is this how property management companies normally operate?

fifib

got call 2 weeks ago that tenant renting our house is saying washing machine is tearing clothes. they rang me to see if id like to buy new one or get maintenance to look at it. i said no to buying new one- its not that old and given all they could tell me was it was tearing clothes i didnt think it warranted me rushing off to buy new one. so they said they would get maintenance to check it out. heard nothing after that until today i got my monthly statement in post and attached is bill for new washing machine and install fee. I rang them asking why a new one was bought without informing me first and was just told they assumed they could given maintenance looked at it and didn't think it was worth fixing. they still cannot tell me exactly what was wrong with it in the end.
this is not the 1st appliance that has been bought without my consent. 2 months previous got call about dryer (causing condensation in utility, we think when we got insulation done previous winter they actually blocked up hole for vent) and dishwasher not working. i agreed to get purchase a new condenser dryer myself and have it delivered following week. on the dishwasher i told them there is not supposed to be dishwasher in house. few days before we handed over house to property agency the dishwasher stopped working for me. they told me not to bother fixing that they would remove it. we are not required to provide dishwasher anyways..fair enough i agreed at the time. so when i was told dishwasher was not working i was suprised and said what dishwasher? the old one was supposed to be removed before any tenants moved in. tenant was about 5 months in house before they informed me it wasn't working! so i said i wasnt buying a new one and explained that it was supposed to be removed months ago before anyone moved in. was told "no problem they would sort it out". next statement included a receipt for a new dishwasher! wtf!? i rang them about it and was told they assumed that's what was agreed in our last phone conversation!! and apologised for the crossed wires.
so is this how these agencies normally operate?? they go off and buy new appliances without notifying the landlord?? feel like they are taking me for a mug now!

and on top of this we did not get our full months rent. it was 180 short. this is second time this has happened also. last time the shortfall was included in the following months rent.

would love some advice

The_Conductor

Not normal at all.
A good property management company will assess the appliance, determine whether its beyond economic repair and/or whether its near end-of-life- and outline to you what your options are.

No idea who your property management are (and I don't want to know)- get rid of them- they're costing you money.

As for the 180 late- if they were doing their duty- they would be issuing a notice of overdue rent to the tenant when its 14 days late- which is step one on the road to terminating the tenancy. They didn't. The tenant has learnt you're a soft touch and don't mind the rent being short- if they make it up next month.

Honestly- I'd be billing the Management Company for the appliances you did not agree to their purchasing.
If you're spending a lumpsum on an appliance- the most astute thing to do- is after you discuss it on the phone with the Management Agent- send them an e-mail detailing what you have agreed to- so you have it in writing what was or was not agreed to.

The company you're using are shysters- get rid of them.

shopper2011

You asked a third party to manage the property, so you would not have to. Why not let them manage it and avoid interfering.

Here's what happend me. I have rented before of management agencies. The washing broke and I told the managment company so, and a new machine was needed. Any eject would have realised this. Instead the management company sent out maintance guy, who kicked the machine, cleaned the filter and said it was grand. A month later it flooded the kitchen and the neighbours house. Only then did the management company replace it.
Why not just step back.

bee06

shopper2011 wrote: »

You asked a third party to manage the property, so you would not have to. Why not let them manage it and avoid interfering.

Because the OP is the one who ends up paying for everything. Would you let someone have free rein with your money?

OP, this wouldn't be my experience. Everything is communicated by email so a written record and everything is cleared with me before action is taken. They sound like a bunch of cowboys and I'd be moving immediately.

the_syco

fifib wrote: »

i got my monthly statement in post and attached is bill for new washing machine and install fee. I rang them asking why a new one was bought without informing me first and was just told they assumed they could given maintenance looked at it and didn't think it was worth fixing.

If this is the agency who had the washing machine replaced, go over your contract with them with your solicitor, as I wonder are they allowed without your permission.

The_Conductor

shopper2011 wrote: »

You asked a third party to manage the property, so you would not have to. Why not let them manage it and avoid interfering.

