# Dirty tactics by property managers



## Newby1983 (Apr 9, 2015)

Hi everyone, I've used a property manager before to find and screen for tenants. I'm skeptical of everything and everyone and I wanted to ensure the next time I use a property manager to find me a tenant, I'm aware of some of their dirty tricks. Can anyone here provide some insight into tactics I should be aware of as a landlord using a leasing agent? Thanks


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## Just a Guy (Mar 27, 2012)

While many property managers have many ways to pad their pockets managing a building, finding tenants isn't usually one of the major areas of concern. While they tend to charge too much in my opinion, it's not in their best interest to get bad tenants (especially if they need to manage them). Now, if you abdicate all supervision, I'm sure they'll over ill you even more but I'd be more concerned over the projects they oversee where kickbacks can be had...


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## wendi1 (Oct 2, 2013)

Newby, if you want to micromanage this person, you are better off doing it yourself. No good will come of this approach.


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## Berubeland (Sep 6, 2009)

Well I'd say honestly... 

I get paid for renting and the property management just pays basic bills. Without rentals everyone starves. 

However the landlord is generally their own worst enemy because all they can think about is their mortgage payment and how the place needs filling etc. I am much more patient than most owners, but I also strike like a cobra when I see a good tenant. You have to know how to spot a good tenant. 

Most owners do not have conviction. They don't know how to sell. 

Meanwhile, I'm schmoozing the tenant, telling them I want them. Of course we all do applications, but you have to know in your gut, otherwise you are wasting time. The paperwork is the after stuff, you need to get there with sales. Sales and fear are not good bedfellows so you have to suspend your suspicions. It's a rental application and not a prison interrogation. You need to be chill out and be friendly. You get more about people when you ask them questions about themselves and ask leading questions. People love to talk about themselves. You should let them. 

Landlords especially worry about things that aren't really an issue and leave themselves totally exposed to the real risks. They worry about pets when they should be worried about fraud. 

With my company if the tenant doesn't pay rent, I pay out of my own pocket legal fees to evict them. That keeps my interest and the landlord's interests aligned. If I don't do a good job we both suffer. 

The other thing landlords tend to do is focus on things that have happened to a friend and try to avoid just that situation, without taking it into context. For instance bad credit vs. no credit without looking at the person. How old they are, what their situation is etc. Students usually don't have credit and that's not a bad thing but if you have a 45 year old Canadian guy who hasn't paid a bill in the last 5 years, it's not good. Same with immigrants or self employed. Context is everything. 

Finally, if you want a top notch tenant, you need a top notch property. Attention to detail people. 

My job is to show the place and rent it, your job is to get it sorted and fixed. 99% of the time it's not my job to manage that stuff for you. Right now I have a few great places, but they're not showing well. It's hard to be enthusiastic about showing your place, when you're not doing your job of getting it ready. I have gotten to the point where I don't even want to list places until they are ready to show. You'll be bugging me about the ads when the place is still disgusting and unrentable. Easier to say call me when you're done with the clean up and reno. I don't waste hundreds of $$$ on ads and driving back and forth when the place is not 100% 

Honestly, I was fired once last year because I was too picky but saying "we're going to steam clean" this filthy dirty disgusting carpet is a much different rental experience than have a nice clean carpet so people can take off their damn shoes. Same with paint. It doesn't cost more to paint before or after. People need to come in and see the place at it's best. If the tenant doesn't care, they aren't going to care about your place either. Who says "Sure we'll live in other people's filth" or "We can't wait to move right in and start cleaning the toilets other people have peed on" or "Sure we love pooper scooping dog doo" 

Finally leave toilet paper in the unit.  People do tend to rent where they pee. It is a weird thing I have noticed and not at all uncommon.


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## chantl01 (Mar 17, 2011)

Berubeland said:


> Finally leave toilet paper in the unit.  People do tend to rent where they pee. It is a weird thing I have noticed and not at all uncommon.


Funny - I've noticed the same thing with house sales. If a prospective purchaser uses the toilet while viewing your home, it's a very good sign of a potential sale.


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## wendi1 (Oct 2, 2013)

Too funny! Marking the territory, I assume.


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## Newby1983 (Apr 9, 2015)

I know from selling a former house that we had two offers and both people sat on the couch. Interesting observations. 

Regarding my initial inquiry and response by Wendi1 I don't think this is micromanaging. It's due diligence. i don't think you would hire a contractor to renovate your house for 2 months and not step foot in it once to see how it's progressing. I like to monitor not dictate how the work is going but if things seem awry then I would step in. I don't have time to show the property, deal with screening etc which is why I need a prop manager. But I think there are landlords who do dictate and yes that would be micromanaging imo.


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## Newby1983 (Apr 9, 2015)

As a follow up to all. 

I did end up hiring a leasing agent. I met with him a month ago, we discussed strategy and a plan of action. So far, I'm not impressed for various reasons. 

1. We were supposed to have a soft-launch leading up to Apr. 1. Sending to renters on his database before it was publicly advertised. Never happened. No feedback to me. 
2. Asked for a quote to get some minor repairs done. Agreed to prepare a quote in a short while. Never happened. 
3. April 1 was supposed to be launch of public advertising. I had to follow up April 2 to ask.
4. First showings were scheduled Monday. Pissed my tenants off by confirming appointment last Sunday and never showing up. Only called the tenant 1 hour after the appointment were scheduled to be over. Tenants were upset because they purposefully planned to leave the house during the showing but would have rather stayed home. I understand no-shows happen but a courtesy call at least? I'm pissed because my tenant texts me.

Should I be concerned here? Is it too early to step in with a June 1 vacancy? This is a reputable firm that manages >80 doors.


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## Numbersman61 (Jan 26, 2015)

Newby1983 said:


> As a follow up to all.
> 
> I did end up hiring a leasing agent. I met with him a month ago, we discussed strategy and a plan of action. So far, I'm not impressed for various reasons.
> 
> ...


My instinct tells me you have selected an incompetent property manager and the only solution is to get rid of them. Next time I suggest getting references from clients. As treasurer of our condo association, I write from experience. We had a large firm managing our condo association and they were a disaster. Finally fired them and now life is good.


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## Berubeland (Sep 6, 2009)

I think you have a problem because you hired a liar. This is one of the biggest lies I hear in property management and it's pretty easy to prove it doesn't exist. 

"Sending to renters on his database" 

There is no database, if it were possible to have one, I'd have it. Here's why, tenants give 60 day notice... then they usually procrastinate for a couple weeks. Then they go out shopping, and see usually a max of 10 places. They generally already know what they want pretty much and now they want a place that checks as many boxes as possible. Then they rent a place and move in. I would say the average renter is on the market for a max of 2 weeks. 

How do you database that? Even if you do record everyone who calls to see the place, chances are you won't have a 3 bedroom next door. The size is wrong or the area is wrong or the price is wrong. Even if you put them in your vaunted database, the info is good for a couple weeks. 

In the meantime you need a secretary to input the info and a programmer to build it and manage it. The juice isn't worth the squeeze. 

Next time someone says they have a database of tenants looking for places tell them you're a programmer and ask them what program they use to manage their system.


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