Yellow House, Muskegon, MI: Nice Place Marred By Poor Management
Submitted: August 6, 2010
Stayed: August 2010
My family stayed here for 3 days and nights in early August, 2010. The property has many things going for it, and there is a lot of potential here to make it a really nice place to stay in Muskegon. Unfortunately our stay was marred by numerous problems, most of which could be traced to inattentive management on the part of the owner. I list the problems here not to be malicious or nit-picky, but to show those using VRBO (both owners and prospective renters) the types of things that can go wrong if there's nobody paying attention to the upkeep of a property.
*The key box, which was supposed to open by combination, was jammed. The owner initially assumed we were operating it incorrectly. He eventually opened it using a hammer and chisel, 24 hours (3 calls & 1 text message) after we arrived.
*Internet access was inoperative when we arrived; so was the cable TV.
*There were blood stains on several of the sheets and pillowcases. The bloodstains on my pillowcase seemed fresh.
*There were no paper towels or Kleenex, and only 1/2 roll of toilet paper (in one bathroom).
*Sharp, exposed screws which formerly held drawer-pulls in the kitchen, cut me on the arm. These were at the height of my 4 year-old's eyes.
*The house has mice...they chewed through plastic bags containing buns left on the kitchen counter.
*The basement has no ventilation, is quite musty, and badly needs a dehumidifier since the house has no central AC.
*Window air conditioners were held in with duct- and masking-tape, compromising security.
*Three automatic Lysol sprayers kept up a constant chemical barrage on our noses (and lungs, food, skin, etc.). We could've disabled them, but were afraid to smell whatever they may have been covering-up.
*Though listed as "handicapped accessible", the property has stairs throughout.
*We were visited daily by different folks who had been told to come clean the house.
*Kayaks had been left open-side up, and contained several inches of mosquito larva-infested water.
So many of the problems with this property could have been avoided, had the owner or another responsible person taken the time to check it between renters. At the per night rate charged, I don't think it's unreasonable to expect a higher level of quality control and responsiveness to problems that arise, than was provided here. It's a shame because, were it not for the many problems, we would consider both returning in the future, and recommending the Yellow House to friends and online.
Owner's Response: We thank you for the input we have tried to address each of your concerns. I hope future guest will enjoy our home as much as we do when we get to stay there.
First the Key Box . The last person to use it put the keys in wrong and Jammed the box but the home was open upon my guest arrival. I was able to open it with a screw driver. I have added a 2nd lock box with another key. This should prevent future problems since we now have 2 lock boxes and 2 keys. The Internet access worked when I arrived my guest had a computer not compatible with a Net gear N router that was Brand new in June, I plugged her computer directly in to the modem and she had immediate access. We could not find the pillow case and was not told about this, What i do know is all sheets were washed and dried prior to arrival .But I did purchase some 4 new white pillow cases That are at the house now. As far as mice go the doors tend to be left open when going in and out and we have put a closer on the screen door and eliminate them from our home. We have 3 window air conditioners in windows on platforms screwed Thu the window frame and we used tape to seal some cracks. We have a wonderful place but when it comes to a home it is hard to know of every issue. We will stay there tonight our self as we do when we can and if we notice any issues address them. Also we hired a new person to clean that is extreamly picky. She dose a great job.
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Helpful votes: 9/9
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