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:06/14/2024

  Type:Sales and Advertising 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.

  I contacted Shani Serene regarding one of their properties, and we proceeded past the credit check ($40 fee). I received the rental agreement, and asked a few clarifying questions.They proceeded to ignore my questions about the property and informed me over a week later that another tenant had put down a deposit. I requested a refund for the credit check that I had paid for (I paid for it as we had an implicit agreement already for me to reside in the property. I just had a few clarifying questions before signing the agreement).They initially agreed to give a refund, but proceeded to ignore my texts for multiple weeks asking for a follow up.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/14/2024

  To Whom It May ****************** guest inquired about my property to rent which is a month to month 1 bedroom studio. Requires a background check and a security deposit to 

  secure the property. This was explained before the renter started the process. It was also explained to get the background check they would supply their 1st name and last 

  name and email. A 3rd party then sends the authorization they agree to pay the background check or not. 

   

  It was explained before they would be considered as qualified they would need to take a background check and pay the $300 deposit. They did not pay the $300 deposit

  in a timely manner and therefore did not move forward to secure the property.

  Kind Regards,

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/14/2024

   
  I am rejecting this response because:

  
  I was ready and willing to pay the deposit and move forward in the rental process, as evidenced by my payment for the background check.

  Prior to paying the deposit, I had one (1) clarifying question, which the business ignored and did not respond to. I was notified after a week that another tenant has put down the deposit, with no communication to me whatsoever. I am willing to close this complaint if the amount for the background check is refunded.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/14/2024

  Owner

  As I stated the guest did not move in an appropriate. This was because they asked if there parents could stay in the bed room studio with them.They were reminded this was  1 bed room studio and was not set-up for mutiple people.

  They then took more time and came back with a second question about desiring to stay  a shorter time when this is a month to month rental that was communicated.

  No deposit was received to secure the room or rent.

   

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/14/2024

   
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  The second question was asked exactly 11 minutes after the response to the first question.

  On Furnished Finder, tenants are free to request prorated stays; at no point was it indicated to me that there would be no prorating and this was a month-to-month stay. To that regard, I simply questioned why the end date on the rental agreement did not match what I provided. Had I been notified that only month-to-month was available, I would have gladly made the deposit as my question would have been clarified.

  Instead of responding to me and notifying me that only month-to-month was available, I was ignored for nearly 48 hours and was only provided with a response once I asked if there was an update, at which point I was told that someone else had put down a deposit. 

  Business Response

  Date: 06/17/2024

  I have nothing further to add.

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/21/2024

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore 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.

  I stayed at a short term rental from 8/25/23-12/25/23 hosted by the above company who refused to returned my complete deposit of 300 without proof of reason why the funds was withheld. The above mentioned company returned only 260, which the contract states that 300 was deposited. Please see contract attached

  Business Response

  Date: 03/08/2024

  To Whom It My Concern,
  I was surprised to receive a letter from a guest who checked out of my property December 25, 2024.
  The guest had originally signed a lease for two 30 day terms, renewed once and was not renewed due to
  Her aggressive attitude towards a new guest who had moved in.
  
  They letter claimed that they were owed a cleaning fee $40 which was deducted from their deposit of $300.

  On the day of mention they were text photos showing the areas of the property that they did not leave clean with theinforming them that $40 cleaning fee would be deducted from there deposit. The remaining $260 was returned via the method paid. (I can provide this communication with the photos if needed).

  The property is a 3 bedroom house with shared areas. It is the responsibility of each guest to clean up after themselves. Cleaning is not a part of the lease for this property. The above guest refilled the garbage which had just been emptied just 4 hours before to the outside green garbage bin and left items in the refrigerator to be cleaned and thrown out.

  
  She text a photo showing a made up bed stating she did not owe a cleaning.

  
  Upon receiving the letter I contacted the ***************** Better Business Bureau who said they did not have any information.

  
  If the Better Business Bureau determines legally she is owed $40 for the cleaning fee she was charged I will kindly reimburse her for the cleaning fee through Zelle which she paid.

  
  Kind Regards,
  Shani Seren Stay LLC,
  ***************
  3/8/2024

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/11/2024

   
  I am rejecting this response, and would like the remainder of my deposit to be returned expeditiously. I stayed a total of 4 months at this short term rental primarily because of the close proximity to work and seek additional accommodations when renewing the 4th month and was told that I would have to move out for a day and moved back in because the accommodations were not available. I stayed with a total of 4 tenants while at this property and had only 5 interactions with the last tenant, (who has lied and said I threatened her), she approached ME when she moved in, on a second occasion she also approached me and mistook me for the male tenant, who was Caucasian male and I am black female, 3rd time I asked her how she liked the hospital, 4th time was clarification of a guava smell and 5th occasion was asking her to stop speaking on speaker phone as she did this everyday since she moved in, thus waking me up hours before working 8 shifts consecutively. Attached BBB will find text message where I apologized for leaving 8 minutes after check out as I cleared everything that belonged to me from the both pantry and the refrigerator, Text message also showed where I asked for photos which was not send but received no response until this day.
  
  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/20/2024

  To Whom It May ********************** attached screenshots from the same text message thread showing the pictures of what the cleaning charge was for. Also  attached is my bank statement showing $260.00 was sent back on the same day.

  I have the original stand ****** is not owed back the $40 for cleaning fee and was informed. She attached the text from that day saying after I check with the maintenance manager. That is the 1st part,  once maintenance manager checks the property and confirmed it is in order I reimburse the full deposit. If it is not it is deducted from the deposit. This is one reason why owners obtain a deposit.

  I offered in the last response to refund her $40. I think this is  more than fair considering she formerly put in  a 1 star review  with furnished finders that mentions nothing of a deposit not being returned and makes makes other false allegations which are opinion based. In addition to the furnished finders complaint she has filed this complaint with the better business bureau. And is wanting not just the $40  but the $260 i already refunded. This is not the rational of a person wanting to be made whole if so they would have accepted the $40 refund. There is obviously another motive at play.

  My final stance is a refund of $40  charged for the cleaning fee which will be returned her via Zelle which it was paid.

  Kind Regards,

  Shani Serene Stays LLC

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

   

   

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/21/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to my complaint, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me ONLY WHEN my difference of $40 is returned and satisfactory evident is provided that the money was send (which it has not been since today 3/21/24). Until then I will continue to pursue the return of the entirety of my deposit and will exercise every means of getting it returned.
  
  Thank you.