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earlyretirement
Moderator
Yes, something like this would in theory be a good idea. The problem is in first world, efficient countries where there are checks and balances and a working judicial system and also things like Better Business Bureau, Chamber of Commerce, Small Claims Court, etc. In Argentina there is nothing like this where you can quickly and easily have some recourse/remedy.
If such a service existed in Buenos Aires, you would have the opposite of what you see on AngiesList where it's mostly great providers. Instead there are probably more companies/individuals that either are unethical or unreliable long-term. So you'd be reading through endless amounts of bad reviews and scams. It would be like the reverse Angie'sList system. And even the few gems you found would probably at some point turn on you as well.
The biggest problem that I've encountered in Buenos Aires is it's very difficult to find someone that over the long-term will be reliable and dependable and not rip you off eventually. People there just don't think long-term and mostly would jeopardize a long-term relationship if they can somehow make more today. They are very short-sighted. I've seen this across many, many industries so not just one specific industry or field/profession.
About the only profession where I've had reliable and ethical and dependable service are my accountant and my lawyer. Which are two of the most important people to have on your side in Argentina. If I had to to have any profession in Argentina I think it would be an accountant or Escribano. Talk about job security! Believe it or not but probably not far down the list if I was single with no kids would be a Portero (doorman) in a fancy building.
Some of these guys that have been working in a building for decades retire with a great pension. Plus they have a free place to live. I've been in several of these Portero's flats and some of them are quite nice.
The point of a "Rate My Professor" website is not to have some recourse. It is to spread the word about the good and the bad in order for consumers to make more informed choices. The real problem with this is the social aspect of recommendations by relationship...you are more likely to receive better service from a service provider that knows someone you know. This type of site would be bypassing the relationship, which I think is actually what motivates the service provider to provide good service.
Wow, that sucks for you. I've found more reliable and dependable people than I have the opposite, but that may be due to the relationships I've established early on who have gone out of their way to provide insight to me of reliable service people. Frankly, I think I've been ripped off for more money in the US than I have here. Regardless of the existence of BBB, Chamber of Commerce, and Small Claims Court, social media has proven to be more effective in gaining recourse for me in the US for the handful of times I exercised its use.
Here, I think you are better to work within the social norms...i.e. make Argentine friends, find out who everyone uses for "X" service or ask how they would handle "X" issue. They're likely to make a recommendation and allow you to say they suggested you contact them. Gotta be social in this country.
earlyretirement
Moderator
I get what you're saying about "Rate my Professor". I just don't think they would work well there. I'm glad you've had such good luck with dependable people. I'm not saying I didn't find dependable people. Just that over time they have disappointed. Strange you've gotten ripped off so much in the USA. With all the reputable review websites I've never gotten ripped off in the USA.
And yes I do have many Argentine friends but with the scale of projects could never find enough good people. Hey, that's great you've had so many great experiences there with vendors. You should assemble them all together and make a referral website.
You could make a fortune.After filing a complaint with the Consumer Protection Agency, they prepare a CEDULA DE NOTIFICATION - AUDENCIA, an official city government document notifying both parties of the date, time, and location of the hearing. It was delivered to my door this morning by a process server. I signed a copy of the notice for proof that I was duly notified of the hearing. The other party (our administrator) will be notified and receive a copy of the documents I filed with the agency. Our hearing is at 9:30am on October 30, the date I was offered on Sept 4.
I am satisfied with the way my complaint filed on Sept 4 has been handled. The administrator has continued to ignore phone calls from owners and my emails about building matters.
I am satisfied with the way my complaint filed on Sept 4 has been handled. The administrator has continued to ignore phone calls from owners and my emails about building matters.
earlyretirement
Moderator
Keep us posted how the hearing goes on October 30. Thanks.
SantiBouns
New member
LOL, not “so many great experiences”...just that my experiences thus far (minimal that they have been) have been good. The worst was being overcharged on taxis. Uber has solved that issue.I get what you're saying about "Rate my Professor". I just don't think they would work well there. I'm glad you've had such good luck with dependable people. I'm not saying I didn't find dependable people. Just that over time they have disappointed. Strange you've gotten ripped off so much in the USA. With all the reputable review websites I've never gotten ripped off in the USA.
