Property management hasn't given owner payments for 4 months (Detroit , MI)

Detroit, Michigan
General Landlording & Rental Properties
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Property management hasn't given owner payments for 4 months (Detroit , MI)

Maggie Na
San Jose, CA · Member since 2026 · 2 posts · 0 votes

I own a single family home that is rented out in Detroit,MI and the PM company handles everything.

For the last 4 months my owner payments haven't been disbursed. They keep saying this week but it never happens.

What are my options to resolve this efficiently?

Has anyone faced a similar issue what steps worked for you ?

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Drew SygitBusiness Member
Property Manager · Royal Oak, MI · Member since 2012 · 13k+ posts · 9k+ votes
3w

The economy is definitely changing as we've had several investors hires us in the last 2 months with a similar situation:(

BAD NEWS - YOU ARE HIGHLY UNLIKELY TO GET ANY MONEY BACK😡😡😡

So, cut your losses ASAP and find another PMC.

Download EVERYTHING you can from their owner portal (if any) before they cut off your access.

Then send them a termination notice.

DM us if we can be of further assistance.

[email protected]248-209-6824
Logical Property Management4.9465 Reviews
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  • Daniel Jung
    Member since 2026 · 89 posts · 31 votes
    3w

    Four months of “this week” is a pattern, not a delay. I would stop working by phone and put everything in writing.

    Start with one email that asks for three things by a set date: the full owner ledger for the last four months, proof of what the tenant actually paid and when, and the date the missing disbursements will be sent. Compare what comes back against your management agreement, especially the payment schedule and the termination clause.

    At the same time, quietly line up a replacement manager and ask what records they would need for a clean handover. Do not give notice until you know where the lease, deposit, and tenant ledger sit.

    If they miss your written deadline, that silence is your answer, and it is usually cheaper to involve a local attorney for one demand letter than to wait out a fifth month.

    2Reply
  • Marc Winter
    Real Estate Broker · Northeast PA · Member since 2017 · 2k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    3w

    After the first call conversation ending with "We'll send it out this week", when NOT RECEIVED, all further communication should be in writing.

    As a property manager, I'm telling you the following because dishonest or just plain sloppy managers cast a dark shadow on legit managers! So, answer the following:

    Are the managers currently maintaining their local/state licenses (if required) to legally manage real estate? Have you contacted those local/state agencies? Are there any outstanding legal/collection actions against the managing agent? Did you look at your county Unified Judicial System records to see if there are any current court actions? Have you Googled the manager's company to see if there are any other disgruntled owners? Have you contacted the tenant to verify payment of rents?

    Four months of excuses? Time to let the legal eagles fly.

    1Reply
  • Jimmy Samaha
    Staten Island, NY · Member since 2013 · 147 posts · 74 votes
    3w

    Four months is way past a delay. First thing I'd do is reach out to the tenant and politely confirm they're still paying and who they're paying. If they've been paying the whole time, that's your money sitting in someone else's account, and it changes how hard you push.

    In Michigan, managing rentals for other people generally requires a real estate broker license, so this isn't just a customer service problem. Look the company up on the state LARA license lookup, and in your written demand say you'll file a complaint there if the ledger and the missing payments aren't sent by a specific date. That tends to get a response faster than anything else.

    Also read your agreement for the termination notice and when they have to hand over the lease and the security deposit. If you switch, send the tenant a letter yourself with the new payment info so rent doesn't keep going to the old company.

    1Reply
  • Drew SygitBusiness Member
    Property Manager · Royal Oak, MI · Member since 2012 · 13k+ posts · 9k+ votes
    3w

    The economy is definitely changing as we've had several investors hires us in the last 2 months with a similar situation:(

    BAD NEWS - YOU ARE HIGHLY UNLIKELY TO GET ANY MONEY BACK😡😡😡

    So, cut your losses ASAP and find another PMC.

    Download EVERYTHING you can from their owner portal (if any) before they cut off your access.

    Then send them a termination notice.

    DM us if we can be of further assistance.

    [email protected]248-209-6824
    Logical Property Management4.9465 Reviews
    WebsiteView Page
    3Reply
  • Jim Johnson
    Real Estate Agent · Memphis · Member since 2026 · 632 posts · 363 votes
    3w

    Four months is a long time to go without owner payments, especially when they keep promising to send them. I'd ask for a full statement showing rent collected, expenses and exactly what's owed, along with a firm payment date in writing. If they still don't follow through, it may be time to review the management agreement and get a Michigan attorney involved. At this point, I'd want more than another verbal promise.

    1Reply
  • Matthew MorrowBusiness Member
    Investor · PA - NY - NJ · Member since 2019 · 975 posts · 354 votes
    3w

    @Maggie Na four months of 'this week' isn't a delay anymore. Daniel's right to get everything in writing now. I'd request a full owner ledger and proof of the rent deposits, and compare them to what you've actually been paid. Check your management agreement for payment terms and how to end it, and look up whether the manager is licensed in Michigan. If the money isn't there, an attorney is the next call. Best of luck getting everything sorted out.

