HELP!! Property management and tenants from hell in GA!! Evict!!

HELP!! Property management and tenants from hell in GA!! Evict!!

Los Gatos, CA · Member since 2017 · 131 posts · 17 votes

I need urgent help. I signed up with a new property management and they evicted the old tenant. They have been doing sketchy things ever since. The only listed the property for about a week before taking the listing down, because they had serious interest in it. Turns out they were unable to collect a deposit from the interested party and so had to go with the only other applicant, a family of five with twin five year old boys and a seven year old boy in a three bedroom house. As soon as they moved in they wanted the carpets replaced, saying her son had asthma and then the ducts needed to be cleaned. Property manager claimed it is typically $700 to clean ducts but my homework said it should be half that. Then the plumber went in and could not repair the clog in the toilet and had to replace the toilet and all the faucets in the house!! Then another plumbing repair two sinks clogged and the bathtub clogged. Today the mirror fell off the wall in the bathroom and shattered and the sink in the hall bath is draining into under the sink. They have only been in there four months. I told the property management not to spend any more money on repairs unless they get my approval but they keep sending people out without my approval and I keep getting stuck footing the bill. This seems like I'm being scammed. The tenants have signed a lease agreement that stated they are required to purchase personal liability insurance and failure is an incurable breach of the lease. I have asked for proof that they did and got nothing. I asked my property manager if I could meet them at their office and asked for their address, because all of their business materials only list a PO Box, and can't get them to give me their address. I'm in California. I need someone to help me file for an eviction, hoping that I can use the excuse that they did not obtain  the insurance. This is my first and only rental. I'm feeling so screwed. PLEASE HELP ME!! I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!! THIS IS A NIGHTMARE!!

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Rental Property Investor · Portland OR · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 3k+ votes
7y

Take a deep breathe. Do you have an attorney? If so talk to them. If not, then you need one.  

See if you can find a local BPer to go do a drive by and see what the place looks like etc.   You can also find another PM. Find a legit one. that has a street address. 

The other option is the sell the property and buy local to you instead. 

Good luck!

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  • Investor · Chicago, IL · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 930 votes
    7y

    How did you get your PM company without an address? If they won't agree to meet with you, then it's likely they aren't replacing all the things they SAY they are. Check your agreement for anything about a failure to perform to see if there is an out for you. Worst case, you can close your bank account and change the locks so they no longer have access, and work out the legal ramifications later.

    What you are experiencing really isn't a nightmare. It's more of an interesting dream. Give your tenants a 10 day notice to comply or quit and be prepared to take them to court.

    BTW I just had duct cleaning done for $89 on a 3 bedroom condo.

    If it's a SFR, just manage it yourself if you are local.

  • Property Manager · Cartersville, GA · Member since 2018 · 2 posts · 0 votes
    7y

    I agree with Ray, Great that you had that in your contract. Eviction isn't too difficult here in Georgia

  • Rental Property Investor · Portland OR · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    7y

    Take a deep breathe. Do you have an attorney? If so talk to them. If not, then you need one.  

    See if you can find a local BPer to go do a drive by and see what the place looks like etc.   You can also find another PM. Find a legit one. that has a street address. 

    The other option is the sell the property and buy local to you instead. 

    Good luck!

  • Realtor · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2015 · 266 posts · 182 votes
    7y

    Sounds like you need to get rid of the tenants and PM company ASAP. I own both SFR/MFR's and cleaning ducts shouldn't cost that much so that is one instant that they are definitely screwing you on. As others have mentioned, find a good local attorney who can handle the eviction or depending on what side of town I have my manager who can help out with this eviction/stabilization process. Please advise if we can help as we mainly focus in Middle Ga. Best of luck!

  • Los Gatos, CA · Member since 2017 · 131 posts · 17 votes
    7y

    Thank you LOADS everyone!!

    Ok. Took a deep breath....interesting dream. Got it. I called the tenants and ... ding, ding, ding.... Ray had the winning guess....turns out that many of the previous plumbing repairs were ‘never’ actually done, (just fabricated by the plumber). Property manager has volunteered to let me out of our agreement with no charge now that he thinks I’m in town and want to meet. But now I’m property managing a place in Georgia while I’m in California. Jury is still out on the tenants. Crossing my fingers they’re good people and just simply victims in all of this. The good news is I found a really honest plumber  

    Question: the property manager won’t share the background check with me. He said it’s against the law. Privacy laws. Is that true? I feel like I need that if I’m going to manage it myself in case they stop paying rent and skip town. 

