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Accurate Auto - beware (Chico)

CAPTION: 268 mile tow through the desert and into Los Angeles because of Rob Jeffries, Chuck Albert, and Accurate Auto's failure to provide service.

On March 19, 2010 I took my 2005 Hyundai Sonata in to Accurate Auto for the manufacturer's recommended 60,000 mile servicing. Why Accurate Auto? Because back when I had my Toyota Camry and had several instances when the gas tank imploded, a good friend of ours who had been helping us with our auto mechanic needs was unable to do so and recommended Rob Jeffries, the owner of Accurate Auto, to us saying that he was the only mechanic in the Chico area that he trusted.

Since then, the Camry was donated to the local community college because we felt that it was unsafe for anyone else to have it given that we never really were able to figure out what happened to cause the implosions and I bought a Hyundai Sonata. So when it came time for the service and the company I bought my Sonata at had lost their lease and went out of business, I brought it to Rob.

But Rob's gotten bigger, took over the old Big O Tires shop, expanded to selling and installing tires, too. And he's taken a back seat to the hands on he was doing back when I first started going to him, turning the daily operations of his shop over to his brother-in-law, Chuck Albert.

Still, they were quick and friendly, got the service done on the vehicle and I was on my merry way.

Fast forward exactly 2 months later when, on June 19, 2010 I was traveling with my sons through Death Valley before their summer got wicked hectic and we didn't have the time to take a mini-vacation together (and before it got too much hotter in the desert!). As we came over the 5,000 feet above sea level pass that dropped down to Stovepipe Wells in Death Valley, the check engine lights came on and the car stalled. For several terrifying minutes, I coasted down to sea level at speeds that sometimes exceeded 80 m.p.h., turning into the Stovepipe Wells General Store and Fueling Station's parking lot. I tried a few times to get the engine to turn over, but it didn't.

After hours of frustrations, making phone calls to places like Henderson Hyundai just outside of Las Vegas to have them tell me that it was my fault I was stuck in the desert, that I should have never driven my vehicle in there to begin with (I still find it hard to understand where that came from, but I guess that's probably one of many reasons they're going/have gone out of business last I heard), and AAA whose driver overshot us by an hour and didn't get to our location for several hours after being dispatched, we arranged for a tow to Harbor Hyundai in Long Beach, CA, the only place that was able to get the car in first thing Monday morning to find out what was wrong.

Sadly, we missed celebrating Father's Day with my husband and wouldn't see him for several days after as he was scheduled to work for 96 hours (the joys of working for the municipal fire department). With the tension of the unknown, it was probably all for the best we put off celebrating until later in the week. That's another joy of firefighting, the family becomes accustomed to celebrating holidays and special events on odd, off days.

Shortly after nine Monday, June 21st I contacted the service advisor at Harbor Hyundai who was able to tell me that the crank shaft sensor had malfunctioned. They were able to replace it and it was covered under the extended warranty I had the foresight to purchase. We breathed a sigh of relief and tried to spend the rest of our day resting and preparing for the long drive home once the car was fixed.

And then the service advisor called back. He needed my approval to replace the timing belts. The amount of the service was breathtaking - and not in the most gorgeous sunset you've ever seen kind of way. It came to the tune of over $400. He went on to inform me that the belt should have been replaced when the car received service at 60K miles and said that even if I opted not to replace it at that time, it would need to be replaced and would cost even more since the entire front they already had disassembled to access the crank shaft sensor would have to be removed again to perform the replacement. I authorized the repairs and worked at the kink in my neck from the tension.

The car was washed and ready by the close of business. Los Angeles traffic was a bitch. We waited it out until passage was relatively smoother and started off into the night. It took over nine hours and over a half a dozen rest stops catching a half hour here, an hour there, of sleep before we finally pulled in, hours after daylight, safe and sound at home, June 22nd.

On July 8th, armed with the worn belts that were replaced, receipts for the expenses we incurred, a copy of the towing bill (over $1300), and an invoice for reimbursement, I visited Accurate Auto (which happens to be a NAPA AutoCare Center whose pledge, according to their site, is: 

About Our Services

Our business takes quality and customer service seriously. As a NAPA AutoCare Center, we follow a strict Code of Ethics so customers will know up front what to expect. As part of this code, we pledge to:

Perform high-quality diagnostic and repair services at a fair price, using quality NAPA parts.

