Property Manager has gone AWOL (Jericho)

[TrevLJ]

What do you do if your Property Manager goes AWOL? Rental hasn't been deposited into my account for a month and I can't seem to contact the Property Manager (or anyone in his Company for that matter) for the past week.

[Tan]

Which town is the manager in? What company?

[TrevLJ]

Wellington. Jericho Property Management.

[Tan]

Have a look in the companies office http://www.business.govt.nz/companie...2520Management

If you haven't dealt with Kane it would be another contact. NB, their last annual return was filed 12 June 2009.

Good luck.

[TrevLJ]

Thanks for that. I USED to deal directly with Kane but then he appointed some other people to handle things. What worries me is that there doesn't seem to be anyone answering the office phone anymore and I've had no responses to emails. To add to the difficulty is the fact that I live in Auckland so it's not a simple matter to drive by the property. I wonder if there's anyone else out there who is signed up with Jericho?

Also, at what point do, or can, I say "You're fired" and what happens to the current tenant (if there indeed is one!).

[Tan]

Read this thread to see what others have done in a similar situation.

http://www.propertytalk.com/forum/showthread.php?27841-Flatfee-Property-Management-Hamilton

[Rosco]

I think the best advice from other threads that I have read in the past is to get the tenants to immediately stop paying the rent to the property manager, and start paying it to you.

Ross

[TrevLJ]

Thanks for that advice. I will try to get down there as soon as I can.

[flyernzl]

Also I would deliver a written letter to the registered office of the management company terminating their management of the tenancy from a specific date, and keep a copy. Just covering yourself.

[speights boy]

Thanks for that advice. I will try to get down there as soon as I can.

Try popping into The Havana Bar, 32 Wigan St, Te Aro.
Ask around, you may get a lead.

[WGN ex-property manager]

We have been fielding a number of calls from concerned clients of Jericho.

The common theme seems to be

• 1 months rent not paid to property owners
• No action taken to rent out vacant properties
• Principle not answering phone and voicemail box is not accepting new voicemails as it's full

If you are concerned feel free to give us a call on 0800 567 5633, or you can get my cellphone from our website.

For those who want to take control of their properties themselves we're recommending you prioritise the following:

1. Inform the PM that they are no longer working for you, with immediate effect, in writing. Deliver using recorded delivery mail.
2. Get control of your future rent. Write to, phone and if possible visit the tenant. Inform them in writing that the PM is no longer their landlord, you are, and give them in writing the bank account details for their rent to be paid into. You'll need to start a regime of checking the rent daily (as there are bound to be niggles in the changeover).
3. Get control of the bond. Sign a DBH change of landlord form with the tenant (yes, I know that the PM is in theory supposed to sign as the old landlord, but what are your chances...?), and send to DBH along with a copy of your letter firing the PM, and if possible a copy of the title to the property identifying you as the legal owner.
4. Get control of the tenancy. If you don't have a copy of the Tenancy agreement, see if the tenant has and take a copy. If not, work up one of your own and negotiate with the tenant for you and them to mutually agree to sign the new agreement (don't mess with the rent $pw or the term at this stage).
5. Get control of the physical security. Change the locks, give tenant a set of new keys and bill the old PM (but don't rely on ever actually seeing the money).
6. Now you can fight your battle with your old PM for costs and missing rent without jeopardising the cash-flow or tenancy. You'll be asking for the old keys, a full rental and owner payment history, any missing rent, and any other costs you incurred in the changeover.

If you need any help or have any questions please feel free to ask here or call us.

Robin

[Tan]

And be quick about it, it could be a case of first in first paid, last in not paid.

[WGN ex-property manager]

If (and I have no firm facts) there is a case of misuse of money in their Trust account (assuming they have one), then, yes, every dollar of your's that ends up in the trust account may be at risk, and potentially never seen again.

But this could just be a case of critical staff member gets ill with no cover?

We don't know yet.

[ScoobyDon't]

If you want to contact Kane a quick search on Facebook should find him. I'd give you the link, but I'm a newby on the forum, and am not allowed to post URLs yet.

I don't believe there will be two people of the same name in Wellington.

[ScoobyDon't]

Two more possibilities - Not sure if you have these already, but they're from a copy of the lease they give tenants.

For an urgent general inquiry call 04 385 6237
For urgent maintenance call 021 738 900