Trying to switch property managers but existing one won't respond

OP

Member since 2019 · 70 posts · 38 votes

1y

You can contact the Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing at 614-466-4100. You can also file a complaint here.

Thank you, @Trey Maclin. The attorney I've been talking with made the same recommendation. I want to be sure the authorities get after him.

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Gregory SchwartzBusiness Member

Rental Property Investor · College Station, TX · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes

1y

Man that sounds really frustrating after reading this. I'm thankful that I made a decision to self manage. even at a distance I think it helps you avoid a lot of headaches

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Trey Maclin

Property Manager · Eastern Region, US · Member since 2023 · 39 posts · 16 votes

1y

Quote from @Drew Clayton:

Quote from @Trey Maclin:

You can contact the Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing at 614-466-4100. You can also file a complaint here.

Thank you, @Trey Maclin. The attorney I've been talking with made the same recommendation. I want to be sure the authorities get after him.

Excellent, Drew! As someone in the industry with an established infrastructure, I hate to see anyone suffering this type of treatment. Stand your ground!

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Melanie ThomasBusiness Member

Real Estate Broker · San Antonio · Member since 2022 · 1k+ posts · 489 votes

1y

Let the new property manager take care of this. They'll post a notice on the door and proceed with eviction if the tenants choose not to communicate or pay. I’m sure the tenants will change their tune once they receive a notice to vacate. Good luck & happy investing!

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Matthew Becker

Developer · Moscow Idaho · Member since 2024 · 224 posts · 143 votes

1y

My advice is don't invest in OHIO. The obesity rate is almost 40%. People are poor—no way to make money. Most of the state is a crap hole. You could do worse and invest in Michigan. Good college football is about all they have to offer and staying warm by the river as it burns. The only thing better is a tire fire in Springfield, where the Simpsons are from.

People keep talking about fundamentals in OH. It is a declining population. Of course, you can get a deal on a property there. No one would live there unless they had to.

Sell your property for a loss and invest in a nice place where people who make more than $ 8 an hour working at Poppies want to live.

Sorry, Ohio, it seems this forum is dominated by people making poor investments in OH.

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Jimmy LieuBusiness Member
Real Estate Agent · Columbus, OH · Member since 2019 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
1y
Quote from @Matthew Becker:

My advice is don't invest in OHIO. The obesity rate is almost 40%. People are poor—no way to make money. Most of the state is a crap hole. You could do worse and invest in Michigan. Good college football is about all they have to offer and staying warm by the river as it burns. The only thing better is a tire fire in Springfield, where the Simpsons are from.
People keep talking about fundamentals in OH. It is a declining population. Of course, you can get a deal on a property there. No one would live there unless they had to.
Sell your property for a loss and invest in a nice place where people who make more than $ 8 an hour working at Poppies want to live.
Sorry, Ohio, it seems this forum is dominated by people making poor investments in OH.
You look at the obesity rate when deciding which market to invest in? First time hearing that.
With that being said, Matthew is wrong here - Columbus Ohio is one one of the fastest growing cities and hottest markets in the US. If you're looking at Toledo, Akron, Dayton, and smaller Ohio cities, yes, most of them aren't growing. Columbus is growing fast in population growth, job growth, and companies moving and developing here (Intel, Amazon, FB, Google, Honda, Microsoft, LG, Anduril, etc. just to name a few). Look at the macroeconomic charts and census data as well. Additionally, you can find the 1% rule and positive cash flow here and get amazing appreciation. I have had clients who have done amazing investment deals (one of them who has recently bought their 4th rental with me in less than 12 months). They purchased a $185k single family house, put $25k into rehab, and their ARV is $264k and they're executing a clean cash out refinance as we speak! Happy to connect and answer any questions!
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Matthew Becker
Developer · Moscow Idaho · Member since 2024 · 224 posts · 143 votes
1y
Quote from @Jimmy Lieu:

Quote from @Matthew Becker:

