ComplaintsforABC Property Managers, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  11/28/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have contacted this business at the only phone number and email address I have been provided. They are rejecting my maintenance issue under false pretenses and every time the contact is given reason to refute their rejection, they come up with another one. I have asked for alternate contacts and have been told there is no one else I am allowed to speak directly to. I pay for a property management service as an HOA charge every month, and they are not providing the services necessary.

  Business response

  01/09/2024

  On 11-2-2023 ******* received an email from ******************** which read:
  
  I just had a company come out to clean out my dryer vent and their camera showed that my dryer vent is completely disconnected in the wall, and is blowing lint and carbon monoxide. He disconnected my dryer, as it is not safe to use. I need to set up a date and time for someone from the association to assess and repair, as this is not a tenant responsibility.
  
  ******* took the request for maintenance to the ***** of ********* for the Steeplechase Association.  Their response is below:
  
  *******, can you send this to the homeowner. 
  On Fri, Nov 3, 2023 at 1:15 PM   According to the chart in Appendix III (B) of our Jan. 2022 ****************, only the exterior dryer vent is the Associations responsibility.  Internal connection of the dryer vent is the homeowners responsibility.
   
  ******* shared this email from the ***** of ********* with *********************  *************** maintains a Homeowner Responsibility Chart created by their attorney to help homeowners understand who is responsible for what maintenance.
  
  Our company is no longer the Property Manager of Steeplechase.  Our contract ended 12-31-23.  
  
  At this point we would recommend that ******************** attend the next ***** of ********* meeting and speak directly with the ***** if she still feels that the association should rectify her dryer vent issue. 
  
  I am told that at the last ***** of ********* meeting ******* attended on 11-14-2023 this issue was brought up and discussed.  The ***** of ********* agreed it was something ******************** needed to fix.  ******* has relayed that to ******************** many times."
  

  
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  05/12/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  After complying with all the *** requests regarding our unit in ************** and specifically a cockroach infestation in the building, the Association has decided to involve an attorney who sent me a letter with demands that were already completed. Now the *** hold me liable for $1014.20 legal fees. I provide screenshots of emails from and to the property manager that proove the attorney involvement was not needed because we complied and this matter was settled prior his letter. After multiple unsuccessful phone call attempts I tried to get some kind of explanation in the company's office in person and that resulted in another outstanding balance of $513 with a description "occupancy issues -Services, communications with owner and management". I'm ready to bring this to court

  Business response

  05/17/2023

  Yes our office would like to respond.  First we are unsure why a homeowner would be filing a complaint against our office, we do not make the decisions for the ***** of ********* of Randwood Towers II in **************. 

  The issues with ****************************, #***, ***********, ** began in January 2023 when the Association's exterminator discovered a cockroach infestation in **************'s ************, ******** unit.  At that time the ***** of ********* contacted the Association attorney and asked him to send a letter to ************** advising about the infestation and the procedure that they needed to follow in order to make the ********** and healthy.  Cockroach infestations need to be addressed immediately so that the rest of the building is not affected.  For this reason the Association had their attorney send the 2-8-23 letter.  This is standard practice for the ***** of *********.  Also at this time, ************** was requested to produce a copy of the lease with his tenant.  According to ******** Condominium Property Act all leases must be provided to the Association no later than occupancy or 10 days after a lease is signed.  There was no lease provided to the association as of 2-8-23.

  After the 2-8-23 attorney letter had gone out to ************** a flurry of phone calls, texts and emails to the property manager, board president and association attorney began. **************, at that time, also began threatening the property manager that "the most you'll accomplish here is to make me sell and get your nice A+ BBB rating ruined."  After that email threat was received by ******* in our office, ******* was advised to only contact the association's attorney with any further communication or questions.  ******* did indeed continue to call and email the Association's attorney ****************************  ******* was directly told by the attorney that additional charges would occur for all the extra correspondence.  

  The Association (Randwood Towers II) has the right to charge back the cost associated with the issuance of the letter.  ABC Property Managers is not charging Smilena Miteva anything.  We are property managers and follow direction given to ** by the ***** of ********* and their attorney.  Our office can not remove the charges from her account as she is asking ** to do. Our office does not have the authority to make the decisions for the ***** of *********.  ************** may write a letter to the ***** of ********* requesting the charges be removed ore request a hearing with the *****.  It would be up to them to discuss with her and make that final decision. 

