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PR West out of business?

Fairfield, CT
6 posts
PR West out of business?
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It appears that the rental agency PR West has gone out of business and taken my deposit (and therefore my condo reservation) with them. Anyone else in the same situation? Does anyone have any information on how to contact them?

Rio Grande, Puerto...
Level Contributor
290 posts
3 reviews
3 helpful votes
1. Re: PR West out of business?
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Try contacting the Puerto Rico Tourism Company. (PRTC)or the Puerto Rico Hotel and Tourism Association (PRHTA). All legitimate rentals need to be registered with PRTC and be bonded so they may have information on your condo and getting back your deposit or at least about what happened with PR West.

Cedar Rapids, IA
Level Contributor
4 posts
22 reviews
6 helpful votes
2. Re: PR West out of business?
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My family rented from PR West in March 2007. Our contract stated that we were supposed to have our security deposit returned within one month of our stay, but the deposit was never returned. I contacted PR West and the owner several times. The owner admitted that he kept my security deposit and said that they were having some financial difficulties. He stated that he would return my deposit as soon as he could. To date, I have not received the return of MY MONEY. I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau without success. PR West never responded to the complaint. STAY AWAY FROM PR WEST!

Cleveland, Ohio
Destination Expert
for Puerto Rico, Carolina
Level Contributor
10,569 posts
24 reviews
13 helpful votes
3. Re: PR West out of business?
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I had issues with them in the past also. We had a trip planned that got cancelled do to a health issue. Never got the deposit back, but was assured we could use that deposit money on a future rental. Guess what? Never happened. After numerous attempts at doing just that. Never heard from them again.

Rochester, New York
Level Contributor
8 posts
15 reviews
3 helpful votes
4. Re: PR West out of business?
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We also did not receive our security deposit back from prwest from a stay in 11/07. Their web site had been down, but it is sort of back again at prwest.com. It no longer lists the owner's name on the website. Please let me know if you have any luck.

Waterford Lakes, FL
9 posts
5. Re: PR West out of business?
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The PR West owner's name is Lou Caraballo, who now rents an eatery for locals called Brumas in a nearby town. His number is 787-823-7068.

Waterford Lakes, FL
9 posts
6. Re: PR West out of business?
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PRWest Update:

PR West Vacation Rentals & Real Estate is definitely out of business. Friends in Rincon report that the owner, who had no real experience in this field, had failed mostly due to the Real Estate downturn and that he has made good on most, if not all, of the deposits and the business appears to be in bankruptcy court.

This is the only time that this has happened in the 50 year history of Rincon lodging. The established Vacation Rental Agencies are doing very well and my friends say that there has not been any other complaint of this type and also say that Puerto Rico, being a part of the USA, enforces its very strict regulations about this, especially since it principally depends on tourism. Rincon also has it's own watchdog Tourism Association. If you have any doubts about deposits, you can always make them with your credit card, for your own peace of mind.

Rincon PR
2 posts
1 review
6 helpful votes
7. Re: PR West out of business?
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PRwest.com is back!! We indeed suffered a large Financial HIT due to the economic downturn in Puerto Rico and nationwide during 2007 and 2008, but we are back in business, allbeit in a more 'downscaled' and automated form. Visit our revamped web site at http://prwest.com. Our other web site http://rincon-puertorico.com will remain shut down at least for 2009. All information on this site will be moved back to PRwest.com, including some argueably radical pages about Rincon's History and area personalities.

The mistake made at PRwest was getting too large, too soon; and spending operational reserves during 2007 on other business enterprises without foresseing and preparing for the 'economic storm' that was about to happen to the Vacation Rental Industry in Puerto Rico. The operational reserves dried up and we were caught blindsided by the outgoing expenses being much larger than the incoming flow of funds.

We have been in this business since 1996 and never had a reputation of 'stealing' from anyone during all the years leading up to the financial mess that occured. All deposits received and not refunded will be eventually returned to the proper individuals. We apologize for the inconvenience and financial problems this has caused others. We intend to make it up to all our customers and owners by continuing to work the business and only handle all business transactions through Paypal, to ensure that all funds are properly handled and not misplaced.

We expect a new an profitable 2009, with all outstanding funds returned.

-- Lou Caraballo

PRwest Vacation Services

http://PRwest.com

787-370-3886

Cedar Rapids, IA
Level Contributor
4 posts
22 reviews
6 helpful votes
8. Re: PR West out of business?
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Well, since PRwest is back in business, I'll be looking forward to getting MY MONEY returned from the security deposit I trusted PRwest with in March 2007. I'm sure that all the ignored e-mails and phone calls to Lou Caraballo were just an unfortunate oversight, right? Oh, and not responding to my complaint filed with the PR Better Business Bureau probably just slipped Lou's mind as well. I don't know why anyone would think that PRwest was "stealing" from their unsuspecting customers. I mean, just because PRwest didn't return money, as was specified in the contract signed by both parties, who would consider that "stealing".

Lou states in his post, "We intend to make it up to all our customers and owners." Well, if that's truly the case, then he will return people's hard earned money, perhaps WITH INTEREST. He's not the only one dealing with the "economic downturn". I think it only fair that PRwest's new and profitable 2009 should spill over to the people whose money was used to fund PRwest's comeback.

When prwest makes good on it's most recent promise that "All deposits received and not refunded will be eventually returned to the proper individuals", I'll be happy to make another post. Until then, I won't hold my breath waiting for Prwest and Lou Caraballo to DO THE RIGHT THING.

Cleveland, Ohio
Destination Expert
for Puerto Rico, Carolina
Level Contributor
10,569 posts
24 reviews
13 helpful votes
9. Re: PR West out of business?
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You are not alone there. Several years ago we rented a place for a week. Paid the 50% deposit and my wife ended up hospitalized. Lou was understanding and stated in writing that the deposit could be used for a future rental. Sure! 6 mo later, no reply to emails, letters or phone calls. Once again a year later, no replies to forwarded copies of his statement of being able to use the deposit. Then a couple years later out of business. I'm sure he burned so many people that word of mouth alone caused his demise. I for one am waiting Lou!

Waterford Lakes, FL
9 posts
10. Re: PR West out of business?
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This is what happens when you try to provide someone like this a break, by giving him the benefit of the doubt; this guy has apparently taken my last post about his company as an opportunity to set up another one of his shenanigans.

It's refreshing to see a person apparently admit that he co-mingled vacationers deposits with his own funds and used them as his personal piggy bank to speculate in business ventures that he knew nothing about, instead of returning them to their rightful owners.

It's even more refreshing to see that same person announcing that he seemingly intends to perpetrate Internet fraud with PayPal as his tool, especially since no sane vacation property owner would ever sign up with him, even if the state and local governments were to reinstate his licenses and permits.

Perhaps TripAdvisor, PayPal and others would want to hear from those of you that consider themselves online victims of this person and stop him from causing possible damage to others and to tourism in Rincon.

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