Employ ASE-certified technicians in all areas of work performed.

Be dedicated to customer satisfaction.

Exercise reasonable care for the customer's property while it is in the shop's possession.

Provide a system for fair settlement of customer complaints, should they occur.

Maintain the highest standards of the automotive service profession. )

where I spoke to Chuck Albert. I didn't need to remind him that they had serviced my Hyundai Sonata, he remembered me. I shared with him, by way of showing the part in my auto manual under the 60K mile service requirements, that according to the manufacturer, my timing belt assembly was supposed to have been replaced. I then pointed out on the invoice they had provided me at the completion of the work the part on it that showed the timing belt was checked but not replaced as stipulated. Mr. Albert stopped me to check with an online database, All Data, to see what they recommended. A few minutes later, he returned to say that All Data did stipulate the same - that the timing belt was supposed to have been replaced. I then explained what happened with the crank shaft sensor's malfunction and subsequent repairs that included the costly replacement of the belt. Mr. Albert then looked at the belts I brought with me:

  
Above: Balance Shaft Belt

Above: Close-up image of destroyed balance shaft belt. Note the loose teeth on the white background and the ones still intact on the belt. These had fallen off and interfered with the crank shaft position sensor and caused it to go out, resulting in the engine's failure.

Above: Packaging from replacement balance belt and other replaced items.

Above: Ruined v-ribbed belt that was removed from vehicle during Hyundai Harbor's service, the same belt Accurate Auto stated on the invoice I received after the 60K mile service was completed indicating the belt was "ok". Clearly it was not and as Mr. Albert admitted during our conversation on July 8, 2010, could not have become that worn (note the cracks which should be smooth) in just 2 months time and should have been replaced.

Mr. Albert stated that the service Accurate Auto provided me was negligent and furthermore added that Accurate Auto was responsible for the subsequent engine failure I experienced Saturday, June 19, 2010. He made copies of the invoice from Accurate Auto at the time of the 60K service, Harbor Hyundai's service that was performed on Monday, June 21, 2010, the towing bill for over $1,300, and the invoice I had printed up listing the expenses I incurred as a direct result of their negligence. He said that he would give the information to Mr. Robert Jeffries, the owner of Accurate Auto, that evening or the following morning as Jeffries would be the one to handle the settlement.

The following day, Friday, July 9, 2010, Mr. Albert called me to tell me that he had seen Jeffries the previous evening, given him the information and paperwork and would be in touch with me. He was unable to say when exactly, stating it could be in the hour or up to a week, but did assure me Jeffries was concerned and would be taking appropriate action.

When I hadn't heard from Jeffries or Albert by Friday, July 16, 2010, I called the shop and spoke to Albert. He was puzzled as to why Jeffries had not contacted me and stated he would inform Jeffries I had called and expected to hear from him shortly. Another week passed and on Friday, July 23 I attempted to call Rob Jeffries at Accurate Auto. The employee who answered the phone asked who was calling, then put me on hold. Several moments passed and the employee claimed Jeffries had left. I have evidence to the contrary. I asked for Chuck Albert. Several more moments passed after being put on hold and Mr. Albert came on the line. Frustrated and feeling that I was being taken for a ride, I expressed this curtly with Mr. Albert. I informed him that I felt they were jerking me around. Mr. Albert was quick to say if it were up to him, this would have been settled, but he's not the owner and is not able to do so. At that time I told Mr. Albert that I saw no other alternative than to pursue legal action. After our phone conversation, I sent a formal demand letter to Jeffries at Accurate Auto along with the itemized invoice for the expenses I incurred as a result of their negligence.

On Friday, August 6 I checked the status of the certified letter I sent. It was noted on USPS's website that the article had been refused at by the addressee and was being returned to the sender (me). At this time, there is a formal letter of complaint that's been filed with the Bureau of Automotive Repair, NAPA Auto Care's customer service, and inquiry being made to the Ripoff Report folks. I've since learned that Michelle Jeffries, whose Facebook page shows she is married to Robert Jeffries, is listed by the Bureau of Automotive Repair as the owner of Accurate Auto, and therefore has been reported.

