Third Management Company in a year

Started by TomP11 • 12 replies • 148 views

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TomP11 (California)
Posts: 113

Posted:

I tried to Google the answer but couldn't find it. This is the third management company in 12 months. This question is on payments to the old one. I live in California, by the way. I mailed a cashier's check on May 17th; I did not receive notification that the management company was changing until the 20th. By that time, the check was already in the mail. We did not have a May HOA meeting, so no one was aware of the change. I called my credit union today to check if the check had been processed, and it hadn't.

My question is: Is the prior management company required to return the check to me? Or do they forward it to the new company when they send over the account balances? The postmark on the letter is dated May 16th. I apologize if this is against the rules.

JackieB4 (California)
Posts: 398

Posted:

Tom, terrible issues!! Along with concerns over where did my Cashier check end up??? ... is possibly a bigger can of worms! 3 PMC's in a year seems HIGHLY DISFUNCTIONAL.
Is your BOD alive with a pulse? Member apathy allows the pot to boil over. I smell serious smoke. I also feel your pain. My advice is seek legal attention. This sounds like a total SNAFU?

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059

Posted:

Tom,

The company should either:

1) cash the check into the HOA account prior to transferring the funds.
2) turn the check over with the records of the Association
3) return the check to you.

I've had mail take up to two weeks to get from point a to point b in the same town.
It's possible that they haven't received it yet.

You may want to contact the old company and see if they had received it.

In the future, I would suggest using regular checks vs. cashier checks as this give you direct control (you can stop payment, etc.)
A second option would be to use your banks bill pay service (where the bank writes and mails a check on your behalf) as this can give you some control as well.

In the mean time, send a letter to the Treasurer and the new company explaining that the check was sent to the previous company.
give dates it was mailed and, if possible, a copy of the check.

Hope this helps,

Tim

SheliaH (Indiana)
Posts: 6,964

Posted:

What Jackie and Tim said. Start with getting the check issue resolved first and document what you do sbd when. That will help in case they try to issue a late fee against you.

You really should consider paying through your bank's bill pay service - that's how I pay my assessments and the money usually arrives with 24 hours or less, depending on when you authorized the payment. You can even make it a recurring payment at the same time of the month.

As that's getting resolved, start asking questions about the management company change. Three in one year is a hot mess and the community needs to know why. It appears the board didn't consider a transition plan to prevent stuff like this, and even if there wasn't a meeting last month, the board should have been keeping the community informed. That said, get the last 6 months of board meeting minutes and look for previous discussions (is it possible the word did go out, but you forgot or never received a notice?)

Start attending meetings to listen for yourself and encourage your neighbors to join you. If you have board members who don't seem to know or care about doing anything effectively, it may be time to consider electing replacements (and YOU may need to consider running ) Good luck!

PS - unfortunately mail delivery has been a problem in the last few years due to staffing issues like most places and the last postmaster general was a jackass. Thankfully he's gone, but it may take some time to stabilize things. If you insist on mailing, be sure you go INSIDE the post office and drop off the letters that way. Vandalism of post offices boxes has been a problem, along with jumping postal carriers to steal letters that might have cash, gift cards, checks, etc.

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

KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550

Posted:

To add to Shelia, do attend board meetings and urge your neighbors to attend them too. Contribute during Open Forum. We Cali HOA ownrs are so lucky that by statute we may attend open board meeting AND have a voice at a designated time.

In some states, owners may NOT attend board meetings or if permitted to attend, may not have a voice.

3 managers in a year is really a bad thing and no doubt has cost you ownrs extra long with the chaos!

SheliaH (Indiana)
Posts: 6,964

Posted:

Note to kerri - before I forget, thanks so much for your words of support in the conversation on the HOA president overstepping his authority. I don't know what prompted the snark (especially since the OP didn't have any issues), but like you, I will disregard you-know-who's comments if they get personal for no reason!

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

ElleN (Idaho)
Posts: 1,333

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By SheliaH on 06/08/2025 9:14 AM
I will disregard you-know-who's comments if they get personal for no reason!

I pointed out that you had not read the first post of that thread with any kind of care. Fact: You had not. You then launched ad hominems.

I will continue to feel free to call you out when your remarks start to derail a thread because you did not read the first post and went off on a tangent with no basis in the OP's situation.

