Martin Point Cottage
Submitted: August 7, 2012
Stayed: July 2012
Unfortunately, after 100% success of our stays in a number of VRBO listings across the country and in Maine, we ran into one that did not measure up. The listing was not accurate. At best, we could hear the waterfront and through over 12 trees and countless bushes, finally see glimpses of the ocean. The path to the waterfront on the property had a pile of brush which I complained about and it was then removed on the Tuesday after I arrived. Also a grill did not materialize until after I complained. Yes, there is a beach around the boulder and thank goodness. The cottage itself is fine for three people and it does NOT include utensils that can ALL be used. Quite a few of the items are of old and dark unknown metal that should be used as displays instead. A first aid kit would be beneficial especially if children are around and the driveway, Ah! the driveway is nonstop Busy. This cottage really has a very good view of 2 sheds and a driveway with all sort of activities from neighbors who share it. It is not an ideal spot for privacy and quiet. The cottage itself was very clean but the overall maintenance is minimal. The owners offered to let us off the contract but since we had paid for one week and I had handed them a check for the second week and since this was July, where was I to go for 2 weeks with only a week's refund? So, since I squawked about the situation I found myself on a two owners vs one renter back and forth online conversation. NOT how I like to spend my vacation. Thus, this property will never be recommended to a friend or relative. The overall location, Friendship, is fine, but one needs a different property. Maybe we have been spoiled by staying in VRBO properties that the owners also use, so I believe this is the main difference between our previous experiences and this last one. It feels as if the owners are very disengaged of the daily living within this property. They are emotionally and financially tied to it and not at all practical about how guests feel while looking at sheds from all but one room. Needless to say, we are very disappointed. We found the local market in Friendship helpful and pleasant. The owners of the market even recommended shops in Rockland, which is really very close. Thomaston has a great restaurant/bar on the water, The Slipway, which is right next to where the lobster boats bring in lobsters and a couple very good + reasonable book stores. We will go back to the Thomaston/Cushing area.
Owner's Response: One hardly knows where to begin. In 30 years of renting I have never had a more unpleasant experience than dealing with this renter, who was a walking complaint from the first minute she stepped from her car. Sensing this, not only did I offer her an immediate full refund of everything, including 100% her deposit (potentially leaving us with two weeks lost rent), I also offered to help her find another place to stay. Seeing the she had no plans to leave, I ended up offering her three FREE nights of stay until she found another place suitable for her, which she declined to do.
As to her ‘complaints’: where does one begin? She states that the web site is inaccurate. Hearing this, I immediately checked the web site to find that it very accurately displays the rental property, and I told her this. She complains about traffic at the neighbors: yes, at that time our neighbors were visited by a large family, but that house is usually empty or lightly visited. We don’t own or manage our neighbor’s house. She complained about no view. In fact, there is an ample view, but, as the photos clearly show, the cottage is set back somewhat from the shoreline. The property has 265 feet of private shoreline, easily accessed by steps. She complained about noise from a party on an island half a mile away, in direct view from the cottage, while at the same time insisting her remoteness from the ocean! The irony of that statement is self-apparent.
As to lack of maintenance, we'd be happy to show her the bills for the brand new roof, new deck, new porch post, new wallboards, etc? As to ‘sheds’, does she know what a classic Maine boat house looks like?; or a wood shed? Apparently not.
The two valid comments she makes were regarding a brush pile not being removed (which she nevertheless could not see from the cottage) and a lack of utensils. We had been bothering our local yard man for weeks about the brush issue, but he had had a family emergency. As to the utensils, sometimes items from the cottage end up back in the main house. We are indeed at fault if there are not pots, pans, and utensils sufficient for renters’ basic needs. All she had to do was ask, instead of complain.
We are engaged in the property, responsive to all requests, and typically mingle with and help our renters as much as we can. In this instance, we concluded that this apparently unhappy renter could not be satisfied through any reasonable efforts on our part.
Helpful votes: 0/2
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