When you get your property manager to fix something....

[scheps]

Regarding investment property.. for example plumbing or electrical .. whatever....

Do you expect an invoice or receipt? and if so do you expect to know what is being replaced? e.g. detail of the product such as brand, model etc and price etc? an breakdown of cost involved rather than one general price?

Really just curious about the general consensus and expectation.

Thanks - scheps

 

[Hvr]

Absolutely yes. You'll need it for your tax return, especially if audited.

Also, it should contain warranty details for future service if required.

 

[scheps]

yea well.... basically the guy is totally evading my questions but answering with a bunch of cr@p and no brand or model for a hot water system install..... I wonder what it's in it for them to be so vague about the details....

 

[MrHyde]

Absolutely. I don't approve any new installations without knowing the brand and model being proposed. In certain cases, I've had to reject their proposal and told them which model to put in. They sometimes propose low quality cr@p that won't last instead of paying a bit more and getting a better quality system.

 

[scheps]

totally agree with you MrHyde. I just wonder why they are so resistant in giving me the details of the product installed. Took 2 days to get the brand. But still totally non specific. I just dont understand what they have to gain by pissing off another customer.....

 

[burmans]

Absolutely. I don't approve any new installations without knowing the brand and model being proposed. In certain cases, I've had to reject their proposal and told them which model to put in. They sometimes propose low quality cr@p that won't last instead of paying a bit more and getting a better quality system.

Absolutely, they are supposed to be acting as your agent and you need an invoice for tax purposes. He might be dealing with a mate and getting a cheap deal, and charging you more, all sorts of things he might be up to.

Regardless if he's not acting in your interests (and it seems this way) suggest it's time for the big stick, act in my best interest or get replaced

 

[scheps]

sorry just to clarify, i am dealing with the service provider directly now. Agent is pretty neutral, if anything slightly obstructive. The stick is a good point and has been considered. I suppose the agent can only pass on what information is given by the service provider. However, is not chasing it up on my behalf at all. Totally up to me.

So sorry to rephrase, what would the service provider who did the installation, have anything to gain from concealing the model details. I wonder if the unit is not new e.g. refurb, factory second, his own used hot water system etc....

Sooo frustrating....

 

[MrHyde]

Is the property local? Can you go and have a look or get the agent to go have a look and photograph the new system. In any case, you should be provided with manuals and warranty information as well. The tax invoice must be itemised as there might be different ways the tax deductions are handled - maintenance/repairs vs capital depreciation (for example).

 

[nonpop]

We always get a quote.
If the agent has done a pre-inspection of the thing needing to be fixed, then I always request a happy snap or 3.
Then when the work is done they supply an invoice + a few happy snaps of completed job (where appropriate).
I do have a $500 limit set for running repairs vs capital works. As I see it $500 doesn't buy much in the way of labour and spares and covers most break / repair fast turn around things especially If I am travelling in a different time zone.

 

[scheps]

Is the property local? The tax invoice must be itemised as there might be different ways the tax deductions are handled - maintenance/repairs vs capital depreciation (for example).

Unfortunately not in the position to go check it out myself, but certainly the need to have an itemised receipt has been explained innumerable times. But the receipt is still labour xx_, everything else xx_x. Have you managed your assets with just a dichotomised invoice, not exactly itemized but feels like I have to take them to court to get one, which is actually not difficult for me to do. And yea, the agents now defending the service provider. Big stick someone said earlier on is in order for sure.

BTW this is second time this has happened. First time was much smaller item of 4 or 500 dollars so we didn't care. This time was more and I am getting really pissed off at the way it is handled.

 

[scheps]

yea that's absolutely right, perhaps partly due to co ordinated price gouging??

 

[OzEire]

This is the most frustrating and gaulling part of property investment. I have come across this too many times, but many property managers are just as bad as each other, you can't threaten to change to the competition when your manager knows they are just as bad.

I recently had such appalling service from an agent that the company management refunded their fee for the whole mobth to avoid getting sued. I'm still out of pocket but didn't want the hassle of going to court/tribunal. (In short tenants moved out leaving about $800 damage but agency returned the full bond anyway, then said it was my problem to sort out).

 

[maomaocat]

For our properties, the receipts are record three times by our property manager

1) the receipt itself
2) the monthly rental income statement
3) the annual summary statement for our accountant

Is your property manager a member of the relevant real estate institute for your state? you could escalate there.