Why the Jeffries' and Accurate Auto are failing to uphold their claim to taking customer service seriously, is a complete mystery to me. Why they feel it's appropriate to let a woman traveling alone with her children be stranded out in the desert overnight and not make any attempt to offer a remedy to something that was caused directly by their negligence is more than disconcerting, it's contemptuous. I urge anyone considering taking their auto care needs to Accurate Auto to reconsider and share with others this experience so others are equally informed. This isn't about money, it's about doing what's right. It's about honest, integrity, and being true to the promises you make. The Jeffries' promise is as they pledged above. Clearly they have failed on all accounts and should be held accountable.

Side note: A review was posted to the Accurate Auto Facebook page that has since been removed. It read:

As I stated before, Mr. Jeffries, even if you do remove the review from your Facebook business page, this is on the World Wide Web, it won't go away.

Other reviews can be found at Yelp.com under Accurate Auto in Chico, California (as linked throughout this post), Twitter.com, Facebook, and pretty much anywhere you look online. Because you simply can't fall short of your responsibilities and leave someone literally out in the desert, helpless, and not expect there to be some sort of karmic payback.

What will come of iRON-ic Suicides, your 2009 novel? (It's pronounced Ironic Suicides for those of you stuttering with the name like my mother did; which, by the way, she became a character in it because she helped sponsor me through her charitable donation to the Office of Letters and Light.) It goes on the back burner for now. I've plotted and stayed fairly true to the plot, so it won't be so hard to pick back up and finish the first draft.

Did you finish the novel? No. A decent sized novel is roughly 250-300 pages (paperback). A trade paperback has an average of 300 words a page, therefore 75-90,000 words. I'm about 2/3rds done - with the first draft.

When will you finish iRON-ic Suicides? I'll go back to it after I take care of some other irons in the fire. Right now, I have another manuscript, MSD (sorry, that's all I'll reveal about the title right now for a number of reasons) which came from my first NaNo novel, then titled And Then There Was Sam . . .. Once I have that one done and sent out, I'll probably pick up last year's NaNo novel, The Haunting of Mira Beck, pound the putty out of it and ship that out.

MSD/First NaNo // Dani Summers (2007) // Haunting of Mira Beck (2008)

What about your other NaNo novels? In 2007 I wrote one that started out as a mainstream mystery but then came back, tweaked it and wrote it as a young adult novel. Yet will need a lot of work to get the voice right in it. Or possibly rework the main character and torque the plot a bit to turn it into a mainstream mystery. I'm not sure yet, but as it stands right now, that one doesn't seem to be working as I'd hoped. iRON-ic Suicides will probably be finished up long before the one about Dani Summers. Or was it Sommers? See? I don't even remember!

Did you give in and tell your husband you were participating in this year's NaNoWriMo? No. The good news is, this year I managed to fulfill my goal of NaNoing without telling my husband I was participating. Mom likes to think I'm keeping secrets. No. I'm surviving, Mother. It was merely a test. Had it been a real emergency, I would have thrown him a life preserver and told him to have it on stand-by, demanded he take off the entire month of November and sequestered myself in the back storage shed along with my handy espresso machine and bars of Trader Joe's dark chocolate. The kidlets knew and I had them promise me they wouldn't spill the beans. However, when my mother pointed out that if I got them to keep secrets from my husband, I couldn't complain in a vice versa situation. So the very next day I qualified that and said that they weren't to volunteer the news but if they were asked, they could certainly tell him.

Does your husband know, now? Yes. And that's all I'll say.

Why do you do the NaNoWriMo if it takes away from getting a manuscript out and published? I ask myself this all the time. Usually the time NaNo comes up, I'm already getting frustrated with the current manuscript and look forward to taking the month off to create an entirely different story. But this might change soon. I might participate in NaNoEditMo (February or March, I believe) and forego WriMo. I'm still undecided. February is a very busy month for me, odd as it seems.

Got a question about my participation in NaNoWriMo? Ask away!

It's out with the old, in with the new. Maybe I'll get lucky enough to have it all ready for release on New Years Day. Wouldn't that be the bomb?

Periodically I might post here. Thoughts get caught up in my brain and need a way to come out. This has always been the perfect medium. It's just of late, well, there's enough going on that those thoughts can't be voiced in this type of forum. Please don't ask. It's personal. Very personal, and not something I'm willing to share, not even via email or any other route. I don't want to seem rude, but even pressed, it's not going to happen.

What will become of the posts up and till then? Probably archived and removed from the site. I haven't decided yet. Of course, if there's something you'd like to see transitioned onto the new site, leave me a comment. Having a link to the particular post or page would be even better. I won't make any promises, this is, after all, my site. But I do try to be accommodating.

