Manage the Manager - How do you deal with bad communication with the PM?
Real Estate Consultant · Memphis, TN · Member since 2024 · 2 posts · 1 vote
Manage the Manager - How do you deal with bad communication with the PM?
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Honolulu, HI · Member since 2008 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
7mo2) Bad/Missing Procedures and Processes
- UNBELIEVEABLE how many owners NEVER ask about HOW a PMC is going to specifically advertise a vacancy, screen applicants, what documents they will provide, etc. Instead, the #1 question is, "How much do you charge?" đ
I bet you say that with a straight face too! 90% of Owners looking for their first, or next Property Management Company, never get past that one question! It should be up to them to ask the questions, but they typically do not know what they do not know!
Prospective PM's need to be pro-active in this department, by providing written details of key processes, including best communications methods and expected response times, rental prep, marketing, tenant screening, rental agreement and any "house rules" terms, late fee charges including who gets what part of it, late fee process including notices, timeline of actions, actual eviction process and cost range, move in / move out procedures and documentation, service call handling and process re cost limits or authorizations, definition of "emergency" and handling process, method and time frame for transfer of net rental to client account after receipt, and an overview and explanation of the standard monthly reports, and what other documents, if any are included with them. Also a paragraph by paragraph review of the actual Management Agreement should performed with the client before signing.
The sad truth is, most clients make too many assumptions, and simply do not appreciate the complexity of what a PM does. After all, anyone can manage a rental, right?
6 Replies
- 7moDrew SygitBusiness MemberProperty Manager · Royal Oak, MI · Member since 2012 · 12k+ posts · 9k+ votes
Quote from @Tomo Oblak:
I was wondering, how do you deal with bad communication from the "standard Property Management Company"? It seems that every piece of information I need has to be asked for 3 times. Let's not start with "sudden" repairs, fees, and delayed tenant placement practices. How do you "Manage the Manager"?
You really shouldn't have to, "manage the manger"đź
In our opinion, you just want to understand what's going on with your property(s) and look for honest mistakes they may make.
We had one where we accidently entered an extra "0" on an invoice. Fortunately, we share all invoices with our clients and the owner caught it, so we could fix it.
- Full transparency, there's no way we would have caught it, even though we reconcile monthlyđ«The most common reasons for bad communication from a PMC:
1) They are set up with PMs that are responsible for everything, so they get overwhelmed.
- This is the CURSE of owners wanting a single-point of contact by the wayđ2) Bad/Missing Procedures and Processes
- UNBELIEVEABLE how many owners NEVER ask about HOW a PMC is going to specifically advertise a vacancy, screen applicants, what documents they will provide, etc. Instead, the #1 question is, "How much do you charge?" đThe real problem is owners settling for bad communication for cheaper fees!đż
- What do you think would happen if owners fired cheap PMCs that provided bad service and hired the slighly more expensive PMCs that provided better service?đ
Logical Property Management4.9460 Reviews- Honolulu, HI · Member since 2008 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes7mo
2) Bad/Missing Procedures and Processes
- UNBELIEVEABLE how many owners NEVER ask about HOW a PMC is going to specifically advertise a vacancy, screen applicants, what documents they will provide, etc. Instead, the #1 question is, "How much do you charge?" đ
I bet you say that with a straight face too! 90% of Owners looking for their first, or next Property Management Company, never get past that one question! It should be up to them to ask the questions, but they typically do not know what they do not know!
Prospective PM's need to be pro-active in this department, by providing written details of key processes, including best communications methods and expected response times, rental prep, marketing, tenant screening, rental agreement and any "house rules" terms, late fee charges including who gets what part of it, late fee process including notices, timeline of actions, actual eviction process and cost range, move in / move out procedures and documentation, service call handling and process re cost limits or authorizations, definition of "emergency" and handling process, method and time frame for transfer of net rental to client account after receipt, and an overview and explanation of the standard monthly reports, and what other documents, if any are included with them. Also a paragraph by paragraph review of the actual Management Agreement should performed with the client before signing.
The sad truth is, most clients make too many assumptions, and simply do not appreciate the complexity of what a PM does. After all, anyone can manage a rental, right? - Real Estate Consultant · Memphis, TN · Member since 2024 · 2 posts · 1 vote7mo
Quote from @Richard F.:
2) Bad/Missing Procedures and Processes
- UNBELIEVEABLE how many owners NEVER ask about HOW a PMC is going to specifically advertise a vacancy, screen applicants, what documents they will provide, etc. Instead, the #1 question is, "How much do you charge?" đ
I bet you say that with a straight face too! 90% of Owners looking for their first, or next Property Management Company, never get past that one question! It should be up to them to ask the questions, but they typically do not know what they do not know!
Prospective PM's need to be pro-active in this department, by providing written details of key processes, including best communications methods and expected response times, rental prep, marketing, tenant screening, rental agreement and any "house rules" terms, late fee charges including who gets what part of it, late fee process including notices, timeline of actions, actual eviction process and cost range, move in / move out procedures and documentation, service call handling and process re cost limits or authorizations, definition of "emergency" and handling process, method and time frame for transfer of net rental to client account after receipt, and an overview and explanation of the standard monthly reports, and what other documents, if any are included with them. Also a paragraph by paragraph review of the actual Management Agreement should performed with the client before signing.
The sad truth is, most clients make too many assumptions, and simply do not appreciate the complexity of what a PM does. After all, anyone can manage a rental, right?I love this reply. Very in-depth, and I can already tell you've been in the industry for a while and truly manage clients' properties like they're your own. I appreciate you. If only there were some industry standards on what to offer to your clients as a bare minimum. Unfortunately, it really isn't enforced. I've worked with PMS that had a managing broker that never handled any part of the business or even owned a rental... but they were a licence holder. It's scary out there.
- 7moAdam BartomeoBusiness MemberReal Estate Broker · Cape Coral, FL · Member since 2015 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
Sounds like you selected a PMC that doesn't fit your needs. Our customers do not have to manage us because they selected a PMC that can manage their assets better than they can. Your best bet is to set expectations with them and follow up with them when they do not meet those expectations. If they are unable to follow through than switch to the right PMC
Bartomeo Property Management4.7150 Reviews - Member since 2024 · 2 posts · 3 votes7mo
I feel this one deeply â went through the exact same cycle with two different PMs before I changed my approach. The biggest shift for me was requiring a shared system of record. Monthly owner statements are table stakes, but I also started requiring photo documentation of all repairs, a running maintenance log I could access anytime, and written approval for anything over a certain dollar figure. It's not about micromanaging â it's about having a paper trail that keeps everyone honest. The PMs who push back on transparency are usually the ones you need to worry about most.
- Real Estate Broker · New York, NY · Member since 2020 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes7mo
If communication is consistently poor, fees are opaque, and tenant placement is slow, youâre not âmanaging the managerâ - youâre subsidizing their inefficiency.
At that point, it becomes a business decision. You can either:
1. Find a PM with a clearly defined SLA - response times, reporting standards, repair approval process, leasing timelines.
2. Or, if youâre comfortable, self-manage a few units and outsource only the pieces you truly donât want to handle.
A property manager should reduce friction and protect your asset, not create more operational drag. If youâre constantly chasing information, thatâs usually a systems issue, not a one-off mistake.
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