TomP11 (California)
Posts: 113

Posted:

I do hope they are just waiting to turn it over to the next company. I don't feel safe sending a regular check in the mail for a few reasons, I don't want someone to take it and have my account number, claimed the check bounced, etc.

I tried to contact the prior management company but they blocked access to our questions on May 20th. Thanks for the input. The credit union said I have to wait 90 to cancel the check aka when it expires. My only saving grace was that it was my payment for July. I like to be 2 months ahead just for situations like this.

TomP11 (California)
Posts: 113

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By TomP11 on 06/08/2025 11:23 AM
I do hope they are just waiting to turn it over to the next company. I don't feel safe sending a regular check in the mail for a few reasons, I don't want someone to take it and have my account number, claimed the check bounced, etc.

I tried to contact the prior management company but they blocked access to our questions on May 20th. Thanks for the input. The credit union said I have to wait 90 to cancel the check aka when it expires. My only saving grace was that it was my payment for July. I like to be 2 months ahead just for situations like this.

This was a answers for Tim

TomP11 (California)
Posts: 113

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By SheliaH on 06/08/2025 7:15 AM
What Jackie and Tim said. Start with getting the check issue resolved first and document what you do sbd when. That will help in case they try to issue a late fee against you.

You really should consider paying through your bank's bill pay service - that's how I pay my assessments and the money usually arrives with 24 hours or less, depending on when you authorized the payment. You can even make it a recurring payment at the same time of the month.

As that's getting resolved, start asking questions about the management company change. Three in one year is a hot mess and the community needs to know why. It appears the board didn't consider a transition plan to prevent stuff like this, and even if there wasn't a meeting last month, the board should have been keeping the community informed. That said, get the last 6 months of board meeting minutes and look for previous discussions (is it possible the word did go out, but you forgot or never received a notice?)

Start attending meetings to listen for yourself and encourage your neighbors to join you. If you have board members who don't seem to know or care about doing anything effectively, it may be time to consider electing replacements (and YOU may need to consider running ) Good luck!

PS - unfortunately mail delivery has been a problem in the last few years due to staffing issues like most places and the last postmaster general was a jackass. Thankfully he's gone, but it may take some time to stabilize things. If you insist on mailing, be sure you go INSIDE the post office and drop off the letters that way. Vandalism of post offices boxes has been a problem, along with jumping postal carriers to steal letters that might have cash, gift cards, checks, etc.

I like to pay early and with the amount of time they switch companies that would be a headache. The reason I started to send checks again is because the prior management charges fees for ACH transactions. And it was a percentage not a flat $3 fee.

SheliaH (Indiana)
Posts: 6,964

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By ElleN on 06/08/2025 10:42 AM

Posted By SheliaH on 06/08/2025 9:14 AM
I will disregard you-know-who's comments if they get personal for no reason!

If the OP said something about that, that would be one thing, but he didn't and you didnt start the bloody conversation, so why were you triggered? You assumed the man was incapable of speaking for himself?
No, dear, the tangent was all you.

I still don't know why you're cranky with me - did you miss me while I was on my social media break? Maybe you should try one - you might feel better.

I always say anyone can take some, all or none of what anyone says here, including you. Most of us are adults and are capable of speaking up for ourselves. Or notify the moderator- and that ain't YOU.

Ok, back to this conversation - and Tom, I do apologize for the interruption and hope you find some of my comments helpful. I understand why you went to paying by check, but that's also why this board needs to address this.

I wonder if the change occured because someone did something crazy. Did the company go belly up without notice (in which case I'd want to be assured the association's finances are secure)? Did yhe board abruptly cancel the contract without reading the part on how it should be terminated ? Something in between or completely different?

Get a copy of contracts 2 and 3 to see what's what and read the previous board minutes to see if you can determine what happened when. Draft your questions if necessary and show up at the next meeting to ask them.

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

SheliaH (Indiana)
Posts: 6,964

Posted:

One more thing - ask the board if they've talked to the association bank about accepting electronic payments. You may be able to avoid fees that way if they accept your bank's direct ACH transfers.

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

ElleN (Idaho)
Posts: 1,333

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By SheliaH on 06/08/2025 3:18 PM

If the OP said something about that, that would be one thing, but he didn't and you didnt start the bloody conversation, so why were you triggered?

I see you are upset.

You can dish it out but you sure cannot take it, constructive criticism or otherwise.

A reasonable person might have read the first post (as directed) and realized, "Oops. I misread." Then perhaps they would own the error and maybe post a different response.

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