Reasonable expectations from a PM

Putting it out there...

One of our PMs did a routine inspection on our property recently, during which the tenant alleged the air conditioner was broken. The PM reported back to me it was broken. I gave permission for a service technician to attend.

Five weeks later I hear back that the service tech found it was simply in the wrong "mode" - i.e. they needed to press a button on the remote control to select Heat / Cool. They've billed me $121 service call-out and sent the bill to the tenant to reimburse me.

I was told about the outcome and the billing arrangement afterwards so I had no opportunity to challenge it.... so probably not much I can do now. Had the tenant phoned the office and said "send someone out", sure - I accept the tenant should wear it - but in this case the property manager was there at the property and should have picked up the remote and tried it out, so I think the PM should take at least some responsibility.

They've used the argument they're "not air conditioning specialists and cannot determine a fault with an appliance."

I don't see why pressing a Heat / Cool button on a remote control should require an "air conditioning specialist".

My tenants are simple people who haven't been there long. My property managers are experienced professionals managing 2000 properties... so you'd think that aircon remote controls would be something they deal with from time to time. Why not use an ounce of common sense, pick up the remote control while they're there doing an inspection, and show the tenant how to use it ??? If they're not sure, why not get on the phone and call me?

Do I expect too much ?

Thanks.
 
The tenant should be reimbursing you the bill.

There was no fault with appliance therefore not your cost.
Did you supply manuals to operate the unit?
 
One of my houses has a dishwasher which works fine for my handyman but the tenant can't figure it out. She doesn't use it and she is happy not to use it. It keeps coming up on the inspection report as not working.

It's not the PM's job to figure out if something works or not, though it is helpful when you have one that can do that. It's fixed, the tenant is happy and there is a bill to pay. If you don't want the tenants to pay the bill, then you could pay it instead.
 
Did you supply manuals to operate the unit?

No. Should I supply manuals for the toilet, or operating the oven?

My gripe is my professional property manager was doing an inspection, and on the day she agreed to just list it as "broken" without using any initiative to try it for herself.
 
It's not the PM's job to figure out if something works or not, though it is helpful when you have one that can do that. It's fixed, the tenant is happy and there is a bill to pay. If you don't want the tenants to pay the bill, then you could pay it instead.

True. Just annoying for something pretty simple. I agree some property managers are very helpful, and obviously some aren't. I don't want to drag this on. Reading my own post, I sound like a petty whinger, but I am tolerant. Just at end of tether with this one, and this incident was icing on cake.

We have two other managers I'm very thankful for, and can't praise highly enough!
 
I was only asking as a tenant can argue they weren't supplied a manual and it's not straight forward to operate.

Pretty sure everyone knows how to use a toilet.

But to answer your initial question, your PM sounds like they don't give a stuff and aren't proactive. Can't say I have that issue with mine as she's on the ball with maintenance and pretty experienced.
Like I said your tenants have an obligation to pay the invoice and you are in your right to request they do so.
No. Should I supply manuals for the toilet, or operating the oven?

My gripe is my professional property manager was doing an inspection, and on the day she agreed to just list it as "broken" without using any initiative to try it for herself.
 
No. Should I supply manuals for the toilet, or operating the oven?



I moved back into one of our houses after a two year absence.

The oven didn't work. We called the oven technician who came, looked at it for a few minutes, and then swapped the knobs around.

Works fine. Had I looked at the manual, probably would have saved $120.

I think there is a point in there somewhere.
 
If tenant reports fault where there isn't one then tenant pays for invoice.

Invoice is always in landlords name as the agent is agent for the landlord and can only act on behalf of landlord to arrange maintenance.

The property managers job is not to work out what is wrong with reported maintenance - some are better than picking things up than others but it is not their job. The fact is, should or shouldn't - they didn't so tenant wears the cost.
 
All my properties have a folder with copies of appliance manuals handed to tenant's at the start of their lease and noted on lease. Keep soft copies as the folders tend to go missing sometimes.
 
All my properties have a folder with copies of appliance manuals handed to tenant's at the start of their lease and noted on lease. Keep soft copies as the folders tend to go missing sometimes.

All properties should have this - that's what enables agents to invoice tenants if maintenance is requested because the wrong buttons were pressed.
 
joining in on funny call out stories. My kid once played with the buttons on the TV remote, I could not for the life of me get it to go back to colour from black and white. I called a technician who tried to to explain to me on the phone the one button I needed to push, he said it would be a waste for him to drive across sydney to push the button for me and a waste of a call out fee. I still couldn't work it out and just asked him to come, I would pay the fee. He arrived the next day, walked in, push the button, took my $50 and left. Still cheaper than a new TV
 
I don't think it's unreasonable to think the PM would look at the remote.

In saying that, we may not know any better than the tenant on how to work the remote for that particular A/C.

When possible have the operating manuals at the property, or ensure the PM checks the brand/model # so they can look it up/tenant can look it up.

Tenant wears this one though.
 
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