ComplaintsforBluewater Associates of Emerald Isle, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  06/25/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I booked a condo to take my terminally ill sister to the beach for probably her last ever birthday. I stated when I booked that she cannot climb stairs. Bluewater called to say the elevator failed inspection. We had to cancel due to lack of elevator and they won't refund my money.

  

  Business response

  06/26/2024

  We greatly value your feedback, ******. We understand the inconvenience caused by the out-of-service elevator. Since your travel insurance claim was denied on 6/24, we immediately processed your refund on 6/25. We hope you reconsider your rating, and we apologize for any hardships.

  Customer response

  06/27/2024

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

• Initial Complaint

  10/05/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We are renting ***** ******** ***** in Emerald Isle, NC for 7 days. The home is infested with roaches. We have killed over 30 in 2 days and see more scurrying away. Blue Water refuses to move us to another unit or refund despite having no where to go with an infant.

  

  Business response

  10/13/2022

  The guest by the name of ********* ***** checked into this property on October 2nd. We did not hear anything from this guest until she came into the office Monday morning claiming that the property was infested with roaches on the first floor and they were demanding to be moved before we could even send someone to the property to assess the situation. They said they had an 8-month-old baby so that chemicals could not be used to treat the home. Per the guest's signed rental agreement " : Our tropical environment and weather conditions can create inconveniences with bugs. Our owners are required to have Pest Control Service. Should you experience any issues, we can arrange for a service call, but no refunds will be granted for anything related to bugs or other pests."
  
  We do ask that all guests give us the chance to assess and rectify any issues before even considering moving anyone. This guest did allow a maintenance technician go to the property to look for the quoted infestation and nothing was found. The technician looked everywhere on the first floor, in the drawers, closets, and underneath the bathroom sink, and even provided pictures of a few dead bugs that were found. But no infestation. We offered to send out an exterminator and the guest denied that. 
  
  We responded to this guest's concerns in a timely manner and offered a solution that was denied by the guest. Per the signed rental agreement there are no refunds for bugs or pests.
  

  Customer response

  10/13/2022

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: On Sunday night when we checked into the house we killed over 25 cockroaches and visited the management office the next morning. Maintenance visited Monday and while they claim to have not seen any cockroaches while visiting this is untrue. We had killed roaches on a towel for them to see. Cockroaches are active at night, which maintenance did not return to observe.

  This was a sanitation issue. My 8 month old came down with a stomach virus, fever, and diarrhea at the end of our stay which I attribute to the unsanitary conditions of this property.

  It was not acceptable to spray for roaches while we were staying at the house. Spraying drives cockroaches out in droves. Nor is it something I want to expose my young child to.

  Blue Water Realty wants to waiver it's own liability in contact terms despite poor property management. We have a family home in Emerald Isle. We know cockroaches happen. When was the property last treated? Show me proof it is regularly maintained. The living room rug was also not vacuumed, tooth paste residue was left on the countertop, hair was in the shower, and food remnant was in the silverware drawer. Blue Water Realty does not provide transparency in the condition of their properties nor honest reviews of previous stays. The consumer is at the mercy of the company with no protection. This property is poorly maintained and the negligence is falling on us as the consumer to be subjected to unsanitary conditions so they can profit. I reject their response and will proceed filing with the state attorney generals office over lack of transparency and consumer protection. 

  Sincerely,
  
  ***** *** *******

  

  Business response

  10/17/2022

  We am sorry the guest is rejecting our response; the facts remain the same. We were transparent and noted in our contract that our tropical environment and weather conditions can create inconveniences with bugs. It is important to note we had experienced heavy rainfall from Hurricane Ian just several days before the guests arrived at the property, making our homes more susceptible to bugs. Our technician reported several dead bugs, no live ones, and the after further investigation of the insect on the towel, we concluded it was a beetle, not a roach. 
  
  We are sorry to hear the guest found issues with the property's cleanliness; this is the first time the guest has mentioned any problems with housekeeping. We would have immediately offered to send a housekeeper to the property to attend to the issues if we had known about them. 
  
  ***** **** ** *** *** is a popular vacation home that receives no complaints. I have looked through all the reviews provided to us by guests in 2022 (6 of them), and the only negative review of the house was a TV not working properly and a stool on the deck that needed repair. 

