Bad experience with R&W Merrylands
Unfortunately I had a very bad experience with R&W Merrylands.
All was ok during the 2 or so years that they managed the place for us. Heard after one inspection that it was very dirty, but warning was sent, etc. and didn't really heard much after that, so thought all were ok. No repairs were ever requested during the tenancy.
The original tenancy term was 6 or 9m, but tenant requested extension and Maureen recommended them to extend, no issue was ever mentioned. The big surprise came when we wanted to take the place back for bit of reno, to get a better rental. I was there with my tradie and the place was literally a mess! Junks and dirty everywhere, damages to kitchen and walls, the bathroom vanity had literally been smashed. It's a completely different house from the one we bought!
Tenant left following that and leaving the place in such a dirty stage, with broken furnitures, food strewn on the floor and even a dead mouse in a bucket. It was a nightmare. It took 2 full trucks to take away all the junks.
Luckily we're insured and managed to get some money back. But the process of insurance claim was quite painful as R&W was not very helpful. They said that house was very dirty since beginning (which they never told us except for one occasion) and some things were broken during the tenancy (which we're never been told either - and no repair were ever requested). They also very reluctant to provide copy of periodic inspection reports. The initial inspection with multiple issues was given at last, which baffled me as I only saw it the first time then, and it's so different from the spic and span condition the place was in when I bought it (I even had the pics). It was by far the worst experience we have with a PM and we deal with several of them across NSW.
I'm still not sure with what the full story was even now, but I suspect that they probably didn't do many inspections during the 2 years too, then got panic when things went south. I noticed that Maureen seemed to have moved to a Sales role too, so maybe that had something to do with the issue?
Starr Partners Parramatta manages the property now, and they've been wonderful and proactive with fixes and inspections.