Poor property manager performance

MichaelT21 (Arkansas)
Posts: 200

Posted:

So our property management company performance has greatly declined over the last six months. Some of the staff they have hired aren't working out in my opinion, and I think the property manager assigned has too much work. (Keep in mind we have an offsite property management company that does everything from their office 30 minutes away). We need a property manager because it's too much for a volunteer group, but we also need a property management company that can do work correctly and the first time.

I'm finding that I have been the quality inspector for their company, where I meticulously grow through financial documents, e-mails, and compliance to find errors that they made and e-mail them to have the errors rectified. This isn't sustainable, not only do I want to be a volunteer quality inspector, I'm also only able to find errors after they have been made.

Has anyone experienced how to improve property manager performance? I assume all are equally bad so I don't think that switching PMCs would be a viable solution. I am unsure of what else we can do.

Ideas\?

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

Stop micro managing the job you ask someone else to do. Your HOA is responsible for most of this anyways. The HOA is just choosing someone to pay a company to do it for them. Don't like their job, then stop assigning them work your HOA should be doing itself.

Former HOA President

MichaelT21 (Arkansas)
Posts: 200

Posted:

Error checking is not micromanaging.

If they did their job right, I'd lose interest in error checking as there would be no errors found.

JohnC46 (South Carolina)
Posts: 14,265

Posted:

Michael

Sit down with the PM Company owner/CEO, whatever, and explain your concerns. Tell him/her you would like things corrected or else you will begin interviewing other companies.

MaxB4
Posts: 3,513

Posted:

I thought she was just a "glorified assistant secretary". I think it is high time the PMC starts looking for a new client.

MichaelT21 (Arkansas)
Posts: 200

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By MaxB4 on 03/06/2023 4:04 PM
I thought she was just a "glorified assistant secretary". I think it is high time the PMC starts looking for a new client.

She is. She, along with her support staff, are a glorified assistant secretaries that make tons of mistakes.

SheliaH (Indiana)
Posts: 6,964

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By MichaelT21 on 03/06/2023 4:11 PM

Posted By MaxB4 on 03/06/2023 4:04 PM
I thought she was just a "glorified assistant secretary". I think it is high time the PMC starts looking for a new client.

She is. She, along with her support staff, are a glorified assistant secretaries that make tons of mistakes.

Says you. Personally I think it's a miracle she gets anything done because of your micromanaging. What did Einstein say about doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results?

You complain constantly that the property manager is inept, your board colleagues are lazy, and the arch enemy and her minions won't leave you alone and you're tbe only one whos working. Apparently you also think you're right and everyone else is wrong.

With you now calling the staff glorified secretaries, I would applaud them and give them a standing ovation if they told you to f@#× all the way off, do it your damned self, and then walk out and not look back. You better check yourself- for all you know, this is brewing and the may make their stand at a board meeting which has lots of homeowners in attendance. Then what will you do?

Time to let another board member serve as primary contact - and then all of you get the hell out of the way and let the staff do what you're paying them to do. You haven't tried that yet- it may even work.

If it is not right do not do it; if it is not true do not say it. Marcus Aurelius

LayaS (Nebraska)
Posts: 249

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By SheliaH on 03/06/2023 4:37 PM

Posted By MichaelT21 on 03/06/2023 4:11 PM

Posted By MaxB4 on 03/06/2023 4:04 PM
I thought she was just a "glorified assistant secretary". I think it is high time the PMC starts looking for a new client.

She is. She, along with her support staff, are a glorified assistant secretaries that make tons of mistakes.

Says you. Personally I think it's a miracle she gets anything done because of your micromanaging. What did Einstein say about doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results?

You complain constantly that the property manager is inept, your board colleagues are lazy, and the arch enemy and her minions won't leave you alone and you're tbe only one whos working. Apparently you also think you're right and everyone else is wrong.

With you now calling the staff glorified secretaries, I would applaud them and give them a standing ovation if they told you to f@#× all the way off, do it your damned self, and then walk out and not look back. You better check yourself- for all you know, this is brewing and the may make their stand at a board meeting which has lots of homeowners in attendance. Then what will you do?

Time to let another board member serve as primary contact - and then all of you get the hell out of the way and let the staff do what you're paying them to do. You haven't tried that yet- it may even work.

Spot on Shelia!

BillD16 (Texas)
Posts: 971

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By MichaelT21 on 03/06/2023 11:40 AM
So our property management company performance has greatly declined over the last six months. Some of the staff they have hired aren't working out in my opinion, and I think the property manager assigned has too much work. (Keep in mind we have an offsite property management company that does everything from their office 30 minutes away). We need a property manager because it's too much for a volunteer group, but we also need a property management company that can do work correctly and the first time.

I'm finding that I have been the quality inspector for their company, where I meticulously grow through financial documents, e-mails, and compliance to find errors that they made and e-mail them to have the errors rectified. This isn't sustainable, not only do I want to be a volunteer quality inspector, I'm also only able to find errors after they have been made.

Has anyone experienced how to improve property manager performance? I assume all are equally bad so I don't think that switching PMCs would be a viable solution. I am unsure of what else we can do.

Ideas\?

