Question Regarding Property Manager Expectations

tebbybabes on 01/07/2019 - 18:29

I have a query regarding reasonable expectations from a property manager.

I currently engage a property manager to take care an investment property. They seem to be doing a satisfactory job with regards to taking care of the tenant and day to to day needs of the property. When we signed up with them, they also offered to have strata fees, council rates and other bills sent to them and that they would take care of paying for the bills from the income from the rent.

On my recent last statement from them, I noticed I was charged an arrears fee by strata because apparently we were late in paying for it during the last cycle. It wasn't a huge amount but I felt disappointed because had I not checked all the invoices in the statement for this month, I would never have known.

I contacted the property manager soon thereafter and asked about the arrears, and they got back to me that the reason it was late was that they received the notice late as well… They also suggested I get in touch in with the strata company to sort out why the notices are getting delayed.

I guess my question is, is it right for me to expect that my property manager contact the strata corporation and complain about being in put in arrears if they haven't received the notices or failing that to at least inform me that it is happening? I mean, I get the feeling that had I not noticed the items on the invoice, we would just end up continuously paying for those fees each time they're late.

Anyway, at this point, I'm also getting in touch with the strata corporation just to see where the fault lies in regards to the delayed notice. I will update the thread as more information becomes available.

Home & Garden

Comments

  • resubaehtgnolhcs on 01/07/2019 - 20:07

    I've had this same scenario, strata will tell you that they were not late sending the notices. In fact strata will tell you that they send the notices at least 4 weeks before they are due. Your property manager will say they never received during this 4 weeks in advance period, and you will be stuck in the middle of it all, footing the arrears bill.

    I would suggest setting yourself a reminder about 3 outs from when your levies are due, so that you can ask your property manager if they have received the notice. If not, then you have time to chase it up with strata.

  • wizzy on 01/07/2019 - 20:26
    +7

    I pay all council rates etc myself. It is my money and I don't trust property managers to do it.

  • Gratt on 01/07/2019 - 20:30
    +1

    A property manager that is not carefully checking dates is not worth having. There are much bigger mistakes that can be made. This would be acceptable if they covered your loss and put in place a mechanism to prevent repeats. Checking invoices are receivef for fees is their business. You are paying them for it. If the wording of your contract does not include looking out for regular bills, negotiate a better deal with your property manager or replace them. Be grateful you found out so cheaply how poorly they run their business. Can you imagine if they missed paying your landlords insurance and your Tennant's trashed your place?

  • MrHyde on 01/07/2019 - 20:51
    +1

    I had the same issue with one of my property managers and decided to just pay them myself and not rely on others to do so.

    All strata, water, council, etc now come to me and I handle it.

  • tebbybabes on 01/07/2019 - 21:29

    Thanks for everyone's input.. I wasn't quite sure if it was a reasonable expectation but I certainly felt that it was. Anyway, like I said before, I'm chasing up the strata people and am going to try to get to the bottom of this.

  • jug123 on 01/07/2019 - 22:08

    I always pay everything myself so I know whats going on with my properties & their expenses

  • tebbybabes on 01/07/2019 - 22:18

    At this moment, I am thinking that I should also consider keeping the bills and managing them myself… However the main thing bothering me is that if it's supposed to be part of the service that I'm paying for, doing it myself would constitute a form of throwing money away. :(

    • kingmw on 02/07/2019 - 01:15

      Use direct debit for water, strata and council. Saves the hassle of needing to remember them at all.

  • Austaurean on 02/07/2019 - 08:53
    +1

    If it can be shown they received it in due time, then as I have done, I made them pay the overdue late fee/% etc.
    The R/E may date stamp the bills when they come in, so make sure you get them to show you the invoice.

  • tebbybabes on 22/07/2019 - 17:38

    Just as an update, the property manager has offered to pay for all late fees and has apologised that it happened under their watch

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