ComplaintsforBettinger Realtors

• Initial Complaint

  10/04/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I lived at ****************************. in ****** from 10/05/2021 to 09/30/2022. During said time they charged $1,800 a month for a modular home. While leasing at that property we had several issues with the tile over the wood floor shattering and cutting our feet, full holes appearing in the floor, and hoards of rats that made a nest under the house that the plumber found. I was scared for myself and my children's health due to these rats which the maintenance man, ****, said all these issues have been ongoing for years. He just covers it up and the lease to another tenant. The fire department came out during an emergency one time in August 2022 and said the fire detectors were too old to pass inspection and the batteries kept dying. During our time at this property the management never visited, never did upkeep with pest control or keeping the house safe. We didn't see the maintenance man until the week before moving out.

  Business response

  10/05/2022

  Thank you for you message.  For over 36 years we have maintained a high standard for property management services to our clients and tenants who rent from us.  Through our experience, once and a while we receive this kind of complaint.  This is a reactionary complaint by a former tenant whom was contacted about the "poor" condition of the dwelling. 

  This particular tenant, whom was on the lease with other 2 tenants left the rental home in deplorable condition. The other 2 roommates left 2 months before because of problems with this person (See email attached). ************************* ****** is problematic and has not helped pay rent at the property for 10 months.

  
  These tenants have abandoned many personal belongings both for adults and children.  After being contacted about the condition of the property, the tenant has decided to make a claim with the BBB in an attempt to not be charged for the damage and and the poor condition of the move out.  Still no response has been received by Mr. *************************** about the condition of the home, but instead he has contacted the BBB.

  
  Please see sample photos of the abandoned car (with junk hoarded inside), trashed rental unit, and questionable living quarters for Mr ********************************** Since the lease agreement began last year (10/21), the tenants did NOT submit any repair request until we were made aware of an issue only a few weeks ago. These tenants were very difficult to contact when agents wanted to visit the property. 
  

  Lastly, the pest control situation is attributed to the living habits of the tenants as observed by our professionals and in the photos attached photos.

  
  This is a classic case of shifting the blame for one's own actions.

  
  -*************************, Property Manager

  Customer response

  10/05/2022

  Complaint: 18167645
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  I have paid my share of the rent up until the day of moving out. There has not been one time that any of us were problematic or deplorable. No one moved out 2 months early. And the bad condition of the house was before we even moved in, my pictures are timestamped October of 2021. The car with belongings in it is due to not having means to store them elsewhere, they are not abandoned. 
  Regards,
  
  **************************************

• Initial Complaint

  04/28/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Two pipes in the guest bathroom of our house burst during the Texas freeze (on Wednesday 2/17/21). I attempted to contact ERA Bettinger and our property manager, ***** *******, that day. We were able to shut off water to our house so the flooding would not continue. I called the Bettinger office multiple times daily, through Saturday, but was unable to reach anyone or get a call back. By Sunday, we were still without water and contact from property management, and I received a personal referral for a plumber to come fix our pipes so we could restore water to the house and return to living in it. On Sunday 2/21/21, Victor Puente came and spent the day fixing the pipes, showed me the burst pipes (that I kept for evidence) and we were able to restore running water to the house. He sent me an invoice on Thursday, 2/25/21, and I sent it directly to ERA Bettinger. They have been avoiding me ever since, despite many calls, and to this date have still not paid ******.

  Business response

  05/10/2021

  This is my company's response for complaint from ****** **********, Complaint #********:
  
  
  Per the signed and executed Texas Association of Realtors Lease Agreement dated 11-9-2019.  Pages 9-10, Paragraph 18, A,B & C, which I have enclosed. 

  
  In summary, 18 A, states that "All Repair Requests must be in writing and delivered to Landlord."  The tenants have 24/7 access through the tenant portal at AustinPropertyMgt.com, which was not done by the tenants.  In Paragraph 18 B, normally, there is a 7 day period to get the repair done.  There was communication with the tenants, which we have documentation. We contacted and dispatched our plumber the very next morning, Thursday, February 18, 2021.  Because of the once in a hundred year severity of the ice storm all over the city and surrounding areas, the legitimate plumbers were extremely busy.  When our plumber contacted the tenants to book a time, the tenants already had the work done by an unknown and, possibly, unqualified plumber. We tried contacting the name and number on the invoice numberous times, but have never been able to communicate with him, even to this day. 

  Also, Paragraph 18 C1, states: "Tenant may not repair or cause to be repaired any condition, regardless of the cause, without Landlord's permission. All decisions regarding repairs, including the completion of any repair, whether to repair or replace the item, and the selection of contractors, will be at Landlord's sole discretion."
  

  We are getting the work checked out by a fully licensed plumber and the Owner of the property will make a decision whether he is going to pay the invoice.  My company can only take direction from the Owner of the property, not from any tenant who decides to take action outside the terms of the lease agreement. We are a firm believer in following the lease agreement for both tenants/owners and have for nearly 35 years. I would hope to have this resolved within the next 10 days.  
  

  
  

*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. ↩