How to manage a PM??

Long post alert...
We have aPM who has found us great tenants for three years, but lately a couple things have happened..
1.. The Erk thing that has happened is that when tenants broke lease of $480 pw after only two months, when she got new tenants they signed up for $450pw rent. We didn't know til after they signed. This is because the original internet ad was orig at $500 (PM suggestion)then we dropped to at $450 coZ we worried we wouldn't get a tenant quickly as no applicants after two weeks at $500. We were very happy at the time our PM got us $480 pw. However when we asked her to relist it the second time, I thought she'd list for $480 not $450 but she just uploaded the ad with it for $450.
I see it as our own fault for not checking but I just assumed that if she had let to tenants at $480 then naturally shed relist at $480. Not sure what to do now. New tenants signed for a year and want to stay long long term ...

2. It seems like messages from tenants and neighbours are not getting thru to us - how do we ask her ? Ie we met the neighbour in town and she said she'd called our PM when mud slide from our place into theirs in recent rain. Our PM had not said anything to us. Then with new tenants hadn't heard a peep from them but when I went today to meet a builder the tenant showed me six issues--- had they asked the PM? I don't know. I don't know how to address this with PM. I've never mentioned to the PM either the rent or the repairs.

On other topic. It's about what can we ask thePM to do? For example:
find us three painters to quote the job to paint the house outside -- or is that our job to call around for quotes?

Second: Drainage is a issue and it involves a lot of digging to make a subsoil drain plus need to build a retainer wall due to old fence issue. We want to do it ourselves but it will take time on weekends to dig out. Do we just arrange access thru PM? Do we have to compensate tenant for them allowing access frequently to achieve these jobs?

Third: the brand new kitchen that a kitchen company installed inApril has bulging around sink in benctop and the flame from the freestanding stove has melted some laminex stripping on edge exposing the chipboard . Can we ask our PM to follow up with the kitchen co to replace bench top -- or should we as we arranged installation ?
 
I think you're over thinking things a lot, for 1. and 2. these are just communication problems or misunderstandings. Some people want more involvement than others, so just let them know you want to hear about everything.

For your other questions
1) Tell the PM you're interested in getting the house painted, they'll arrange quotes and present them to you. You can either choose one of those quotes or one of your own.

2) Why do you want to do it yourselves, too save money? If it takes you a few weekends, then it'd probably take a professional 1 weekend. Arranging access for 1 weekend is fairly easy and wouldnt need to compensate tenant. They might get annoyed if you're there every weekend though.

3) Give them a call yourself to see if its covered by warranty or not. If they need access to the property to see it, give them the PMs number and the PM and the repairer can tee up a time between them.

Whole point of having a PM is to reduce your involvement. You might be a candidate for self managing if you like to be involved in everything, or alternatively maybe you need a better PM who handles everything better to calm your worries.
 
I think you're over thinking things a lot, for 1. and 2. these are just communication problems or misunderstandings. Some people want more involvement than others, so just let them know you want to hear about everything.

For your other questions
1) Tell the PM you're interested in getting the house painted, they'll arrange quotes and present them to you. You can either choose one of those quotes or one of your own.

2) Why do you want to do it yourselves, too save money? If it takes you a few weekends, then it'd probably take a professional 1 weekend. Arranging access for 1 weekend is fairly easy and wouldnt need to compensate tenant. They might get annoyed if you're there every weekend though.

3) Give them a call yourself to see if its covered by warranty or not. If they need access to the property to see it, give them the PMs number and the PM and the repairer can tee up a time between them.

Whole point of having a PM is to reduce your involvement. You might be a candidate for self managing if you like to be involved in everything, or alternatively maybe you need a better PM who handles everything better to calm your worries.

Lol I am from a family of DIYers parents and siblings, so it's just automatic to think to repair it ourselves to save money. That said neither my hubby nor I are DIYers- I missed the gene or the skills and he's too busy with day job ! But my dad has offered to dig out the subsoil. He's a retired engineer.
 
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