Premier Properties Realty Group are a VERY DISHONEST group (just plain liars! certainly not trustworthy) - Upon complaining about the dirty unsanitary condition of the condo we rented we were promised our $80 cleaning fee back - only fair since we had to do housekeepings job!
Our story: We were in St Augustine for a wedding - we checked in late Thursday afternoon around 4:oo p.m. April 17, 2008 with Premier Properties.
After paying we went to the condo, we took our luggage up and dropped it in the foyer, took a quick peek around and left. We had only 1-2 hours to see some of the shops in historic St. Augustine - most close at five but some were open to six to six thirtey. We also knew we would not have much chance to see much of St Augustine in the next two days because of all the pre and post wedding festivities. (This was our first visit to St. Augustine)
After the shops closed we had dinner, bought some groceries to take back to the condo. We went back to condo to put the items needing refrigerated away, that was our first discovery that the place was not clean! Food from the previous renter, milk, eggs, cheese, bacon and some condiments, all partly used were in the refrigerator. With the refrigerator door open we spotted a pile of crumbs, dust bunnies, etc.(looked like housekeeping tried to sweep it under the fridge rather than sweep it up!).
We decided that we could live with that, we just threw away the food left behind,wiped up the crumbs and yuk with paper towel. We still did not do a complete inspection because we wanted to go back and catch the ghost tour- very fun by the way!
We arrived back around 10:30 p.m. -( there was myself, my husband and my sister and her husband). That is when we got the real shock, my husband and I were in the master and it looked fine as well as the bath except or the rug in front of the toliet, we just moved it to a corner. In the master walk in closet however there was a pile of dirty towels on one of the shelves, we just left them because we had enough clean ones.
Went to check how my sister & husband were doing, they were taking the bedding off, it was dirty, it had not been removed and washed after the previous renters ( that can't be LEGAL). Their bathroom also had not been cleaned, a rug in the bath was full of pet hair - contract says NO PETS- well some one had very furry pet!! We put that out on the balcony which also had a rug with pet hair on it. We put the sheets in to wash & decided to have coffee and a snack while we waited for clean sheets! Besides the dirty sheets the closet door in their room was off and on the floor, the bed skirt was off and on the closet shelf.
When getting out the dishes we discovered they were put away dirty, now had to wash dishes before we could have our coffee and snack!! Too late to call someone, Premier Properties was closed.
Our conclusion: Housekeeping stopped with the master bedroom as far as cleaning. Because renters are ask to run the dishwasher before they leave and empty the trash, housekeeping assumed the dishwasher had been run and just put the dirty dishes away with out checking.
Other problems- dirty carpet through out - rusty balcony furniture, had to put beach towels on chairs so we did not get rust on our clothes-we are talking LOTS of rust. Dead insects in one of the utensil drawers.
On Friday we had a real early breakfast to go to with other members of the wedding party and then on to get all the last minute details taken care of for the big day on Saturday, no time for stopping by Premier Properties, too late any way, we already did the work, could not sleep on dirty sheets or use a dirty bathroom or dirty dishes.
We knew Premier Properties would be closed for the weekend and figured they seemed like a reputable company and would surley refund the $80 cleaning fee. We were not asking for the $552.00 we paid for rent, since we did the cleaning don't you think the least they can do is refund the cleaning fee??? We left Sunday morning checking out on time and deposited our keys in the lock box as instructed at the rental office.
We went to spend two more days in the Orlando area, then returned to Ohio. I then contacted Premier Properties and spoke to Andrea explaining all the above. She was very apologetic and did not seem to think there was an issue with refunding our $80 cleaning fee but had to speak to her manager Shelly.
Andrea called back and stated Shelly did not want to refund because we did not call right away. I ask to talk to Shelly, explained the time situation & she agreed to send an check for $80.00. I got a certificate entitling us to $80 towards our next visit-it EXPIRES 04/25/2010, I don't know if we will be back before then I'm not sure I could rent there again after that experience.
I called back and ask why I did not get the check, I was told by Andrea that that is all Shelly's manager ?? Steven Cupolo would allow, then Shelly told Andrea they will send check, I am still waiting, I called, left message, now ignoring me.
I did a review on Vacation rental by owner (VRBO) aka
[email protected] aka vacation rentals.com - you write a review, mark it positive or negative and send, after you send it tells you the owner will get the review and will decide rather to publish it, now that tells you a little something about all the postive reviews on these sites. WHAT owner is going to post a negative if they have a choice!! I was hoping that the owner would contact me since she responds to the review through my e mail - all she did was deny publishing the review(imagine that!) - no apology, maybe not the first complaint??
We are NOT NEW to renting vacation condo's - we come to Florida every year for a week or two and have done so for 20 or more years. We normally go to Destin, Sandestin, Naples , Sanibel, & Marco Island (mostly Destin beautiful upscale and to die for beaches). We always rent a two to three bedroom condo and have NEVER had anything but beautiful furnished units - always wonderful linens and bedding - and most of all CLEAN.
This is our first sour experience and I am sorry it has come to having to do a report like this. I am trying to find out what Health dept. to contact in St.Augustine, someone could really get ill from the unsanitary conditions of Seaside at Anastasia Condos. Our unit was listed as propery 113667 owner Hope Hadfield unit 306A.
I found this on VRBO - I have used them before but I think they need to have a complaint system for those properties that are not what they advertise - owner should not decide not to have a negative review, what good is a review option - this is kind of a black eye for VRBO, now makes me a litttle leary. I am lucky in the fact I have owners in the other Florida locations we stay that I trust and I am a repeat visitor. Also we found most of Destin's property managment companies very reputable.
Again -DO NOT USE THESE PEOPLE TO RENT FROM AND IF YOU OWN PROPERTY I WOULD NOT USE PREMIER PROPERTIES REALTY GROUP TO manage YOUR rental - they do not keep their word and are not inspecting to see if the units are CLEAN before the renters arrive, they are just across the street so there is NO EXCUSE. They are just taking their commission and making a bad name for the complex.
Sorry this is so long, I guess I just cannot beleive we got took and over $80.00- I had to tell my story!
One more thing (sorry) get this, Andrea at Premier Properties let it slip that after we complained, they went to the condo and she said " they are having the carpets cleaned " , now alot of good that did us, but tells me they are aware the bad shape of the condo, NOT like the pictures on line.
Jeany
brooklyn, Ohio
U.S.A.