Are property managers totally unaccountable for their mismanagement?

I

INVSTOR

So you pay a property manager thousands to manage your property. The tenant does thousands of dollars of damage. Property manager puts the blame on property owner that they should be checking the property managers work. What is the point of hiring a property manager then if you have to check up on them and they hold no responsibility? Are they exempt from providing a service?
Add - pm said they did final inspection, everything looks great, can we release bond. I say yes, Find out a month later place was a big mess. Property was interstate and gp said I couldn't fly. Hubby was working about 50 plus hours a week which is not negotiable to do overtime so left it hands of property manager. We paid about $800 in cleaning/repairs at the start of the last tenancy to rectify the mess the previous tenants left, only to be left with a mess again ten months later.
 
Last edited:
Property managers are saying they compared the exit report to the entry report. No consideration was given to the expenses we paid in between those two reports.
 
Detail your concerns direct to the licensee of the agency and advise them of what you believe should occur.

Failing that, if they are franchisee, talk to the master franchisor or at the cery least speak to your states department of fair trading.

Once you have achieved what you want then terminate your agreement.
 
I think they should be accountable.

Did your PM send photos with reports so that you could see that everything was 'looks great' - if they don't then you can only go on their word when you agreed to release bond. And even then photos can't tell a lot.

Take it up with Licensee, REIWA and Ministry of Fair Trading.

Hopefully you have documented with photos the issues.
 
I am dealing direct with licencee, they are also the PM's. I have everything well documented with pics. I don't have any close up pics from PM.
 
INVSTOR said:
No photos were provided at final inspection by PM.
Click to expand...

Been burnt by a lucklustre PM previously, although accepted that I should have asked more questions and not just trusted them. Terminated and when I searched for a replacement PM, made sure they understood I wanted to see pictures, etc - before I signed on.

You might have a case to pursue for mismanagement but imo unless it's a significant amount, terminate and move on, and use this this experience to ensure that you are getting the most out of the relationship with your PM.
 
INVSTOR said:
So you pay a property manager thousands to manage your property. The tenant does thousands of dollars of damage. Property manager puts the blame on property owner that they should be checking the property managers work. What is the point of hiring a property manager then if you have to check up on them and they hold no responsibility? Are they exempt from providing a service?
Add - pm said they did final inspection, everything looks great, can we release bond. I say yes, Find out a month later place was a big mess. Property was interstate and gp said I couldn't fly. Hubby was working about 50 plus hours a week which is not negotiable to do overtime so left it hands of property manager. We paid about $800 in cleaning/repairs at the start of the last tenancy to rectify the mess the previous tenants left, only to be left with a mess again ten months later.
Click to expand...

Pretty sure the PM is in breach of the codes of conduct within the PSBAA 2002, and could face serious penalties. I'd recommend asking for compensation.
 
Would you consider Pm responsible for checking: alarm system/retic/electric garage was working at final inspection? Pm mentioned all 3 remotes needed batteries. I was told by a relative who picked up keys the plants/grass needed good water. Relative has just become a full time carer for a severely disabled person so I wasn't willing to ask too many favours, and got them to try turning retic on. They couldn't get it working. Queried pm who said it's all working fine. We arrive at property another month later to find someone switched off retic/alarm/garage at power box. In addition to the garage remotes there is a switch you can flick to open the garage. They obviously didn't try. (realised 1 remote i had just replaced worked ) When I queried them they said they made sure all the lights were working and they were. When I queiried them again Specifically about the alarm/retic/garage they wouldn't give a reply. Hundreds of dollars worth of plants are dead/lawn and it would take $100's to re-establish lawn, etc in water costs. Also pretty yuck to look at dead trees and grass everywhere. Would you consider that also their irresponsibility?
 
I would consider the garden as part of the PM's responsibility even if its just a reminder at inspections advising tenants to mow the lawn/water the plants. I'd highly consider changing PM's if that is an option?

On a side note, my PM has been ok in this respect but has recently gone on leave and has left the management of the property in not so capable hands... will wait to see what happens upon her return.
 
A'PEXi said:
I would consider the garden as part of the PM's responsibility even if its just a reminder at inspections advising tenants to mow the lawn/water the plants. I'd highly consider changing PM's if that is an option?

On a side note, my PM has been ok in this respect but has recently gone on leave and has left the management of the property in not so capable hands... will wait to see what happens upon her return.
Click to expand...

In this case, the tenant left mid December, pm did final inspection a week later, as it was our Ppor we moved back in mid January. Pm was well aware we were interstate and house would be unoccupied for a month. Seems particularly slack morally, but I would have thought it would be part of final inspection to check alarm/garage/and retic were working before releasing bond. But on top of that almost everything in house is damaged and disgustingly filthy from human and animal - never seen such grot before. Have one other property with these PM's.
 
Hi,

Perhaps you should change Management. You are paying them to look after your property along with finding SUITABLE tenants for your property. If you don't want to change Management maybe find out more about what they do. How do they screen and choose tenants?

Tenants responsibly is to leave Property as the way it was when they first occupied it. Now of course that means it should be clean before a tenant comes so they can understandably leave it clean. If they did damage then the Pm should have claimed against bond, you should not have to pay for it if it is the tenants doing.

PM should have seen this, done a proper inspection. Do in-going /outgoing condition report etc.
 
Hopefully you took pictures of the property before you started cleaning up.

I'd lodge the paperwork at Small Claims for reimbursement of your time and rubbish removal/repairs/replacement.Ask for court costs too.(not sure if you can in Australia, but we can in Canada)

Tell them if they pay, you will cancel hearing.

It's bad enough tenants did this, it's worse when you are paying Pms to allow this happen.

If you have email correspondence, include this with the paperwork.
Give the PM's a copy of the evidence you will be submitting court. They may agree they will lose. Do they want to waste their time going to court too?
 
was wondeirng if someone could give me their opinion

nutshell:
took 2 months to find a tenant, ex housing comission tenants

I tried to push the agent into getting the tenants to move in ASAP

3 weeks ago, she said they had paid their 1 weeks holding deposit, and were awaiting deposit from housing comission to do their paperwork

I called up and PM said, yes, deposit should be here today, they are moving in 3 days but rent payment will start today,

me: as long as they pay rent from today I am not fussed when they actually move in

fast fwd 3 weeks later, get statement, lease started TODAY!

so thats over $1000 I lose and Iblast the agent and she says, its not our fault it took 2.5 weeks for teh bond to be released,

i was like "well did you think about letting me know"

SILENCE

would you be pissed!!!???
 
TMNT said:
so thats over $1000 I lose and Iblast the agent and she says, its not our fault it took 2.5 weeks for teh bond to be released,

i was like "well did you think about letting me know"

SILENCE

would you be pissed!!!???
Click to expand...

Why would they need the bond to be released before the tenancy could start?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
Property Manager Terminates Themselves After Being Questioned???
Replies
8
Views
3K
DEC
DEC
B
Change Property Managers
Replies
5
Views
2K
Xenia IM
Xenia IM
K
Very bad experience with a property managers
8 9 10
Replies
187
Views
52K
kristaje
K
E
(Another) Rant about property managers
2
Replies
30
Views
4K
Chooke
C
rodimus
Problem with property manager in Melbourne CBD
Replies
10
Views
2K
Lil Skater
Lil Skater
Back
Top