The other blogs and pages? Yeah, revisions, remodeling, maybe even removed altogether. It's the website mid-life crisis!

So there you have it.

In case you were wondering.

See you on the flip side!

Our schedule is full. Our cups runneth over. Our plates are piled high. We are inundated. Dentist and doctor appointments, after school projects, assignments with long term deadlines, homework, baseball, swimming, basketball. Places to go, people to see, things to do. That snapshot to the left? That's our actual calendar, minus a much needed update now that the school year calendar is in. Much bigger, I'll give you, easier to read, but you get the gist.

For a long time, we've incorporated a scheduling system with the kidlets to help them organize their days, most importantly, their homework, using something that would help them visualize their time. We used to use blocks, but now have gone to using paper.

First they'll write down everything they have to do after school, estimating the amount of time it takes to do each thing (the columns to the left above). This includes each homework assignment, chores, bedtime routine and even dinner.

They'll total the estimated time and then move over a column and enter their start time and end time (bedtime) and come up with the total amount of time they have to do the things they've listed.

After they're done with those tasks, they'll use the "blocks." There are four for every hour, each block representing 15 minutes. In the example above, the bottom right are the blocks, each column representing an hour, therefore a total of five hours are available to them. The colors match up with the tasks they've already identified so it's easier to glance at it and know what they're "in for." In this example, the yellow-gray blocks represent free time. They were amazed to see that they were going to have almost two hours of free time, which was enough of a motivator to get cracking on the less desirable aspects of the schedule.

It may sound a bit anal retentive, but in truth, it's become a wonderful motivator. Without us having to harp on them, they're able to stay on task, get the job done quick and efficiently. They've learned that if the task isn't done right the first time, not only do they have to do it again, right; but they've learned that they've doubled up on the time it takes to complete the chore which means it takes away from free time.

We started doing this about the time they were starting fourth grade. As the system progresses to match their cognitive levels, we still have to work with them initially to make sure they're using the system routinely. They seem to like it and I can tell you we sure do! I especially like it because when my husband steps in to oversee their jobs (believe me, he's very much a hands-on dad, but in this instance, I'm more hands-on for this), it's easy for him to pick up and keep going, like he'll need to do in a few weeks when I'll be away for a few days.

Interested in this system for your kids? Leave a comment and I'll be happy to share!

You might rationalize that the cost of service alone is well worth the policy. You may even look at the reduced coverage on large appliances and other big-money items is worth the annual fees even when the premiums are increased. But if you look closely and carefully, you'll start to notice that the restrictions have doubled, then tripled and even quadrupled. Got a leak on the exterior faucet? Too bad. Not covered. Air conditioning conked out? Tough luck, you didn't perform the recommended prevention maintenance as we recommend. Got a repair service provider out that is a lazy bum and claims the two dollar soldering job done on your thermostat will solve the problem and a week later, your furnace dies? Not their problem, they'll tell you. "We're just going off of what the service repair person reported, who is the authority in this matter."

I really wish I could tell you that I got these examples from places like Consumer Affairs, but no, these are actual examples after talking with family, friends and our own experiences when using their "service" since 1995. In the years, we've even see the contractors that have been sent out, change. Spend any time waiting for an AHS representative to answer your call while listening to their recorded message loop around, and you'll understand they've become, more or less, a monopoly. They use Cleanmasters, Servicemasters, and have an umbrella of other services that include Terminex (and that in and of itself is scary if you spend any time looking into them for pest control services, gives me the eebie jeebies just thinking about it) among others. I don't know about your neck of the woods, but these aren't the people I want anywhere near my home, let alone tromping around to fix and service this or that.

A few years ago, when our policy came up for renewal, we decided to let it expire. Shortly after I received a call from an AHS representative. I explained that the lump sum they required was no longer affordable and we weren't so sure we needed the since watered down services they still offered. He was a damned good salesman. By the end of the call, we renegotiated the terms and he had my credit card information along with an arrangement to bill me monthly for a more affordable amount, no added fees tacked on and, as he explained, able to be terminated any given month.

