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Recent Blog Post Gets Complaint from BBB...I Can’t Make This Stuff Up

By
Property Manager with Gibson Management Group, Ltd.

I recently wrote a blog post about charging a tenant with half of the cost of a HVAC service call.

 Tenant wants RECONSIDERATION of $ervice Call....Sure, I'll REconsider!

At about the same time, I had a showing request from an insistent rental prospect who demanded I show him and his girl friend an occupied home.

 

After explaining my process and requesting that they use the contact/inquire option from the property listing on my website, I receive an e-mail that critiques my 1) use of AOL as my contact e-mail provider on my website; 2) website because it is OLD and OUTDATED;   3) business practices; and toward the end of his electronic rant he proceeds to tell me that my business model will fail and if after my going bankrupt he sees me living in a box he would not be surprised....and, he is reporting me to the Better Business Bureau.

 

Sure enough, I get a written form from the BBB yesterday which is basically the same information that is contained in his latest e-mail with the notation from them that no action will be taken on his contact.

 

His BBB complaint is based on my recent blog post regarding a resident asking me to RECONSIDER my charging them for one-half of a service call.

 

I write these posts for 2 REASONS...1) so that rental prospects like him go elsewhere and FAST; and 2) so that my clients and would-be clients see that I am looking out for THEIR best interest$ with my screening practices AND my tenant policies. 


 

Did I mention that in his RANT, he gave his EMPLOYER’S contact information in his e-mail signature AND his e-mail is hosted by his EMPLOYER?

 

Posted by

Wallace S. Gibson is a Certified Property Manager with over 50 years of property management experience and expertise.  She maintains a specialized property management business in Central Virginia serving Albemarle, Greene, Fluvanna and Louisa counties  

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View our available Charlottesville, Albemarle and Lake Monticello rental homes online with photos and floor plans

"...to be a Virginian, either by Birth, Marriage, Adoption, or even on one's Mother's side, is an Introduction to any State in the Union, a Passport to any Foreign Country, and a Benediction from the Almighty God...." Anonymous

 

Comments(46)

Wallace S. Gibson, CPM
Gibson Management Group, Ltd. - Charlottesville, VA
LandlordWhisperer

I am a property manager...I don't need GOOD REVIEWS....I am already under the bureaucratic scrutiny of our local Realtor association, IREM (because I have a CPM designation) and our state licensing board.....I do not need not do I invite a retail watchdog group to try to  administer my business according to their archaic guidelines

Jun 05, 2014 06:55 AM
Fred Griffin Florida Real Estate
Fred Griffin Real Estate - Tallahassee, FL
Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker

     BBB is a corrupt, extortionist racket.   They are notorious for doing "shakedowns" of local businesses. 

 

Jun 05, 2014 08:20 AM
Wallace S. Gibson, CPM
Gibson Management Group, Ltd. - Charlottesville, VA
LandlordWhisperer

Fred - Ditto...they serve no purpose especially to a real estate professional....

Jun 05, 2014 08:27 AM
Jeff Jensen
The Federal Savings Bank/Lending in 50 states - Greenwich, CT

I never thought that two of the Bs in the BBB stood for "Big Brother:.

Jun 05, 2014 08:37 AM
Joe Pryor
The Virtual Real Estate Team - Oklahoma City, OK
REALTOR® - Oklahoma Investment Properties

I think I am a little suprised as to why you would split a service call expense, I know I have never done that. If one of my tenants has a legitimate problem the service call is my issue. If a tenant abused something then that is dealt with in a contract lease agreement. 

Jun 05, 2014 09:22 AM
Wallace S. Gibson, CPM
Gibson Management Group, Ltd. - Charlottesville, VA
LandlordWhisperer

I frequently charge tenants for items that they are respon$ible for....tenant should have paid the ENTIRE bill since the condensate drain line issue was totally of her making...HER dog food taken by HER mouse and put into the drain.....had she 1) gotten rid of the mouse; OR 2) made sure that her dog's dry dog food did not stay out overnight...then there would not have been a service call.

Jun 05, 2014 10:23 AM
Rachel Khoury
Tailwinds Mortgage - Highlands Ranch, CO
Your Wingwoman for Colorado Mortgages

Woohoo!  I love seeing passionate posts like this! 

