Vendor Disabled HVAC - Property Manager Charging Me

Member since 2021 · 4 posts · 0 votes

I recently hired a property manager for my Houston rental property. A contractor disabled the HVAC system for an inspection and did not turn it back on. I only noticed because my electricity usage dropped significantly. I alerted the PM and they sent someone out and now I owe them $200 for the visit. Is this how these things go with property managers? I understand they need to get paid, but this seems excessive for something a hired vendor did. I sent an e-mail asking to dispute it. Any advice?

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Jim Johnson

Real Estate Agent · Memphis · Member since 2026 · 561 posts · 327 votes

I'd question that charge too. If the HVAC needed a repair, that's one thing but if their vendor simply forgot to turn it back on, I wouldn't expect the owner to eat another $200 just to correct that mistake. Asking for both invoices and disputing it with the PM is exactly where I'd start.

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Michael K GallagherBusiness Member
Real Estate Agent · Columbus OH · Member since 2018 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
4d
what does your property management agreement say? did the PM higher the HVAC tech or did you? having a trip charge is not uncommon but $200 is steep in my market, but again IDK what your agreement says, but if they hired the hvac person who left it off and then are charging you that's not cool, but if you are asking them to fix something a vendor you sent out there messed up, Id charge you the trip fee all day long too.
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- Maria Kaufman
  OP
  Member since 2021 · 4 posts · 0 votes
  4d
  Thanks for your response. The PM agreement says they aren't liable for damage caused by contractors, but there's no clear language saying that I will absorb the cost for correcting a contractor's mistake. Perhaps this is my answer and I am expected to pay for this. I authorized the inspection of the ducts during the make ready (due to some mold growing around a bathroom fan), but the PM chose who to hire and did all the coordination.
  The maintenance coordination fee part of my agreement is oddly blank, although I was verbally told $150 minimum for each visit when I signed on with them.
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JD MartinBusiness Member
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Rock Star Extraordinaire · Northeast, TN · Member since 2015 · 10k+ posts · 16k+ votes
4d
Well, they should probably cover it but how involved do you want to be for $200, and since your electric bill dropped significantly that helps offset your cost. Who hired the HVAC company and oversaw the inspection?
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- Maria Kaufman
  OP
  Member since 2021 · 4 posts · 0 votes
  4d
  Thanks for your response. They hired the HVAC company as they recommended a duct inspection during the make ready - there was some mold growing around a bathroom fan. And that is a bit of a consolation, that I probably saved $60 on my electric bill during the 10 days it was off. I sent an e-mail to them and will see what they say.
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Drew SygitBusiness Member
Property Manager · Royal Oak, MI · Member since 2012 · 12k+ posts · 9k+ votes
4d
Let me guess - your PMC is a big national company?
They probably have no local boots on the ground and are outsourcing EVERYTHING.
Where's their integrity compared to profits?
Based upon what you are sharing, a PMC with integrity would cover the cost.
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Ming Yi
Investor · San Francisco · Member since 2026 · 25 posts · 11 votes
4d
That is not normal, and the $200 should not be yours to pay. The vendor broke the rule about verifying equipment state before leaving, and your PM hired the vendor. This is a contractor management failure, which sits on the PM's side of the ledger, not a maintenance expense to pass through to you.

Email them in writing (keep it factual, not heated): the HVAC was left disabled after their vendor's visit, you flagged it via utility data, and you expect the $200 reversed as a vendor-caused issue. Most PMs fold on this once it is in writing because it is indefensible.

Bigger red flag: you found this yourself through electric usage. Ask your PM what their close-out checklist is after vendor visits. If they do not have one, that is worth knowing now rather than after something expensive.
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Jim Johnson
Real Estate Agent · Memphis · Member since 2026 · 561 posts · 327 votes
4d
I'd question that charge too. If the HVAC needed a repair, that's one thing but if their vendor simply forgot to turn it back on, I wouldn't expect the owner to eat another $200 just to correct that mistake. Asking for both invoices and disputing it with the PM is exactly where I'd start.
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Richard F.
Honolulu, HI · Member since 2008 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
4d
When you state "disabled" the system, what, exactly was done? If it was just turned off at the thermostat, that is one thing, if they pulled a disconnect at the condenser unit that is another. And, depending on that answer, how would you know if someone else turned it off later? The cost certainly should have been absorbed by the tech that was out the first time if it was clearly his mistake, so do you see the actual invoices, or is the PM just inflating costs? And why, why, would you sign a contract with unfilled blanks in it?
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- Maria Kaufman
  OP
  Member since 2021 · 4 posts · 0 votes
  4d
  This was from the PM company after I notified them and that sent someone out.
  "Thermostat and A/C system without power. Inspected the attic unit and found the disconnect switched off. Restored power, started the system, and verified proper cooling operation."
  I received an invoice for the inspection and the above text is all I have received for the follow up visit. And yes, I do see how the blanks are an issue. Thanks for your feedback!
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- Richard F.
  Honolulu, HI · Member since 2008 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
  4d
  I'd be having the PM reimburse the $200. The tech that turned it off should pay if anyone. It sounds like the PM sent a third party tech initially to fix the system, then probably sent their own handyman or someone other than the original third party company.
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Theresa HarrisPro Member
Member since 2019 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
4d
$200 is excessive for a short trip to turn it on. I get paying for their time (and gas).
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Israel Oluwaseun
Virtual Assistant · Member since 2026 · 14 posts · 2 votes
4d
This is exactly why I think owners should keep a detailed property expense record rather than relying entirely on the property manager's monthly statement. Keeping invoices, work orders, vendor charges and payment records together makes it much easier to review expenses and prepare for year-end reporting.
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Chadwick Tejada
Real Estate Agent · FL · Member since 2009 · 1 post · 1 vote
4d
Hello, I’ve been a property manager in Central Florida since 2009. If the vendor your property manager dispatched left the job incomplete by failing to turn the system back on, they should return and finish the work without charging you an additional trip fee. We work with vetted vendors who are licensed and insured, demonstrate professionalism and integrity, and in many cases offer our clients preferred pricing.
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