Mt Baker Housekeeping LLC

This review is for the Mt Baker Lodging aka Mt Baker Housekeeping, the management company and not the home. A group of friends and I rented cabin #7. We shouldve first known how poorly this company operated based on the fact that check-in is at 4pm and their office closes at 5pm. Luckily, I arrived at the cabin at 4pm while my girl friend that made the reservation got the keys. Even though I could not enter the cabin, arriving before night fall allowed me to access the road AND access the condition of the cabin. Again, there were signs of mother nature's recent arrival - broken trees on the road, branches all over, etc. The cabin was not unkept but it did appear that it needed to be cleaned up from the winter storm. So when we saw that there was a broken deck rail and other maintenance issues, we didnt freakout. It appeared that someone (I assumed the property management company) did try to clean up the broken deck by piling all the wood rail pieces to the side and under the deck. Though the rental agreement states that you should immediately notify the property management company, there is no service (cell, internet or tv) at the cabin, and by the time we wouldve gotten to the office, it wouldve been closed. Fast fwd to 2 days after our trip. The girl friend who reserved the cabin and put her CC down for security informs us that she was charged (without notification) ONE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS. She attempted to contact the company, only to be repeatedly diverted to the Owner, who is never available because he is checking in on the rental properties. I find this reason acceptable but only if the available staff is competent and aware of all operations. If the Owner is NEVER available to call a customer or receive a calls, then why bother even having other staff. Speaking of the other staff - they will hang up on you and stop answering the phone. After a day, Owner informs my friend that the charge was for the damage that someone made on the rail on the deck. He said that he filed a police report and that a carpenter came by and said the damage was well over $1000. She asked how he knew it was from our party and he said it was monitored, so she asked if there were cameras and he said yes. She asked for a copy of the police report and the footage of this happening this past weekend, and he said he will provide it after the police review it. He said if we saw the video we would clearly know who it was that was kicking the railing. So here are the grave diggers: 1. Yes, the rental agreement states that the cabin is "monitored". However, you cannot legally video record anyone with out their consent. There was no indication that we would be recorded at any time (not on agreement or signs at cabin). 2. There was no cameras. Again, there is NO service of any sorts at this cabin. There is no hardwired CCTV. The only means of "monitoring" would've been human or via satellite. Neighboring home with straight view of aforementioned deck rail, is also a rental and not permanent resident. 3. The next morning, my friend called again to ask for the police report and footage. Nothing. So she called Whatcom County Sheriff and guess what, there was NO POLICE REPORT FILED. So these incompetent and unprofessional scumbags made up a story to corner us into ignorantly pay $1500?! Did they think she wouldn't notice the charge on her credit card and ask why?! Did they think they could make up a story about a nonexistent camera to scare us into paying for something we didnt do?! Did they think they could THREATEN us with a false statement that they filed a police report?! After all these revelations, my girl friend left a message to the Owner indicating all these facts to be THE TRUTH. And guess what, she magically receives an email receipt that reversed the $1500 charge. No explanation. No apology. Nothing. Homeowners, please do not hire this company to represent and manage your home. DO NOT RENT FROM THIS LYING, DECEITFUL, CONNIVING, MANIPULATIVE, UNPROFESSIONAL COMPANY.