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Harbourview Horizon Warning about the indecent practises of the Management

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  1. #1

    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    119

    Exclamation Harbourview Horizon Warning about the indecent practises of the Management

    The indecent practices of Harbour View Horizon

    After one year living in the Harbour View Horizon I would like to show you some insides and indecent practices of the management.

    Start with the extension of the lease. If you want to move from Harbour View to Harbour Front, generally it is possible, but they won’t offer you the cheapest apartments, which are still available. They just tell you, all are already rented and you have only the chance to rent an apartment for let say minimum HKD 13K. A colleague of my got the same apartment with the same size for still HKD 3K less. Bargaining with them? No Chance. You will get the answer: “take it or don’t take it, I don’t care”.
    Ok. Nobody is forcing you to live there.

    Ok, let say, you agree and want to rent it for the price. Our lease with the old apartment ends on end of December. No chance to get the apartment accurate on that day. You have to rent immediately and pay after signing. Means you still have to pay the December rent of the old apartment and additional the rent of December of the new apartment. You pay double. According to the sales staff, ”you are free to sign by the end of December but I promise you, there will be NO apartment left for you”. When we asked first for free available apartments, they told us, in two towers there are approx. over 50% of the apartment available and free to choose. Step by step and minute by minute, they reduce the free available apartments and offer you only what they want to offer you. Even if you want to correct them, you just get the answer, “sorry all booked out”. They got the power to do so. Nobody is forcing you to live here. Ok.

    Then something about Children friendly environment. In the gym the Harbour View offer a playground for kids. Wonderful and really nice. My wife meets there other Mothers with kids and the kids are playing together. Like a real compound community.
    One day, when the kids where playing and the mothers talking, one of the staff warned them, that the kids shouldn’t be so loud. The noise disturbs the exercising customers.

    My wife told them, that if they want a silent gym, please remove the playground in the gym or arrange a shield with the warning: “No Kids playing allowed at this Kids Playground” “Exception: Silent Kids”.

    Now, another incident, which top it all.
    As I mentioned before I have a son and he is 1 and a half years old. We all got a LCD flatscreen TV in the apartment. He was playing and took the remote and hammered it on the LCD display. You can imagine, that the display wouldn’t stand the hammering and it broke. TV was damaged. I informed the management about it and offer them to compensate it, because damage was done violently and by my son.
    Everything fine with, them. The staff went to our apartment and inspected the damage and made us very sternly clear that they have to charge us for this damage.
    I told them, that I was intending to pay for the damage and hadn’t showed any sign of refusing both on the phone and at the reception in the lobby.

    The second day, a staff called me, and remind me again, that I have to pay for the damage. I told her again, that I will pay, I was not questioning that and just want to know how it can be repaired. They had
    She told me it can not be repaired and they have to exchange the TV. Cost: HKD 18,000!!! Their purchasing price for this TV. They already got into contact with their contractor for the TVs (LG company).
    (FYI, all the apartments got the same TV and they can not claim that they really pay 18,000 HKD for each TV set).

    I told her, “Miss, with all due respect, this is ridiculous! It is a LG 32ich LCD TV and I informed myself, that you can buy the newest model of LG for HKD 6,000 with bargaining at the Broadway for this kind.
    A 37 inch TV von LG costs HKD 8,900, and with luck and good bargaining skills you can get a Sony 47inch LCD Flatscreen TV with a lot of extras for HKD 18K.
    I am not intending to buy a TV from you, I just want to compensate the damaged TV.

    They called again, and told me as this is an old model and can not be purchased in the market anymore, we have to pay HKD 18,000 compensation. I was very angry now, and told them YET I am not intending to pay and they are free to sue me if they want to as this is not reasonable.
    Then she called me again, and inform that I can handle it by myself, and they want the exact TV back, No other model, no other brand. Exactly the same one it must be.”

    “That stupid and jerky chick” I was thinking, as we all know that this model has not been sold anymore and you can’t get it in Hong Kong. They are trying to blackmail me.

    So I called LG in Hong Kong by myself and let someone from them sent to my apartment. He checked it, and told me, it can be repaired, only the display has to be exchanged and cost for this 6700 HKD for the LCD display and 750 HKD for repair. Still a lot of money but I accepted it as I was expecting this costs for repair.

    The Management or better the “Sales Management” of the Harbourview never had tried or had the intention to repair the TV. They just want to get money. They even try to cheat you as they thought I have no idea.

    So this is a warning about the indecent practise at the Harbourview Horizon (SALES) Management. NEVER broke or damage anything in the apartment and if, never report this to the management.


  2. #2

    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Posts
    95

    i hear ya. i am staying the harbourfront and they make you sign this inventory list when you move in. I was shocked to see the price tag of each item on list...for example...if i recall...over $30K for each A/C unit!!!! they even have price for each door!!!! i just hope i don't get stiffed when i move out....


  3. #3

    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    119

    Inventory List

    As i said, never report damages done by you to the Management. Try to settle it by your own.

    2 Days ago, the management called me again and asked me about the status of the TV and when they can expect the compensation. I told them that the TV is already fixed. The were really surprised and demanded a inspection of their staff. They came to the appointed time and inspected the set inch by inch.
    I told them, that the LG company made the repair, so there is no need to claim deficiencies.
    I also told them, that despite their claim that the TV could not be repaired to the contrary, the LG company did manage to fixed it within half an hour.

    They couldn't and did not want to give me an explaination.


  4. #4

    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Posts
    894

    I totally agree with you, the management is CRAP there... I plan on moving out ASAP when my 1 yr contract is up. They pulled the same sales tactics on me when I went there to take a look but fortunately was able to get a decent price.

    One incident I'd like to add is when I asked for another toiletry bag (like the ones you receive with the new room). Because I was getting married I needed a new comb for those traditional customs stuff. Anyway, I got talk to front desk and they tell me nope they don't have toiletry bags. I asked them you MUST stock the ones that you give for new rooms right? Then they said they cannot give them out. I said, right, but I want to BUY one. They said nope they cannot give them out. So I asked even if I paid $1000 bucks they wouldn't sell one to me? They said nope it's their "policy". I asked to talk to the manager and asked what kind of hotel won't even let their guest have some toiletries? I mean it's one thing if you don't HAVE them but another to have it and simply refuse to give or SELL it to guests. The guy tells me the manager is off duty and took down my name and number and says the manager will call me. It's been 5 days. I'll have another talk with them tonight when I get home.
    But it's ridiculous, I told the guy I can probably get a total stranger next door to lend my some shampoo but the company I'm PAYING won't even let me buy stuff from them?! Total BS. From now on when I buy property I will never buy anything that's managed by KCH.
    It made me miss my family's place all the more at the Harbourside (just 4 letters makes all the difference). They would've gladly given me 10 combs if I asked for one. But then again, the staff are actually paid to think on their feet unlike those at Harbourview that are just hired to stuff a body at the reception chair.
    Anyhow, like you said, no one forces you to live there so I won't after my contract's up.

    By the way, do you know someone named Eddy from Vancouver?


  5. #5

    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Posts
    12,383

    Closing this thread. Whilst what has been said, is ok, I'm not too keen to start attracting all the folks in town who want to take a potshot at Horizon.

    Hoshi likes this.