• Initial Complaint

  07/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Our family vacation with friends was pretty much ruined due to the condition of the rental in the ******* ***** sub division. Upon arrival you can tell the home hasn’t had upkeep on the exterior for several years. I thought ok it will be nice inside. Not the case, the home didn’t even appear to be cleaned before our check in. Plenty of dirt on the floors and dirty dishes in the cabinet. I found the previous guests shaving hairs and clippings in my sink. Nothing appeared to be wiped down. The blankets on the beds all smelled moldy. The kids rooms carpets looked so bad I didn’t want them to even wear bare feet. The pool furniture was absolutely disgusting covered in filth and dirt that wouldn’t wash up with a hose. The dishwasher was broken as well. Every AC vent had rust on it from lack of upkeep and maintenance. Plenty of damage all over the home leading to a very unpleasant experience. The furniture was awful and overused. We paid about $6500.00 dollars for the house for a quiet family vacation if I knew I was renting a dilapidated Frat House I would have happy paid about $1000.00 for it. A few of us all got sick, I believe from breathing in the nasty air from the AC as you could tell the filters haven’t been changed in maybe a year. My son with asthma was struggling all week to breathe in the home it appeared there was mold all over the home. The pictures on the listing made it look like a luxurious family vacation rental and high end. You couldn’t even see out the windows in the Home because they were covered in mold and algae and dirt from never being cleaned on the exterior. Not to mention the house said it came with a fully stocked kitchen. They didn’t even have bowls for me to give the kids cereal. It was one thing after the next such as cobwebs in various corners of the room. In the days of Covid to charge this amount of money for people to enter a disgusting home it really is unbelievable. As a former landlord myself I am appalled at this type of business.

  

  Business response

  07/11/2022

  I've read ****'s description of the property. We are sorry the guest arrived at this home with the issues described below. It is our intention to keep our properties clean and safe so the families that vacation with us have fond memories of our beautiful beach. I will explain the series of events as they occurred.

  We received a text from the guest on Monday, June 27th, stating the following: "The house was still dirty when we got here yesterday- visible vacuuming still should have been done inside. The pool needs to be vacuumed and is cloudy today.. also all the pool furniture was a mess when we got here—trash all around the pool deck. And the pool furniture is not at all in condition as shown in the pictures. Most of the bedding (comforters) smells mildew and unwashed. Overall- cleaners are not wiping down well at all, not dusting well, and not moving furniture to vacuum underneath. We have seen hair, dust balls under the couch- it's just pretty gross. Please text me back to confirm receipt and if you can come and correct some of these things".

  We immediately sent a keeper to the property to address their concerns. The guest was very pleasant and happy with our quick response. Our housekeeping department took out blankets and removed all bedding. They were laundered and returned the next day. We took out a loaner vacuum for the guest to use during their stay if they should need it after the housekeeper went out to clean on Monday. 
  

  The pool technician went to the property to address concerns with the pool water. He found the water clear and the chemicals in the pool to be precisely how they should be. He cleaned all the debris around the pool that he could find. There are many trees around the pool, which makes it hard to keep the pool area clear of leaves. He noted that the pool furniture needed to be cleaned and a broken pool chair. 
  

  Maintenance went to the property on June 27th to assess the pool furniture. Our tech removed the broken chair and sent a request to have the pool furniture cleaned, as the tech noted it was also quite dirty. On June 29th, the pool furniture was cleaned and looked much better. 

  The guest reached out on June 28th concerning an issue with the dishwasher. Our technician went to the property and did several items, and the dishwasher was working as intended when he left. The guest reached back out later and noted it was not working again. Another tech went to the property on June 29th, tested the dishwasher, and noted it would need a vendor. Unfortunately, a part had to be ordered, and the dishwasher would not be available during their stay. 

  On Wednesday, June 29th, the guest spoke with our guest relations team member, requesting a refund. The team member explained to the guest that we don't typically give refunds per the contract, but she would be happy to reach out to the owner after the guest's stay to see if they would offer any compensation. However, she did explain to the guest that we must be allowed to take care of any items she feels is unsatisfactory. 

  We heard nothing more from the guest after we handled all the items they brought to our attention, other than checking in to see if there were any new updates on the dishwasher. Our staff has dealt with several party members, each with their take on the property. 

  After the guest departed, the guest emailed a formal complaint listing everything they felt to be unsatisfactory. Several of the items were things the guest notified us about during their stay, which we attended to. The other items mentioned are things we could have attended to if we had been made aware of them while they were here. 

  Based on the series of events, the owner agreed to refund the guest $200 for the dishwasher, and Bluewater added another $100 for cleaning issues. We are sorry the guest feels the amount offered, which she accepted, wasn't an appropriate amount of restitution for this issue. However, we feel like our team acted appropriately in dealing with all issues brought to our attention.
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  07/06/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  6/19 - 6/26/2022 The day we checked in we bought almost $500 worth of groceries for the week. The next morning the fridge was not cold enough. Popsicles weren't frozen, ice cream melting... Notified Bluewater via voice-mail (during regular business hours) and chat (no reply). Maintenance came out 3 times before a loaner fridge was provided on Thursday. I asked for one at their first visit. If the food is not getting cold enough I didn't feel it was safe to eat. Two of our party of 6 left early due to stomach issues. I advised before we left that I would like a refund of our groceries and additional money as we had to eat out more than planned. I provided them with a picture of the grocery total. My only replies have been that they were reaching out to the manager. No reply from said manager. I would appreciate any assistance in getting this issue addressed. Kind Regards, ***** **************

  

  Business response

  07/07/2022

  I agree with the guests' complaint that it has taken too long for a manager to respond, for that we are sorry. Our manager was working with the owner to determine an appropriate refund amount but should have communicated this with the guest so they knew we'd not forgotten about them. 
  
