Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/12/2025

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Hales Property Management enforced unwritten rules, misrepresented condo regulations, attempted to coerce me to follow nonexistent rules, and failed to respond to a formal complaint submitted through their own system. In addition, this company has an online app and a bulletin board in my building, but multiple communications regarding never posted in these ************ original complaint to the company is attached.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/28/2025

  Good Morning,

  My apologies for the delayed response I did not receive the initial notice regarding this complaint.

  Please find attached an email from the *********** outlining the requirements that apply to the resident who submitted the complaint. These requirements are standard for all residents in the building and were communicated to us by the Board. Hales Property Management is not responsible for setting these policies; we are simply relaying the information on behalf of the Board.
  The resident in question is disputing the Boards rules and requirements, not any action taken by Hales Property Management. Given that we are not the decision-makers in this matter and have only acted as a conduit for Board directives, we respectfully request that this complaint be removed from our record.
  The resident has been responded to on multiple occasions regarding this issue but continues to disregard the Boards established rules.
  Please let me know if any further information is needed.

  Thank you,

  Steve 
  Hales Property Management 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/29/2025

   
  Complaint: 23317048
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  1-Attached is the discussion I had with this company in which they referred me to page 8 in my Rules & Reg.  After I pointed this out, they then tried to force me to provide insurance by stating it is standard practice.  At no point did I ever ask for the water to be turned off.  Why the response from the business is a document about water shut offs is a desperate attempt to avoid the complaint.  The response from the business is irrelevant.

  2-My complaint was about a lack of response from the business after complaining to them.  They did not address this.

  3-My original request to the business was to inform them that I was having my toilet seal replaced and some shower k**** replaced.  This work was to replace existing damaged items.  Water shut off was not needed.  The plumber completed the work without shutting off the building's water. The attachment shows that I informed the business that no water shut off was needed and they ignored that.

  4-This business referred me to page 8 in my Rules & Reg for something that is there.  They then tried to make me comply due to the two words of "standard practice."  After I complained to the BBB, they sent a completely different document they never mentioned to me that has nothing to do with this issue.

  5-As seen in the attachment, why does this business reference an A+ BBB rating on their website when that is not their BBB score?  

  This response from the business ignored the issues of the BBB complaint, and they should have their BBB rating reduced.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ******

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/04/2025

  Hi -

  Please see below and attached in response to a complaint regarding the coordination of plumbing work in Unit 403.  The resident of 403 is providing inaccurate information regarding his initial requests, furthermore our office has been in communication with him throughout, they are only bringing the complaint as a result of not getting the answers they want to avoid the rules.   The Board and Management have reiterated the requirements and the owner chooses to complain rather than comply. Please let me know if anything further is needed, thank you. 

  
  On February 17, 2025, the unit owner submitted a request for a water shut-off to be scheduled for February *******, between 8:00 AM and 9:00 AM. Our office responded to that request on February 18, 2025, confirming receipt and outlining the buildings standard requirements for any work involving access to building systems, including:
  The name of the plumber
  Licensure information
  Certificate of Insurance (COI)
  These documents are necessary to ensure compliance with building rules and to safeguard all residents. Follow-up communications were also sent on February 19 and February 20 reiterating the request for the required information. An additional communication was sent to the board on February 24 confirming the unit owner's original request and subsequent correspondence. (see boards response attached)confirming a *** from unit owner and boards stance on the request. 

  
  For clarity:
  This documentation request is standard practice for any contractor working within the building, especially when involving plumbing work, as it protects both the resident and the association from liability and potential property damage.
  In this case, the documents were never provided, and the unit owner later claimed a water shut-off was not needed, despite the original request on 2/17.
  Furthermore, the unit owner indicated the work involved replacing a toilet seal and shower k**** If this is the case and no building-wide water shut-off was needed, it would have been appropriate for the unit owner to clearly update management accordingly.However, the initial communication requested a shut-off, prompting our standard coordination process.
  Regarding the Rules &Regulations: The reference to Page 8 was provided because it outlines expectations for unit alterations and contractor access. This was cited to help the unit owner understand the reasoning behind our request. Citing standard practice is not arbitraryit reflects longstanding procedures followed by all residents to maintain building integrity.
  Please see attached response from board on 5/29/2025.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/05/2025

   
  Complaint: 23317048
  
  I am rejecting this response.  My explanation is in the attachment but it is repeated below without the images, so reading the attachment gives a ****** picture.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ******

   

  Hello,
  
  
  
  There is clearly some confusion as to what occurred and why I made my complaint, based on the response from the business.  What follows is a 6 page document should set the record straight.
  
