Forum Replies Created
Wow Tysonboss1 – I get your point! Thanks for your further info – sounds like you have a fantastic property manager & a 6 month lease was very beneficial to that situation. I'd really value your feedback on the thread I posted re how to find a property manager – we've only had 1 IP so far, so any & all direction will be very helpful to us. (Our property is also interstate – currently until we move back!)
AnniTysonboss1 wrote:If they have been paying rent on time, I can't see how the agent can harass them or do anything to them, I own investment properties but I am also a tenant and I must say that the only contact I ever had from agents as a tenant was the occassion where we forgot to pay our rent on time, or when we had to sign a new lease,The biggest thing that will annoy a land lord is late rent payments, property damage or to many maintance calls, so as long as this is not the case I can't see the problem,
I am also a landlord & a tenant – & it baffles me that too many maintenance calls would be annoying to a landlord – if there is a problem with my property/investment I want to know about it & the only way to find out is to have the tenant contact the property manager. Isn't it then the job of the property manager to access the property & assess what action needs to be taken? We have an older investment property & went into it pretty much thinking there would be maintenance issues which would (& have) come up. I wouldn't expect such regular maintenance on a new property though. (?)
However, our experience as a tenant in an older property has been appalling – 4 property managers & 2 changes of real estates in 2 years of tenancy. Continual problems with electrics in the house (fuses blow if kettle & washer on at same time!!), repairs not made when water bore & heat lamp in bathroom stopped working & worst one of all – my husband had to clear the blocked toilet (well blocked isn't exactly the word for "you know what" all over the back patio because the property manager just couldn't find a plumber – & to my mind it has come down to the property manager(s) – just not interested in following up maintenance requests & having a "you're just a tenant" attitude.
It's further backed up by the experiences with our IP – The tenants in our IP are continuously late with their rent – & seem to just get enough money into the property manager to stop the eviction process – according to the property manager. I have to wonder if the property manager isn't interested in the paperwork etc involved in the court proceedings?
We are just trying to hang in there til the end of the year when we can get out of this property & back to our property! – & start our investing plan on a bigger scale – but with a lot more insight & understanding of this property investment business – given the recent experiences as a tenant & landlord with just one property! What on earth will it be like with even more properties???!!! we'll be very careful re who manages our future properties.
But, to get back to the thread – your friends need to keep very good written records of all contacts with the property manager – not only does this just make good sense anyway, info will be available to them if needed in the future should disputes arise & court action be taken (either by them or the landlord).
Hope it works out well for them,
AnniHi Elka,
Have you considered checking out other houses of the same era in the neighbourhood which have already been renovated? I like to go to open homes or do a search through the net to see what others have done with a house this "age". I've done this with our own home when looking to renovate the kitchen – get loads of ideas of what works – & what doesn't! You will probably find properties which have both options – painted & restored – so you can then make your decision!
Hope it works out well for you!
Anni
