I’ve been contemplating exactly how to respond to this post. I genuinely appreciate that Srini has been pleasant on his calls with our team. So, I want to be respectful and not come off as petty. However, I had hoped that after our conversations, there would be another post updating a few factual errors or omissions from the history. Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened, and now the thread is reaching a point where I have to respond. I mean, we’ve been called incompetent, accused of lacking transparency, and of treating clients poorly, and I have @Drew Sygit writing about us possibly hiding squatters, so I have to set the record straight.
I think it was Greg who used the two-word sentence above, Tough Love. He was right, and this post is going to feel that way. If you're going to post on BP, just be truthful. Don't leave out facts, and don't let other posters run wild with their responses.
I am going to leave out personal details here and simply state that there were several extenuating circumstances on the OP's part that affected the timeline. We were always understanding, and, frankly, our team in Texas, who have been working on this, was surprised by the post and even more upset by the other posts.
To be clear, we have communicated with the OP 54 times since August 26, and while there have been questions, none of the interactions were ever negative.
Here is the scorecard with the deeper details below:
~ Property goes vacant August 26 (not July), with partial August rent paid
~ 51 days to receive owner approval to bring back to market
~ 30 days to complete renovations and request an inspection
~ 8 days to complete inspection, repairs, and receive clearance
~ 36 days to secure a qualified resident for 2 year lease with 2nd year increase
~ additional 30 days before move-in.
These are not the best performance numbers we've posted on a property, but they're far from incompetent and likely closer to average (except for the approval time) at this point in the market.
Here are the details and dates I reviewed from our team to see what is left out of the original post:
- We have had 54 interactions, including emails and phone calls, since August 26th, including two calls yesterday with Nate Gray.
- Every request you have made of our team has received a response on the same day or within 24 hours.
- Your resident voluntarily moved out by August 26th after only being able to pay partial rent for that month. Your property has not been vacant since July.
- You were notified on August 26th that the property was secured and sent a move-out estimate of repairs and work needed, including current condition pictures. You were also informed that the resident would forfeit their deposit, and that the partial month of rent owed could be forwarded to a third-party collections agency, where you would receive 60% of any amounts collected.
- On September 4th, you were sent the following email from our team setting proper expectations for what to expect with this particular move-out.
“Dear Srini,
I hope this message finds you well. As we prepare to fill the vacancy at your property, we wanted to take a moment to set expectations for the upcoming rental process.
Please note that the city of Mesquite has recently implemented much stricter rental inspection guidelines for rental properties. As part of this, properties are increasingly requiring additional repairs or improvements to meet compliance standards before they can be rented out again. These inspections may involve more extensive repairs than in previous years, and additional repairs or upgrades may be needed to meet the city’s requirements.
Given these changes, we may experience some delays in getting the property ready for new residents. Additionally, there could be additional repair costs associated with bringing the property up to current standards.
While we will work diligently to manage this process and minimize any delays, we wanted to make sure you’re prepared for the possibility of extended vacancy and additional work that goes beyond the attached repair list.
We will keep you informed on any additional repairs required to meet compliance standards.
Thank you for your understanding, and please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.”
- We speak and email multiple times over the next 6 weeks, but do not receive approval to move forward with repairs.
- On October 17th, we finally have approval from you to move forward with repairs and payment. This is 51 days after being notified of your vacancy. Again, you fail to explain that we waived any mark-ups on this project and completed all work at vendor cost, including the costs that we fronted for you. At this point, we are only fixing the property, and you are unsure if you will resell or rent.
- On November 13th, we called and inquired about the rental process as we are completing repairs, and you informed us that you do want to rent the property.
Just before Thanksgiving, we requested that the city of Mesquite inspect the property and grant us permission to rent it.
- On December 2, the property is inspected and fails initial inspection. A small list of items is provided, and our team quickly dispatches and completes them. (This is where an additional locksmith item is noted).
- On December 10, the property passes inspection, and we are given permission to occupy.
- December 12th, you are notified by email that all work has been completed, including two city inspections. You were sent copies of both inspections. You were also notified at this time of the final balance and the need to replace the dishwasher, which would become a point of contention.
This email notifies you that you have a negative portfolio balance that needs to be paid. It includes inspection repairs, items above and beyond the original estimate, and a new dishwasher.
- On January 6, you visit the property and have a few minor questions, and are still not satisfied with being charged for a new dishwasher.
- On January 19th, you are informed that we have a qualified resident who will be signing a two-year lease and occupying the property on February 19th. The conversation continues by email to January 22nd, where you email Annie, “Thank You Annie! You are the best :)
- On February 11th, you were notified that your property had a resident preparing to move in, and you had continued to have an outstanding negative balance with our management company. You were also informed that one particular item, a dishwasher, still needed to be installed and approved by you before move-in.
Monday, February 16
- On February 16th, Annie reminds you that we need to install the dishwasher and address the negative portfolio balance.
Later that day, you would speak with Annie and request an accounting and explanation of the portfolio balance, and express frustration over the dishwasher.
At 4:24 PM, Annie provides a spreadsheet showing estimated costs, actual costs, and additional work required by the city. All of this information had been provided previously, but this time she put it in a spreadsheet format for you to see more clearly.
At 6:30 PM, after business hours, you sent an email outlining your ongoing concerns, formally disputing that you owed any balance, and requesting a litany of items. You stated that if you did not receive an answer in 7 days, you would escalate the matter and seek regulatory remedies.
At roughly 7:00 pm, you make your post on BP. We have not even had a chance to see your email, respond to your email, or put you in touch with Nate, who manages our customer service operations and oversees property management.
Tuesday, February 17
Nate spoke with you twice today and confirmed we’ll cover the cost of a new dishwasher, even though we’re not obligated to do so. Later, he sent the locksmith invoices, utility bills, and Mesquite lock code requirements you requested, and asked if you had any other questions.
We’ve communicated with you over 50 times since the property went vacant — always promptly and transparently. We gave you 51 days of flexibility while you decided next steps, waived our markup fee, and proactively warned you about expected delays/costs with the City of Mesquite. Unfortunately, we had no opportunity to respond to your email before you posted on BP.
All of this could have been avoided. Instead, the thread left the impression that we let your property sit vacant since July with zero communication and random bills, which isn’t accurate, and it invited unwarranted criticism and speculation based on a very incomplete picture.
My sincere hope is that the new resident loves the home and service, and you have a long, uneventful ownership. If you still feel you can find a better property management company, send us the notice, and we will be happy to work with you to transfer.
