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CoffeeHawk_0
Board Deity
Joined: July 14, 2005
Posts: 17977
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 Posted:
July 01, 2009 - 06:16 AM |
 
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the only consistent thing in Shanghai is people complaining about Yopark. |
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charosscha
Newbie
Joined: June 25, 2009
Posts: 3
Status: Offline
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July 01, 2009 - 02:47 PM |
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| Post subject: Avoid Yopark Absolute! Bad BAD experience!!! |
Yes, pls avoid yopark at all cost.
My husband and I have already vacated the premises since mar 25th 09 and have yet to get back my deposit. However, we must warn you guys regarding our super bad experience with them.
On 25th Mar 09, Elaine, staff of yopark did the check-out for my apt in Jingan. My maid was with me. Their technician went about checking the apt for possible damages. He mentioned about scratches on the floor, of which I told Elaine that it had already been reported to their managment a few days after we shifted in. They sent a technician with a bottle of lacquer and he did some touch up here and there and told not to worry as they are part and parcel of regular wear and tear. But yopark said they had no records of the visit by the technician. In the first place, it wasn't a brand new apartment and how was it possible to have a spotless and scratchless floor?
So Elaine took note of what I said and wrote that down on the checkout form and asked me to acknowledge it with my signature. She did tell me anything about yopark charging me for those scratches. Neither did she show me around the premises for verification purposes of the purported scratches. As I was not very good in reading chinese, my maid helped with it and she said it has got nothing to do with payment for any damages. It was simply a note repeating what I've said.
A few months passed and we heard nothing from yopark regarding the refund of the deposit. So we called them. They returned with a bill to claim for damages. They claimed that by signing on the checkout form, even it made no mention about paying for damages, I have to pay irregardless. I tried explaining to their staff Lily, who said that she will check it out and said that she would call back. But she didn't and the issue dragged for another one week plus. We called the manager, Kitty, who said she will return the call but again she didn't. Even with all the explanation that we weren't told on checkout that they would serve us a bill for any repairs carried out after we checked out, kitty turned around and said that it was not their responsibility to inform us of any possible claims for damages as they weren't able to estimate the amount. Such crap! Further, since I had put my signature on the checkout form which mention about the scratches being there since moving in, it will not invalidate our responsibilty to pay for the damages. This is how they go about reasoning. So ridiculous! I am absolutely flabbergasted!
I have never encountered an incident like this before in all my years of renting an apartment. Isn't it the job of the owner or the agent to inform the outgoing tenant of the damages and that a claim would be served? And a possible estimate of the amount to be paid if any?
We are like being held by the throat left with zero choice as our deposit is being held by them. We didn't stay in that apt for free. THey claimed that their flooring was spotless and whoever rents that apartment after us will be ripped off again. There is no integrity in yopark's dealings. They are good in twisting their words around. I am still fuming mad. I would gladly pay if the issue has been fair and was made known to me on checkout. But it wasn't. When Elaine wrote those points on the checkout form, she said it was nothing when I asked her what was written.
BEWARE, MUST BEWARE!! When you check out of any Yopark apartment, BE VERY CAREFUL! |
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charosscha
Newbie
Joined: June 25, 2009
Posts: 3
Status: Offline
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July 02, 2009 - 04:43 PM |
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Latest update on the yopark saga:
Kitty Cai, yopark's manager stationed at Pudong threatened my husband's admin staff that she will hold back the deposit if she kept calling. It's been 3months and yopark is happily keeping our rental deposit.
If you ever need to talk to Kitty Cai, talk to her in English. She will purr. Never talk to her in chinese, she will roar and turn into a tigress.