  -The issue that resulted in my complaint began on 1/14/25.  The business contacted me about a neighbor who thought my toilet seal needed to be replaced because they heard dripping.  I explained that I paid for a plumber a year ago who checked for a leaking seal and found no leak.  The business then made multiple requests to me to provide receipts for plumbers visit without any reason provided.  All documents were provided and that part of the discussion ended on 1/31/25. 
  Customer Feedback: There was no reason provided for asking for the bill, then more sections of the bill, then asking the scope of the work.  It felt alienating like explaining to the customer why this was being asked for did not matter. 
  
  -I then was contacted by a neighbor which motivated me to have my toilet seal replaced.  I also had two shower fixtures which needed to be replaced.  So I contacted the business specifically to ask if the water needed to be shut off for the building or my unit, on 2/11/25.  This was a question since I am a first time home owner.  The business ignored my question, assumed a building water shut off, and told me I had to provide insurance information.  
  Customer Feedback: **************** supposed to answers questions and not ignore the customer.  Ignoring my question led to the company being confused and taking on an inappropriate authoritarian role by demanding insurance.
  See the exchange below: on the next page:
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  -This then began a discussion on why insurance would be needed.  I was referred to my associations Rules & Reg document to a specific page.  The page did not include what they told me was there.  I tried to discuss that, but they ignored me again and never explained where this was in writing in the Rules & Reg document.  
  -Customer Feedback: I was ignored again and the inappropriate authoritarian role of the business continued.  However this time the law may have been broken.  I was referred to pages in a legal document for something that does not exist there.  That is misrepresentation of a legal document, or potentially fraud.  Then I was coerced to provide the insurance by this business, refusing to continue the discussion as to where it was in writing that this was needed.  That is  considered to be coercion.  Proper customer service would answer questions and not repeatedly ignore me.  
  See the exchanges on the following pages:
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  -The  discussion continued after I was ignored again.  I expected that the water would need to be turned off somewhere for my toilet to replace the seal.  So I asked again about this and did not ask for the buildings water to be shut off; I thought it could be within my unit but was unsure where.  I later embarrassingly learned the common knowledge that all toilets have a water shut off in the wall next to toilet.  I do not know why the business does not know this and thought I needed insurance to turn my toilet water valve off in my bathroom and to replace fixtures that required no water shut off at all.  
  
  -Lets be perfectly clear.  We are talking about providing insurance to turn a bathroom toilet valve off, not turning off a buildings water supply.  It is ridiculous to think that insurance is needed.  
  
  -The business then contacted me again and asked for the insurance information.  I explained that the water did not need to be shut off, and I was ignored again with the inappropriate authoritarian demands.  I was ignored multiple times.  I never needed any building water shut off.  I never said I needed building water shut off. 
  -Customer Feedback: A major problem with this business is continually ignoring the customer, then taking an inappropriate authoritarian role and harassing the customer. This is harassment.
  
  
  
  See the exchange below:
  
  
  
  
  
  -Because the law was broken and I received terrible customer service involving ignoring me, I complained to the business owners.  They not only also ignored me, but they entered my complaint in their online app and marked it as closed without responding to my complaint.  
  -Customer Feedback: ************ has clearly demonstrated a major problem ignoring the customer that extends to the owners of the company.
  
  -Why does a property management company ask for insurance for an owner to turn off a toilets water supply from inside their bathroom?  Why does a property management company ignore a home owner repeatedly and treat them like a renter?  Why does this company place on their website a BBB rating of A+ when that is not their BBB rating?  This is a terrible company and the common theme sure seems to be ignoring and pushing around the customer to the extent of breaking the law.  When the law is broken and a company refuses to respond, that justifies lowering their BBB rating. 
  