  Our team responded quickly to address the guests' concerns with the fridge, beginning when the call came in after-hours the night of June 20th. The on-call tech found the temperature setting turned off. He gave the guests several bags of ice to help with groceries while the fridge cooled down. 
  
  We did not hear from the guest again until June 22nd. The guest called us to let us know they were concerned the freezer was not cooling correctly again, and we returned that afternoon. We found the coils froze up due to the temperature being turned up too high. We defrosted the coils and set the temperature back to a standard-setting.
  
  On June 23rd, we went back to the property, and the temperature for the freezer was reading 26 degrees, and the fridge was reading 32 degrees. The refrigerator was cooling correctly, but the freezer seemed to have an issue. It was cold enough to keep the food from spoiling but not cold enough to keep popsicles and ice cream frozen. 
  
  On June 24th, we returned to the unit with a loaner fridge and removed the other one. 
  
  To this date, the appliance vendor cannot recreate an issue with the fridge.
  
  Based on the series of events, the owner agreed to refund the guest $100, and Bluewater added another $150. We are sorry the guest feels the amount offered, which she accepted, wasn't an appropriate amount of restitution for this issue. However, we feel like our team acted appropriately in its dealings with ******

  Customer response

  07/08/2022

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

• Initial Complaint

  10/25/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We stayed at S**** B**** W***** the week of Oct 2, 2021. I called to report that the door handle to the door leading to the garage was completely missing and laying in the floor at 3:19 pm upon arrival to the house. At 4:37 pm, I called back to report that the elevator was not working. I texted Bluewater maintenance about the elevator issue at 4:56 pm. A technician arrived that evening. He immediately told us he had called the office to see if the elevator had been fixed because he knew there had been an issue, and it had not been working. He said the office did not know. He opened the elevator door on the ground level to find that no elevator existed. When I called to speak with guest services, on Sunday, the rep asked why, and I explained that the elevator is non-existent in the house and that maintenance had been aware of the issue prior to our stay. The representative said she managed all the properties and wasn't aware that the elevator was in need of repair. I received a call from ******, and we explained how and why we needed an elevator in the house. We booked this house in November 2020 specifically for the elevator. My elderly parents have a myriad of health issues, particularly neuropathy and lung issues, & they should not be climbing 2 flights of stairs multiple times a day. ****** told me no way elevator would be replaced during our stay. On Mon, she said they would refund us $200-the cost usually charged for the elevator amenity. She apologized profusely both on Sun & Mon. She did tell us that we should have been notified about the elevator since the previous renters had been notified, but Bluewater had failed to contact us about it. ****** offered assistance with bringing down our luggage when we left the following Saturday. I accepted this offer, & we agreed that the assistance would arrive at 8:45 am that Sat. No assistance arrived. VM from ***** on Oct 14 said maintenance arrived a few min after 10 (check out is 10). More info attached.

  

  Business response

  11/09/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/11/01) */ Bluewater has been in contact with this guest during her stay and after her stay. Since the elevator was not operable during her stay and we could not get it fixed in a reasonable amount of time we offered to help with their belongings and gave them a refund. Bluewater refunded the guest $200 and the guest accepted this offer. In the rental agreement that the guest signed it states " All efforts will be made to expedite needed repairs, but no refunds will be made for mechanical failures of air conditioning, elevator, appliances/electronics, or interruption/loss of utilities (including cable TV / Internet) or Homeowner Association advertised amenities such as, but not limited to, indoor / outdoor pools / spa, fitness center, or tennis courts." and " . PLEASE NOTE: Refunds will NOT be given for any of these items that may be non-functioning. Elevators: Every effort is made to repair in a timely manner." We know that it is not ideal for an elevator to not be working but it could not be repaired any sooner. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2021/11/01) */ Bluewater would like to quote the rental agreement in their response; however, what they won't say is that they failed to provide notification before our arrival of a nonexistent elevator which was and still is advertised for this vacation rental. If we had known of this issue, we would have requested another house that had an operable elevator. We were not given this opportunity, and we learned it would be impossible to fix during our stay since the elevator company had many sick with covid and it takes at least 1 full day to install the elevator and no one is allowed inside the entire time for safety reasons. It also appears as though they had an idea of when the elevator would be reinstalled later in Oct. While Bluewater says they offered to assist with belongings, they NEVER showed up before their rental agreement check out time. (We learned later that they came around 10:15 am when check out is 10 am.) They also NEVER notified us of the elevator issue prior to stay. They knew of the issue. (I was told the previous renters had been notified.) When I first called about the elevator issue, the rep said she was unaware of any elevator issues and yet maintenance was quite aware that it was not in the house. Apparently they cannot communicate rental property issues effectively within their own organization much less the renters that it affects. Bluewater advertised the elevator in the house, and it was the MAIN reason we booked the house. I want others to know that Bluewater doesn't notify renters when essential amenities for handicapped individuals are not working and they also fail to keep their promises to assist with baggage. (A previous bbb claim states that they offered baggage assistance and the renters turned it down.) Based on my experience, I highly doubt they would have come to assist. I believe that it's an offer they never intended to follow through with, and I want others to know about these deceptions. Apologies are only effective when companies find solutions to their mistakes so it doesn't happen to other vacationers, particularly those who are handicapped and need specific amenities for their disabilities. Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2021/11/02) */ Yes, we do try to notify all guests of known maintenance issues but this was a unique scenario. The elevator has been an ongoing issue, but the week before this guest checked in it was supposed to be replaced or repaired. So as far we knew the installation had happened but unfortunately, the homeowner did not communicate with us that it did not happen until after the guest checked in. It is also not fair to claim that we never notify guests of amenities that are broken because the guest even stated in her response that other guests were notified of the elevator being down. It is also not fair to claim that we never assist previous or future guests with their baggage because our maintenance department has done that plenty of times for any guests that needed it. Yes, our maintenance technician did show up 15 minutes after checkout time but there are many things that could have factored into that and the main thing being traffic on the island around check-out time. It was never our company or the homeowner's intention to ruin your vacation. But things do break and it is taking longer than normal for things to get replaced and repaired.

