I'm all about protecting the innocent, but how do you know if the claims are true?

you should be calling an attorney if what you've said above is true. 

You can trick your heatpump tstat all you want on your own dime 😁🥶True , but boilers put off heat , if the Tstat is in the boiler room , the rest of the house would never see heat from the boiler anyway .

While I am not involved - i have read the accusations and whether or not if they are true, that would scare me enough to stay far far away from anything they are associated with. 

In the June 2024 update, I said “All indications are that it will get worse before it will get better”, and this has proven to be true.

I have been wholesaling and flipping but ready to create true wealth for myself.  

For the first part of your question even if you were working with a realtor, I don't personally know many that have a true pulse on rehab costs and I wouldn't make any investment decisions based on their rehab cost projections.My suggestion would be to study how to evaluate the Big 6 rehab costs: roof, siding, windows, HVAC, electrical, and plumbing. 

If true this could take a significant bite out of STR income streams.I'm wondering if any locals have heard this or know more?

That is true for maybe 1 percent or less of the wholesalers who try it.When you are new and you ask for a wholesale mentor online, you are going to get every pitch, course, guru sell that there is.

True, I guess rushing too much isn't necessary.