This is not an ad or anything like that, just an actual story, from me, for which I think Adrienne and her people deserve credit for.

I arrived from the US on Jan2, and on Jan6 went looking at apartments with the agent my company designated (I will not mention him or his agency, so don't ask, and would appreciate if those that do know who it is refrain from it as well). We looked at a few places, a couple were ok, but it seemed like he wasn't really "getting" what I wanted or was looking for. So, I posted a subject here thinking that maybe I should look at getting a service apt in order to get the things I was looking for, and also sent an email to Shanghai Properties. I talked with Adrienne, and she had some ideas but wanted to make sure that my company would allow me to use other agents, so I asked the HR dept, and they said it was ok. With the ok, Adrienne and I set up a time to meet on Sat afternoon, and we found a place that I liked. Skip ahead a few days, after Adrienne had put together an offer, got confirmation that it was ok, and had been in contact with my HR dept, they up and told her they would not be able to do business with her. And then my original agent got a contract written up with the landlord for the same apartment, showed up at my office with the landlord's wife, and my company said they would approve that. Also, understand that the rent is being directly paid by the compnay, so I really don't have much a say as to how/to whom the money is doled out. To end the story, they signed on the apt, which Adrienne originally found and showed me.

Throughout the whole process, even after being told that my company would not do business with her, Adrienne remained in contact with me, trying to make sure everything was going ok, offered herself as a contact for advice even after the other agency basically signed on the place, and has been professional, courteous, and friendly. I think she deserves some recognition for this, because if it were me, I'd have thrown a fit. I was pretty mad at my office for basically wasting her time, and making me look like a d-bag and having me caught in the middle of BS, handshaking, and back-scratching, all for the sake of maybe 2K-RMB/mo.

Bottom line: she's a nice person, and no one should have any reservations about working with her. From me to Adrienne, I apologize that my company acted the way it did, as it certainly is not how I prefer to do business. So thank you for everything you did. Please keep this subject in this forum, I don't need anymore inetrnal-BS with my company, I do have to work with them!

I totally agree with you, Adrienne was a fantastic help to me both before I arrived and after and I have no reservations in recommending her services to anyone!

Adrienne will shield you from any BS when organising a new home in Shanghai.

Z.

Over the years I have read many valuable inputs from Adrienne, she always puts her Know-how on the table. willing to share at any time. I think she is really amazing. Never met her personally. Maybe we should announce an Adrienne day each year.

As for your company's HR...umm well how should I say it... some things there needs a bit of some change ... nothing more to say. Said too much already

Buck Plankchest, thank you so much for sharing our recent saga with others and your kind words on our service. It was a pleasure to work with you as you are/were extremely professional and clear on what you wanted.

I do hope that your current agent takes good care of your needs and gets you either a Slumberland or Sealy mattress and a quality TV in your bedroom like a Hitachi, Sony or the like. If not then a Phillips, Panasonic or National......no local brands!! OK?

It is indeed a shame that it all turned pear shape and I guess it is unfortunate lesson for new arrivals to double check with their HR on whether their company has an agent agreement or possibly an agent who is the boss's uncle's, sister-in-law's, nieces son who is also part of the team.

We are following this up with the manager of the agency due to what we believe is the unprofessional conduct of the agent in the handling of this case but it won't affect you, Buckplankchest. You've always got our support and help and am only a call away. We time to time have had these situations before and we usually end up doing some kind of joint deal with agency but this one unfortunately turned a little nasty.

To Mpowelrees, Zaky and SoFarSoGood, very sweet of you to add your kind words as well. It's a real joy for me to help newcomers find their new home in such a huge and sprawling metropolis like Shanghai. I'm sure it must be a rather daunting and overwhelming experience for many and the world of real estate here can be very messy and grubby, to say the least. It is such a new booming business in this country that regulations and business practices haven't caught up yet. When I arrived in 1994 there were only a handful of agents.

Buckplankchest, thanks once again and don't forget to invite me to the wedding .....he, he, he.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

Adrienne
http://www.shanghaiprops.com

Adrienne: What a GREAT write up for you and SO well deserved. Always so polite and helpful, and a great S.O.H. (absolutely essential).

