How much should a unit turnover be?? (I feel like my PM is taking advantage)

[Andrew Foster]

Hello guys and gals,

So I have to had to turnover one unit so far in my Triplex, and about to have to turn over a second ( from evitction a whole separate post ).  I am curious as to how much a unit turnover should cost, and what that includes. My PM charged me 3,500.00 to turn over a 1 bedroom unit. And another 400.00 plus to clean the unit after. The former tenant, let the fridge kind a mess, Ice in the freezer, the bathroom was gross, and left some clothes hangars and small effects behind. I can attach phots that my PM took. As well as photos that the PM took after the vendor "turned the unit over" They facilitate the vendors, I have no idea who they are and have asked for itemized receipts twice so far and have not received them. I feel like this price is pretty steep. But this being my first rental property and a tenant that I "inherited" (same with the eviction) I have a second unit that will need to be turned over after going through the eviction. So any and all advice will be greetly apprecaited!

[Nicholas L.]

@Andrew Foster

there's no answer to how much it should cost.  but it sounds like you and your PM don't have the greatest communication - they should have given you an estimate up front, but after they do that, they can't typically wait for very long or for you to pick at it, they need to move quickly.  so there really isn't enough information in your post to say.  

do they post a report to your ledger?  i never need to ask for receipts - every month a report is posted to my online portal and i can see what came in and what went out, every month.  no one needs to send me anything.

and i try to be pretty engaged when there are turns but that's just me.  i had a tenant leave a ton of stuff behind one time and i didn't feel like paying $1500 for a haul so I some of it myself.  still had to pay a couple hundred dollars to a company to take it once i had sorted it.  i donated a bunch of stuff that i didn't want thrown away.

i also got an estimate from my PM for a repair a few months ago that i thought was high, so i told them to hold off and i got a few other estimates including one i was happier with.  so it's up to you whether to be more hands on or less.  if you don't have time or interest in doing that then you don't have to.  it's all trade offs.

hope this helps