Consumers beware of dealing with a Las Vegas short term home rental company known as “Corporate Mansions”, managed and/or owned by a Mr. Bill Lyons. I have had a very negative experience in dealing with Mr. Lyons and his company – Corporate Mansions, and would encourage any consumer thinking about dealing with Mr. Lyons or his company, Corporate Mansions, to ensure that they are appropriately protected in any transaction with this person and company. Get a good Real Estate attorney to represent you before dealing with this company, make sure that you get all details in writing. It will be worth the expense to protect you from being taken advantage of and the potential of a very negative experience.
I rented a “Corporate Mansion” from Mr. Lyons in 2014 and prepaid in advance for the entire rental. We discovered after making the payment, that Mr. Lyons and his company were leasing the property from the owners, and then creating sub-leases to the property to potential short term tenants. It is not clear that he even has the authority to sub-lease the property. His company does not own the properties being advertised – they are a third party provider, be extremely careful if you consider using Corporate Mansions, Mr. Lyons or anyone affiliated with him or his companies. Take the time to ask the question – “are you affiliated with Corporate Mansions or Bill Lyons in any way”?
The property we rented was not what was advertised on the website, and in addition to being dirty, it was not what even close to what was advertised or we expected upon arrival. The pictures on the website were inaccurate and misleading – if you think about using Corporate Mansions or Mr. Lyons get someone local to check out the property and ensure that it is as advertised.
We discovered upon arrival that Mr. Lyons and his company, Corporate Mansions, was in a dispute with the “Gated Community” where the property we sub-leased is located, and due to the prohibitions in the community bylaws, we were relegated to extraordinary measures, extra expense and inconvenience coming and going from the property. It was more than just difficult and caused many problems with our guests and clients. The gated community would not allow our people or guests into the property unless accompanied by another property owner – someone other than Mr. Lyons. It was a nightmare!
In addition, we contracted with Corporate Mansions and Mr. Lyons for additional services and paid in advance for concierge service; limo, driver, cooks, food prep and stocking, liquor and other advance preparations that were poorly managed and badly provided. We have overpaid for much of the services and are still trying to get the overage refunded to us. The documentation and repeated request for receipts have gone unanswered. This has proven to be a difficult task and it is unlikely we will ever get a refund of the overpayment.
My suggestion to any consumer considering doing business with Corporate Mansions or Mr. Lyons is to beware, do your due-diligence and preview any property prior to sending any funds or signing any lease. Even with our extraordinary efforts to prepare sub-lease agreements and manage the risk, we have been sorely disappointed at the experience and were completely taken advantage. “Fore warned is fore armed.”
I have also become aware that Corporate Mansions and Mr. Lyons will change the names of properties once they get a negative review. It appears the names of contact people also changes quite frequently – ask the question before you lease a property – “are you affiliated in any way with Corporate Mansions or Bill Lyons?
#2Author of original report
Sun, March 29, 2015
Mr. Lyons has again shown his true colors and created a fictional rebuttal to the original post.
DO NOT BE DECEIVED!
The facts are indisputable as originally posted. We were deceived by Mr. Lyons on multiple levels and the post he has made in rebuttal is FALSE. Take the time to investigate before you rent.
1. We were FIRST TIME Corporate Mansions customers, and will never use the company again due to the misleading information and abuse of our good nature. Due to this experience we have had to go to the extraordinary expense of in person advance preview of any property that we might rent for future stays in Las Vegas.
2. We are still OWED A REFUND by Corporate Mansions from the over payment for additional services; neither the company, nor Mr. Lyons has ever provided a proper accounting, or original receipts to document our expenses during the stay. We received a hand written summary with illegible copies of receipts; neither added up to the amount we prepaid. The refund amount we believe due is substantial.
3. We were NOT AWARE that Mr. Lyons was in a dispute with the gated community prohibiting our access to the property until after our arrival in Las Vegas, it was a logistical nightmare and created problems for our staff and guests.
4. The home was NOTHING like it was depicted on the website. It was dirty and poorly appointed for a “mansion” in Las Vegas. To say that we were disappointed would be a gross understatement.
Consumers should investigate for themselves as to the facts. It is not difficult to contact me, and others have already due to their own issues with Corporate Mansions and Mr. Lyons.
Bill
Las Vegas,#3REBUTTAL Owner of company
Sun, March 29, 2015
At Corporate Mansions, we take pride in our excellent customer service, constant attention to our clients' needs and prompt resolution of any and all clients issues. We have over one hundred positive reviews from customers and clients who enjoyed their stay at this very same property plus six other properties during an eight-year period. And the story by Mr. Whitehead is made up as he has a financial gain in a competing company in the vacation rental business.
Bill Whitehead and Crystal Solutions LLC booked their stay at a Corporate Mansions luxury in January 2014 and checked in April 2014 to attend the NAB convention with the luxury mansion being across the street from the convention center. He understood that it was a gated community with tight security and elected to use our drivers to get in and out of the gated community to the convention center. Mister Whitehead state that he was not aware that “Mr. Lyons and his company were leasing the property from the owners, and then creating sub-leases to the property to potential short term tenants.” This statement is completely false. The agreement specifically states in the first paragraph that the luxury property is leased by Corporate Mansions and even states the owner’s name. So Mr. Whitehead was completely aware of this before his check-in and actually received a copy of the lease between the owner and Bill Lyons.
Corporate Mansions often has long term leases with the option to purchase the homes. I some cases six year leases with the owner supporting the nature of the business and the pending but out.
In his complaint Bill Whitehead says he:
”contracted with Corporate Mansions and Mr. Lyons for additional services and paid in advance for concierge service; limo, driver, cooks, food prep and stocking liquor and other advance preparations that were poorly managed and badly provided. We have overpaid for much of the services and are still trying to get the overage refunded to us. The documentation and repeated request for receipts have gone unanswered.”
This is again totally false. We’ve responded to Mr. Whitehead’s requests for clarification of charges for additional services and provided him with the receipts. And in fact he owes the company money for not paying enough for the goods and services provided. The mistakes in his bookkeeping have been addressed to Mr. Whitehead and Crystal Solutions LLC.
It should be known that Bill Whitehead is a repeat Corporate Mansions customer who has previously booked and stayed at Corporate Mansions Luxury properties. I should also be known on the last day of Mr. Whitehead’s stay he visited Bill Lyons, owner of Corporate Mansions and made clear that he “had a positive experience and wanted to use our services again". His very own words. This was witnessed by the Corporate Mansions driver who catered to all his driving and concierge needs for over a week plus the regular maid service, food catering and other personnel. From April 2014 to December 2014, no complaints written or oral were made by Bill Whitehead. He waited until December 2014 when he booked with the competitor to issue false statements.
Mr. Whitehead is now working with a Corporate Mansions competitor who has been issued a cease and desist for slanderous statements in their attempt to damage Corporate Mansions’ customer confidence. The are the only competitor with mansion sized homes and Bill Whitehead received a savings of thousands of dollars to book with the competitor for the April 2015 NAB Convention and slander our company.
Bill Whitehead and Crystal Solutions LLC have used this consumer complaint site to disseminate false information and slander the Corporate Mansions brand. Corporate Mansions is issuing a Cease and Desist to Bill Whitehead and Crystal Solutions LLC and demanding a retraction of these blatantly false statements and face court action.