ADRIENNE - FOR SITE LUCKY MASCOT OF THE NEW YEAR.

.....and she can drink as well.

monalisalee wrote:Adrienne: What a GREAT write up for you and SO well deserved. Always so polite and helpful, and a great S.O.H. (absolutely essential).

ADRIENNE - FOR SITE LUCKY MASCOT OF THE NEW YEAR.

Monalisalee, you are so sweet. There are tons of helpful folk on this site who I am sure would have done similar things. I think it would be hard to pick just one.....but thanks for yoru vote anyway.

I think a good S.O.H is important or you just end up bitter and twisted.....wherever you are in the world.

From Mat.....".....and she can drink as well".

Thanks mate....I guess I can. Sadly, too many years hanging around bars hoping some guy might be interested in a “buxom blonde” instead of the local variety. Still waiting and still drinking. (sigh)

Adrienne
http://www.shanghaiprops.com

I know Adrienne personally and can say that she is a lovely person indeed

But don't let them get away with it, Adrienne, this is completely unprofessional!!! Go get them girl!!!

underh20 wrote:

Reggin wrote:Quesiton is, why is OP working for such a scum company...

Birds of a feather ... ?

Dude, I'm just happy to be employed at this point. Part of the reason I came here was to (hopefully) insulate myself from the home market for a bit, while adding a not-so-bad section to my resume.

Adrienne wrote:

monalisalee wrote:Adrienne:

Thanks mate....I guess I can. Sadly, too many years hanging around bars hoping some guy might be interested in a “buxom blonde” instead of the local variety. Still waiting and still drinking. (sigh)

Adrienne
http://www.shanghaiprops.com

Yo Andrienne, How Buxom are you...BTW how Blond are you?


You Know: I don't think I've seen any Buxom Local Varieties

Bravo again to Adrienne! If I ever see you out I will be sure to buy you a drink or two..or three.. it's people like you that gives hope to humanity and civility here in Shanghai. Good job indeed.

Buck Plankchest, I know you probably still feel like a fish out of water here but you were party to the crime by allowing the transaction to go through. You could have easily refused to sign the lease and had integrity by not allowing Adrienne to get the shaft. Obviously the person in your HR department is another scumbag that all of us are all too familiar with and whenever you can put a stop to this despicable behaviour, you should.. or at least throw a wrench into the works. Now everyone in your office knows you are a spineless lackey that can be walked all over. Not a good job.

I'm gonna be looking for a new place at the end of June, now I know who to approach first

Snippets wrote:...and whenever you can put a stop to this despicable behaviour, you should.. or at least throw a wrench into the works. Now everyone in your office knows you are a spineless lackey that can be walked all over. Not a good job.

I tried to, for a week. The problem is my name isn't on anything, and I don't control the money, it's all straight from the company. Not even my name on the lease. So I could either refuse the place and go somewhere I don't want to be and continue to be miserable in the hotel, or just live with it. I chose just live with it. But good of you to just resort to name calling when someone offers up both an apology and hopefully an education to others who might get similarly yanked around. Classy.

Why has been deleted my legitimate question - why is OP working for such a scum company - ?

Awwww... you're going to make a lot of friends here, Buck Spineless... I can tell already.

Fully agree that Adrienne posts a lot of information that I have found quite useful. I am sorry to hear that she got cheated on this deal.

I hope that Buck Plankchest doesn't find himself contacting Adrienne again soon because he has problems and the company's sleazy agent is of little help.

In defence of Buck Plankchest:

The guy found himself between a rock and a hard place, apologized on behalf of his Companies actions, of which he had NO control, and had the spine to tell all on a public forum, so others could avoid this sort of unfortunate thing happening.
I say" thanks for swallowing your pride and posting". That takes spine.
Good on ya Mate!

I would like to see the name of the "sleazy" agent thrown up here, as most agents can work together for a mutually satisfactory outcome. This agent DID NOT, and deserves to be blacklisted.