    Does anyone have a good attorney they can recommend in GA? 

  • Investor · Warner Robins, GA · Member since 2016 · 112 posts · 70 votes
    7y
    @Katrina Cabral where is the property located?
  • Investor · Jasper GA · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    7y

    @Katrina Cabral  PM me.  I don't manage property for others but I will be glad to check out the property for you.  I won't be abel to get involved in what the "so called property manager" did or did not do, but will will try to help with what I can.

  • Investor · Jasper GA · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    7y

    @Katrina Cabral I'm assuming the house is in metro Atlanta

  • Investor · Tempe, AZ · Member since 2018 · 1k+ posts · 731 votes
    7y

    Yikes!  I give benefit of the doubt, but eventually after enough troubles I believe in hard proof for everything.  Having a 3rd party inspector is well worth the money if you are out of town and need another set of eyes.  They typically don't make any money based on the complexity of the project so there's no reason to fabricate a false story.

    I definitely think a lawyer would be useful to help get back your fees.  And of course the PM is going to let you out of the contract, he's already made his money and ready to run!

    Hearing stories like this is exactly we wanted to start Burbz.  Not only is it important to identify great PM's but also expose the bad ones.  You should consider reporting your PM to the state's Real Estate department as well.

  • RE Investor · Newnan, GA · Member since 2015 · 309 posts · 132 votes
    7y
    @Katrina Cabral feel free to reach out if you would like my PM’s contact info. They can handle evictions as well. They managed many properties for California investors.
  • Rental Property Investor · Augusta, GA · Member since 2018 · 33 posts · 32 votes
    7y

    I don’t know anything yet but I’m in Augusta Ga. If the property is near me I’ll do anything thing I can to help.

  • Dawsonville, GA · Member since 2016 · 6 posts · 3 votes
    7y

    @Katrina Cabral I have a couple of friends that are landlords. If you want, I could get an attorney recommendation from them and let you know. Also, I am around 45 minutes north of Atlanta. If the property is anywhere around me, I would be happy to drive by it and let you know what I see.

  • Real Estate Coach · Venice Beach, CA · Member since 2012 · 6k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    7y

    I would immediately fire the manager and then a new [good] manager can handle the tenants and eviction, if necessary. I would fire them ASAP before they spend anymore money.

    All my rentals are in Atlanta, I'm also in California, and I have some great property managers. Happy to refer you if you need someone.

  • Real Estate Broker · Cleveland, OH · Member since 2017 · 719 posts · 658 votes
    7y

    There should be Real Estate Division in Georgia or another authority to regulate property managers - google and call them first. This will handle the problem with your PM.

    The Tenants won't be so easy to evict because they have legitimate requests: health issues means safety. You wouldn't be able to decline their application on the basis of 3 kids anyway - if they qualified in general (income, credit, background).  Carpet removal is not legitimate request - they've seen what they were renting, so no recourse. Duct cleaning costs $280-400 depends on detergents and kind of service, numbers of openings - big house might get more expensive. 

    Out of state investors have to create relationship with people who are their boots on the ground. Whole business is built on trust and it might get very expensive.

    Wish you luck!

  • Los Gatos, CA · Member since 2017 · 131 posts · 17 votes
    7y

    Back again. First, I want to congratulate all of you for your establishment, participation, and contributions to this community!!  You people are amazing and you are my salvation and I'm so very grateful to have landed here . . . even though I wish it had been under better circumstances. I'm still doing detective work and trying to figure out if my PM is crooked or if the contractors they hired are also in on the gig of ripping me off. I have a call in to the plumber that was responsible for the bogus bill. I definitely need to fire my PM. Not sure if I can mention their name on this forum or if that's against the rules. 

    The property is located in Rex, Georgia - it is near Morrow in Clayton County - just south of Atlanta - where 675 & 75 intercept - in the Rock Creek gated community. I'm happy to provide the address unless that's inadvisable on a public forum. A HUGE thank you to those that have offered to drive by and to help . . . who are you guys . . . Saints?!! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I may take you up on your offer. I think that there is a lot of damage to the exterior of the home and I was going to fly out to do a visual inspection. I would be so grateful if someone would take a look and let me know how bad it is. 