Anybody out there know where I can lodge a complain against yopark? |
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Cylon
PopStar
Joined: Mar 28, 2006
Posts: 1156
Location: Hongkou, Shanghai
Status: Offline
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July 02, 2009 - 05:19 PM |
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cankles
Reacher
Joined: Nov 02, 2007
Posts: 227
Status: Offline
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July 02, 2009 - 11:41 PM |
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I've been told to not bother paying the last 2 months rent on a contract if you're moving out (same amount as the bond) to prevent these type of hassles. Not sure if this would fly with all landlords but seems logical after hearing many similar stories about bonds. |
_________________
And this one time at blog camp - Shanghai Ginger Guy |
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Seen
Reacher
Joined: Jan 14, 2009
Posts: 273
Status: Offline
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July 03, 2009 - 01:48 AM |
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| cankles wrote: |
| I've been told to not bother paying the last 2 months rent on a contract if you're moving out (same amount as the bond) to prevent these type of hassles. Not sure if this would fly with all landlords but seems logical after hearing many similar stories about bonds. |
Then what's the difference between you and people like Yopark? |
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Seen
Reacher
Joined: Jan 14, 2009
Posts: 273
Status: Offline
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July 03, 2009 - 01:50 AM |
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| charosscha wrote: |
Anybody out there know where I can lodge a complain against yopark? |
| RussianBear wrote: |
No matter what this **Park is, here in China have one absolutely weapon against unhonest business : 12315 - on-the-spot consumer complaint hotline. Fax your contract, proof of payments, etc and they will solved it .. fast and free.
http://www.china.org.cn/e-news/news070612-1.htm
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Shangstar
Fire-eater
Joined: Feb 07, 2008
Posts: 2787
Location: Spitland
Status: Offline
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July 03, 2009 - 02:35 AM |
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if you withhold your last 2 months rent simply because you're worried about the deposit, then expect to be made homeless for 2 months AND lose your deposit - as per most leases. |
_________________
Charles Darwin: Differences between humans are differences in degree, not differences in kind |
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cankles
Reacher
Joined: Nov 02, 2007
Posts: 227
Status: Offline
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July 07, 2009 - 12:08 AM |
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Hey, don't shoot the messenger. I haven't done this. Just passing on advice given to me by others. |
_________________
And this one time at blog camp - Shanghai Ginger Guy |
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beybifeyz
Barker
Joined: July 12, 2007
Posts: 196
Status: Offline
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July 07, 2009 - 11:51 AM |
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charo, i have faced the same delay of getting back my deposit like you. there is no other option, you need to go to their office (especially during peak time - when other customers are there too) and commence shouting as much as you can. speak english, be confident and simply shout to the staff. this was the way i did, the manager immediately calmed me down and returned my deposit in a few days |
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DrShanghai
Reacher
Joined: Nov 06, 2005
Posts: 318
Status: Offline
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July 07, 2009 - 01:15 PM |
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Yo Tony! lets take out the Garbage |
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kimball06now
Reacher
Joined: Feb 18, 2006
Posts: 358
Location: Shanghai
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July 07, 2009 - 03:29 PM |
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It's not clear what Yopark's business model may be, yet I'm sure glad I opted out before taking a test drive or committing to any agreement. When a company's front-line employees appear clueless in response to the most basic questions and their managers and managers' managers appear equally clueless, it's a good sign to go elsewhere. In Yopark's situation, their employees and managers all seemed like wannabe shysters just far too stupid to pull anything off. |
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Shangstar
Fire-eater
Joined: Feb 07, 2008
Posts: 2787
Location: Spitland
Status: Offline
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July 07, 2009 - 04:47 PM |
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or.....if they still dont return it to you, then they are indebted to you. You could always use the more traidtional way of debt collection.....just speak to a few guys on the street...little like a debt factoring arrangement - they get 10-20% of the deposit (and take the risk), you get the rest. If your landlord lets Yopark deal on its behalf.....then you need to also get someone else to deal on your behalf. |
_________________
Charles Darwin: Differences between humans are differences in degree, not differences in kind |
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johnwu
Newbie
Joined: Oct 15, 2008
Posts: 7
Location: Shanghai,China
Status: Offline
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July 08, 2009 - 03:57 PM |
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yes,i agree and understand there are some bad companies in shanghai,they always keep eyes on foreigner expat's pocket.
The best way is kown a native good friend,because they know better in all aspects than you whick will avoid such cheating issues.
I happened to meet a foreigner yesterday,who had bought two ticket.
She wanted to refound her money because she can't catch the train.
It takes a long time for both two parts(she and stuffs at the ticket agency office) to clarify why she can't get refund.
As the regulation,passenger can only refund tickets from railway station centre not the agency office.