Some people think they can say anything they want behind the walls of cyberspace...I hope to never have to deal with "entitled" customers like this.  Best of luck to you!

Jun 05, 2014 12:42 PM
Evelyn Johnston
Friends & Neighbors Real Estate - Elkhart, IN
The People You Know, Like and Trust!

It sounds like he may be the tenant that had to pay half of the fee.  Why else would they care if you charged one or not?

Jun 05, 2014 01:44 PM
Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher
I agree. There's nothing illegal about that. I didn't even know AOL was still using emails at this point. I heard something on the news about them dropping their email service. Is this true? Love and light, Laura
Jun 05, 2014 01:46 PM
Richard Arnold
Keller Williams Realty East Valley - Tempe, AZ
Realtor - Tempe, Chandler, Mesa, Gilbert, Phoenix

Excellent post.  I love it how you focus on all the essential details of the story/confrontation/resolution without needing to name names, dates or locations.  

The crux of your story is how your business is indeed successful because you screen out the riff-raff.  Thanks!

Jun 05, 2014 02:03 PM
Chris Griffith
Downing-Frye Realty, Bonita Springs, FL - Bonita Springs, FL
Bonita Springs Listing Specialist - Agent

I didn't realize that people still thought the BBB was the most valid source for screening businesses.   Maybe that's just for people who send nasty grams on business email servers. 

Jun 05, 2014 07:40 PM
Inna Ivchenko
Barcode Properties - Encino, CA
Realtor® • GRI • HAFA • PSC Calabasas CA

Some people think they can use power of internet( including reaching out to BBB) to hurt us or , at least, make us do what they want us to do. Those people have too much time on their hands and too little respect to those who work very hard in this business.

Jun 05, 2014 07:53 PM
Wallace S. Gibson, CPM
Gibson Management Group, Ltd. - Charlottesville, VA
LandlordWhisperer

Yes...AOL is still alive and has an awesome Android app for my e-mail on my smartyphone....it also is VERY HARD TO HACK.....

 

I wish Clark Howard would stop pushing the BBB for consumer research....my FAILING GRADE with them is because I do not respond to their complaints...they write, they have even called and when I say I do not wish to respond, they get "huffy".

 

Jun 05, 2014 08:07 PM
Conrad Allen
Re/Max Professional Associates - Webster, MA
Webster, Ma, Realtor

Wow Wallace.  What a nimrod.  I am dealing with a wantabe tenant from hell.

Jun 05, 2014 08:52 PM
Jeff Pearl
RE/MAX Distinctive / LIC in VA - Lovettsville, VA
Full Service Full Time Realtor

Sounds like he thinks he is a website/seo guru aka a legend in his own mind, and has appointed himself guardian of the world wide web. I have never been impressed by the BBB and see no use for them.

Jun 05, 2014 11:00 PM
Scott Fogleman
New Home Team - Richmond, VA

Some people have a little too much time on their hands..

Jun 06, 2014 01:20 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

I love that this guy used his employer's email to attack you.....shows how smart he is, LOL!

Jun 06, 2014 08:59 AM
Monte Wall
Keller Williams Premier Realty - Katy, TX
Keller Williams Premier Realty - Katy, Texas

Just goes to show that there are some people you just don't want to do business with. 

Jun 08, 2014 09:15 AM
Inna Ivchenko
Barcode Properties - Encino, CA
Realtor® • GRI • HAFA • PSC Calabasas CA

I was thinking about it. We often share our experience and our clients and other realtors might not like that we do it. They might be too sensitive and consider it violation of their privacy, even we don't mention their names.

Sep 09, 2014 06:02 AM
Wallace S. Gibson, CPM
Gibson Management Group, Ltd. - Charlottesville, VA
LandlordWhisperer

IMHO * people turn to the BBB because of Clark Howard and because they can...the more venues they have to vent, the less likely they are to actually find the answer to solve their problem....and this guy's problem was with the IT settings on his firm's e-mail service that was not allowing the pop-ups that are required on my website....had he e-mailed me directly from a personal computer and e-mail, he would not have had the problems

Sep 12, 2014 04:12 AM