 

[JohnK]

If something needs to be fixed the real estate agent (property manager) calls us first and we decide if we let them fix it or whether we do it on our own.

Personally I do not care what type of parts are used as long as the cost/invoice appears on my rental statements so I can claim it back from ATO.

 

[Shelf]

For our properties, the receipts are record three times by our property manager

1) the receipt itself
2) the monthly rental income statement
3) the annual summary statement for our accountant

Is your property manager a member of the relevant real estate institute for your state? you could escalate there.

This is my experience.

 

[scheps]

Thanks for your advice guys, now i don't feel so "unreasonable" anymore. To be honest, I don't know how they live with themselves when they do that. My agent refuse to give me a receipt, only on the statement. I have since come across similar stories from my friends who have investment property. But there are some who are good. I just never thought of bringing up this topic, because, i was surprised as to how much there was to talk about!!

The full bond refund? that is terrible. And i would have thought, they usually gouge the tenants on that part instead of the owner.

 

[puppysparkes]

For any future works and to avoid ambiguity it might be worth reviewing and perhaps amending any contract between yourself and the agent to include your preferences. Sound like a quick chat with the principle might be in order. Hopefully that's not the person you're already dealing with!

 

[sumthinfornuthin]

For any future works and to avoid ambiguity it might be worth reviewing and perhaps amending any contract between yourself and the agent to include your preferences. Sound like a quick chat with the principle might be in order. Hopefully that's not the person you're already dealing with!

As an ex principal in a real estate agency for 40 + years I suggest you simply ring the Principal, tell him your problem and ask him to investigate it and sort it out, there will be an answer.

The plumber should provide a proper tax invoice detailing what has gone into the place. if you are not getting the answers setting out model number and preferably the serial number of the unit something is wrong

if you think the plumber is stiching you up then suggest to him you will ring the plumbers registration Board to sort it out. I guarantee he won't want you to do that.

Whilst owners would not agree, there is very little profit in Property Management for the time and effort that goes into it, most of which an owner never sees or appreciates. The only way to make it profitable as a Principal is to have good well paid staff who sort out problems not create them.
I suggest you put your concerns IN WRITING to the boss and see what happens.
If you are not satisfied then find someone else to look after your property BUT remember you only get what you pay for and if the agent is screwed into the ground on commission the chances are that is part of the problem. Pay peanuts get monkeys
It's a competitive industry but I have turned down lots of unprofitable business from owners who wanted to pay nothing who then went elsewhere and then came back in 12 months bleating about the poor service they were getting elsewhere etc etc etc, but please don't think I am saying this is the case here, just my observation from 40+ years and having the largest Property Management portfolio in my region, most built on happy Landlord referalls ( who beleives the buls**t in adverts anyway) when I sold my business.
Sometimes the only way people realise what is a fair rate to pay is to have a problem with the "cheapie" and then experience proper service from well paid staff who have a demanding Principal to understand the difference.
No longer my problems trying to explain that to people fortunately
B

 

[puppysparkes]

Sumthinfornitin I totally agree. Regardless of jurisdiction, I always suggest direct resolution as the first consideration. In a previous job role, we often found that disputants were reluctant to utilise a direct resolution process for their own reasons.

Less than adult IMO. Somewhat disheartening, especially when more often than not I'd resolve matters with 1 phone call stating the complaints issues. I guess it can be viewed as a subjective topic but I take the man up position....sort your business.

 

[Austman]

Regarding investment property.. for example plumbing or electrical .. whatever....

Do you expect an invoice or receipt? and if so do you expect to know what is being replaced? e.g. detail of the product such as brand, model etc and price etc? an breakdown of cost involved rather than one general price?

Really just curious about the general consensus and expectation.

Thanks - scheps

I self manage now. I just had a hot water system replaced. So I was dealing directly with the plumbing company. They supplied a quote over the phone, I then asked the brand and was told it. I gave the OK. But when I got the invoice all it stated was

Supply and installation of new 80 litre electric hot water system, pipe alterations required $xx_.xx

So no brand on the invoice (but I was told it) and no breakdown of parts/labour. Just GST added. I suppose I could have asked for a more detailed invoice, but it didn't seem necessary.

Just saying this because I don't know how a property manager would know those details if the plumbing company didn't give them (unless they asked). Looking at a few other receipts for other work done, I can report that some tradespeople are 'economical' with the detail in their invoices.