Here's what happend me. I have rented before of management agencies. The washing broke and I told the managment company so, and a new machine was needed. Any eject would have realised this. Instead the management company sent out maintance guy, who kicked the machine, cleaned the filter and said it was grand. A month later it flooded the kitchen and the neighbours house. Only then did the management company replace it.
Why not just step back.

Shopper- they are *not* managing the tenancy- thats why.
Also- the OP is employing the Management Company to manage the tenancy- they are his agents, it is his/her prerogative how he/she wishes them to manage the tenancy- it most certainly is not the cases that he/she should avoid interfering- if anything goes wrong with the tenancy and the tenants take a case- it is the OP who is going to have to pick up the pieces- not the agent- e.g. if the tenant stops paying the rent altogether and overholds- the OP is out of pocket. If the tenant decides they want new appliances- and the agent caves in and gives them to them- it is the OP who is out of pocket. If the agent leaves appliances insitu despite a strict instruction to remove them- and the tenant complains- it is the OP who is out of pocket.

The only mistake the OP has made here- is they appointed an appalling agent who is not representing their interests properly.

The OP needs to appoint an agent who undertakes instructions from the landlord- or they need to manage the tenancy themselves- it is not appropriate for an agent to stray so far off the reservation as this one obviously has done.

Contrary to what you are suggesting- if a relatively new appliance develops an issue- it is not always the most economic decision to replace it- and as for your washing machine example- have a read of the recent thread in this forum of a landlord who did replace a washing machine- but the plumber never took a sump pipe off- and it continuously stopped midcycle. The landlord spent hundreds on call-outs- and eventually bought a new machine- before the installer of the (second) new machine- discovered the actual issue with the first one. The landlord spent 1,600 on something simple that the original installer overlooked- fixing an issue that didn't exist- and now has a second new washing machine that he has nowhere to store.

You had a problem with your washing machine- fine- it happens- it doesn't mean that your experience equates with that of the landlord and/or the agent or tenant. 1+1 does not equal 3.

If you employ someone to do a job- you expect them to do what you are paying them to do. This is not what is happening in the OP's case- he issued clear instructions to the agent- who promptly ignored them- and went off and did their own thing. If the agent wants to do their own thing- they should buy a few units and manage their own tenancies as they see fit. It is not their prerogative to randomly spend the landlords money.

Yet again I just cannot see the point of using an agent. Even leaving aside the fact they are being paid to spend the ops money on things he didn't want they are doing nothing more than relaying messages for the tenant.

Tenant rings agent, agent rings LL, LL tells agent what to do, agent does it. Wouldn't it all be much simpler if the tenant just rang the LL.

As for the ops case in particular, Fire them immediately for a start and if I was him I'd be taking legal action to recoup the cost of the new applicants. Total idiots that need to be suffer consequences for their idiotic behaviour.

Mrs OBumble

What does your contract with them say?

Mine is pre-authorised to do anything ip to €400 without contacting me first.

When you asked the agent about the late rent, what did they say?

The_Conductor

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

What does your contract with them say?

Mine is pre-authorised to do anything ip to €400 without contacting me first.

When you asked the agent about the late rent, what did they say?

Mine doesn't have any such instruction- and my aim is to try and keep the place in good working order- but without having a white washing machine or cooker in the cooker- when the rest of the appliances are brushed aluminum etc. Aka- I do not necessarily want the cheapest option. Also in the case of the washing machine- capacity is an issue- and given the new requirements for drynig laundry- when I had to replace it a few weeks ago- I went with a combo Samsung unit- which ticked all the boxes for me. Have had one or two curious phone calls trying to explain how to use unusual wash cycles etc (Google is my friend- why the tenant didn't google it, is beyond me, however.........).

