I have a great little story about a particularly inept property manager whose actions/inaction has cost me a lot of time and money...
Situation
After months of tenant paying late, causing damage, failing to report minor maintenance issues (that later turned into major maintenance issues), avoiding the PM, neglecting the grounds and pool, causing general mischief and finally stopping paying rent, my PM manages to secure a hearing with the Tribunal.
The notice is sent to the tenant who, at the eleventh hour send the PM a hand written letter claiming that she could not make the tribunal hearing because she was attending her Father's funeral. The tenant asks the PM to take this letter to the Tribunal and present it on her behalf.
Hearing date. The PM duly delivers the tenant's letter, and, based on the claims made in the letter, the tenant receives a reprieve from the Tribunal, and is allowed to stay on in the house on the proviso that they pay all back rent.
Two days later, the tenant's Father out shines Jesus Christ himself, and miraculously returns from the dead !! The claims, as I suspected, were false.
Following this little episode, and an even worse performance on two other properties (the subject of other posts later on), the PM was sacked, and a new one appointed (she's much better).
Anyway, a couple of weeks later, the tenant pays all back rent, and a couple of months in advance. A couple more months go by and the due date arrives for her next payment which the tenant fails to make. Tenant now goes into hiding and refuses to answer any calls or letters from the PM. The new PM now takes action and applies to the Tribunal again. Hearing was today, and thankfully, we were granted vacant posession from Monday midnight.
It ain't over yet 'though. I have no doubt the tenant will refuse to vacate, meaning we will need to apply for a warrant (another $121), and have the Sherrif's office serve the warrant. At the same time, the locksmiths will need to move in. Joy o joy!! Don't I just love my original PM now for setting me up with such a dud tenant and then helping her to stay in the house at my expense!!
And then we need to fix the holes in the wall, and repaint, and fix the pool (again), and clean, and then make an insurance claim, and and and.
O God, please let it all end.
My Gripe?
Well, I have a few, but the main one is that I believe that the PM did the wrong thing by me by representing the tenant at the tribunal. Did the PM's actions - presenting the tenant's letter to the Tribunal - construe representing the tenant? Was she obligated to present the letter? In my mind, her actions did amount to representing the tenant ahead of my interests, and directly resulted in substantial loss on my behalf.
Pete
Situation
After months of tenant paying late, causing damage, failing to report minor maintenance issues (that later turned into major maintenance issues), avoiding the PM, neglecting the grounds and pool, causing general mischief and finally stopping paying rent, my PM manages to secure a hearing with the Tribunal.
The notice is sent to the tenant who, at the eleventh hour send the PM a hand written letter claiming that she could not make the tribunal hearing because she was attending her Father's funeral. The tenant asks the PM to take this letter to the Tribunal and present it on her behalf.
Hearing date. The PM duly delivers the tenant's letter, and, based on the claims made in the letter, the tenant receives a reprieve from the Tribunal, and is allowed to stay on in the house on the proviso that they pay all back rent.
Two days later, the tenant's Father out shines Jesus Christ himself, and miraculously returns from the dead !! The claims, as I suspected, were false.
Following this little episode, and an even worse performance on two other properties (the subject of other posts later on), the PM was sacked, and a new one appointed (she's much better).
Anyway, a couple of weeks later, the tenant pays all back rent, and a couple of months in advance. A couple more months go by and the due date arrives for her next payment which the tenant fails to make. Tenant now goes into hiding and refuses to answer any calls or letters from the PM. The new PM now takes action and applies to the Tribunal again. Hearing was today, and thankfully, we were granted vacant posession from Monday midnight.
It ain't over yet 'though. I have no doubt the tenant will refuse to vacate, meaning we will need to apply for a warrant (another $121), and have the Sherrif's office serve the warrant. At the same time, the locksmiths will need to move in. Joy o joy!! Don't I just love my original PM now for setting me up with such a dud tenant and then helping her to stay in the house at my expense!!
And then we need to fix the holes in the wall, and repaint, and fix the pool (again), and clean, and then make an insurance claim, and and and.
O God, please let it all end.
My Gripe?
Well, I have a few, but the main one is that I believe that the PM did the wrong thing by me by representing the tenant at the tribunal. Did the PM's actions - presenting the tenant's letter to the Tribunal - construe representing the tenant? Was she obligated to present the letter? In my mind, her actions did amount to representing the tenant ahead of my interests, and directly resulted in substantial loss on my behalf.
Pete