Location Great-House Not
Review Submitted: September 11, 2009
Date of Stay: August 2009
This home is situated in a charming setting off Mayo beach with stairs from the house leading directly down to the beach. Beautiful views from the upper floor terrace over the bay. It was wonderful to watch the tides come in and out and discover the life on the beach at low tide. The house faces South and has plenty of bright natural light but sunsets are hidden by a hill of trees.
The negatives with this house that will definitely prevent us from ever coming back:
-the outside property was overgrown and in need of some TLC.
-the house was not cleaned prior to our arrival and after over 24 hours of negotiating to amend this, the house went uncleaned for the 10 days we were there. We ended up doing it ourselves. Dishes and pots/pans were put away dirty/dead insects and cobwebs/dirty bathtubs/sinks/stained carpet and sofas.
-the entire lower level of the home (2 bedrooms and a living area) has been taken over by growing mold and mildew. the smell of musty air was all over the pillows and linens. We essentially had 4 adults and 2 children living on the upper level because of this. (1 BR and living/kitchen area)
-the general house badly needs updating. Older kitchen appliances/TV/bathrooms/linens/cracked and peeling paint/lightbulbs burned out.
-the customer service started off OK, but totally deteriorated to the point where we felt we were basically on our own. A dehumidifier was brought into the lower level after the first day.
Generally, we felt that the price tag did not warrant the property.
Owner's Response: This rental was made at the last moment so after payment via PayPal from an unknown source, I overnighted a key and a signed lease so she could get a beach sticker for other beaches. The agreement was that the client would overnight a signed lease and a Security deposit. She did neither. She said she had an allergic child so both my Property Manager and Cleaner checked the house Sunday afternoon. She arrived late Sunday night and notified my PM of lack of hot water and mildew in the lower level and it was uninhabitable. My PM delivered a 40 pt dehumidifier at 3PM on Monday and reset the hot water temperature up, which adds to mold and mildew. He noticed that the lower level was fully occupied including the children’s cribs. He also noted that none of the portable fans had been deployed which he had suggested. He left a note. My Cleaner talked to the client on Monday night and established a time for himself and his cleaners to come for 2 hours on Tuesday noon and the family would go out so he and his cleaners could work. He arrived at the designated time, leaving his two cleaners and materials in his car because they had not moved their cars. The male resident knew nothing about it. The house was a shambles with clothing, suitcases and dishes everywhere. The male felt it would take an hour and a half to get ready to leave so my cleaner left. When queried about this, the client said they decided not to leave while the house was being cleaned because she was afraid the cleaners would steal their things. At this point there was nothing more my PM, my Cleaner or I could do. I concur about the paint in the bathroom and I warned most of my tenants that my painter had been called to CA for a 4 month job. There is no way I can insure light bulbs don’t burn out or that a previous tenant might put away a greasy pot. There is a full supply of light bulbs provided. It is a Massachusetts state law that tenants either supply their own linens or rent them. I supply them as an amenity and some are still in wrappers, some professionally washed and ironed.. The patio garden is my pride and joy and I put a lot of work into it. Seventy-five percent is wood bark mulch planted with lavender, sage, rosemary and heather as well as indigenous plants as rugosa roses, broom, beach plum and bay. There is a 3 by 4 foot section of ground juniper which has crab grass that I have been working on to eradicate. The client left 5 loads of dirty wash.
Regards,
Jackie
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