  
  *. ******, 6-5-25.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/13/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  This is my building's new management company. There are some issues and concerns I have about the conduct of the board. The management company seems to be actively participating in abuses with the board and ignoring multiple request for information. Multiple request have been ignored for answers about various questions.Based on what I believe to be a continued pattern of abuse, selective enforcement and general failure to act as my fiduciary. I requested to review the 10 years of documents supposed to be entitled to per the ******* Condo Ordinance. I was given an estimate that the cost for these documents would be 3-5k with little explanation. I asked for a explanation with a proper breakdown but was not given the wide range of the estimate. But this was also ignored. Many association will even now allow this to be reviewed without any charges. Finally I was told though that I could be provided at no charge the past few month's since the new company took over.. I specifically put in my request stating:If Hales can provide review of the documents at no cost.6) all contracts, leases, and other agreements thenin effect to which the association is a party or under which the association or the unit owners have obligations or liabilities; which are available (9) the books and records for the association's current fiscal year.Please start this process.Now they are threatening to charge me after the fact. In addition the majority of the documentation were missing that were requested Per ******* Ordinance. I really feel they are conspiring with the Board to withhold documents that I believe will show the board's abuses.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/25/2023

  ************************:
  
  As we had explained on our previous phone call, Hales Property Management works at the direction of the ***************** of **************** And as such, we cannot release or provide Association information with prior authorization from the Board. ********* has been forwarded each of your requests and has been working directly with the Associations attorney in response to them.  While we understand you have had some long-standing concerns with the Association, we feel we are being incorrectly being included in your complaints, as your issues pertain to the Association and not actions under managements control.  ********* has directed our office to advise you that all communication and requests from your account go directly to the Board so they can be handled through them and their legal counsel, which we have been accommodating as directed. If you have further issues or complaints that pertain to the ***************** of ********** we ask that you to take them up through the proper means with the Association. In the meantime, we will continue to work to help solve this matter to the extent we are able.  Thank you.

   

  *************************

  Director of Property Management

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/28/2023

   
  Complaint: 20317038
  
  I am rejecting this response because your company participated in what I feel is abuse and further harassment. Incorrectly charging things and try to assess late charges after when it was already brought to your attention. Not keeping files updated properly and then property manager changing things after lease was submitted. So yes Hales is not innocent here in my opinion.
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/06/2023

  ************************:
  We understand you have had past frustrations with the previous property managements inconsistency in overseeing your Associations move process and fees, but please note that the move fees and process are something your ********************** and all residents are subject to and follow the same process.  Since our management began, our office has applied the same fees and notified residents of the move process according to the Associations rules and regulations, once a lease has been provided. Implementing the Association rules that are set forth and calling it abuse or harassment is simply untrue.
  
  In your case, a move fee was applied to your ledger once we were notified of a new lease for your unit.  Because there was a delay in scheduling the actual move in with your tenant (due to repairs you were having completed inside your unit), the system automatically applied a late fee to the move fee balance since it had not been paid. Once our office was informed that your tenants had not actually moved in at the time of the lease processing, the late fee was immediately credited back. Going forward, if there are timeline differences between the lease and tenant move in, we are happy to work with you and the Board to get ahead of and avoid any potential related issues that arise.  

  Thank you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/07/2023

   
  Complaint: 20317038
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

   

  
  Complaint: 20317038
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  
  Hales has continued the same unprofessional behavior which ignores licensing law as previous management companies.

  Also again my tenants are also not residents it is a commercial unit. The rules states the move must be done through the garage and elevator reserved. My unit cannot access either.
  
  Further do not twist the issue with the move in fee having confusion that is incorrect. I promptly brought to Hales attention on the portal that no move in was scheduled yet it ignored. I should not have had to contact you for it to be removed of the fee as it was brought to your attention and should not have happen. This shows either carelessness or possibly willful intention to cause fees. It was removed after a ***** warning. You have wasted my time with your unprofessionalism and cooperation with board abuses.

  Additionally again documents were also not properly updated when your company took over as required per ******** law. The rental process fee on the portal continues to ask for $150.00 when the fee is $50 to this day.
  

  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************