Isn't anyone checking?

[alplant]

We changed RE's six months ago because they upped their fees and added charges for just about everything they did. The increased management fee was probably justified but we baulked at the extra charges because I always tend to think if they are charging extra for everything, what is the basic management fee actually for?

We had other issues as well and the letter saying if we wanted to continue receiving the same 'excellent' service .. blah, blah, blah, made us smile a little. Given that we were less than happy with the service and had been contemplating moving on anyway it was a no brainer. We got the obligatory phone call asking why we were leaving them and saying that the fees were negotiable, (when we mentioned them), but we had already decided to move on to another agent so weren't bothered with negotiating anything.

So six months down the track and we are still getting monthly emailed statements from them showing an end of month rental income of $0.00 and payment into our account of $0.00.

I haven't returned them or blocked them before now because I was curious to see how long it would take someone to notice, but it's looking as though no one is ever going to pick up on it.

Nice to see we're still getting the same 'excellent' service even though we're not paying for it anymore. They reckon you get what you pay for.

 

[thepeoplesagent]

Providing a previous client with statements who no longer has any dealings with the business? Some might define that as excellent service.

 

[moyjos]

We once got similar "excellent service" from our PM.
I got a phone call that went something like this...

PM: would you do a short survey on our PM service

My reply... You mean your service on the house which you sold for us over 6 months ago?

PM: Umm umm .... And then then she hung up.

 

[IinvestinIP]

The same thing happened to us and it took a few months. Like you, as I wasn't happy with the service, but "happily" accepted the extra "service".

 

[russellpeter]

We changed RE's six months ago because they upped their fees and added charges for just about everything they did. The increased management fee was probably justified but we baulked at the extra charges because I always tend to think if they are charging extra for everything, what is the basic management fee actually for?

We had other issues as well and the letter saying if we wanted to continue receiving the same 'excellent' service .. blah, blah, blah, made us smile a little. Given that we were less than happy with the service and had been contemplating moving on anyway it was a no brainer. We got the obligatory phone call asking why we were leaving them and saying that the fees were negotiable, (when we mentioned them), but we had already decided to move on to another agent so weren't bothered with negotiating anything.

So six months down the track and we are still getting monthly emailed statements from them showing an end of month rental income of $0.00 and payment into our account of $0.00.

I haven't returned them or blocked them before now because I was curious to see how long it would take someone to notice, but it's looking as though no one is ever going to pick up on it.

Nice to see we're still getting the same 'excellent' service even though we're not paying for it anymore. They reckon you get what you pay for.

At least you got statements i have spoken to owner that have never received a statement.

database management gone wrong.

 

[mattysavager]

I have heard of agencies that will send zero balance statements until the end of the current financial year (when a client leaves).

I don't see a reason for it, and it sounds like it might just be a mistake, but there would just be a check box on their trust accounting system that they've missed when de-activating you.

 

[moyjos]

I have heard of agencies that will send zero balance statements until the end of the current financial year (when a client leaves).

I don't see a reason for it, and it sounds like it might just be a mistake, but there would just be a check box on their trust accounting system that they've missed when de-activating you.

We quite often get zero balance remittance advices from real estates. (we do a lot of work for RE)

 

[attrill]

I had a PM that decided to start emailing me the statements instead of posting as they always had. When asked they told me it improved their service and efficiency (even though it decreased mine)

When asked why I was still being charged the monthly fee for printing and postage they couldn't come up with an answer.

 

[peastman]

When asked why I was still being charged the monthly fee for printing and postage they couldn't come up with an answer.

Same here, but the agent told me they were still printing and posting to the tenant and others on my behalf. Feels like a rip off though.

 

[Blacky]

I sold one of my places recently and the manager said that we would still receive statements to the end of the financial year - then we would get a final annual statement showing income/expenses for the period the place was rented out for.

 

[alplant]

We ditched these guys in June just before the end of the financial year so it isn't that. We even got a final statement from them but the monthly ones just keep on coming. It's obviously just an oversight, an unchecked box in some programme or other like someone said, and no doubt eventually someone will pick up on it.

I have blocked them now so maybe they will bounce back, don't know. It's no big deal really, but it did make me wonder how often they check what's going out of their office. I bet we wouldn't still be getting them if they had to put postage on them.

 

[pinkboy]

You should write to them asking if you can get your statements posted!

pinkboy

 

[priscilla]

I had a PM that decided to start emailing me the statements instead of posting as they always had. When asked they told me it improved their service and efficiency (even though it decreased mine)

When asked why I was still being charged the monthly fee for printing and postage they couldn't come up with an answer.

The programs involved for the collating of invoices with rent statements etc could potentially be costing the agency more than the printing and postage.

Emailing statements and invoices is a service many Landlords now expect. The program we have recently researched required to offer this service has to run on an individual server (thousands), has a large upfront fee (thousands) and also a high ongoing monthly charge (several hundred dollars). Most of the PM software programs have only one such system that will merge with their system so you can't shop around for a cheaper alternative.

I would think the monthly fee charged in many cases would be an administration fee rather than a postage fee. REA's are happy to leave things the way they have been but many clients want and expect the use of technology.

 

[INVSTOR]

I got a phone call from previous property manager recently saying that my banks valuer wants to value our property and she just wanted to check with me before contacting and arranging with tenants. She wasn't aware they'd stopped managing it 6 months earlier, glad she checked though! Silly bank manager too, I did give him all the new pm details since the leases were written up by old agency.

 

[alplant]

That's interesting Priscilla. I actually suspected that could be the case. I certainly realised they would be paying for the programme that collated everything and it doesn't particularly surprise me that it might actually cost more than just printing and posting. I guess the perception problem they have is the fact that it was originally called a postage and petties fee. I notice that now it is usually called a sundries fee.

INVSTOR ... That's priceless.