the sofa. Air B n B said they would pass this onto RealJoy. We left Texas on 4/22/2023 and were contacted numerous times while en route by Air B n B about RealJoy's response to our request. RealJoy offered to allow us to cancel the reservation, which we declined. We stopped in Foley, Alabama for fuel and were notified by Air B n B that our reservation would be cancelled. We advised Air B n B that we did not want to cancel and were assured that the reservation would not be cancelled. We talked to RealJoy and they assured us that an air mattress would be provided and our account would be credited for the inconvenience. We arrived in Destin shortly after 4pm, received the resort gate code and the access code to the condo. We unloaded our belongings and purchased a week's worth of groceries for our vacation. Shortly after 6pm, we were advised by Air B n B that RealJoy had cancelled our reservation and offered us 6 alternative condos for our stay, none of which were beach view and were not what we wanted. Noelle said she was sorry and when we told her that we had just driven 11 hours from Texas and were tired, she said there was noting she could do. She even went so far as to ask us to remove our belongings and try to find alternative lodging via phone from our vehicle in the parking lot!. RealJoy even sent an employee to make sure we moved out and unlocked the front door and walked in unannounced/. When we asked him why he was here, he advised us that he was checking for maintenance issues in the condo. We contacted Air B n B and explained the circumstances and they tried to re-book the condo, but were unable to do so. I am a retired law enforcement officer and I contacted the Walton County Sheriff's Department for information on forcible evictions in Florida. A Deputy was sent to us and h patiently explained the situation to us. While RealJoy sent us notification that our money would be refunded, the deputy said that until the money was actually in our hands or our bank, RealJoy could not evict us without going to court. We showed him that the refund was not yet in our bank or credited to our card. The deputy also told us that he was advised by a supervisor that this exact situation had been investigated by their department before. We notified the RealJoy employee, who at first thought the Deputy was there for him, that we would not be moving out of the unit until the morning as we needed rest after the horrendous ordeal. At 1:56AM, RealJoy notified us via Air B n B that they wanted $1000.00 for the one night stay. The next morning, I called RealJoy and asked to speak with a manager. I was advised that the on-call manager would not speak with me and advised company policy was to have all communication via Air B n B as the communication is recorded. Afterward, we were able find and book another condo through Air B n B OFF the beach that was suitable. While it was not beach view and required we drive to the beach and find parking, we felt we had no choice. In summary, I think RealJoy Vacations used a BAIT AND SWITCH on us. We booked a desirable beach view condo and were told it was unavailable after we had driven 600 miles to Destin. Then they offered us less desirable locations knowing we had to accept something or drive 600 miles back home to Texas. We checked the original condo later and found that it was occupied by whoever RealJoy kicked us out for.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/05/2023

  We contacted this guest on the evening of 4/20/2023, to notify them of the malfunction with the sleeper sofa. We apologized several times and offered to bring an air mattress and waive the $250.00 +tax pet fee for the inconvenience. The guest told us they needed the sleeper sofa to be available because one of the guests likes to stay up late watching TV,  certainly not because of mobility issues. On the afternoon of 4/21/2023, a case was escalated to Airbnb's support teamby the guest. Airbnb's support team advised we needed to fix the sleeper or offer a full refund. Since we knew the sofa would not be repaired until after their departure, we agreed to cancel the reservation with a full refund. Once Airbnb initiated the cancellation process, the guest contacted us changing their mind about wanting a refund and instead decided they were going to stay, though they asked for even more of a discount. At this point we felt it was best to continue parting ways and this is why: We cannot offer discounts/refunds without an owners approval, each request made to us had to be forwarded to the owner of the home. We asked the owner to approve the pet fee (which was approved), then we asked the owner for approval to refund the guest in full (which was approved), and then when the guest asked to stay with a discount we went back to the owner to discuss more of a discount after they'd already approved a full refund. All of this back & forth for something as simple as a broken sleeper sofa mechanism made the owner of the home uncomfortable with the reservation. RealJoy assumes good faith in all of our guests, but the nature of communication with this guest and their persistence in getting monetary restitution before even checking in made it seem like the best course of action for all involved was to procced with cancellation and provide a full refund so they could seek alternative accommodations. Since the guest opted to use Airbnb as an intermediary early on into this case, we reached out to their support team and asked them to refund the guest in full and help them find alternative accommodations. Although the guest received notice from Airbnb regarding a full refund they still chose to check into this unit, and then they refused to leave despite us not having payment for their stay. We kindly asked them to depart and when they wouldn't leave willingly, we contacted law enforcement. The guest spent a night, unpaid and illegally, in a vacation rental property against the owner's will. We gave them an opportunity to pay for the night, and they still refused.
  
