We employed this company as our property management company in June 2010 and, of course, were promised the world. In reality, they used our home to accommodate renters that they booked through their own sources, as well as a few that we booked directly. The fee that we paid them was to provide all management services including pool service, cleaning and maintenance. We paid them a monthly retaining fee, plus cleaning and maintenance. In return, we would receive 90% of the booking fees that they collected to use our home.
We did not receive the monthly money due to us, by the due date on our contract. Finally, after many excuses, we received a check for $845. Of course, the check was bad. Their excuse was that the check was written off the "wrong account." They asked us to redeposit the check. We did and it bounced again. Then, another check was supposedly written to us on another account, but never arrived. They provided us with a copy of it, by email. We checked on the funds and they were not available on this, the second account. We were then sent a check on a third account. It took another two weeks of wrangling and ugly emails to get the funds, after a bitter exchange with the local BBB (note: check out Pro Vacation Rentals on Central Florida BBB - they would be more aptly name provacation Rentals). Based on this, we fired them as our management company on 10/29/10, with immediate effect. They owed us the return of a $400 escrow payment that they held.
It took them until 12/10 to write a check on a FOURTH account (Chase Bank), and they deducted $25 for a cheap binder that they provided. The check was not mailed until 1/14/11 and not received until 1/18/11. We presented the check for payment, in person, twice on 1/26/11 and 1/27/11. No surprise, not a good check. I demanded payment from them by email to Paypal, because I know their usual MO is to delay any process for weeks with bad checks. They refused. I filed my second complaint with the BBB today. My next move is the Osceola County Sheriff's office to recover my money.
There have been other comments about the history of the people who are involved in this company. The company is incorporated. The President is listed as the sister of the person who runs this company, Raquel D'Saronno (aka Raquel Arocho) and her husband is Andino D'Saronno. Both of these people were indicted and convicted of defrauding the NY Housing Authority of almost $50k in October of 2006. Raquel was sentenced to 10 months in jail and he was on house arrest and, as of the date of this submission (1/29/11) is currently on probation. Please refer to the following link for details -
http://www.nyc.gov/html/doi/downloads/pdf/pr92arochodsaronnosentence_102606.pdf
Both of these people presented themselves as the principals who run this company and they are the people involved in the day to day affairs. They claim to have another person, Liz Cohen, who handles accounts, but I believe Liz Cohen is, in fact, Raquel herself.
I have also spoken to another client of theirs who has had money fraudulently removed from her bank account, as well as had all of her furniture and appliances stolen from her Encantada townhome, with no sign of forced entry. Of course, there is currently no proof that the D'Saronnos are involved in this. In addition, a web search of these people and the company will show a similar pattern of supposed fraud and bad debt. Of course, this does not seem to stop Raquel from driving around her her new Range Rover and he in his new truck, trying to sign up more unsuspecting clients.
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