Colorado Property Management Group CPMG Retroactive fees and threats to raise HOA dues Aurora, Colorado
This company is terrible and is a huge RIP OFF -- Buyer Beware. They have decided to raise their dues because they cannot survive on $300 per year from every household to maintain nothing! They have no pool, no park (they have a small area of community grass that they say is a park - it is not a park! My backyard is larger. They do not plow streets in the winter, they do not put de-icer on the corners for residential use. The only thing they do is collect trash for the neighborhood and maintain the main road which has three other communities abutted to it - so why are we paying for all of this? This company threatened to cancel the only service they offer to everyone, trash, if they didn't get thier dues increased. After several threatening letters and forced votes, they did strong-arm enough home owners into it. NOW they are retroactively charging the dues - for the portion of the year that wasn't approved. They also overcharged last year and didn't refund the money to the homeowners.
I want to get rid of the HOA's in my neighborhood! I think they are a waste of money, waste of time and they provide absolutely no service to my home other than harassment because the grass is longer than 1 1/4" or the flowerbed colors weren't approved prior to planting!
HOA's need to be regulated if they are allowed to legally mess with homeowners, allowed to change their contracts and retroactively demand additional funds, fine homeowners for alleged violations with no proof, I thought we lived in America!
I would like to know how to divorce and HOA, get a refund on overpaid dues because MY contract states I will not pay more than $300 per year.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
alanwong
Denver,Colorado,
USA
CPMG: incompetent and unprofessional -- stay away.
#2General Comment
Tue, November 17, 2009
Tracy,
I am sorry to hear about your problems with CPMG and understand what you are going through. I experienced lots of problems with CPMG too, both as a homeowner and as a board member, and my HOA switched to a much better property management company which actually lowered our HOA fees and they spotted many mistakes CPMG had made over the years.
The reality is that CPMG is understaffed, not experienced with higher-end properties, their communications is extremely poor (very non-responsive and not embracing modern day communications such as emails and cell phones), and they have a very antiquated way of running their operations. Their bookkeeping and accounting is also unacceptable, as errors are common and paperwork are often lost by CPMG. CPMG also uses lots of 3rd party contractors which they have a long relationship with, and many of them are overpriced and not very good at what they do.
Property management companies should be working FOR the HOA, not dictate and manipulate the HOA and its homeowners, which I found CPMG has that kind of attitude and approach. They should be at your service not the other way around. The HOA pays for their services and has a right to discontinue it and find another management company.
Changing property management companies for any condo or development is not uncommon, but unfortunately is more difficult to do when you are trying to let go of a management company that is not very professional and problem-ridden.
The Better Business Bureau has given CPMG their poorest rating, an 'F' -- which I am not surprised.
There are independant auditing companies that will examine your management company which I think you should do given CPMG's sloppy bookkeeping and business practices. That way you have proof and a means to go after any errors and monies owed to you. I also strongly suggest filing complaints to the BBB, other consumer/government organizations so that you have some backing.
I don't know if you are on the HOA board or an active homeowner, but meeting with other concerned homeowners and the HOA (outside the presence of the management company) and agreeing on a strategy to switch management companies is a good start. Having the HOA approach 2 or 3 reputable management companies and interviewing them as well as discussing the current problems you are experiencing with CPMG will help these potential management companies in resolving these issues after you let go of CPMG, and it will also help in any legal actions you may take on CPMG. Any reputable management companies will help your HOA in transitioning from CPMG, it is part of their service and you should take advantage of it.
It is important that your current management company is not aware of your intensions and actions during this time as it will jepordize whatever quality of service you already have. Researching/interviewing management companies and preparing for the transition took a few months. We later had an overlap of property management companies to help with our transition (about 2 weeks), and during this period CPMG's service, responsiveness and cooperation was nonexistant and they were being extremely bitter about the situation.
CPMG owes me money for a set of architectural drawings I lent to them which they lost (like many other things they have misplaced while they were our management company). CPMG agreed to reimburse me for the printing cost for a new set, which was discussed at a Board meeting, but they never did and never responded to any of my requests. Though the amount was not much, I am very disappointed about their lack of professionalism and honesty and failure to be responsible for their negligence.
There are many reputable and professional property management companies out there who deserves your business, CPMG is definitely not one of them -- please stay away from them!