And yes I do have many Argentine friends but with the scale of projects could never find enough good people. Hey, that's great you've had so many great experiences there with vendors. You should assemble them all together and make a referral website.
Again, hoping to hear good news on resolution from Jantango. Maybe now we can get back on topic.
CarliNeces
Member
I actually regard BA taxis one of the best in the world. And Uber of BA , one of the worst in the world. Use 2~4 taxis a day here.
yes, one in 15 drivers do try to take a longer route. but at least 14 of them are good in sense of manners, integrity and knowledge of the city and hardly anyone uses the GPS. Yes, one in 15 Uber drivers is good and can arrive without getting lost but most of them are super dumb and often get lost despite using the GPS.
Price difference is not much in Argentina..maybe 15% at best. And Uber here does a lot "Peak rate hours" at any damn hour. Plus if you delay to take action by calling the uber immediatey on search, they increase fare very rapidly in the app.
In lot of other countries, taxis are really expensive versus Uber //and Uber or Grab drivers are really good.
earlyretirement
Moderator
I totally agree with you Carli. Taxi drivers in BA are fabulous, IMHO. I've never had any problems with them. Sure, a few of them aren't the best drivers but at least they get you where you want to go quickly. Sometimes when they aren't sure which is the quicker route they always ask me the route they plan on taking and I'll tell them another but they are always open to suggestions and nod in agreement.
I've found Uber in BA pretty horrible. They always are later than when the phone says they will arrive. Sometimes they never show up, pass the pick up point, etc. Plus prices aren't that good compared to taxis. I don't really find any use to use Uber in BA compared to every other city that I travel to. Plus it's kind of annoying always having to sit in the front seat with them. Sometimes I have sensitive emails and work I have to do and don't want to sit in the front but they are always so paranoid about taxi drivers hassling them so the past few I took they pleaded with me to sit in the front.
I stopped using Uber in BA after trying them a few times.
earlyretirement
Moderator
Mine haven't been "bad experiences" per se. Just that it's not a great experience and nothing to justify the hassle factor of waiting for an Uber that NEVER seems to be the initial time that it says on the App. In most cities around the world that I've used Uber, the time that it says it will take to get to me isn't far off from the actual time. But in BA it takes quite a bit longer and several times I just had to cancel the Uber and take one of the many taxis that have passed by in the same time.
CarliNeces
Member
In my case, I give lot of value to my time. Every minute is important for me. The 15% I save for the cheaper Uber - while the driver gets lost several times before arriving to pick me up and then gets lost several times before arriving at my intended destination. Its just not worth it. There is something nice about hailing a taxi with a flick of finger..there is a taxi passing almost every minute in major barrios of BA except during football matches or extremely rainy days. And the GPS noise of the route drives me crazy and the drivers are so dumb that they are unable to follow the route despite it.
Many of the taxi drivers of BA are 70+ and I find them really worth it unlike the torture of sitting in UBer infront ( lack of privacy as E. Retirement mentioned plus the GPS noise and loss of time).
earlyretirement
Moderator
Exactly! Most of the Uber drivers that I've had are fairly clueless. They were younger and didn't really seem to have a clue (forget about basic things like directions) but just about life in general. With taxi drivers in BA, as Ceviche mentioned they tend to be older. But also many have really interesting backgrounds. Many are highly educated. I always joke BA has some of the most educated taxi drivers in the world.
So unless I'm busy on work calls, I will converse with the taxi drivers in Buenos Aires. About politics, about life, about the City, weather or when planned roads will be busy with protestors. They tend to be well informed and super interesting for the most part. As Ceviche mentioned, I HATE having to listen to that GPS directions constantly running street by street on each turn.
The taxi drivers know each street for the most part. Sometimes there are multiple routes and they will ask which I prefer to take or which I think is faster. The Uber drivers for the most part have no clue. Yes, the only times I've had issues with finding taxis is when it's raining hard out, on Christmas or New Years Eve/Day or during soccer games. But other than that taxis are everywhere and typically even when I tried Uber, I'l see at least 5 to 10 taxis passing while waiting for the Uber.
