Who Would Get the First Call If You Could Not Manage Your Rentals?

Question

Most of us can name someone we would call in an emergency. But have you talked to that person about what helping you would actually involve?

For rental owners, it could mean answering a tenant’s call about a leak, finding the insurance policy, or making sure the mortgage gets paid while you are in the hospital. The person you trust may be ready to help. They may even know your properties well. What they might not have is the legal authority to handle those responsibilities.

As a Maryland attorney and investor, I think this part of planning deserves more attention. Your family could be trying to keep things running while also worrying about you. In Maryland, naming someone to make healthcare decisions does not, by itself, give them authority over your money or rentals. A financial power of attorney serves a separate purpose, and what it allows matters. I would start with a conversation: “If something happened to me, would you feel comfortable handling this?”

Then review your documents, including when financial authority begins and whether it continues if you become incapacitated. Make sure your chosen person knows where to find your leases, account details, and property contacts. Planning ahead can give someone you care about fewer things to figure out during a difficult time.

Who would get that first call in your family, and have you talked about what they would need?

Diana Khan · Answer

I agree @Divin Kanyama, having the right documents is important, but knowing where everything is and what needs to be done matters just as much. I really like your idea of doing a quick walkthrough ahead of time. It can make things a lot easier for family members if something unexpected happens.

Leo Stein · Answer

JD, selling and heading to Boca is one way to simplify it! For owners who keep their rentals, what would you want a backup person to be able to find first?

JD Martin · Answer

My realtor. If I couldn't manage my rentals any more I'd just sell the whole portfolio and move to Boca.

Leo Stein · Answer

Diana, thank you, and I appreciate the attorney's view on the legal authority side. The practical part is what I'd practice first: can the backup person find the lease folder and the water shutoff without calling anyone? Have you seen owners actually run that kind of dry run once a year?

Gladimir Lobo · Answer

Phenomenal question.

I've had sellers die while their properties were listed for sale. It's a very challenging situation.

This is the part a lot of investors overlook because it's the unsexy side of real estate. The minutia. The mundane stuff. Nobody gets excited about talking through what happens if something happens to them.

Partly because it forces you to think about some uncomfortable things about your own existence.

People don't usually connect real estate with whether they live or die, become incapacitated, or who takes over if they can't. But responsible planning means thinking through those scenarios before they happen.

It's not a fun conversation, but it's one worth having.

Leo Stein · Answer

@Diana Khan the first call question is really an operations question before it's a legal one. The best backup plan I've seen is boring and written down: one shared folder with every lease, the rent roll, insurance declarations, mortgage and utility account info, and a one-page list of vendors who already know each property.

Then pick the backup person based on temperament, not just trust. A relative who is great in a crisis may be terrible at chasing late rent or scheduling a roofer. Some owners split it: family handles decisions and money, while a professional or a trusted handyman handles day-to-day tenant calls.

Do a dry run once a year. Have the person pull the file, find the water shutoff, and call the plumber. You'll find gaps fast, like a lockbox code nobody has or a vendor who only takes your card.

For the authority side, that's a conversation for your attorney. Not legal advice.

Happy to compare notes by message.

Jorge Guerrero · Answer

Great question, and most owners never plan for it until something goes wrong. What helps is having a simple "if I'm out" system:

1. Keep one shared document with: tenant names and contacts, lease start/end dates, rent amounts, and where each property's keys, utilities and shut-offs are.

2. Keep a vendor list: a plumber, electrician, HVAC and a handyman who already know your properties, with phone numbers.

3. Name a backup person (a partner, relative, or a property manager) and make sure they have access to that document and know how emergencies are handled.

4. Write down how rent is collected and where it goes, so payments don't stop if you're unavailable.

Even if you never hand things off, doing this once makes your own day-to-day easier, and it's the first thing a manager would ask for.

Drew Sygit · Answer

We see both sides of this!

1) We get 1-2 calls each year from relatives of a DIY landlord who has died or is incapacitated that needs help.

• Often we have to charge them substantially MORE because they can't provide us with leases, rent ledgers or tenant contact info.

Often we have to charge them substantially MORE because they can't provide us with leases, rent ledgers or tenant contact info.

2) Over the years, we've had some of our clients pass away.

• Then our challenge is educating a family member on how rentals work! They're often clueless and make a whole lot of work for us.
• One fired us after the first month because we wouldn't do things "their way" - which wasn't legal or followed the signed management contract.They really didn't know what they were doing, but were too arrogant to let us educate them.
• They really didn't know what they were doing, but were too arrogant to let us educate them.

Then our challenge is educating a family member on how rentals work! They're often clueless and make a whole lot of work for us.

One fired us after the first month because we wouldn't do things "their way" - which wasn't legal or followed the signed management contract.

• They really didn't know what they were doing, but were too arrogant to let us educate them.

They really didn't know what they were doing, but were too arrogant to let us educate them.

Jorge Guerrero · Answer

Thank you, @Diana Kham! I agree. And a short written list of vendors and passwords, shared with one trusted person, saves a lot of stress when something unexpected happens.

Diana Khan · Answer

Thanks for sharing this @Leo Stein! I like your point about choosing someone who can actually handle the responsibilities, not just someone you trust. The yearly practice run is a great idea, too. I agree that having a good system and the right legal documents in place can make things much easier for everyone.

Who Would Get the First Call If You Could Not Manage Your Rentals?

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