SOUTHWORTH PROPERTIES INC

Trustees for the condo complex fired this company as our manager several years ago after a series of disappointments and losses, including money paid to a contractor who was recommended by Southworth and disappeared with the cash before finishing. I file this review now because the bad decisions made by Southworth continue to be uncovered. The company signed a lease agreement for laundry service with terms that were outrageously in favor of the coin-operated machines owner and including an automatic renewal clause for seven years! Seven years! We are now stuck with this contract. Southworth apparently adopted a policy of what the trustees don't know won't hurt them. Maintenance repairs, roof repairs, furnace repairs --- none of it was ever truly recommended to the board. All these things broke down and we had to get them fixed. Residents were shocked to discover the real condition of the systems here. We had to impose major assessments to do the work, including a $100K major new fire alarm system. Southworth even had us paying extra for trash hauling when the complex qualified for hauling by the city of Newton. We now are getting our property tax dollars' worth and are happy to participate in the town-wide recycling program.