Sometimes I'd be in office meetings and forget to get cash so I'd take Uber only because I don't have to have any cash but most times it's almost painful waiting for them each time or watching on my iPhone as they get lost trying to get to my location.
AmirJacks
New member
maybe you guys have bad luck i've never had ubers get lost. yeah sometimes some of them are a little clumsy with the navigation or app, but if they don't give a good experience i don't rate them well.
personally i refuse to use taxis unless absolutely necessary. their cars are a disaster, smell of smoke constantly, and i don't trust them to use cash or not take advantage of a foreigner.
i've never had ubers get lost. yeah sometimes some of them are a little clumsy with the navigation or app, but if they don't give a good experience i don't rate them well.personally i refuse to use taxis unless absolutely necessary. their cars are a disaster, smell of smoke constantly, and i don't trust them to use cash or not take advantage of a foreigner.
earlyretirement
Moderator
Very strange to hear that you don't trust taxis or wouldn't trust them with cash or take advantage of a foreigner. Sure, there might be some bad apples out there but I've never run across any. Plus I've had so many friends and clients that have visited me since the last 90's. Never did any of them have any issues.maybe you guys have bad luck
personally i refuse to use taxis unless absolutely necessary. their cars are a disaster, smell of smoke constantly, and i don't trust them to use cash or not take advantage of a foreigner.
I do agree the cars are nicer in the Uber but like Ceviche I put a value on my time.
Today was the mediation hearing with a tenant in our building. Today was also the grand opening of Comuna 3 with a very large gathering of city employees including Mayor Horacio Larreta. I arrived early for the noon mediation appointment, checked in at the front desk, and waited to be called by the mediator. At 12:15, the mediator Adrian Escouteloup asked if I wanted to wait a bit longer, and I said that I did under the circumstances. They allow a tolerance of 15 minutes for the scheduled appointment for mediation and consumer protection. I ended up rescheduling another date for mediation with Paige Medley, the American from Atlanta. At 1:20 she called me at home to let me know that the tenant did show up for mediation a few minutes after my departure, and that because of the opening ceremony with Horacio Larreta, he couldn't access the Mediation area. The tenant asked that the mediation be scheduled on a Tuesday, since he couldn't attend on a Monday at noon. I agreed and was emailed the new notice of mediation on Nov 13 at noon. Today was the most complicated day for an appointment in Comuna 3, but at least things were rescheduled.
Oct 30 at 9:30 is the meeting with our consorcio administrator and Dra. Liliana Riesgo (lawyer) of the consumer protection agency.
earlyretirement
Moderator
Thanks for the follow up post. Let us know how it turns out. Good luck!
Our incompetent administrator was rehired for another year by the consorcio. I was not present when her renewal or removal was discussed as the last item on the agenda. That was intentional on her part to get everyone involved in "what we had to do" and forget that the administrator did nothing until the end of the year to guarantee her renewal. As one owner told me, there was no vote and no one said anything about her poor job for the consorcio. She didn't even pay our Edesur and AySA bills on time, so late payments cost us more. She hasn't complied with any of the agreement she signed during mediation in November 2018. She continues to act as president and secretary of the meeting and never provides copies of the minutes. She knows the only way she can be sanctioned and lose her registration as administrator is if the consorcio wins a case in court, something it will never do. We are stuck with her. I continue sending a steady stream of emails about all the problems in the building which the owners want to ignore.