    [email protected]484-791-6200
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  • Rebecca Romero
    Augusta, GA · Member since 2026 · 4 posts · 4 votes
    3w

    Are they at least sending you monthly owner statements? Check your management agreement for payment terms. My management agreements states that statements and disbursements will be sent on the 10th of the month. If the 10th of the month falls on a week day or Holiday I explain to my owners that their may be delay. However, I try my best to get them out before the 10th. Honestly, I would put a strict deadline of when I will receive my money...Explain I would all statements, and my funds disburse on 10.25.26. If they process it via ACH or wire the funds. Ask for documentation that the funds were sent. I would also be switching PM companies.

    0Reply
  • Divin KanyamaBusiness Member
    Accountant · Seattle, WA · Member since 2025 · 704 posts · 299 votes
    3w

    I’m sorry you’re dealing with this, @Maggie Na . Four months without payment is a major red flag. I’d stop relying on verbal promises and:

    1.       Review the management agreement for payment timing and termination terms.

    2.       Demand, in writing, the full owner ledger, tenant payment history, current balance, and immediate payment by a specific deadline.

    3.       Escalate to the company owner or supervising broker and keep copies of every communication.

    4.       If they miss the deadline, consult a Michigan real-estate attorney and consider terminating the agreement and filing a complaint with the appropriate licensing authority.

    Don’t redirect the tenant’s rent until you understand the contract and legal implications. Has anyone resolved a similar issue through a formal demand letter or broker escalation?

    Not legal advice.

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  • Clever Mukori
    Member since 2026 · 46 posts · 19 votes
    3w

    One thing I'd add to the written-ledger advice: check whether the tenant is actually paying, through the owner portal or the tenant ledger. "This week" sometimes covers a tenant who stopped paying rather than a manager sitting on your money, and the fix for each is very different.

    If rent is coming in and you still aren't getting it, that's your money in their account. Michigan property managers generally have to be licensed through LARA, so a complaint there is real leverage.

    When you do switch, make sure the tenant gets told in writing where to pay going forward, so the next month's rent doesn't land with the old company too.

    1Reply
  • Leo SteinBusiness Member
    Property Manager · Orange County, CA · Member since 2025 · 319 posts · 78 votes
    3w

    Sorry you're dealing with this, four months is a long time to wait on your own money. One thing I'd add to the written request is to ask for the trust or operating account statement showing where your rent went, since that tells you quickly whether the tenant stopped paying or the funds are just being held. Also check whether your agreement lets them net out repair costs or fees before disbursing, because sometimes that is the hidden reason. Keep copies of every email and decide a firm date to move on if the answers stay vague. General info, not legal advice.

    [email protected]949-391-1019
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  • Ken B.
    Investor · Fairfax Station, VA · Member since 2012 · 7 posts · 1 vote
    2w

    Maggie, the replies above cover the demand letter, the ledger and LARA well. Two money points nobody has raised, and both matter even if you switch managers next week:

    1. Rent your manager collected is your income when they collect it, whether or not it ever reached you. Expect a 1099-MISC from them in January showing gross rents, and your Schedule E has to start from that figure. If the money turns out to be gone, that is a separate loss question for your CPA, so get the ledger and the trust account statement now, while the company is still answering. Without them you can't prove what was collected or what was taken.

    2. The security deposit is your liability, not theirs. Michigan requires it to be held in a regulated financial institution unless the landlord has a bond on file, and at move-out the tenant's claim runs against the landlord, which is you. Before you terminate, get written confirmation of where the deposit sits and the amount, and have it transferred to an account in your name or your new manager's trust account.

    When the ledger arrives, tie it to the tenant's own payment history rather than the manager's summary. If the two disagree, that difference is what your attorney needs.

    0Reply
  • Randy Schell
    Hinton, WV · Member since 2026 · 287 posts · 46 votes
    2w

    Maggie I'm so sorry, four months of this week is awful and so stressful. I'm no attorney, but I've heard of people getting help from their state's real estate licensing board complaint line, which is free, and from a local landlord tenant legal aid office. Hang on to every text and email in one folder in the meantime....

    Randy, Bunklow

    0Reply
  • Jamar Vann
    Specialist · Detroit, MI · Member since 2018 · 11 posts · 0 votes
    2d

    Hi Maggie, have you been able to get answers from your property manager? I’m based in Metro Detroit and have previously helped an out-of-town investor with property visits, photos, updates, and local follow-through.

    If you also need someone nearby to document the property’s condition or coordinate authorized access, I’d be glad to connect and discuss a small paid assignment. Have you found reliable local support?

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