My advice is don't invest in OHIO. The obesity rate is almost 40%. People are poor—no way to make money. Most of the state is a crap hole. You could do worse and invest in Michigan. Good college football is about all they have to offer and staying warm by the river as it burns. The only thing better is a tire fire in Springfield, where the Simpsons are from.
People keep talking about fundamentals in OH. It is a declining population. Of course, you can get a deal on a property there. No one would live there unless they had to.
Sell your property for a loss and invest in a nice place where people who make more than $ 8 an hour working at Poppies want to live.
Sorry, Ohio, it seems this forum is dominated by people making poor investments in OH.
You look at the obesity rate when deciding which market to invest in? First time hearing that.
With that being said, Matthew is wrong here - Columbus Ohio is one one of the fastest growing cities and hottest markets in the US. If you're looking at Toledo, Akron, Dayton, and smaller Ohio cities, yes, most of them aren't growing. Columbus is growing fast in population growth, job growth, and companies moving and developing here (Intel, Amazon, FB, Google, Honda, Microsoft, LG, Anduril, etc. just to name a few). Look at the macroeconomic charts and census data as well. Additionally, you can find the 1% rule and positive cash flow here and get amazing appreciation. I have had clients who have done amazing investment deals (one of them who has recently bought their 4th rental with me in less than 12 months). They purchased a $185k single family house, put $25k into rehab, and their ARV is $264k and they're executing a clean cash out refinance as we speak! Happy to connect and answer any questions!
He is correct; I was wrong about that data after looking at Columbus. Columbus is growing over a 1% rate, which is excellent.   Not sure what the ratios of rent to value are. Jimmy? I would still focus on South and West but not all locations that have overall state population growth. College towns are great, and Columbus has a big one. The price point of $265K is pretty low, and the rehab cost is the same no matter where you are. You can find cheap deals in any market. I prefer to do a value ad in a place that houses sell on an average for $500k plus because you can make way more money. Here is the difference between OH or most of midwest and ID or the west. This is the last deal I just finished. I bought a 3BR 1BA house for $250K, remodeled the kitchen and bath, and added another bathroom. Floor and paint: $45K. All in $295K.  It is an oversized lot zoned for a duplex. Add a garage between and another house attached. $300K = Holding Cost $20k
Total $615K - New value 1M. The liquidation cost is on the high end at 10%, which is just what I estimated, so I now have plenty of margin, making math easy. Profit $285K. I will just rent and hold and refinance it at 75% LTV. Taking out $100K tax-free in 6 months plus cash flow and Cost segregation for a $200K deduction to offset gains for other income. You can't do stuff like that in the Midwest. People don't have the money to buy million-dollar duplexes, and the rents don't support the values. But Jimmy is completely right about Columbus, and it might be a good place to just buy cheap places to rent to students.  I am not sure you will ever get a ton of appreciation. Jimmy, thanks for correcting me.
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Dave PoeppelmeierBusiness Member
Realtor · Maumee, OH · Member since 2015 · 491 posts · 722 votes
1y
Quote from @Matthew Becker:

My advice is don't invest in OHIO. The obesity rate is almost 40%. People are poor—no way to make money. Most of the state is a crap hole. You could do worse and invest in Michigan. Good college football is about all they have to offer and staying warm by the river as it burns. The only thing better is a tire fire in Springfield, where the Simpsons are from.
People keep talking about fundamentals in OH. It is a declining population. Of course, you can get a deal on a property there. No one would live there unless they had to.
Sell your property for a loss and invest in a nice place where people who make more than $ 8 an hour working at Poppies want to live.
Sorry, Ohio, it seems this forum is dominated by people making poor investments in OH.

Or... you don't hear from the people that are successfully investing in Ohio. That's the whole point of BiggerPockets, is people asking for help during their own Real Estate journey. Do you want to hear people posting about "I'm so successful!!!! Look at my 1% ownership in 1053 properties!!!". I don't. @Drew Clayton it sounds like this PM isn't licensed, and if he is, his broker's license is in serious jeopardy. I hope it works out for you.
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Matthew Becker
Developer · Moscow Idaho · Member since 2024 · 224 posts · 143 votes
1y
Quote from @Dave Poeppelmeier:

Quote from @Matthew Becker:

My advice is don't invest in OHIO. The obesity rate is almost 40%. People are poor—no way to make money. Most of the state is a crap hole. You could do worse and invest in Michigan. Good college football is about all they have to offer and staying warm by the river as it burns. The only thing better is a tire fire in Springfield, where the Simpsons are from.
People keep talking about fundamentals in OH. It is a declining population. Of course, you can get a deal on a property there. No one would live there unless they had to.
Sell your property for a loss and invest in a nice place where people who make more than $ 8 an hour working at Poppies want to live.
Sorry, Ohio, it seems this forum is dominated by people making poor investments in OH.