  We are so sorry that they had a negative experience with us, this is surely not a RealJoy standard. We made every effort before their arrival to come to an agreement, but once the cancellation was approved, we were not comfortable reinstating the reservation after feeling though the guest was not acting in good faith, regarding a constant request for compensation before even checking in even though we offered alternative options to meet the needs of a sleeper sofa i.e. blow up mattress, discount and the option to cancel. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/10/2023

  
  Complaint: 20013482
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  After RealJoy notified us about the broken sleeper sofa, at no time did RealJoy offer to waive the pet deposit.  We made it clear that as a 70 year with bi-lateral knee replacements that mobility was certainly an issue in using an air mattress.  We communicated through Air B n B as we were told by RealJoy that that was their policy.  Additionally at no time did we ask to cancel our reservation and had been on the road from Texas for 9 hours when we were told by Air B n B that our reservation had been canceled by RealJoy.  We told Air B n B that we did not want to cancel the reservation and they placed it in their notes.  After received the gate and door codes, unloaded our vehicle, and told we had to get out, we contacted law enforcement and were told that unless the refund was verified in our credit card account or had cash in hand, which at 10PM it was be not, that we were not obligated to leave immediately.  We were able to secure lodging the next morning and were out of the unit by 8AM.  It should be noted that on 03/23/2023, RealJoy used the same “broken couch” explanation to cancel the reservation of another client at the last minute and offer her less desirable alternative lodging.  

