My problems with LJ Hooker Logan City

Discussion in 'Property Management' started by Truly Exotic, 4th Sep, 2017.

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  1. Truly Exotic

    Truly Exotic Well-Known Member

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    Ok, everyone id like to share my bad experience with LJ HOOKER LOGAN CITY

    ive kept quiet in recent times due to waiting for a resolution

    in a nutshell here is what has happened, (without getting into too much detail)

    - signed me up to a smoke alarm service that I specifically circled the "DO not need"

    - promised a refund a few months later,
    - did not do it
    - the above happened 3-4 times

    - escalated to the manager whom I thought would solve it
    - She promised a refund too, which never came
    - a few more lies later, her excuse was "oh we have a duty to protect our landlords, Ive seen so many cases where burnt down houses werent covered because of faulty smoke alarms"
    - my reply "thats nice however you cannot legally sign me up to a service I did not approve"
    - after this, "oh we really encourage owners to have their alarms looked at as its in your best interests"
    - only after I threated legal action was a refund applied,

    THE LATEST ONE
    - there was a new PM who took over my property who I was very unhappy with, mistakes, lack of communication, in fact, the manager was telling me she was no good and will resign soon, and I got confirmation on a certain date that she was finished and no longer working, two days later I was receving emails from this apparently dismissed agent.
    - amongst her actions was a termite and pest service treatemtn that I also didnt approve, the only communiations I got was "oh the tenant has reported termites" with my reply being "can you tell me where the termites have been found"
    - then a few months I get a bill for termite treatement

    I raise this multiple times with the manager, whom says , yes a refund has been processed, apologies
    one month later, no refund, and then another manager says no refund coming because we determined it to be emergency

    I'm not happy at all with their behaviour, everyone you need to look after your investments
     
    Last edited by a moderator: 4th Sep, 2017
  2. Cimbom

    Cimbom Well-Known Member

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    I will probably be updating my thread soon with the PM details too. Hopefully this thread comes up if anyone searches for them on Google :p
     
    Last edited: 4th Sep, 2017
  3. vbplease

    vbplease Well-Known Member

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    I don't see what the problem is with an independent smoke alarm inspection.. for the cost of $100 a year it is money well spent to protect yourself if the house burns down.

    Were there any termites??
     
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  4. Simon Hampel

    Simon Hampel Founder Staff Member

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    I don't think that's the point.

    The point is that they charged them for something that they explicitly requested that they did NOT want.
     
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  5. Big Will

    Big Will Well-Known Member

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    @Truly Exotic how do you make sure you comply with state legislation?
     
  6. Anthony416

    Anthony416 Well-Known Member

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    1) Even if the cost was $1 it was a service specifically not requested.
    2) I would bet the tenant did not say that there were termites and probably would not even know what a termite looked like!
     
  7. abbyfresh

    abbyfresh Well-Known Member

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    Who recommended you to this company to manage your property in the first place? Amongst all the options talked about here I don't think anyone talks about these guys.

    What is stopping you from moving out of there?
     
  8. D.T.

    D.T. Specialist Property Manager Business Member

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    I'm not a fan of the service - its a scam preying on the pessimistic IMO.
     
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  9. Piston_Broke

    Piston_Broke Well-Known Member

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  10. dabbler

    dabbler Well-Known Member

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    Smoke alarms are nothing to do with "houses burning down", they are not a fire ******ant system, it is to wake sleeping occupants, that is it.
     
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  11. dabbler

    dabbler Well-Known Member

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    Ask the PM to put in a battery when leasing out to new tenants & send reminders each year for the tenant to do it after that ? (well, in NSW anyway)
     
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  12. dabbler

    dabbler Well-Known Member

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    The only pest in all of this is the PM and staff ! lol
     
  13. D.T.

    D.T. Specialist Property Manager Business Member

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    Or spend the $100 to get hardwired ones installed and never think / worry about it again.
     
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  14. Marg4000

    Marg4000 Well-Known Member

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    Termite treatment is NOT a defined emergency.

    Advice usually is, if termites discovered, to leave them alone and call in the professionals. Clearly that allows time for the owner to be notified and decide the appropriate treatment.

    Time for a new PM.
    Marg
     
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  15. Martin73

    Martin73 Well-Known Member

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    My PMs in Canberra have declined to do this as "As your property manager, we feel it is important to have a system in place to ensure that your property is fully compliant. Unfortunately, the testing and installation of smoke alarms is outside of the scope of what we are trained and insured to do".

    Even with hardwired alarms you can still have issues with random beeping etc. The $100 a year for smoke alarm service *may* prove cheaper than getting in a handyperson/electrician.

    SATS also provide more detail on what you get for your $99 a year here.
     
    Last edited: 5th Sep, 2017
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  16. D.T.

    D.T. Specialist Property Manager Business Member

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    Warranty issue
     
  17. Paul@PAS

    Paul@PAS Tax, Accounting + SMSF + All things Property Tax Business Plus Member

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    My hardwired alarms have a battery backup in the event power fails (ie a electrical fire). Then it chirps like the crappy battery ones which we also have (illuminated ones). Never at midday. Always at 3am.

    NSW Fire & rescue promote changing batteries in all smoke detectors - Start and end of daylight savings as a reminder.

    NSW Law requires the tenant to take responsibility of the battery after they move in
    What is the law? describes the laws
     
  18. mikey7

    mikey7 Well-Known Member

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    I like this idea. I'm paying $199 per property per year, for a service to check my smoke detectors. Didn't ask for it, they just do it.

    Anyone know what the law in QLD is? The link above by @Piston_Broke doesn't want to work on my phone so can't read through it.

    Installing a hardwired (with battery backup) smoke alarm would be perfect, if it would save me from paying the $199/yr/property.
     
  19. vbplease

    vbplease Well-Known Member

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    where did I say a smoke alarm is a fire ******ant system?

    I'm coming from a liability view point. Legislation states that a check must be made at the start of each new lease. $100 may be the difference between an insurance policy paying out a total loss fire claim ($300,000 or more??).

    I know it's the tenants responsibility to undertake yearly checks, but I don't mind paying a tax deductible $100 a year to remove all liability from myself when we're talking about a very large investment.
     
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  20. Martin73

    Martin73 Well-Known Member

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    I'm paying $99 per year per property in Canberra through SATS. Can you get a better deal?

    @mikey7 Try this link for QLD legislation
     
  21. dabbler

    dabbler Well-Known Member

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    That is just a BS response, that is all.

    If the owner can legally do it and if anyone can go do a one day course, it shows you how rudimentary it is.......I do not swallow whatever is thrown at me & can see when people are hiding behind excuses.
     
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