Or... you don't hear from the people that are successfully investing in Ohio. That's the whole point of BiggerPockets, is people asking for help during their own Real Estate journey. Do you want to hear people posting about "I'm so successful!!!! Look at my 1% ownership in 1053 properties!!!". I don't. @Drew Clayton it sounds like this PM isn't licensed, and if he is, his broker's license is in serious jeopardy. I hope it works out for you.

Good point. I overdo it a bit.
I still would not invest in the Midwest, but I would be a college town if I had to. They generally don't go out of business.  I don't think long-term appreciation will be great. A cheap house still costs the same to put floors into, HW heater, or bathroom remodel. There is just no upside in a cheap market.  It seems people on BP think that OH will be great in the long term. I don't see the upside. I am from a college town in WI and see similar numbers there and would not put a dime into it. However, we will see if property value increases in 5 to 10 years. I would expect flat for the next few years and up only if interest rates plummet and there is a buying frenzy again. Maybe you beat inflation?   Living in a nice place matters to people who can choose where to live.
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Matthew Becker

Developer · Moscow Idaho · Member since 2024 · 224 posts · 143 votes

1y

Here is what I look for. So yes, obesity matters. Obese people are generally much more likely not to be successful because of health issues. Whether it is genetic or a lack of discipline. Either way, they don't grow old and Rich. They die younger, statistically.

Isolated State College Towns or Resort towns tend to be more liberal in a Red State. Liberals make lovely places, but red states help them not turn into tax hells or places that are anti-landlord—no big cities. The school systems are terrible, and they all have awful crime rates. They have turned into crap holes. Chicago, NY, Seattle, SF, and the rest. Places you leave your keys in the car.

It has to have some growth barrier, for example, a giant mountain or lake that makes it impossible to grow that footprint of the town. The mountain or lake leads to other qualifications. Ideally, there would be a mountain on one side and a lake on the other.

Beautiful places with skiing, mountain biking, rivers, lakes, and vast wilderness are nearby. So great outdoor experiences.

Great Weather and natural disasters. The weather is not too hot in the summer and cold in winter. No natural disasters. I don't like floods, tornados, droughts, or tsunamis.

Water - Long-term water sources. Fox example aquifers.

No large industries because if they close, you get Detroit and lots of vacancy. High level of white colar workers and college educated people.

Walkability, bikeability, healthy culture, art, music, and Good food. Liberal towns are generally better at this.

I invest in places where wealthier people want to live or where they will want to live. When I say rich, I am not talking about Aspen Rich. Think about retired professions or the millionaire next door. First, in the 90s to mid-2000s in Boulder, CO and from 2008 to the present in Idaho. I am not sure if anywhere is better than Idaho right now.

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Dan H.Pro Member

Investor · Poway, CA · Member since 2015 · 7k+ posts · 8k+ votes

1y

I had a PM (Vacasa) a few years ago that was not responding to inquiries on my 2 STRs. After months of poor response, I emailed my representative that I was terminating their contract per the contract. I owner blocked the calendar of any reservations starting the day of the termination. Still no response. I indicated I would be changing the locks on that day. Finally I got a phone inquiry if there was anything they could do to stay as the PM. Even when he asked he worded it something like I suspect there is nothing we can do to keep you as a client but we want to keep you as a client. I basically laughed. I had my data that I do not have at this time. Something like 30 inquiries without response. Something like an average of over 3 inquiries on a subject to get any response.

Vacasa acquired me as a client by purchasing the PM company that was my PM. I initially had a representative that was responsive but the Vacasa rate did not reduce as the market rates reduced. Our representative was changed to someone that would not respond. This was happening even though they were charging me over market rate. When they indicated they would reduce the rate they were charging me, many months after they indicated they would do this they still had not reduced the rate.

Basically I fired them without giving them any opportunity to have any say in their firing. If they had booked over my blackout 1) their combo would not have worked 2) the police would have been called to evict the vacasa squatter clients. 3) those vacasa guests would likely have left horrendous reviews for Vacasa.

Fortunately vacasa knew there was nothing to keep managing the units. However, I also believe that they never paid me for the period that they over charged me versus the PM fee that they stated they would charge. Avoid Vacasa.

Your property is in Ohio which is LL friendly. If your new PM cannot handle this for you in that market, I suggest you find another PM. One that can handle this and get it done. It is a simple test of the PM to see that they are capable of handling a small issue.