  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  James *****

  Business Response

  Date: 05/13/2023

  We apologize for any inconvenience the guest experienced. They were provided with a full refund, in addition to staying the first night for free.  We do not feel further refund is warranted. 
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/24/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Our trip was from April 1-7th, 2023. Trip Confirmation # 70352148. A group of 11 of us arrived on Saturday afternoon at 4:30 pm. We were a group of friends with 7 kids ready to get out of cold Indiana weather and enjoy a relaxing week on the beach. We traveled 14 hours overnight with car trouble, and were so excited that we finally arrived safely. That quickly turned into a nightmare. At around 8:30 pm after just arriving 4 hours prior, we received a knock on our door from 2 of the front desk girls. They said to pack our bags because we are being evicted immediatly. The owner saw my husband on the ring doorbell with a cigar in his mouth (not lit). The owner was watching our every move since arriving. Even though we explained to them we just arrived and did not know all the rules, and the cigar was only smoked outside ealier in the day, they still said it didn't matter. We couldn't believe we were at least not given a warning first before receiving such excessive punishment. We pleaded with them to let us speak with the owner. The owner refused to speak with us. It was getting late and between the two families we had 7 children with us. It's spring break and we knew almost all hotels would be booked. We had nowhere to go with exhausted children. The girls said they would speak with the owner again and explain our situation with having 7 children. Once again, we were told to leave. We were so desperate that we offered to pay a $1,000 fine if she would agree to let us stay. Her counteroffer was that she would allow everyone to stay, but my husband was still being evicted. He was not allowed to step foot into the condo again. So within hours of our trip starting, we are now split as a family and my children are in tears. This whole ordeal of deliberations between us and the ownder lasted about an hour and half. This was a perfect example of extortion. My husband and I walked down to the office to try and figure out our next steps. He was offered to stay a mile down the road at another RealJoy location. After just paying the fine that we couldn't even afford, we refused the offer for him to go elsewhere and pay more money for another condo until we could speak to management in the morning. My credit card was immediately charged. So, that night as humiliating as it was, he packed his bags and slept in our van. After finally falling asleep at 4 am from pure exhaustion and frustration, I thought surely tomorrow would be a better day and we could get management to step in and make this right and our family would be back together. There was no one on site as far as management goes at Hidden Dunes to speak in person with about our situation the next morning. Our only option was to call the 800 number for RealJoy. I spoke with a representative at 10 am. I was assured that our incident would be sent to a manager and we would receive a call shortly. Jessica also said she would e-mail us the property information that was mentioned the night prior for him to stay at and that we could see if it was an option for all of us to stay there rather than deal with our owner anymore. Fast forward to 4 pm with no email about the property and no call from a manager. I had to make a phone call again to speak with someone. At this point he needs to shower and needs a place to sleep rather than the van. I spoke with a rude representative and was told the owner is rather a "big deal" and nothing can be done for us. I asked about the property one mile away since we were told that a room was being held for him in case he did want to stay there. I shouldn't have been shocked that the response was it was our fault we did not accept their offer the first night, and that resort was completely booked along with every property RealJoy owns. They never held a room for him like they said they would. Another letdown by this company was just what we needed. He truly had nowhere to go. So, day 1 my husband showered as best he could at the pool showers and slept in the van again. Day 2- Other owners at the property are starting to hear about our situation and are appalled. Complete strangers are offering to let him shower in their condo. He refused as he did not want to impose on anyone, and once again showered at the pool and slept in the van. Day 3- Emily at the front desk was so angry about our situation, that it finally it reached the HOA president of Hidden Dunes. I give the front desk girls the biggest praise. They were only doing what the owner was demanding them to do, even though they didn't agree with it. Emily went above and beyond and checked in on us everyday. If it wasn't for her fighting for us, I don't believe it ever would have reached upper management. We were brought into Becky's office and were told the owner overstepped her boundary and that he was allowed back into the condo. The owner questioned what kind of person sleeps in their car. This was just another example of her character. My husband refused to leave his family because that's the kind of person he is. This was after 3 nights of sleeping in our van and having cold showers. She was very apologetic and we were told our situation was so extreme that our incident would be discussed at the next board meeting. The night we were packing up to leave, I received a call from management again apologizing for the delay in action to rectify our situation. He said he would make this right for us. His best offer was to only make us pay half our fine. I explained again there was no smoking in the condo, no damage whatsoever, and that we refused to pay a $500 fine for all that we had been through. Finally, on the day we arrived home from this nightmare, Robert called and we were given our full $1,000 back and 10% off a future stay if we chose to give RealJoy another chance. After what we endured, we refuse to give this company another dime. The 10% offer is a slap in the face. The ball was dropped on us multiple times. Management didn't even know what policies and procedures were supposed to happen when someting like this arises. We were told multiple times how unfair and excessive our punishment was, how extremly strict and unfair the owner was, but yet it took 3 nights of sleeping in a van for anyone to step up and do anything about it. That's 3 days we can't get back as a family. A 10% discount for a future stay means nothing to us because we refuse to ever stay again. It was completely ruined by a power/money hungry owner and a company that doesn't even know their own policy. Do yourself a favor and never rent Hidden Dunes 601 or any property from RealJoy.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/26/2023