Price alone- is not necessarily the top consideration for a landlord- and indeed- in a case like a washing machine in an apartment- someone telling you its broken, it has to be replaced- doesn't necessarily add up either- it could be the water pump for the house- or any of long and bewildering list of other possibilities. As the guy in the other thread found out- washing machine not working- does not equate with- washing machine broken.

fifib

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

What does your contract with them say?

Mine is pre-authorised to do anything ip to €400 without contacting me first.

When you asked the agent about the late rent, what did they say?

Its €100 on our contract

They did not know why rent was not fully paid, they were not in office when I rang so will call me Monday to discuss properly.

If I decide to terminate service I have to give some many weeks notice in writing. What happens to tenant? I will be going with new letting agency

fifib

fifib wrote: »

Its €100 on our contract

They did not know why rent was not fully paid, they were not in office when I rang so will call me Monday to discuss properly.

If I decide to terminate service I have to give some many weeks notice in writing. What happens to tenant? I will be going with new letting agency

Why are you spending money on letting agencies when you could do it yourself and make sure it's done right?

The_Conductor

Alexia Tall Vapidity wrote: »

Why are you spending money on letting agencies when you could do it yourself and make sure it's done right?

Normally its deliberately to be one step removed from the everyday needs of the tenant. E.g. If you have tenants in Dublin- but are living in Galway or Cork- it doesn't make a lot of sense to be running up and down every time something goes wrong. My sister has new tenants- and the agent has had to call out 4 times in the last 10 days- to repeatedly show them how to use the immersion and the heating system- and, I kid you not, to change a light bulb. If my sis was dealing with them directly- she'd probably be in Mountjoy this weekend.

Property servicing and management- is a massive business- and its global business- its nothing particular to Ireland (though from reading a few company reports of agencies who work here- such as Germany's Apleona- their cost per unit in Ireland is up to 4 times higher here- than in many other EU countries).

Then there is the constantly changing legislative and regulatory regime. You, or I, might be quite happy reading legislation (its part of my day job anyway)- but the average punter may as well be trying to read Greek. Having the ability to hand everything over to an agency- is a necessity for a cohort of landlords- and a convenience for others.

Then there are landlords out there- plenty of them unfortunately- who just don't run their properties as businesses- and mayhem ensues. Having an agent- is an absolute need for them..............

__..__

I used an agent before.
Abojt 6 months in I got no rent one month. When i queried it they sent me a receipt for a new washing machine plus an installation fee.
€650 + €100
I said I wouldn't even put a €650 washing machine in my own house never mind a let.
I told.them to take it out and get the old washing machine back in and I'd get my own guy to repair it.
There was lots of arguing but in the end they took out that washing machine, gave me my money back and I organized a normally priced washing machine to be put in and terminated the agreement with the agent at the end of the year.
Sometimes I think agents might have side agreements with their suppliers if you know what I mean.

fifib

Alexia Tall Vapidity wrote: »

fifib wrote: »

Its €100 on our contract

They did not know why rent was not fully paid,  they were not in office when I rang so will call me Monday to discuss properly.

If I decide to terminate service I have to give some many weeks notice in writing.  What happens to tenant? I will be going with new letting agency

Why are you spending money on letting agencies when you could do it yourself and make sure it's done right?

we went with a letting agency to make sure it was all done right..or so we thought! for our personal circumstances
a letting agency is better than us trying to manage it ourselves

fifib

if we end our service with the letting agency what happens to the tenants they put into the house for us? Tenants have been in there for 8 months now

__..__

fifib wrote: »

if we end our service with the letting agency what happens to the tenants they put into the house for us? Tenants have been in there for 8 months now

Tell the agency that you are finished with them after the year is up.
Youll get a fight, but just tell them to take their tenants with them if they want, but you are finished with the agent. Dont forget to speak to the tenants and make new payment arrangements too.

Mrs OBumble

fifib wrote: »

we went with a letting agency to make sure it was all done right..or so we thought! for our personal circumstances
a letting agency is better than us trying to manage it ourselves

Tenants stay on their existing Part 4.

Make sure you get the inventory and deposit from the agent.