Hello -
If anyone can give me direction with this matter, I will be beyond appreciative.
I rented a condo in Boquete, while I was still in the US, from Daniel and Nicole.
It was a three-month rental $1050 a month and a $1050 deposit, which I know is high, but I knew no one here.
When I walked into the condo for the first time, there was a strong smell of sewage. The property manager told me that the smell could be escaping propane and not sewage, so I took her advice and opened all the windows.
Nothing helped the smell so I would walk into town every day and just walk around all day and sit out on the veranda at night to get away from the smell.
Workers came to try to determine the source of the smell and could not locate any gas line leak so later they began looking at the swage line and found the source was the sewer line.
During this Daniel told me there was no smell and that no one but me ever complained and they get high marks Air B&B. This is irrelevant. It does not logically follow that if no complaint has been made in the past that the smell did not exist when I was there. That argument makes no sense. If my tire is flat and have had no previous flat tires then my tire is not, at this time, flat – according to Daniel’s argument. He knew that there was a serious problem because he had workers dealing with it while telling me that nothing was wrong.
The property manager and a worker were not able to stay in the house more than a few minutes because of the smell.
I am a single woman supporting myself. I cannot absorb the funds I spent on this rental. I had other costs moving twice due to this issue.
After some time, Daniel repaid the deposit, but still refuses to reimburse me for even the two weeks that workers were digging up the sewer lines.
All that is needed is for Daniel and Nicole to do the right thing. That is all.
It is wrong to enrich yourself to the detriment of another.
All I want is to get my two weeks of funds back that I did not stay there, and could not have stayed there, due to the repairs. $525.
These are simply facts. I am not casting aspersions at anyone or their character. I am simply putting the facts out there in hope someone can help me find a way to recoup these funds.
Thank you.
Replies
If I were you Alex, I would give them until the close of business on Thursday ( Friday is a Bank Holiday) to refund the $525.00. If they don't do that, then make a formal complaint to Air B &B, to see if they will help to resolve the problem, because they do have a complaints system that has worked for us. Good Luck!
At the personaria youu have to speak fluent Spanish ot take a translator to assist you.
The Personeria will provide a translator. His name is Wilfredo.
..except a rental dispute is not something that would be handled by the Personera.
If anyone can help, it will be the *Juez(a) de Paz or Justice of the Peace.
*replaced Corregidor)
The Personeria is for reporting crimes of consequence. The local Juez de Paz or Justice of the Peace (formerly Corregidor) may be able to assist. The office is at the Municipio.
I would let the owners know you will consider not posting a bad review on Air BnB for a refund of $525. A review describing what happened and an un-willingness to correct the situation will not help their future rentals .