Please advise....real estate ethical dilemma.

[sewarsh]

okay, so looking for advice. here's the situation....

last year we rented a condo at the NJ shore from company A.
last night i went to company A website and the property is not listed for rent this summer.
so i called company A last night and left VM inquiring about it.

then i googled the property address and saw company B had it listed for rent.
i left them a voicemail.
they called me at 8:30am today and emailed me a lease within an hour.

company A then calls around 10:30am and states that they are friends with company B and that they should have referred me to company A since we rented through them last year.
she then proceeds to tell me that she'll call them to "square it out".
i ask and she tells me the property is $2100 for the week. i tell her the lease from company B is listed at $2050. she tells me thats last years rates. i tell her i don't really care if its 2011 or 2012 - thats what's in the lease.
she calls me back and says they can make it $2050. not sure if she was mistaken or if she was trying to screw me out of $50.

about 5 hours later Company A calls back to tell me that a different week i had inquired about is available. in the voicemail she mentioned she spoke with Company B and they agreed to tear up the lease i received from them. (i actually wonder if that's true or not...)

anyways....who should i go with? since the price is the same, i'm indifferent.
i know its not a big deal, but i feel kinda weird about it.
thanks!

[Green_Tea]

Company B. They had the listing this year and responded promptly to your inquiry. Company A has no right to the rental, IMO, and since you have already initiated the lease with Company B, they get your business.

[trales]

:yeahthat:

[crl]

I don't understand why Company B would "tear up" an agreement based on a third party's request? If A and B have some kind of referral deal between themselves that's fine, but that's between them and I don't get why Company A is trying to insert itself into your deal here. I would call Company B and ask them to honor the agreement you have with them and to keep Company A out of any dealings you have with Company B.

Catherine

[larig]

company B, and I'd tell company A they were creeping me out.

[SnuggleBuggles]

B, no doubt. I have the same creepy feeling as PP. I wouldn't give A business. Shady. The owners are listing with a new company and the property is maintained by the new company. What happens if you have trouble during the vacation? They probably don't even have a key anymore to be able to help.

[lhafer]

Totally company B.

The only ethical dilemma here is company A trying to squirrel in on the deal. Company B had the listing, so go with them. I would not contact company A anymore, and I would also speak directly with someone from company B telling them you want to lease through them, and have no desire to deal with company A at this time. If they have some sort of referral deal, that's between them. Besides, this isn't a referral deal. You are referring yourself? The listing was with a different company, which you found on your own. No one referred you to it.

That company B is willing to tear up the contract (and this information is coming from Company A!) makes me wonder if that is really true, and if so...what did company A say to them to make them want to loose your business. Cut your ties with company A. Their loss for being greedy b@stards.