Business ProfileforCedar Management Group

I took over as President of my HOA in Oct. 2023. I was initially concerned we were paying too much for vendor services. Our Cedar contact stated several times that she was not familiar with vendors in our area (Gatlinburg) and that she needed help locating local vendors to save travel costs. I located our own vendors to save substantial amounts of money. However, when I sent the vendors' W-9s, invoices and proof of business and insurance required by Cedar, Cedar refused to pay their bills until our local vendors signed up and paid a fee to be a Cedar preferred vendor. Our local vendors had no need to pay Cedar to work on our complex. Our contact at Cedar said there was a work around but then she quit the company before telling me what the work around was. I sent several emails over several weeks to our new contact, Lisa, and the location manager, Christi, trying to get our vendors paid and our reserve funds of over $70000 transferred to a board self managed bank account. I ultimately had to pay over $1000 out of my own personal funds to HOA vendors. Additionally, our Cedar contract only specified the operating account be managed by Cedar so we had every legal right to have access to our own reserve funds. Yet, my transfer of funds request went ignored for weeks as well as the request to pay our vendors. Also, I discovered that during the entire time Cedar managed our complex, we were out of compliance with local fire codes and had failed the last inspection done just before Cedar took over. Having our standpipes tested was one of the big expenses I had to pay out of pocket. We terminated our management contract effective 12/31/2023. The transition group emailed that the final accounting and funds would be sent to us between the 15th and 20th of January. It is February 21st and I still do not have our final funds, December accounting records or 12/31/2023 bank statements. My experience with Cedar as President of an HOA has been a nightmare. Rating "1" is too high.

Jan, Please be advised that all vendor invoices were paid within our standard Net 30 turnaround time as soon as Cedar received the appropriate documentation. Cedar partners with Vive, for the benefit of the Association, to ensure that the Association will not be liable in the event of an incident involving a hired vendor. Per our records the Board was informed of a compliance waiver that could have been signed by the Board should the Board accept liability for the vendor in the event the vendor refuses to meet Vive’s compliance requirements. Cedar Management Group is a HOA Management Company, not a Property Management Company, meaning we do not inspect for maintenance needs. The Board would have needed to make Cedar aware regarding any fire code compliance as Cedar does not have decision making authority when it comes to vendors or approved service requests for the Association. Per our records all final funds and bank statements have been forwarded over to the new Management Company by our Transitions Team in accordance with the Management Contract between the Association and Cedar Management Group. As of this time Cedar has no further involvement with your Association and any future communication will need to be directed towards your new Management Company.