• Initial Complaint

  10/04/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Beach rental- We had 7 adults and 4 young children. Contract says 8 and it also say no more than 12. Monday we were informed we could only have 8 sleeping their but could have up to 12 during the day. Long story short we complied that day and got a hotel room for my wife, 2 kids, and myself. Tuesday Bluewater came for an inspection. No issues per ***** at Bluewater. Tuesday evening ****** (Bluewater) said she needed receipts and that ***** (Bluewater) was on her way to the courts to start eviction process. I email ****** receipts. Wednesday morning @ 824am ****** said we are being evicted and needed to be out by 10am. Long story short, ****** for 3 hours kept saying the police were coming to evict us. Towards the end we finally called the police department and spoke to the Chief. He said that wasn't true. Once we told ****** we spoke to Chief ********, an hour later she called back and said we didn't have to leave. Attached is full description. We complied with every req

  

  Business response

  10/19/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/10/05) */ Hello, We contacted ******* ******* on the day of his arrival to let him know we were informed by the owners that he had 11 people in his party and the condo only allows 8. It was stated if he was bringing more guests to use the common areas it would need approval by the HOA which was stated on his contract. ******'S ***** - GUEST RULES: 1. No more than a total of 8 persons, including children, shall be allowed to occupy a rental unit. Use of the common areas (pool, beach, etc.) by more than a total of 8 persons, including children, from a rental unit at a time is not permitted, unless approved in advance by the association. The owners were adamant on having the guest evicted for not complying with the rules and on Weds morning I had proceeded with the eviction process. We had asked ******* to provide a receipt for the hotel room he purchased on Sunday for his extra guests. This would all have been avoided if he provided the receipt when we asked for it on Monday. Thank you, ***** ******* Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2021/10/11) */ *****, Almost every statement in your response is false and I have the contract, emails, and text messages to prove this. You said Bluewater contacted me on the day of our arrival. The truth is on Sunday the 25th, someone from Bluewater left a business card with my dad and the message was to call the number on the back as soon as possible to discuss an occupancy issue. You also called and left a message saying the same thing. I did call back that evening and no one answered so I left a message. No one from Bluewater called me back on Sunday. Therefore, Bluewater attempted to contact me and I attempted to contact Bluewater on Sunday. I called first thing Monday morning around 730 am and also followed up with an email at 9 am because no one from Bluewater had called me back. Tired of waiting around for that call, my family and I went out to the beach. We played phone tag Monday until early afternoon, and that is when I finally talked to ****** at Bluewater. That is when Bluewater officially informed me of the occupancy issue. Until this time, I thought there was a misunderstanding. This leads to your second false statement. Your "******'s ***** - Guest Rules" statement shows "no more than a total of 8 persons." The contract I signed clearly shows 12. An image of that exact section was uploaded to this complaint. You obviously did not look over the attached documents before responding. What is even more alarming is your current day (10/8/2021) webpage shows "no more than a total of 12 persons." So *****, explain to me how my contract is different from what you stated, and why does your current webpage not support your statement? I have that webpage time stamped and printed for future evidence in case this can't get resolved fairly. What is ironic *****, when we spoke on the phone you brought up the misleading language in the contract in the first place. It was Monday while I was talking to ******, you were in her office and you brought up the fact that "******'s *****" says 12 and that it was misleading language. You all explained to me that "no more than a total of 12 persons" were to be allowed to use the amenities and be in the unit during the day. To your final false statement. You said Bluewater requested receipts on Sunday. As stated above, I never spoke with anyone from Bluewater on Sunday. The only person in my family to speak to a Bluewater representative on Sunday was my dad, and that interaction is described above. The first request from Bluewater to me for hotel receipts was via text message from ******, which was sent on Tuesday July 27th at 3:09pm. I responded with a text at 3:43pm stating "I've called twice and left messages." At 515pm, I finally got to speak with ******. She told me that ***** was on her way to the Magistrates office to file an eviction notice, but receipts might help my case. I told ****** that I didn't have "receipts" because we haven't checked out. I had confirmation emails, but those are not receipts and you specifically asked for receipts. I told ****** I would call the hotel and request something that I could send her. At 626pm, I sent that email with receipts attached. Those receipts have already been uploaded to this complaint. So almost 1 hour after I spoke with ****** about this, I sent those receipts! *****, Bluewater is responsible because you all had the evidence, proof, and ability to stop this before everything came to blows on Wednesday. I can understand that you may not have seen the receipts email Tuesday