I am reporting my experience with this property management company during the time of 2008 through 2010. Their mismanagement of our property was so upsetting I couldn't even think about it, let alone write about it right after it happened. Now, two years later I have come to terms with it and I am posting this to say BEWARE. We are not new at this and over the past 20 years have owned rental property in Mill Valley, Lake Tahoe and Grass Valley while residing in Southern California. Up until this encounter, we've had success with all the property management companies we dealt with.
The property I am reporting here is located in Sonoma County. We hired a property manager who had just sold her business to North Bay Property Management and was now employed by them. She was credentialed and with good experience, although we did not check her references. I blame ourselves for this oversight since after dealing with her I can't imagine anyone giving her a recommendation.
We purchased a charming, newly restored, farmhouse (including a guest house) in 2008 and due to the recession, we were unable to take possession of it immediately and elected to rent it out until our house sold. The guest house was already rented so just the main house needed to be rented and the entire property managed. We lived in Southern California so we needed a local trustworthy firm. During the management of our property numerous "so-called" normal repairs and maintenance came up, then more and more repairs. This management company befriended the tenants, on a personal basis, and the result was that they seemed to be working for them instead of us. No matter what we allowed, the management company pushed and pushed for more. We said no animals, finally we allowed one dog and they moved in two dogs. They wanted chickens, etc. It went on and on. When the tenants moved out about 18 months later, I asked to conduct a walk through in order to refund their security deposit. The property management company actually told me no. She said this was her job and that I could see our house after she completed the walk though. All during the time our property was rented I was told I could only see the house if I give the tenants two weeks notice. When I finally got into the house there was so much damage it made me physically ill. The house had beautiful hardwood floors, reclaimed wood from a tobacco barn in Kentucky and they had what looked like water spots, spots which left permanent damage. There was a large hole in the ceiling about 3 feet in diameter caused by water damage (right below the kid's bathroom upstairs). The property manager said it was caused from rain even though there were no outside walls involved, making rain damage impossible. There was a window broken the property manager said was not broken. I could not believe what I was hearing! Our beautiful, brand new kitchen concrete countertops were left with numerous permanent stains. The new porcelain double farmhouse sink had chips in it. The master bath had etched spots on the stone counter, the walls were badly chipped, etc.
We never lived in this house, but before it was rented I photographed every detail so I would know where to place furniture when we could move in. The property manager said the tenants had their own photos and mine would not be used. We hired the property manager the day our house closed escrow and there was no way we could have different photos from what she said she had. So, when I came to see our house I was not immediately able to get in because the tenants had not returned the gate openers or the keys and the property management company was not responsive to meeting me and it was days before they finally let me in. We had to threaten a lawsuit to get their attention.
Aside from the damage to our ceiling, walls, floors, etc. 50% of the electrical switch plates were gone. Fortunately we had a large security deposit and were able to fix some of the damage, but not all. This experience has left us with a bitter taste about how we were treated by North Bay Property Management and I can't imagine having worse representation than what they provided us. In addition, their bookkeeping was atrocious and typically late.
Okay, now I have gone public with my private pain. BEWARE! I am ready and happy to discuss this tragedy with anyone! read more