At last,i did her a fovor and surprisingly found that she had missed both two trains. |
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zoolander
Barker
Joined: July 01, 2008
Posts: 175
Status: Offline
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July 08, 2009 - 05:00 PM |
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shanghai1994
Newbie
Joined: Jan 01, 2009
Posts: 1
Status: Offline
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Oct 28, 2009 - 02:24 PM |
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I'm surprised this company is still in business because they are definitely pretty dodgy. I guess it takes a while for the word to get around, and I guess there is always a fresh flow of naive newcomers coming in (I was almost one of them...)
I contacted YoPark's JingAn office and told them I am looking for a 1 bedroom apartment and I named several of the places that were advertised on their website. The girl tried to persuade me to consider Shimao Riviera in Pudong, but I explicitly said I am not interested in Pudong and asked her to give me some other options in Jingan. Next day, another girl sends me an email listing only one option -- Shimao Riviera in Pudong! Called her back and requested other options in Jing An and she said she understood and would arrange it. Nobody called me back and then when I called the girl, she hung up on me and after that her phone was switched off and so was the phone of the other girl I spoke to.
I'm just glad I read this thread before signing anything with them! Definitely agree that there is something very shady about the way Yopark does business. |
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agnesquek
Lurker
Joined: Oct 10, 2006
Posts: 32
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline
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Nov 04, 2009 - 07:14 PM |
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Yopark advertised themselves to serve the expat community, they even tried to westernise their service by hiring western people but their service standard is non existence. I have worked with many Chinese companies (most of which are OK or above average), and to be honest, Yopark is by far the most annoying Chinese company I have dealt with.
China is tainted for its poor services, but really, it is it is companies like Yopark that brought shame to the Chinese people, and forever leave a bad aftertaste.
We had the same problem as well, well maybe not quite the same but certainly cost us alot of headaches.
My husband's company would TT money from Germany to Yoparks' USD acct for our monthy rent. However every month, without fail, Geofrey, the customer service officer would call and tell us that we are late. They never bother to check their USD acct for the funds despite us asking them to do so when they called. BTW we have stayed in the same apt for 2 years!!!
Their service is always delayed, never prompt and their customer service never seems to be able answer the simplest question or even get things done. For example, we have requested to upgrade the internet connection speed. It took them 4 months and still it is NOT done!!!??
I am sure we would face moving out issue like everyone else. But before we go there, there is the problem of nailing down the contract terms, which took 5 months (no surprise) to settle. It is not done yet, mind you.
I want to write into some of the magazines i.e cityweekend, Enjoy, Thats. DOes anyone know how? Maybe the journalists who frequent Shanghaiexpat can be inspired by this thread. |
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CoffeeHawk_0
Board Deity
Joined: July 14, 2005
Posts: 17977
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Nov 04, 2009 - 07:44 PM |
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^I was told that Yopark is owned by an American. Odd, but for a company of 500 people there is very little information about them on the internet, and no contact information for any native English speaking people, so maybe it's not an American-person company, or maybe it is and the owner is hiding. They seem to have not improved in 5 years of doing business in China based on the comments here. |
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Kerwinuj
Newbie
Joined: June 26, 2009
Posts: 8
Status: Offline
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Nov 07, 2009 - 01:09 AM |
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Oh.. Its NOt Any big deal to answer it but the question is only that what kind of business you want to have. So, be confirm of it first...than proceed...
________________
Cheap Airfares to Aspen |
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TrueNorth
Barker
Joined: Sep 08, 2009
Posts: 140
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline
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Nov 07, 2009 - 09:37 AM |
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| RussianBear wrote: |
No matter what this **Park is, here in China have one absolutely weapon against unhonest business : 12315 - on-the-spot consumer complaint hotline. Fax your contract, proof of payments, etc and they will solved it .. fast and free.
http://www.china.org.cn/e-news/news070612-1.htm
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Great piece of information! Had I known it a year ago, I could have used it against my first landlord and the agent as they failed to return me my deposit.  But it can help someone else. Does anyone has a real experience with this consumer protection agency?
I've read a news some time ago, there is a law saying if a consumer is sold a fake good, then he/she can claim the damage of 30(?) times the value of the good. So someone in Beijing knowingly bought lots of faked goods, and collected huge amount of damage rewards. I think he was using a consumer protection agency to force the merchants to pay him damages.
Hey this is something I should start doing in Shanghai. It is better than using U.S. mafia. It is all legal and I will do it for the sake of eradicating the fake goods as a service to the people, not for quick money, mind you.  |
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