night. However, you or ****** should have looked Wednesday morning before calling me. I told ****** Tuesday night I would send something and Wednesday morning I verbally told her I sent those receipts. Someone from Bluewater should have informed the homeowners immediately and at the very least, paused the eviction threats until after the homeowners responded. If the homeowners were still adamant, you could have informed them how that would put Bluewater in an unfair trade practice situation by continuing, since the tenants have been acting in good faith the entire time (see Vacation Renters Act § 42A-27. Penalties for abuse below). "Vacation Renters Act § 42A-27. Penalties for abuse." A landlord or real estate broker shall undertake to evict a tenant pursuant to an expedited eviction proceeding only when he or she has a good faith belief that grounds for eviction exists under the provisions of this Chapter. Otherwise, the landlord or real estate broker shall be guilty of an unfair trade practice under G.S. 75-1.1 and a Class 1 misdemeanor. (1999-420, s. 1.)" We complied with every request from Bluewater. Monday you officially told us about the occupancy limit of 8, and agreed the contract was misleading. Within 3 hours we had a room booked to remedy that problem. Tuesday you requested an inspection 30 minutes from the request. That was granted and passed with good remarks from a Bluewater employee. Tuesday evening you requested receipts. After my phone call with ****** about verifying receipt or conformation email, almost 1 hour later I sent them. So, explain to me how we did not act in good faith? Another law Bluewater broke, and that is: North Carolina General Statutes 42A-24. Expedited eviction -Before commencing an expedited eviction proceeding, the landlord or real estate broker shall give the tenant at least four hours' notice, either orally or in writing, to quit the premises. An expedited eviction proceeding shall commence with the filing of a complaint and issuance of summons in the county where the property is located. You verbally and in writing informed me at 8:24 am Wednesday morning, and you started the proceedings at 933am. That is not 4 hours! According to the law above, Bluewater could possibly be facing a Class 1 Misdemeanor. The North Carolina Real Estate Commissions Office has been informed and waiting on their response. I will make sure to update the complaint I submitted to them showing the false statements you have provided today. I do agree that the homeowners had a lot to do with this and that put Bluewater in a tough situation. Which is why I feel the homeowners and Bluewater should provide a fair compensation to my family and I for the stress and disruption of our vacation that you all caused. After Tuesday's inspection when everything was reported to be just fine and everything looked great, that should have ended the harassment but it didn't. Lastly, Wednesday evening we went to the Bluewater office to talk to ****** and get documentation of what had transpired. We ended up at ****'s office. He informed my Dad, Brother-in-Law (*****), and I that these homeowners have done this "3 or 4 times in the few months Bluewater has worked with them." He also said he didn't expect the homeowners to provide any compensation, but Bluewater would make this right. I have an email verifying that was a lie. Common pattern with Bluewater according to online reviews. This complaint should help strengthen and highlight the dishonestly that runs through Bluewater if we choose to post this on social media. I'd rather we resolve this issue with a fair compensation instead. I'm ready to put this behind me as it still causes me stress and anger to this day. Respectfully, ******* ******* Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2021/10/13) */ *******, A text message was sent to you an hour after your check-in on Sunday stating you were over occupying the condo and the extra guests needed to be removed or you will be asked to leave. We had asked you to provide the receipt as you stated you removed your extra guests and that was not sent until late Tues evening. The eviction process did not take place and you continued your stay at the condo until you departed the following Sunday. Respectfully, ***** Consumer Response /* (4200, 11, 2021/10/14) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) *****, As I stated before and not trying to hide, Bluewater reached out to me via phone and came by the unit and spoke to my Dad about the occupancy issue. Until I spoke to ****** on Monday, I was under the impression we could have up to 12 persons per ******'s ***** rules in the contract. You yourself said the language was misleading. After it was explained to me on Monday, I fixed the issue by renting a room at ************. No one from Bluewater ever asked me for receipts until Tuesday at 3:09 pm. I kept every text message, email, and even recorded all the conversations I had with ****** on Wednesday with the exception of the first call at 8:24 am. Nowhere did anyone from Bluewater ask for receipts prior to 3:09 pm Tuesday. Why would I lie about that? I had nothing to hide as the receipts showed we complied. I wish you would have asked for them Monday and saved my family and me the stress and disruption that occurred Tuesday and Wednesday. Saying in your initial response Bluewater requested receipts Sunday and Monday is a bold faced lie. Your statement "The eviction process did not take place and you continued your stay at the condo until you departed the following Sunday." So you filling the complaint paperwork with the Clerk of Courts in ******** isn't starting the eviction process? How I read the law, filing the paperwork is starting