As you probably know, when things roll over to a credit card, you tend to forget about the charges. Until the card is about to expire, they send you a "friendly email" and then you're back to reconsidering - do we really need this service? When's the last time we even used it? Is this an expense we can cut when things are as tight as they are? Can we make a claim against our homeowners policy if something big happened and exceeded our hefty deductible? That was us and we came to the conclusion, let it ride.

A couple of months passed and -wham- in comes a letter from a collections agency. It says that on behalf of AHS, their client, they're reminding us we still owe AHS several hundred dollars. They were even nice enough to include their client's billing address and phone number. Of course, it wasn't toll free.

As a homeowner, you're probably well aware of the importance of protecting your credit history. It's almost as precious as a baby. I phoned the number provided, waited a painful seventy-seven minutes to their messages that repeated so much I heard them in my sleep for days after, and finally was connected to a representative. I politely explained the situation, got the typical run-around that went along the lines of still owing money up until the policy was set to expire, which according to their records wasn't until November. I knew my rights, I knew their own limitations, and I made it clear that once we rolled over into the monthly billed amount, that these supposed "life of the policy" rules were no longer effective. That's when the representative said I had to call to another department and they would make a final decision. I stood firm. No, I fulfilled my end of the bargain, I chose not to renew my credit card information, they had no legal grounds to come after me, they were to immediately cease and desist with their attempts to collect and that if they continued, if there were any bad reports made against my credit history, I would sue them to the full extent of the law.

The representative said she would share this with the other department and that they'd have to call me to confirm the cancellation, so on and so forth. Good luck, I told her. I won't be around to take the call, I was heading out of town in the morning and could make it just as difficult for them as they'd made it for me. Regardless, the demand still stood, they were, I repeated firmly and made her repeat back to me, to cease and desist. She said she understood and would "relay the information."

Dated a week after my phone call that took an entire ninety-two minutes of my time (billable at $100/hour for a 3-hour minimum), another letter was sent from the same collection agency. I was informed that the clock started ticking when I received the first correspondence and had a mere thirty days to respond to their communication. It seemed vague about anything further than that, but the intent was loud and clear. That's when I began digging into AHS online and found hundreds of complaints filed against the company for a wide variety of things including this type of tactical (or maybe, tactless) maneuver in attempting to collect on debts that they really don't have a right to do.

I followed the advice on many of those complaint boards, went straight to the Better Business Bureau (bbb.org) and filed a complaint according to their form driven website. Earlier today I received an email from the office that handles complaints about AHS and was told I would be hearing back from them soon.

A word to the wise, avoid American Home Shield. I can't suggest another warranty service that might be a better choice because I'm still dealing with this and haven't researched any, but given the headaches and the frustrations of dealing with this particular company, American Home Shield, which I've heard complaints have also come from many of the legitimate service companies AHS used to send out to service the policy, you're better off putting that money in a money market account and using that to make your repairs.

Nothing is ever a good time for that kind of news. So we buckle down and pray heavily it all goes smoothly. If it doesn't, I'm sorry to report it might be a few weeks before I can take care of any fallout and depending on how severe any fallout is, it could be up until the fall. I'm that busy.

I will, even if it means hand coding a basic html page, make an announcement if the delay is that grand.

Have a safe and sane weekend, good people! Happy Independence Day (and let's hope this doesn't mean literally, I have no vested interest or desire in running a server on my own!).

Thankfully Mother Nature has been able to stave off the fire season this year with periodic rains. Whether that turns out to be a true blessing or just pushing us back a bit further for a more frantic, furious season has yet to be seen. It has made the wild grasses grow longer which means as the temperature rises such as it has within the last few days, those long grasses dry out and become horrific wicks.  I doubt I'll be able to update my blog with details of any fires my husband is working on or pose a threat to our community, but I abide by the rule of never saying never, so we'll see how that pans out. In the chance I don't, here are some fairly good sources of fire information:

• Cal-Fire Incident Web (formerly California Department of Forestry - Fire) at http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/
• Inci-web: National Fire Incidents at http://inciweb.org/
• Inci-web: California Fire Incidents at http://inciweb.org/state/5/
• and California Fire News blog  at http://calfire.blogspot.com/ (sporadically updated)

You can also subscribe to their feeds. If you're unable to find the feed information, leave me a comment and I'll provide you with the information.