Good luck

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Pedro Andrade

Member since 2025 · 49 posts · 28 votes

1y

Quote from @Drew Clayton:

I need advice on how to handle the transition my long-term rentals to a new property manager when my current one won't return calls, emails, or texts.

After a year+ of unreliable management, I finally decided to switch to a new company. The current PM had delayed two months of rent payments with all kinds of excuses (that is when he did reply, which was rare). Per our signed agreement, I gave him 30 days notice of termination of his services via email and asked him to remit all outstanding payments and documentation (he hasn't delivered an owner's statement since June of '24) and assist with the transition to the new PM company.

He responded to one text a couple weeks ago when I asked for an update on the transition saying he hadn't received notice from me or heard from the new PM. The new PM has repeatedly tried to contact him with no response. He's also contacted the tenants with notice of management change, but they say they won't work with him without notice from the current PM to confirm it's legitimate.

I only have the lease and contact info for one of my two properties. The PM never sent me the other, despite numerous promises to do so, so I don't know the name or contact info of that tenant.

I'm an out-of-state owner. The properties are in Columbus, Ohio.

The 30 days of notice ends on Feb 27. I need to get this existing company out of my life.

Open to all suggestions.

What a nightmare! This is exactly why we don’t believe in locking clients into lengthy contracts—we’d rather earn your business every month. If a management company isn’t adding value, there’s no reason to stay stuck. It’s frustrating when one side refuses to cooperate, but there are ways to push forward. Have you considered legal action or involving the tenants directly?

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Aaron Ameen

Investor · Houston, TX · Member since 2021 · 22 posts · 26 votes

1y

That’s a tough spot to be in, and I can definitely relate—managing remotely means you have to trust your team, and when a PM goes dark like this, it creates chaos.

I had a similar issue with a property manager who was unresponsive, and I had to step in quickly to regain control before it got worse. Here’s what worked for me and what might help in your situation:

1. Take Control of Communication with Tenants

Since the tenants are hesitant to work with the new PM without confirmation from the old one, go direct. Have the new PM send a certified letter to the tenants stating the transition is official, along with instructions on where to pay rent. Include your own formal letter as the owner to back it up. In my case, tenants responded much better once I made it clear I was the owner and I was making the change.

2. Leverage Legal Pressure

The PM is actively obstructing the transition by withholding documents and communication. In a similar situation, I had success sending a firm demand letter via certified mail (not just email or text) citing the breach of contract and legal consequences if they failed to comply. You might also start building relationships with a local real estate attorney if you haven't already.

3. Bypass Them Where Possible

If you’re missing key tenant info, check county tax records to see if you can pull any tenant names from utility accounts. I once had to track down a tenant by calling the local utility company—you might be able to get a name or at least confirm who is paying. Another option: visit the property (or have your new PM do so) and post a notice on the door instructing the tenant to contact the new PM immediately.

4. Escalate If Necessary

If the PM continues holding rent and documents hostage, you may need to file a formal complaint with the Ohio Division of Real Estate and consider a small claims action for missing payments and lease documentation. In my case, just the threat of reporting to the real estate commission was enough to make them hand over documents quickly.

At the end of the day, you own the asset—the PM is just a service provider, and if they aren’t doing their job, they don’t get to stand in the way of your business. If you need to apply more pressure, do it fast since they're already past the 2/27 deadline.

Hope this helps.

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Amy Scarborough

Member since 2020 · 31 posts · 10 votes

1y

@Drew Clayton I'm in a similar situation here in Birmingham,AL. My current PM has become horrible to work with. He texted me the other day about extending my contract for another year (without raising the rent since 2023). I told him I was going with a new PM once my contract is up in May. His response...Ok, I'll go ahead and send a "move-out" notice to your tenant. Him: If you choose to switch management companies, you can either pay for early termination ($2,760/ month for 24 months) and keep the tenant, or you can start over and your new PM can find an acceptable renter. I already have a new PM in mind and we're in talks about how to go about this. It sounds like he's pissed because I decided to go in a new direction and is retaliating and making threats. He said I have 28 days to make a verdict. This doesn't even sound legal. Would love to hear everyone's thoughts. P.S.- Yes, I am looking for an attorney.

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Trying to switch property managers but existing one won't respond

Trying to switch property managers but existing one won't respond

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1. Take Control of Communication with Tenants

2. Leverage Legal Pressure

3. Bypass Them Where Possible

4. Escalate If Necessary