the process, and that can't take place until 4 hours after notifying the tenants. Here is a copy of the section I'm referencing: North Carolina General Statutes 42A-24. Expedited eviction -Before commencing an expedited eviction proceeding, the landlord or real estate broker shall give the tenant at least four hours' notice, either orally or in writing, to quit the premises. An expedited eviction proceeding shall commence with the filing of a complaint and issuance of summons in the county where the property is located. So ****** telling and me at 8:24 am Wednesday and emailing me at 8:50 am that we are being evicted, and you being in route to ******** to file the complaint wasn't true. Or the eviction paperwork didn't get filed at 9:33 am with the Clerk of Courts. So you lied again. I'm trying to get you to realize that you and ****** should have and could have proceeded differently, and possibly avert everything that took place Wednesday. ******'s choice of words caused the chain of events that took place Wednesday. That's on Bluewater. How else can you explain how we went from being evicted that morning to not being evicted that afternoon, and the only thing we had to do to avoid eviction was not leave when ****** told us to. That was the only thing we didn't comply with throughout this entire conflict. I didn't send one document or email Wednesday that would have changed the course of the outcome. Truth is ****** never checked her email Tuesday night or Wednesday morning before calling me. She had already threatened us with the eviction and said when we needed to be out by. She never redacted that statement after I told her I sent receipts Tuesday. She should have asked me Wednesday morning if I ever sent those receipts before making threats. Better yet, she should have looked for that email, forward the email to the homeowners before calling me. I bet had she done that, we wouldn't have spoked again the rest of the week. Point is, had she looked for the documents before threatening me with an eviction, none of this would have happened. How is that not Bluewater's fault? ***** you still have not answered why your stated below doesn't match the actual contract. Your statement: "******'S ***** - GUEST RULES: 1. No more than a total of 8 persons, including children, shall be allowed to occupy a rental unit. Use of the common areas (pool, beach, etc.) by more than a total of 8 persons, including children, from a rental unit at a time is not permitted, unless approved in advance by the association." My contract is attached to this complaint with BBB. It clearly states: "no more than a total of 12 person, including children, shall be allowed to occupy a rental unit. Use of the common areas (pool, beach, etc.) by more than a total of 12 persons, including children, from a rental unit at a time is not permitted, unless approved in advance by the association." Your statement doesn't match what my contract says and doesn't match what your website says. Why? Where did you get that language? Did you mistype? I know you see the confusion, you were the first to bring it up the one and only time we spoke on Monday. However, you don't want to acknowledge it and I don't know why unless you are trying to hide something. The confusion in the contract started the issue. The continued harassment from the homeowners through Bluewater is what caused the issue and stress on Tuesday. The poor decisions and choice of words from ****** is what caused the grand finale on Wednesday. Along with you not feeling the need to inform me directly after speaking with homeowners and instead letting ****** fumble through the details. The only thing she was confident about was the police being in route to evict us. She said it multiple times and I even ask her to verify they are actually in route. She clearly didn't have all the details so she couldn't really give me definitive answers. Which just compounded the frustration and anger. It took until 4:32 pm Wednesday evening before ****, whose only involvement was to come to the unit, which he didn't do, finally sent an email stating we are no longer being evicted. Why did it take so long? Why did we have to physically go to the office to get that done? Why didn't you at any point reach out to me Wednesday after learning of either the receipts or the homeowner's change of heart? You were the one directly talking with them correct. We didn't start unloading or unpacking until after we received official word from Bluewater. We didn't get linens until sometime around 6 o'clock. And we still had to go back to the grocery store to get more food. If you can't see how Bluewater played a part in causing this, then you are blind to the truth. I'm not asking for some unreasonable amount of compensation. I think asking Bluewater to reimburse the 3 days of disruption and stress Bluewater and the homeowners caused is completely fair and reasonable. I get the homeowners concern for their property. However, after Bluewater verified on Tuesday everything was good with the unit that should have been the end of the harassments. I could have lived with that and moved on. But that wasn't the end. I had to take time away again and ask the hotel to send me receipts instead of confirmation email to prove to Bluewater and homeowner I wasn't lying. I guess seeing me on the ring doorbell camera carrying bags, a pack and play, and two kids to the car every night wasn't enough. To cap it off, the receipts that saved the rest of our vacation, which I sent one hour after talking to ******, didn't seem to have any affect until after we refused to leave until we got an eviction notice in hand. How is Bluewater not responsible for that? Respectfully, *******