    I should put in a plug for Drain-O-Might plumbing owned by Wendell. He's so honest and helpful. He gave my tenant suggestions over the phone to help him fix his own problem! Wow! 

    I joined Burbz.com - still working out how to use it. 

    I will file a complaint with the State Real Estate Dept once I get all this sorted out. 

    I will begin private messaging those that suggested I do. 

    Thank you for your patience, this is not my full time job and so I'm juggling/struggling to keep my head above water with this. THANK YOU again to each and everyone of you who responded!! Your help is priceless!! THANK YOU!!

  • Rental Property Investor · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2016 · 325 posts · 253 votes
    7y

    Hi Katrina - Did you see the property before or after you purchased it?  This may have gave you good idea as to the condition of the property. Self inspection can allow you to question future repairs. Plumber will not admit to wrongdoing. Most but not all plumbers try to up sell once they are in the property and with absentee owners, out of state owners, they try to charge you higher. It is better to have some boots on ground. I don't think you need property manager to manage one rental but that's me. I fix up all my properties well so no headaches down the road. Hope this helps.

  • Rental Property Investor · Edison, NJ · Member since 2016 · 753 posts · 565 votes
    7y
    @Katrina Cabral I would find a new PM and a lawyer ASAP. Also with the new PM I would suggest looking over their shoulder more. For instance, require that all tenants be approved by you first. Just because the other applicant could not come up with the money required does not mean that they had to accept these tenants. The other option would of been to advertise the property and collect more applications. You are probably stuck now with these tenants but once they leave insist on screening the new tenants and only accept a PM whom will allow this.
  • Los Gatos, CA · Member since 2017 · 131 posts · 17 votes
    7y

    Update: I spoke with the tenants and it sounds as if they are victims here as well. They rented the place sight unseen. The place was a mess and she described it as uninhabitable. The toilet in the hall bath was full of human waste and wouldn't flush. It sounds like my PM never intended on renting it but then our tenants came along. She asked if she could be let out of the lease. She's not eager to move 'again' but said that the place has a lot of 'issues' and the PM is not great. It seems as if the PM has been charging me for a lot of things that have not been not done - including a thorough cleaning of the place before it was listed. The place has fallen in to disrepair - tenant said something 'large' is living in the attic and there is a visible hole to the attic from the outside. I asked the tenant about the plumber that was there most recently and 'claimed' to have unclogged the sink, the bathtub, and the hall way bathroom sink as well as having to rebuild the shower valve. The tenant said that all he did was replace a rubber ring on the shower valve. I spoke with the plumber and he has a bad case of amnesia - couldn't remember the house or the job nor my PM. He installed a new faucet poorly and didn't connect the drain to the sink so it leaked into the cabinet below. A new plumber charged me $95 to correct the problem. So, I have a scam artist for a PM and a crew of disreputable contractors working for him billing me for lots of things not delivered. My PM is happy to cut ties if I want to - as someone said he has already made a boatload of money so of course he's happy to run. Is there no recourse for this kind of rip off? Should I mention his company here? 

    So, here is my dilemma: I have a tenant that wants to leave a PM ready to bail. I am not local. 

    What would you do? 

    Keep it and repair it and rent it again - housing prices are going up 'finally'. 

    If so, do I manage it myself. How/where do I list it for rent?

    How do I repair it - I have a guy Miguel who is going to give me an estimate tomorrow.

    Should I sell it and if so then how? Repaired, as is, use Roofstock, or an agent? It's in a nice a gated community, Rock Creek in Rex Ga. a neighborhood where 85% are residents. 

    If I keep it, and decide to get a new PM then I need recommendations. I use Yelp but so far have not had good luck with PM's - my first was bad and this second one has been worse. I can't figure out how to use Burbz to find a good PM. Would people please share their PM recommendations? How do I verify a good PM? 

    Can anyone in the central GA area can recommend a good lawyer? My property is just south of Atlanta. 

    Any advice or guidance you can offer will be very much appreciated. 

  • Los Gatos, CA · Member since 2017 · 131 posts · 17 votes
    7y

    Bob B. I tried to PM you but it didn’t work. 

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