John.

I hope i can also take her service my contract with end at Aug....Andreine mark ur calender

Buck Plankchest wrote:Dude, I'm just happy to be employed at this point.

That's what the concentration camp guard said...

monalisalee wrote:In defence of Buck Plankchest:
The guy found himself between a rock and a hard place, apologized on behalf of his Companies actions, of which he had NO control, and had the spine to tell all on a public forum, so others could avoid this sort of unfortunate thing happening.
I say" thanks for swallowing your pride and posting". That takes spine.
Good on ya Mate!
John.

Yes, monalisalee, you are dead right. Buck Plankchest did all he could do given that he is the new kid on the blaock and has to work with these people. How would it be if you started a new job in a totally foreign culuture and started dictating how the company should be run?

I fully understand his situation and think it is unfair for others to give him a hard time and call him names. I am more than happy to take calls from him if he has any problems. He is really a nice guy and incredibly brave and honorable to bear his soul and publicly thank our company.

To the other posters, just want to thank you again for the kind words. Happy to help newcomers or oldtimers alike.

Freidela, you are a champ. Sadly maybe done and dusted already. The little HR manager knew she had done wrong but she has little power of persuasion. Ya reckon she's going to support a foreign expat agent as opposed to their local buddies?? In my dreams.

Too often in China, people get rewarded for being sleezy and underhanded and those who provide a half decent level of service get shafted. Western MNC's stamp "worlds best practices" on their companies because their staff have gone through some kind of anti-coruption training. OH PLEASE!! I think that MNCs need to open their eyes to what is going on. They could actually cut their housing costs if their HR managers weren't on the take!

Well, that's my rave for the morning.

Thanks once again.

Adrienne
http://www.shanghaiprops.com

You know, Adrienne, I just get tired of hearing about good people like you getting jerked around. I have been here over 7 years now and it doesn't seem to have gotten any better with situations like this. I would love to see -- and yes, it's pure fantasy -- these situations turn back on the people that perpetuate them.

I also have fantasies sometimes after a few whiskeys for a group of expats to form a vigilante group (think: starchamber) who would "deal with" unscrupulous local landlords.

By the way, not all of us are English teachers here. Some of us have started a new job in a totally foreign culture and did dictate pointing out the difference between right and wrong. It's part of the reason many of us are brought on board is to instill higher standards. Others of us have actually started our own companies here and employ people and vendors and dictate proper behaviour all of the time. However, I get your point and understand the position that you are in as well.

I know behind that big, blond, buxom, hard drinking exterior of yours is a great big heart

Hey Adrienne,
Phew, glad l found your site, great info for this newbie...
WE have found a apartment we like, so seeing yr site now, gives me a check list hehe.

Cheers, my shout if l ever meet you:)

MG

PS: is 150RMB for all utilities including internet a fair cost? Sounds ok compared to back home...

Ah, a fellow Melbournian........G'day.

Glad the site was helpful. Adding lots more useful stuff after CNY and a blogg so keep an eye out.

150rmb a month for utils including ADSL is very low since 130rmb is the monthly ADSL price. If you get it for a year it's cheaper.....but only around 20%, from memory. Gas and water is rediculously cheap here. Can range from 50 to 300 depending on usage and people in house. Electricty bills also depend on size of place, usage etc. Heating/cooling units really use the most. Mild seasons can be 150rmb per month and cold/hot seasons in apt can range from 500 to 1,000 and a villa would be 2,000-3,000rmb. Too many variables to quote exact prices.

Firstly, get ADSL and SAT TV put in unless it's a really low budget place. Then ask for an allowance for gas, water, electricty of 500-1,000 rmb. Anything over that then you pay for. Make sure you say it is non-transferable and any allowance not used is no-redeemable and ony applies to each month. It makes it all very clear.

Hope this helps!

Adrienne
http://www.shanghaiprops.com

your a star l will let all that info sink in hehehe.
I just relised l could had skyped you. Don't worry lm sure there will be many more questions, maybe too many.

Cheers and thanks again...

MG