• Initial Complaint

  08/20/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Rented a beach house Emerald Isle nc. Made multiple complaints about cleanliness and things not working, we had to clean the mess and fix a broken dryer ourselves. They pretty much told us too bad it didn't happen. When I posted screen shots they blocked me.

  

  Business response

  09/01/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 10, 2021/08/24) */ Our company strives to respond to our guests quickly. We also try, if possible, to rectify any issues that arise during their stay when brought to our attention. We have looked through text messages, phone logs, emails, and chats, and it appears you didn't contact our office until the day before check-out, and you were calling to letting us know that you noticed an issue with the dryer. That call did not come in until just before 5:00 pm. Our techs went the following day and did not notice any problems with the dryer, but, as you mentioned, maybe your husband fixed it. Per the vacation rental contract you signed, you should immediately contact our office if you get to the property and have any issues. Unfortunately, because you didn't reach out, we were not able to view or correct any of the housekeeping items you mentioned in your complaint. Blocking users is not something we typically do or want to do. However, you, and your husband, were banned from posting on our ******** page because you were both posting libelous comments and causing disruption on other posts. The following is noted on our ******** page: You agree to our terms of use by posting on our ******** page. Please keep all comments family-friendly. We reserve the right to remove any posts we feel are inappropriate, libelous, or abusive. Repeat offenders will be banned from posting on our page. Consumer Response /* (3000, 12, 2021/08/24) */ That is incorrect. I did contact you multiple times my husband made no comments other then his review which it seems a lot of people have had a lot of issues with your company this past year. It looks as if we aren't the only ones having problems with you "losing" our logs. Each time I was told they would send someone right out. But I'm not surprised you would be unethical considering the emails I received contradicted each other. I will continue to post them. Business Response /* (4000, 14, 2021/08/26) */ Again, our company strives to respond to our guests quickly. We also try, if possible, to rectify any issues that arise during their stay when brought to our attention. We have looked through text messages, phone logs, emails, and chats, and it appears you didn't contact our office until the day before check-out, and you were calling to letting us know that you noticed an issue with the dryer. That call did not come in until just before 5:00 pm. Our techs went the following day and did not notice any problems with the dryer, but, as you mentioned, maybe your husband fixed it. Per the vacation rental contract you signed, you should immediately contact our office if you get to the property and have any issues. Unfortunately, because you didn't reach out, we were not able to view or correct any of the housekeeping items you mentioned in your complaint. Consumer Response /* (4200, 16, 2021/08/27) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) These messages don't mean anything considering you first stated that everything was taken care of then claimed I didn't have any issues at all until I produced the text with maintenance and then you changed your stance and blocked us when my husband put all three responses in his review. He made no other comments. I guess I should have taken videos of my husband fixing the dryer. Your company and staff lack integrity. Blamed the owners for issues that they pay your company to take care of. Again. We aren't the only ones that has had these issues with your company this past year. Your reviews were full of people and your lack of response and trying to put the blame elsewhere with them as well.

• Initial Complaint

  08/17/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We paid $8,705.23 to rent a home through Bluewater Realty for the week of 7/24/21-7/31/21. The home we rented listed an elevator as an amenity and was necessary as my 87 year old handicapped father can't navigate stairs and the home had 3 levels. Upon arrival we learned there was no elevator and Bluewater eventually told us they dropped the ball as we were not notified prior to arrival. Even then, Bluewater would not tell us if we could get out of our contract and said they were waiting to hear from the owner. We stayed because we never found out if we could get our money back if we left. My father was forced to stay on the 3rd floor and not enjoy time with family. We practically carried him up the stairs. The amenity promised was not provided and now Bluewater told us we would not be compensated and will not return our phone calls. A receptionist told my mother that **** was working on a settlement, but will not call us back. Horrible customer service and false advertisement.

  