Finally before I go back to transcribing my manuscript (which I spent upwards of an hour this morning at my weekly write-in having to restructure after I found a major flaw in the timeline-- rewarding to get it done, but frustrating to have to endure), a reminder. As you might recall, our friend and a fellow firefighter's young adult son, Sean, was critically injured in an accident at the end of May. He's been getting better and was transferred to a rehabilitation hospital down in the northern San Francisco Bay Area. However this has caused a lot of strain on their small and close family as his dad, Vince, has returned to duty. They're in the process of transferring him back home. I continue to post updates at Terri, Sean's mother, posts them. They can be found at the Angels Near and Far blog which is located at http://www.kathieleung.com/blog/ Please visit often and keep Sean and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Also, please keep two of my friends, Anne and Julie, in your thoughts and prayers as both of them are enduring many trials and tribulations that have come with news they have cancer - again. It's been amazing watching all three of these situations and the people in the center of them as their strength, their graciousness and their beautiful spirits have shone through so beautifully. It's been humbling as well and has caused me, for one, to learn it's important to balance things out, to appreciate what we have right around us and has served as a thump on my head to remind me the world does not revolved around me alone. And you'd think having teenagers would have done that just fine alone!

Today, Tuesday, May 26, 2009, public safety hazardous materials responders were issued a bulletin notifying them that 30,000 samples of Bayer Aspirin was being sent out by the manufacturer. As you can expect, the emergency calls when someone opens an envelope and finds white powder inside will most likely be coming.

You just can't fix stupid.

What's worse? They're coming as new crystals. Heaven forbid if the recipient is greeted by snarling dogs and members of AFTB looking for contraband.

You simply cannot fix stupid.

Take a look at the photos below (packet and envelope it's being shipped out in). Don't be stupid too. If you get these in the mail, don't waste our limited resources by calling 9-1-1 thinking it's some bioweapon. It's just plain stupidity, don't let it infect you!

Here's what the sample packet looks like: (scroll down for the envelope and more information)

And this is what the envelope looks like that'll be mailed in:

Should you hire a professional photographer? No, not really. In a way, that's like getting professional photos of yourself to put up on a dating site. It sends out the wrong message. You're better off saving that money for the repairs and maintenance that come hand-in-hand with owning any property.  A digital camera that allows you to take hundreds, even thousands, of pictures and a good editing program are about all it takes. Even the editing program is a luxury.

Make sure you set the size of your digital photos large enough to capture the colors and finite details. It makes it easier when it comes time to prep the photos to put on your site or load to an online photo album your guests can peruse.

Snap away from every angle imaginable, be sure to get several photos of each room and from different places within the room.

Staging is important. Take time to make sure all the chairs are lined up and linens are straight. A lopsided edge, a slightly angled leg can stick out like a sore thumb. If your kitchen is fully appointed, make sure you take a few shots of cupboards with doors open so your guest can actually see the dishes, utensils and so forth. Don't provide linens? It's okay to throw a blanket or bedspread over the bed so it doesn't look sterile even if that blanket/spread isn't  actually provided. Just be sure that you are clear the guest must bring their own linens (some advise to have a section that the guest must initial in the contract to show they're fully aware of this). Adding a disclaimer near the picture that states the item isn't included is acceptable and highly recommended.

Fish-eye shots are great, if you're in the hotel business. But they are deceiving which is why you don't need to do this when taking shots of your property. You can achieve dramatic pictures simply by changing the angle. Get down on the floor, step up on a chair, lean over a balcony, lay across an ottoman. Be creative.

When you're done with the photo session, offload them to your computer and take your time browsing through them. Sort out those that you really like into a different folder to come back to. Before you start working on the pictures you selected, be sure to go through the selected pictures and make certain you have at least three pictures of each area/room of the house, five of the more important rooms, such as the kitchen, living room and bedrooms. And make sure you have different angles, too.

Keep in mind that the picture doesn't have to be perfect. The most important thing is to show plenty of pictures, leave nothing to the imagination. Having several shots of a room allows your guest to be more comfortable with making a decision to choose your home to stay in.

The good news is, when you have several pictures of the room, you can load them to a free photo sharing site, such as Flickr or Picasa (through Google), Photobucket or a number of other sites, then link the album to your page and include a link in your email correspondence. Just don't link folks to an album that requires a password or the user to join or create an account.

If you're interested in having us take a look at your site or help you develop a site to showcase your rental property, let us know by leaving a comment.  Have concerns or considerations you'd like us to address, leave a comment here and come back to see if we answered it!