  The charges to **************'s homeowner assessment account are for the correspondence with the Association's attorney.  One bill $1,014.20 and then a second charge of $513.00 was for all the additional correspondence she had with the attorney.  

  If there are further questions we can answer, please let ** know.  We can provide the attorney information, any exterminator reports, board member information if you should you need it.
  

  Respectfully,

  ABC Property Managers, Inc.

   

   

   

   

   

  Customer response

  05/20/2023

   
  Complaint: 20052123
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  The board has not explained why the attorney involvement was needed in the first place. The lease renewal was presented on time, nobody has obstructed the exterminators job and the homeowner has complied with ALL the boards requirements a long time before the attorneys letter was sent. Therefore I dont understand why ************** should be held liable for the boards legal fees.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **************

• Initial Complaint

  08/03/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I just filed complaint for Fullett ******* PC who represent my father's assoc mgmt company **** They are invoicing my dad for the cost of considering a payment plan we inquired about when his late assoc dues went to collection. When we inquired about a payment plan we were not told that it would result in additional fees. When we learned this, we did not accept the payment plan & paid the past due amounts in full. Outside of the collection demand, we have made payments on time in ********** to keep my father current. My father is elderly & in poor physical health which has resulted in financial distress. We have made all payments owed, but feel this charge of $119.60 from their attorney should not be charged to my father and would like the invoice removed from his account. Had we known there was the possibility of a charge like this, we would not have requested. I've attempted calling both Fullett ******* and **** but they are not willing to remove the ****.

  Business response

  08/16/2021

  This refers to your email of 8-14-21 ID #********.  We did check our prior emails and did not receive the original 8/3/21 email.  Homeowner **************************************************** file was sent to the association's attorney to initiate a collection action at the end of June 2021.  ********************************* called our office regarding a payment plan for the outstanding balance of $731.40.  He was referred to the Association's attorney's office.  It appears that after some discussion with the attorney he decided to pay the entire balance and forego any payment plan.  A fee of $119.60 was charged by the attorney.  On July 29, 2021 after receiving a call from *****************************, our office contacted the attorney's office and asked for the fee to be removed.  The attorney's office agreed to remove their fee of $119.60 on 8-5-21.  Our office tried reaching ***************************** and did leave him a message advising of the fee being removed.  The phone number we used was ************.  ABC Property Managers, Inc. works for the ********************* and collects member assessments.  Members with 2 or more months of unpaid assessments, with board of directors direction, are referred to their attorney for collection action.  Removal of the legal fees can only be authorized by the Association attorney.  

   

  Customer response

  08/24/2021

   
  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.  I think it's great that this item was removed.  Just to clarify, I was referred to the attorney as the process for trying to request a payment plan.  I contacted the attorney's office and they informed me that a request for payment plan needed to be made using their email address.  I was not informed that there would be additional charges for considering the idea of a payment plan.  I received a letter about 5-6 days later indicating that a payment plan was approved with an additional charge of $120 for the correspondence and payment plan set up.  At that point I called the attorney to let them know that I would not accept the payment plan and paid off the entire amount owed in advance of the initial deadline, however, as mentioned, the firm invoiced the association, which then invoiced my father.    As I've stated, the invoice was unexpected and really unreasonable.  I was exploring options for helping my father. 

  When I saw the invoice I called them on July 29th to let them know I wasn't responsible for it and I asked that it be removed.  The manager indicated that she would request that it be removed, but not necessarily because she agreed with me, but as they mentioned below, it's the process.    She told me she'd get back in touch with me the next day.  After not hearing back from them, I followed up on August 2 by phone and she had not heard back, but as I said to her, "I don't think you're really sympathetic with my situation here" and I informed her I would contact the firm myself to discuss.   That also bore no fruit.  

  Well, after filing a BBB report about the issue, i was happy to see the charge removed within a few days.  I'm glad they tried to call me to let me know, but I don't have any missed calls.  Sometimes the numbers are non-recognizable, so perhaps they did.    I did not receive a voice message.  Maybe my vm box was full.    

  The other thing to be clear on is that, we are well aware of why the account went to the attorney and the steps that HOAs need to take when assessments aren't being paid.  This whole issue was around their firm's desire to conjure up a ridiculous charge to create additional financial stress for someone that is managing limited income with compounding health issues (which is part of the reason why assessments didn't get paid in the first place).     A fee such as this was ludicrous.  I'm glad it's gone.  

  I am grateful for the BBB's support in helping check into this issue. 

  
  Sincerely,
  Guy Schingoethe 
  *****************************

   

   

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