  Business response

  09/09/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/08/27) */ A few of our staff members have been trying to contact you to discuss your request for compensation. However, they have not had any luck connecting with you. You will receive an email shortly from our office. If you would be so kind as to reply with the best number and time to reach you, we will call you. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2021/08/31) */ The response from Bluewater that they have been trying to reach me is laughable! For a month now, they have been giving my family the run around...not returning calls or emails. Not until I filed this complaint did anyone answer us when we called. Suddenly ****** answered my mother and became available to discuss compensation. Since then, I missed a voicemail that ***** left on my phone to discuss compensation, but called her as soon as I saw the voicemail. I guess that is what Bluewater is referring to when they say they have been trying to connect with me..... This absolutely has not been resolved! I did speak with *****, a representative from Bluewater, and she offered to compensate us $700.00 and give us a discount on another property. This was insulting! Basically, expecting to get more of our money by renting another property? They will never get anymore of our money. We have requested a refund of $4,000.00 to compensate for the fact that an elevator was a falsely advertised amenity on the Bluewater Realty website. We booked this vacation in November 2020 and were so excited and looking forward to a week with our family which included my parents, 84 and 87, my brother, 60, my husband and I and our 2 children. My father's health is such that we believe this could be the last summer he will be able to join us for a week vacation. Although the home was a three story home, we felt confident my disabled father would be able to enjoy the week as much as an abled bodied person with the amenity of the elevator to allow him the freedom of coming and going. We would never choose a home with 3 stories that didn't have an elevator!! That amenity was a must for our family. After taking all morning to get packed and drive to the beach, we arrived at the home to unpack and realized the elevator was not working. For about 30 minutes my husband and I attempted to resolve the elevator issue thinking it could be user error and ran up and down each floor trying to get the elevator to work. Once we realized we couldn't get it working, I contacted Bluewater to let them know about the elevator. The man I spoke with told me he would have someone out shortly to resolve the problem. We waited and waited and waited..... Finally we realized we had to get my dad inside and he could no longer sit in the car. With ALOT of effort, we got him up to the 3rd floor and decided he could just stay there until the elevator issue was resolved. We got a knock at the door, but it wasn't Bluewater. It was someone looking for their sunglasses and they were familiar with the home. I asked if they could help me with the elevator and they told me there was no elevator. We thought they must be wrong! However, they assured me that there hasn't been an elevator in the home for at least 2 months. I immediately started crying, my mom was crying....all we could think about was my disabled father. We immediately called Bluewater, which by the way still had not shown up to "fix" the elevator!! That is when we told Bluewater what we learned about the elevator and ****** confirmed our worst fear, that there wasn't an elevator. Well, actually she wouldn't admit there wasn't an elevator. She actually told my husband that it needed a part that was on back order and they thought it would be fixed before our arrival. I wonder when we would have been told if this person had not by chance shown up at our door? The amount of anxiety we all felt was overwhelming. We didn't know if we should pack up and head home, but we had almost $9,000.00 invested in the home. And, when we talked to ******, she couldn't even tell us if we could get out of our contract and get our money back!!! She said she had to talk with the owner and days later had still not spoken with the owner. In fact, I still don't know if they ever talked with the owner throughout the week we were there! So there we sit with my handicapped father stuck on the 3rd floor, approximately $9000.00 invested in the home, at least 8 hours worth of packing and driving all morning to get there and not knowing if we leave if we get money back! Aside from that, we weren't even sure my dad could handle the drive home or if we could handle bringing everything we unpacked back down the stairs to load in the car. It was a complete mess and we were all emotionally drained and anxiety through the roof. All week we got the run around from Bluewater about whether we could get out of the contract....never did get an answer on that!! My father stayed on that 3rd floor all week, with the exception of a few trips down to sit by the pool with his grandchildren and go out to eat dinner one night. Getting him up and down those stairs was an immense task and I held my breath that he wouldn't fall! It took both my husband and brother to practically carry him up and down the stairs! It was so stressful and broke our hearts throughout the week. It was so obvious that Bluewater gave us the runaround from the minute we arrived. First of all, ****** and **** both told my husband, mother and I that the ball was dropped on notifying our family there was no elevator. Obviously had we been notified months ago like we should have been, we would have canceled our contract and found another vacation rental with an elevator. Bluewater knew this and I feel that is what drove their decision not to notify us!!! Also, both **** and ****** told my husband and I during the week stay that we would be compensated!! Now we are being told the owner would compensate us $200.00 and Bluewater would compensate us $500.00. Bluewater told us just what we wanted to hear to keep us in the house all week. It seems all of this was very well thought out and I do not believe the ball was dropped.....I believe Bluewater intentionally didn't tell us the elevator was not there. I tried to give Bluewater the benefit of the doubt, but after dealing with this company I can no longer do so. And, by the way, the elevator is still listed as an amenity on your website...FALSE ADVERSTISEMENT!!!!!! The bottom line is that you advertised an elevator. That amenity was a must for my handicapped father and because he did not have the amenity promised, he was held captive on the 3rd floor because of his disability. And after experiencing a week of those stairs, an elevator is a true necessity for that home. It was a hardship on everyone going up and down those stairs! It absolutely breaks my heart and makes me furious that my father was not able to enjoy his week vacation, that he paid for, because of his disability and the lack of a promised amenity to accommodate his disability. We are requesting that we be compensated $4,000.00. Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2021/08/31) */ Hello, I am responding to the guests complaint that stayed at our rental home ****************** the week of July 24, 2021 and the issue of not having a working elevator for their stay. We understand this was a huge inconvenience for them and offered to have our maintenance dept. assist with their luggage and the guest declined and stated they had two 15 yr old family members that could assist them. We also offered compensation from the owner and Bluewater for a total amount of $700 and they declined that as well. We are truly sorry we could not come to an agreement on this situation. Sincerely, ***** ******* Property Manager Bluewater Vacation Rentals Consumer Response /* (4200, 11, 2021/08/31) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) It was not about the luggage...it was about a human being that was forced to stay on the 3rd floor of a home for the week of our stay because of negligence on the part of Bluewater. It is a matter of principle and clearly Bluewater does not care about principle or customer service. It is obvious where Bluewater stands on this matter. However, I will continue through other avenues and do my best to see that our money is rightfully returned to us.

*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. ↩