  We are truly sorry for the difficulties experienced throughout your stay. I've reviewed the video submitted by the owner and although the guest was not found smoking in the unit, they did smoke outside of the unit on the balcony, and this is clear in the video. Unfortunately, this owner has a firm no smoking policy which is clearly outlined in marketing: "This is a nonsmoking complex which includes balconies.". It is never ideal to deal with an eviction in any matter but unfortunately, we must abide by our owner's wishes and uphold the terms and conditions agreed to by the guest. The $1,000 smoking fee was indeed processed back to the card on file, so thankfully we were able to make an exception for the fine. We apologize for the inconveniences you faced. My hope is that this was an isolated issue and if you were to give us another chance your next stay would be better.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/01/2023

  
  Complaint: 19972950
  
  I am rejecting this response because: We were told by Becky(HOA director of Hidden Dunes) that the owner does not have the authority to evict anyone from her unit. Protocols were supposed to be made before the owner could inflict such an excessive punishment. Also, Robert from RealJoy vacations also said his staff needs to be better trained on how to deal with a situation like this. RealJoy apparently doesn't have protocols in place.  A warning would have been appropriate. This truly was extortion that we dealt with. Minor children were also involved. A father was evicted in front of his family. This was absolutely disgusting and inappropriate in every way from this company. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Jessica ********

  Business Response

  Date: 05/02/2023

  We are truly sorry for your experience. We have used this as a coaching opportunity for our staff.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/03/2023

  
  Complaint: 19972950
  
  I am rejecting this response because: You are admitting that your staff was not properly trained during this incident. From our horrendous experience, you now get to benefit from us and teach your staff that evicting someone is not acceptable. Your company doesn't know their own policy and procedures. We paid the ultimate price from your lack of knowledge. You stated you're happy we received our fine back. Let me remind you that when we offered a hefty amount of $1,000 that was to allow everyone to stay.  Instead the owner accepted our money and still evicted him, so therefore we did not get what we paid for. There was zero damage done to the property.  It was completely excessive and unacceptable. Your only offer from Robert is a 10% discount for a future stay. We will never rent from RealJoy again, so that offer is unsatisfactory. My husband slept 3 nights in our vehicle. I think at the very least we should be refunded for the 3 days he was not allowed in the condo. I hope you will at least consider making this right for us if you truly care about your customers. 

  Sincerely,
  
  Jessica ********

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/10/2023

  
  Complaint: 19972950
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Our rental agreement did not state that there is no smoking on the balcony or outside. It's referring to fines and eviction based on smoking inside. It states that smoking in the units will result in a $500 fine for ozone cleaning. We offered to pay twice that amount for smoking outside(which was accepted at the time) plus he was still evicted. He was briefly by the door and then walked away with the cigar. She doesn't privately own that part of the balcony anyway. It's a public walkway.  It seems rather harsh and the punishment didn't fit the crime.
  
  Below I copied and pasted the response about the $1,000 fine and eviction:
  
  The $1,000 fine was due to making an exception to policy by letting the family remain in the unit after one of the guests was caught smoking on camera. We would typically proceed with an eviction, but the guest actually offered to pay $1,000 to remain in the unit rather than force the entire family to depart, we merely agreed to their offer
  
  You did NOT agree to our offer. That was the counteroffer from the owner. The two front desk girls that we spoke with that night can verify that we offered that amount for EVERYONE to stay. When the girls returned back to our room after speaking with the owner to let us know if she was accepting our offer to be able to stay, their words were,"She is accepting your fine and everyone can stay, except for the one who was smoking needs to leave immediately. We were appalled that she took the money and still evicted him and came back with a counteroffer like that.  At that point we had no choice and figured our best option would be to speak with management in the morning. 
  
  You are stating there is justification for the eviction based on the video you attached. If the eviction was justified, then why was he allowed back in? He was allowed back in because the punishement was ridiculous. I don't see how after watching that video anyone can think someone deserves to be evicted. All of this was completely inexcusable. Also, nothing was stated in the contract that there would be video and audio recordings during our stay. We feel that is a violation of privacy. For all that we've been through, we are asking to be refunded for the 3 days he was not allowed in the unit.   

  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Jessica ********