The building was built in 1966-67. Last week someone reported a gas leak to Metrogas. It must have been obvious when walking past our building. The main pipe is below the sidewalk at the entrance door. I knew nothing about it until I read an email from another owner berating me for reporting the leak and how much money we were going to pay for repairs in the basement. I wish I could thank the anonymous person who reported it to Metrogas. Three owners have concluded that I must be the one who made the denuncia. They are furious with me and prohibit me from having access to the basement. As one woman said to me, "the basement is perfect." They had the lock changed a year ago, so I have no key to enter. Yes, they are mad that the gas leak was reported, if you can believe that. Metrogas began digging on Friday and worked Monday and Tuesday of this week from the building door to the street. I asked the work supervisor what happened. The old pipe finally gave way after 52 years. I took photos. The apartment building next door had the same work done last year. We are lucky that someone noticed gas and called. A gas pipe explosion in the building would have very serious consequences for all residents. I have dealt with harassment before from these three owners, but they outdid themselves this weekend. The consorcio doesn't pay for the work to the street, but we do have the expense of repair in the gas meter room and repositioning the two doors to the room that by law are supposed to be closed at all times. We have no full-time janitor on duty, so the basement (the operation center for water, electric, and gas) has been ignored for decades.
The building is crumbling before our eyes, but these owners don't see it as I do. The next major project is complete renovation of the water tank that has had a crack in the wall for years and has been leaking. They probably want to wait until we have no water and then panic about what we should do. I got two estimates in January for the work, but they think $150,000 is too high. If we had done regular maintenance over the years, the tank would be in better condition. These owners don't do anything until it's too late.
As of May 1, there is a charge of $500ARS for soliciting a mediation hearing in a Comuna. That's a small price to pay for dealing with a neighbor that causes a problem in the neighborhood. The house directly in the center of our block is a potential fire hazard when the residents start a makeshift fire on their roof (not terrace) for a bar-be-que that lasts three hours below electrical cables. These people are completely unaware of the dangerous conditions they make for the surrounding buildings. They've probably been doing this for years, but I only noticed since a tree, which blocked my view, was removed last July. I showed my photos to police and they agreed with me that it is a fire hazard. There is a mediation hearing on May 30 in Comuna 3 when I will present the photos and ask them to stop.
The building was built in 1966-67. Last week someone reported a gas leak to Metrogas. It must have been obvious when walking past our building. The main pipe is below the sidewalk at the entrance door. I knew nothing about it until I read an email from another owner berating me for reporting the leak and how much money we were going to pay for repairs in the basement. I wish I could thank the anonymous person who reported it to Metrogas. Three owners have concluded that I must be the one who made the denuncia. They are furious with me and prohibit me from having access to the basement. As one woman said to me, "the basement is perfect." They had the lock changed a year ago, so I have no key to enter. Yes, they are mad that the gas leak was reported, if you can believe that. Metrogas began digging on Friday and worked Monday and Tuesday of this week from the building door to the street. I asked the work supervisor what happened. The old pipe finally gave way after 52 years. I took photos. The apartment building next door had the same work done last year. We are lucky that someone noticed gas and called. A gas pipe explosion in the building would have very serious consequences for all residents. I have dealt with harassment before from these three owners, but they outdid themselves this weekend. The consorcio doesn't pay for the work to the street, but we do have the expense of repair in the gas meter room and repositioning the two doors to the room that by law are supposed to be closed at all times. We have no full-time janitor on duty, so the basement (the operation center for water, electric, and gas) has been ignored for decades.
The building is crumbling before our eyes, but these owners don't see it as I do. The next major project is complete renovation of the water tank that has had a crack in the wall for years and has been leaking. They probably want to wait until we have no water and then panic about what we should do. I got two estimates in January for the work, but they think $150,000 is too high. If we had done regular maintenance over the years, the tank would be in better condition. These owners don't do anything until it's too late.
As of May 1, there is a charge of $500ARS for soliciting a mediation hearing in a Comuna. That's a small price to pay for dealing with a neighbor that causes a problem in the neighborhood. The house directly in the center of our block is a potential fire hazard when the residents start a makeshift fire on their roof (not terrace) for a bar-be-que that lasts three hours below electrical cables. These people are completely unaware of the dangerous conditions they make for the surrounding buildings. They've probably been doing this for years, but I only noticed since a tree, which blocked my view, was removed last July. I showed my photos to police and they agreed with me that it is a fire hazard. There is a mediation hearing on May 30 in Comuna 3 when I will present the photos and ask them to stop.
earlyretirement
Moderator
I hate to say "I told you so". But I told you so. NOTHING works in Argentina. Nothing. There is no transparency and tons of inefficiencies. I'm not surprised by this in the least.
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