I've been through something like this twice. I complained to their superior, with no real effect. In the end, the only thing that worked was getting a new PM. And then dumping them to get yet another PM (who has been working out very nicely). There's more to the story but the point I'm trying to make is that I don't think there's any way to really change their behavior.

Bill

HOA Board ex-President
Austin, Texas USA

“You can’t put too much water in a nuclear reactor”

MichaelT21 (Arkansas)
Posts: 200

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By SheliaH on 03/06/2023 4:37 PM

Posted By MichaelT21 on 03/06/2023 4:11 PM

Posted By MaxB4 on 03/06/2023 4:04 PM
I thought she was just a "glorified assistant secretary". I think it is high time the PMC starts looking for a new client.

She is. She, along with her support staff, are a glorified assistant secretaries that make tons of mistakes.

Says you. Personally I think it's a miracle she gets anything done because of your micromanaging. What did Einstein say about doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results?

You complain constantly that the property manager is inept, your board colleagues are lazy, and the arch enemy and her minions won't leave you alone and you're tbe only one whos working. Apparently you also think you're right and everyone else is wrong.

With you now calling the staff glorified secretaries, I would applaud them and give them a standing ovation if they told you to f@#× all the way off, do it your damned self, and then walk out and not look back. You better check yourself- for all you know, this is brewing and the may make their stand at a board meeting which has lots of homeowners in attendance. Then what will you do?

Time to let another board member serve as primary contact - and then all of you get the hell out of the way and let the staff do what you're paying them to do. You haven't tried that yet- it may even work.

Shelia,

One of my big complaints is that our property taxes were not paid on time in 2022 due to mistakes make by the property management company. There is no amount of head scratching that I can do that traces back an inability to pay property taxes to how I talk with them. Paying property taxes is a basic part of every property management companies job description, and I absolutely did not interfere with it.

MaxB4
Posts: 3,513

Posted:

I have never paid any property taxes for any property I have managed in the past 14 years in California.

So paying property taxes IS NOT in every property manager's job description.

MaxB4
Posts: 3,513

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By SheliaH on 03/06/2023 4:37 PM

Posted By MichaelT21 on 03/06/2023 4:11 PM

Posted By MaxB4 on 03/06/2023 4:04 PM
I thought she was just a "glorified assistant secretary". I think it is high time the PMC starts looking for a new client.

She is. She, along with her support staff, are a glorified assistant secretaries that make tons of mistakes.

Says you. Personally I think it's a miracle she gets anything done because of your micromanaging. What did Einstein say about doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results?

You complain constantly that the property manager is inept, your board colleagues are lazy, and the arch enemy and her minions won't leave you alone and you're tbe only one whos working. Apparently you also think you're right and everyone else is wrong.

With you now calling the staff glorified secretaries, I would applaud them and give them a standing ovation if they told you to f@#× all the way off, do it your damned self, and then walk out and not look back. You better check yourself- for all you know, this is brewing and the may make their stand at a board meeting which has lots of homeowners in attendance. Then what will you do?

Time to let another board member serve as primary contact - and then all of you get the hell out of the way and let the staff do what you're paying them to do. You haven't tried that yet- it may even work.

Can we get an AMEN!

MichaelS56 (Minnesota)
Posts: 859

Posted:

Read the contract that you have with the Property Managment company will let you know what services they will do. Look at the company website and most likely will explain their services. YOu then have what the property manager job description is.

ND (PA)
Posts: 792

Posted:

A few points:
- Your assumption that all MCs/PMs are bad is inaccurate. Try to rectify performance issues with current MC. If it doesn't work out then start process to find a new MC.
- Ensure your expectations are appropriate and in-line with the MC contract.
- Lessen your expectations in areas that are nonessential and focus on what's important. Finding and pointing out unimportant errors is annoying, demotivational, non-value-added, and likely harming the relationship w/ your MC. You think/assume you're helping ... in reality, your annoying the $hit out of the MC/PM, making them only want to do the bare minimum. Focus on improving the areas that are actually relevant and important.
- Other Board Members/Officers should focus on their areas of responsibility while you focus on different ones (e.g., treasurer should look at financials more closely than others). Butr all should be selective on what things/areas actually need to be adjusted/changed.
- Institute checks and balances. The Board/Officers are responsible for this. Example: Taxes need to be paid by a certain date. Check ahead of time w/ PM that events are occurring prior to that date. Check again just prior to due date. Ensure you receive some form of confirmation when taxes are paid. WHen any of that doesn't happen, ask questions and tackle problems when they arise instead of after the fact when you find out taxes weren't paid on time.

PeteG4 (Florida)
Posts: 2

Posted:

I have over the years found many (all financial) issues with our former PMC. Our solution, take all the responsibilities back in house.
We have had 3 PMC and only one was very good. They unfortunately were bought out by a conglomerate PNC and they are (were) the worst.

We took it back in house, using QBO and a great QBO advisor. The bills are getting paid on time and the financials are in order.

All I can say is... "No one cares about YOUR money more than you do." - When I say your I mean our association's finances.

Our PMC hasn't provided ANY financial data since Aug. 2022 but has no problem taking our money to do...idk, it sure isn't the books!
We had no choice but to leave.