missing items at move-out - not ID'd at move-in

[Kelly G.]

Greetings all;

I have an SFH in Milw, WI, with a prop. mngr. I had my first tenants in March this year. PM gave them a checklist to fill out and send back; PM did not walk through property with them. They moved out early. Sent my handyman over to change the locks (prefer my own contractors - no hidden agendas). Discovered that many items that I had left in the house were no longer there, including a spare set of door locks. Most of the stuff was misc. hardware/equip for the house. Asked the PM about it - said basically that I didn't tell him what was "attached" to the house. PM sent me a copy of the check-in list and these items are not listed. Heck - alot of stuff was not listed - like blinds and area rugs! I asked the PM (via email - all in writing) why he didn't walk through the property w/ the new tenants and write down everything? No reply. So I had to buy new door locks. I did send the tenants an email asking if maybe they picked up the box by mistake - of course they said they never saw it (despite the fact that half of the box contents were in a pile in the basement).

So who pays for my new door locks? PM or the tenants? Can't really charge the tenants - the PM did not do a proper move-in checklist.

Suggestions on how to proceed? Yes, I'll be looking for a new PM!

Thanks in advance

Kelly