experience with thepadpicker.com?
 

We are looking for a short-term rental in Halifax, NS.

I wonder if anyone has experience with thepadpicker.com rental site?

Re: experience with thepadpicker.com?
 

We're using this for our visit soon

http://www.airbnb.com/search

Re: experience with thepadpicker.com?
 

Davidsk,

We moved to Bedford 12 months ago and used these to rent a place whilst we were still in England. They were quite organised and we were happy with what we got when we arrived.

However trying to communicate with them for repairs etc. seemed to be on their terms and whenever they were ready to deal with it. Over several different issues I left voicemails (didn't want to answer their phones?!) and sent several emails which were eventually answered. Couldn't even get a replacement screen door for the kitchen despite asking them twice and getting the owner of the house to remind them!

When we gave notice we were moving out a couple of months ago, I couldn't get anyone to come and meet us for an inspection before we left. Of course after we had gone they found numerous problems which quite frankly didn't exist. But they got to keep over half of our security deposit as I'm now in Ontario and can't go and fight them for my money back!

One example - when the company sent people to move our stuff, there was some damage done to a kitchen cupboard door. I called them straight away with the contact details for the removals people. They dealt with them directly and I assume had the damage repaired at their cost. It was not done by us so I didn't want to be involved. When we got our security deposit back they had deducted just over $100 for meeting with the removal people, mileage and organising the repair! I'll be calling them about that shortly.

So my advice would be - proceed with caution. Keep a copy of EVERY correspondence and if you need something doing that doesn't happen, go straight to the top. These are his details:

Tim Nettle
President
The Pad Picker Rental Accommodation Service Inc.
P.O. BOX 70014 RPO COBEQUID
LR. SACKVILLE, NS B4C 0B1
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (902) 431-7237 ext 6
Fax: (902) 431-2523

Hope the insight helps!

Steve.

Re: experience with thepadpicker.com?
 

David,

Another option is Executive Rentals. They have assisted a few families that I have dealt with find short term rentals.

http://www.executive-rentals.net/

Re: experience with thepadpicker.com?
 

Can vouch for those guys as well - Had 3 properties around spring garden road with them a couple of years back when we were doing a job in Halifax - Easy to deal with and very helpfull
If i remember right its mostly high end apartments that they had :thumbup:

Re: experience with thepadpicker.com?
 

Yes they typically have higher end homes, both apartment and single family.

Re: experience with thepadpicker.com?
 

We still saved a fortune on the job - averages around 150 bucks a night taxes in for a hotel for 1 person or 4500 a month .


The 2 room executive apartments were averaging out at 3,000 a month - very nice apartments with Jacuzzis etc all a hop skip and a jump away from downtown Halifax - I know the lads on the job much preferred them to the hotels :thumbup:

Re: experience with thepadpicker.com?
 

Thanks Steve.

I mentioned to them in an email and see what they reply.

Re: experience with thepadpicker.com?
 

Do you think I can get a one-bedroom flat for $2000 a month for 3 months rental?

They don't have prices on the website.

Re: experience with thepadpicker.com?
 

It seems the same quality as premieresuites.com.

They charge $180 + 17% tax for one bedroom flat.

Re: experience with thepadpicker.com?
 

David, another option is to look on kijij....


http://halifax.kijiji.ca/f-housing-s...s-W0QQCatIdZ42

Re: experience with thepadpicker.com?
 

A couple of the one bedroom condos we had were costing 2100 a month - they were down a bit from spring garden road on the water front

Re: experience with thepadpicker.com?
 

Sounds like Bishops Landing...

Re: experience with thepadpicker.com?
 

I can't post an Ad or reply because I am out of the local area.

Re: experience with thepadpicker.com?
 

There are 2 sides to every story.

Communication procedures that were clearly spelled out on the lease were not followed by the tenants. I was amazed to see screen door not on patio door set after they moved out. If I were the tenant, I would have followed proper maintenance request procedures and followed up. They told the leasing agent and the owner. The owner probably figured we already knew about it or simply forgot to ask us. We are very accessible property managers and get compliments on our communications and responsiveness all the time.

Property was left dirty with rotting food in fridge, carpets not cleaned, and nothing was cleaned thoroughly. I have photos if anyone wants to see them. We did not find anything that "didn't exist". We don't do that and resent that slanderous inference.

The damage to the cupboards was caused by the moving company. I understood they were paying for the damage and would therefore have paid for our time in having to go to the property twice (a house) to let their maintenance people in. $25 per trip plus mileage is not a lot to ask when we normally charge $50. The movers should be paying for it. Steve, do you feel we should make trips to the property for no charge?

Property manager did try to contact Steve to do outgoing inspection, but HE was very busy and there was only a small window available for them to meet. Because it was 2 months before their lease was up, the property was not ready for an inspection (dirty and garbage left there) and they had a friend who was going to be checking on the property and coordinating the cleanup, the property mgr felt it premature to do outgoing inspection which is rightfully so. Their friend did no cleaning nor coordinating.

We rented the house a month early saving the tenants a month's rent. We didn't even charge the tenants a sublet fee which we are entitled to do. You are most welcome Steve. Please don't talk so loosely about this situation anymore. It would be best to stick to the truth and not lose sight of it. I will be discussing legal implications with my lawyer of anything you say or have said that is construed as slander because much of it is false. Please be thoughtful of what you say.