...but of course, this is one of the great fallacies portrayed by the "industry" that things are going to change and smarten up once a PM is appointed. Poppy-fiddlesticks to that. The seasoned tenant knows only too well, that it doesn't matter who is writing to them - Landlord or Landlord's Agent, at the end of the day they all need to conform to the grossly out of kilter RTA legislation.
The seasoned tenant knows the law is all their way - every step of the way. For these guys, it's not the mortgage vs rent debate that drives them to rent.
It's the fact they can do nothing, be responsible for nothing, and string the rent payments out in whatever fashion they wish, and then know full well as long as they finally dribble it out erratically, or indeed enter into a catch-up plan and be given a second or even third chance at tribunal, all the while thumbing their noses at the infuriated Landlord whose cashflow projections have all gone out the window whilst the hapless PM still sits there saying it'll be OK meanwhile skimming fees and charging up to $ 90 / hr to represent the Landlord. Beautiful work if you can get it.
If the tenant is purposely trying to get off track, there is absolutely bugger all the PM can do that the Landlord cannot do. They simply represent the Landlord's interests. They have no special powers whatsoever.
All of your options are listed in the RTA. It's by no means a weighty document. Have a read, it's all the PMs do. God knows, even fledgling PM's can pass the closed book exam on the document after just 5 days study. It ain't rocket science by any stretch.
Nice one. They have many tricks in their book. Fundamentally it comes down to both the Landlord and PM not being able to verify the BS stories that emanate from their home. Just cough up and pay. Saves a whole bunch of stress.